View Full Version : Big Band Jazz


ProfessorM
05-22-2009, 08:13 PM
Luv it. To coordinate that many people together and get the tight sound they get takes lots of skill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OFNRz3iFQM

ProfessorM
05-22-2009, 08:15 PM
my mom used to go to hear this guy's band. Talk about tight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4JgG8iyOyY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEt13RIL0ko&feature=related

Mike P
05-23-2009, 07:46 AM
The LA Tonight Show Orchestra, under Severinsen, was the greatest big band ever put together. Every member was a first class studio musician before being invited to play.

The trumpet section there included John Audino and Conte Candoli in addition to Doc and Snooky Young. I can't place the fourth member. Any one of them could have played lead in any big band. Steve Marcus on tenor sax was another monster player, and Tommy Newsome, for all the ribbing he took because of his oatmeal personality, was a fine musician and a world class arranger. He wrote the majority of the band's charts.

You'll never see another group of musicians of that caliber assembled again :(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cusms_vKpP4

Raider Ronnie
05-23-2009, 04:29 PM
It's a shame that as that generation who grew up with big band music have passes on/away, so has the music, or atleast any radio station that plays it.

Tagger
05-23-2009, 06:43 PM
I actually had this album .. I listened to this pre zappa years .. Does break into a nice groove .. very dark music ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn6yP7EiiK0

Tagger
05-23-2009, 06:50 PM
My one time idol ... Tommy Dorsey ... I played trombone 8 yrs. as a kid.. My dad made me ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67XIT6f0KDE&feature=related

Tagger
05-23-2009, 06:55 PM
another Idol ... Glenn Miller ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJE-onnw2gM&feature=related

Tagger
05-23-2009, 07:03 PM
but ,,,behind dads back I idolized Gene Krupa ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9J5Zt2Obko&feature=related

Slingah
05-24-2009, 12:17 AM
funny to see this right now...we just got in from sitting in on my wifes friends radio jazz show at a local station....she spins all this cool old stuff...

ProfessorM
05-24-2009, 11:26 AM
cool, I am envious Matt.
There are still some really good newer bands out. This guy has a really good album out. The Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra called Diamonds for Nat. Super cd. It is a tribute cd to Nat Adderley, bro of Julian "Cannonball" A., and a fantastic musician in his own right.

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=21218


Eric in the evening on WGBH, 89.7 FM, still spins great stuff every weeknight.

striperman36
05-24-2009, 12:56 PM
The jazz decade on wgbh sunday nights at 7.
Be there.

Canalman
05-28-2009, 02:48 PM
These guys play some of the sickest big band I have ever heard. I have both of their Cds---great driving music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB8vzBcoEcg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kosxo30CZeQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGiPklssWmA

ProfessorM
05-28-2009, 03:38 PM
Nice Dave. Thats what i am talking about. If that don't get your blood pumping nutin will. When you going to burn me some copies.:D

BTW did you ever get those albums back from you friend? If he didn't do it I can probably do it now as I got something to do it, when I get the time to read the instructions:spin:. No rush

ProfessorM
05-28-2009, 03:44 PM
This guy's band is very good too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncrILTdBywo&feature=related

ProfessorM
05-28-2009, 03:47 PM
this album is a must have. Very talented musician. Not big band, more little big band. Jumpin Jive, Joe Jackson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGcJfSXLg-g&feature=PlayList&p=FA86EE294DF462DC&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=46

Canalman
05-29-2009, 11:08 AM
Nice Dave. Thats what i am talking about. If that don't get your blood pumping nutin will. When you going to burn me some copies.:D

BTW did you ever get those albums back from you friend? If he didn't do it I can probably do it now as I got something to do it, when I get the time to read the instructions:spin:. No rush

Yea I have them--on cd too. I keep forgetting to give them to you! Give me a call... and sure I'll burn the discs for ya
:tm:

RIJIMMY
05-29-2009, 12:42 PM
The LA Tonight Show Orchestra, under Severinsen, was the greatest big band ever put together. Every member was a first class studio musician before being invited to play.

(

a little caffeniated right now, but you have to be F'in kidding me!
Better than Duke Ellington, Basie? How about Gil Evan's work with Miles....ever hear the Birth of the Cool sessions??????? Ok how about Billy Eckstines band with a few young cats named Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughn! inventing it and playing it better than it will ever be played!
Doc Serverinsen ! jazz guys would puke from laughter from that statement.

You guys need to expand your horizons on the jazz front, 90% of postings here about jazz features a list of the "white" all stars. I almost replied to the Tom Scott thread awhile ago - get some Coletrane, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderly. There are some fantastic white jazz musicians, but most of the true pioneers and geniuses were black. I've been playing and studying this stuff for 20 years. When it comes to music, I am a racist and proud of it. Want big band - nothing, ever, was as sophisticated and brilliant as Duke Ellington. Ever! For driving blues big band - Count Basie. For bop sophistication, Gil Evans (white guys) and any of his work. rant over.

RIJIMMY
05-29-2009, 12:51 PM
when Doc S's band goes home, they masturtbate to this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIZ7vEwhXRM


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuDDwN2Id8s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4-ZBQ_UYgM&feature=related

ProfessorM
05-29-2009, 12:51 PM
Yea I have them--on cd too. I keep forgetting to give them to you! Give me a call... and sure I'll burn the discs for ya
:tm:

Cool. Thanks. I will give you a call, maybe this weekend even. If your around good if not I'll try again next weekend.

ProfessorM
05-29-2009, 12:53 PM
[QUOTE=RIJIMMY;690903]when Doc S's band goes home, they masturtbate to this

The thought of all those old guys stroking it :skulz:

Great stuff, music that is, luv the Count

Mike P
05-29-2009, 03:04 PM
Snooky Young, Doc's lead trumpeter, played in Basie's band. Many of the musicians in the Tonight Show band were alumni of name big bands before they joined. That band was a veteran group, they stayed together for almost the whole run of the show in LA, and they were tight. Those other bands went through a lot of personnel over the years, and their quality varied. Duke's band was a constant, for many years, but outside of Harry "Sweets" Edison and Cat Anderson, the brass section was nowhere near as good as the line-up of Snooky Young, Conte Condoli, John Audino and Chuck Findley, which was the pinnacle of the Tonight Show's trumpet section. And it got even better on the nights when Clark Terry decided to sit in. The A section of Duke's band was his sax section, with Paul Gonzalves (a native of Pawtucket, BTW) on alto, Johnny Hodges on tenor, and Harry Carney on baritone.

Don't forget that Doc's band played fill-in music for the audience between commercial breaks. You never saw some of their best playing. When they featured the band on the air, it was often to back another performer, and when they played solo, it was always a tune that Carson selected--and Johnny liked the old standards. It was commercial. But you can still play the socks off a commercial arrangement of an old standard, which is what they did. Big band ensemble playing is much more than a 12 bar jazz solo. Or even a 128 bar jazz solo.

Everyone used to laugh at Doc in the 70s. Me included. I had the same idiotic bias you do, that only black dudes can play real jazz. I grew out of it, as did most of the jazz cats then. Most professional musicians nowadays (I used to be one in a former life) give Doc the respect that he deserves. If you think he doesn't have jazz chops, and you think that his band was a bunch of hackers, your musical knowledge isn't what you think it is.

ProfessorM
05-29-2009, 05:13 PM
Geez mike if I knew you were into this style of music I would have picked your brain more when I was fishin next to you yesterday. Thanks for sharin.

RIJIMMY
06-02-2009, 08:32 AM
Everyone used to laugh at Doc in the 70s. Me included. I had the same idiotic bias you do, that only black dudes can play real jazz. I grew out of it, as did most of the jazz cats then. Most professional musicians nowadays (I used to be one in a former life) give Doc the respect that he deserves. If you think he doesn't have jazz chops, and you think that his band was a bunch of hackers, your musical knowledge isn't what you think it is.

idiotic bias, whatever. I've played jazz at the top of the Pru in Boston, Greenwich village and clubs all over San Francisco. Curious your resume? Wedding band? I've had drinks and coffee with some of the greatest jazz musicians in history. You made the comment that a band full of guys who had a cozy gig as "one of the greatest big bands of all time" which is bull%$%$%$%$. I never said they're hacks. But they aint even close to the pioneers that made big band. Touring nights all over the country, The arrangments were genius. Severinson may have been decent jazz, but he is nothing compated to those I mentioned.
I have many white jazz favorites, but very, very, very few are pioneers. Greats yes.
During the hey day of the bands, they played their sets and then indiviudally played all night gigs at Mintons and other clubs, these were clubs full of muscians playing for musicians, constantly improving their art. It was constant playing. You made the statement that a bunch of middle aged guys playing an afternoon gig for a TV audience and then went home to their couches was the greatest big band, not an informed comment.

Joe
06-02-2009, 01:36 PM
Stop fighting over the subjective you two - before I knock you both out.
I read Dinah Washington's biography recently and bought about seven albums from her catalog. I really enjoy it - I like knowing some of the backstory too. I don't have much of an ear (zero, actually) but I'd like to be able to appreciate jazz at a decent level. I've also been starting to listen to Miles and Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughn - great stuff.

RIJIMMY
06-02-2009, 02:06 PM
Joe - pick up some Clifford Brown with Max Roach.

Joe
06-02-2009, 02:22 PM
I've got the album Clifford Brown With Strings and a rare track from the Newport Jazz Festival 1957 - Max Roach on Drums, Wynton Kelly, Paul West doing the Bessie Smith standard, Backwater Blues with Dinah on vocals....killer.
Clifford Brown did a lot work for a guy who only lived to 23 or so.

RIJIMMY
06-02-2009, 02:47 PM
Joy Spring
IMHO - the best small ensemble jazz playing ever. Brown's solo is as brilliant as it gets. My favortite trumpet player and one of my favorite soloists.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJcuwurIwhQ

ProfessorM
06-02-2009, 05:08 PM
LUV each other guys. Everyone is entitled to what they enjoy. It is all about sharin what you like. Even people with tin ears are welcome. Hell I have to listen to Hannah Montana more than I care too but she likes it so I live with it.

Max Roach = good stuff

sokinwet
06-02-2009, 10:40 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMts16eKvwA&feature=related


How bout a little swing! If you ever get a chance check these guys out! Guitarist/leader Doug Bell is a local guy that occasionally drops in at the local blues jams and shows us how it's done with a vintage tele.

Crafty Angler
06-04-2009, 09:22 AM
All good stuff - I was lucky enough growing up in Newport to have seen all the big name big bands with their original leaders at the Newport Jazz Festival over the years - and the great singers like Sarah Vaughan, Ella, Big Joe Williams, etc etc...

In retrospect, I realize now what a privilege that was to have heard the very best in big band and jazz music live and in person

Joe
06-04-2009, 09:27 AM
I heard that one time around 1960 they had to cut the NJF short because college students got out of hand. Imagine that, rioting at a jazz festival...people had class back then.

Crafty Angler
06-04-2009, 10:50 PM
Joe, I was actually at that festival - or more accurately, outside Freebody Park where it was being held when the riot erupted.

I was 11 at the time and my Dad and I walked up there, to look at the "beatniks" since it was just a few blocks away from our house. In retrospect it was easy to see it coming, the streets were full of scruffy college kids and head-high piles of beer cans -

The last thing I remember was my father hustling me out of there when they started rocking the cop cars back and forth to turn them over and a barrage of beer cans and bottles. The governor declared martial law on Aquidneck Island and you had to prove residency to get back on the island if you left...Staties, Nat'l Guard with weapons, it was crazy

In the other NJF riot in '71 I was actually in the middle of it - unwillingly. Almost got trampled by hundreds of drug-addled and alcohol fueled crazies - me, my girl and a buddy were just hanging outside listening to the music and suddenly the Mongol hordes decided to storm the fence and liberate the concert...:eek:...had to go with the flow, couldn't get through the angry mob and we were between them and the fence...sooooo

I was pissed...they canceled the rest of the festival and I had excellent box seats for the next night - with the Allmans headed by Duane on guitar...:mad:

emgred
06-05-2009, 09:08 AM
Great Modern Big Band sound

Tommy Igoe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H6FL8xsLR8

sokinwet
06-09-2009, 06:09 PM
"In the other NJF riot in '71 I was actually in the middle of it - unwillingly. Almost got trampled by hundreds of drug-addled and alcohol fueled crazies"

Small world..Hope I didn't step on you Crafty! I think everyone was in the "free concert" frame of mind back in "71"!! I was just kind of camping out on the outside too when some of RI's finest decided that cracking a few "hippie" skulls would be fun. I still remember a very large "superior" officer who felt a baseball bat was an appropriate crowd control tool. Somehow I never felt sneeking into a concert was a capital offense? Ahh...the good old days