Big Band Jazz - Post 1950

Soloists are listed on the video. I played this chart back in the late 70s -- not nearly at this tempo.

 

Very nice cut. Bellson was one of the greats-- not quite up to the greatest, Buddy Rich, but I'd put him in the top 5, certainly in the 1940s and '50s.

I grew up in Pittsburgh. In the '50s there was a drum shop right in the center of downtown, which I frequented. One afternoon I went in, and as I started up the stairs to get to the main drum shop, I heard some mesmerizing solo jazz drumming. When I entered the room, there was Louis Bellson trading 4s with a real good local jazz drummer. They must have played for an hour, and I was riveted.

That was the first time I ever saw a drummer use two bass drums, which I think Louie invented. Several years later I took a cue from him and started using two bass drums as well. Bellson was a fantastic personality and a great drummer.
 
Eupher said:
Still a huge favorite in Europe!
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"In the Mood" is generally thought to be the best jitterbug tune ever-- good rhythm, not too fast.

I always got a kick out of the dance scene to "In the Mood" with Nick Nolte and Debra Winger in the classic film Cannery Row (1982), narrated by John Huston:

 
Recording released 1 Jan. 75.

Piano: Count Basie; Trumpet: Pete Minger, Frank Szabo, David Stahl, Bob Mitchell, Sonny Cohn; Trombone: Al Grey, Curtis Fuller, Bill Hughes, Wanzo; Saxophone: Jimmy Forrest, Eric Dixon, Danny Turner, Bobby Plater, Charlie Fowlkes; Guitar: Freddie Green; Bass ( Vocal): John Duke; Drums: Butch Miles; Composer: Sammy Nestico

 
Here's a marvelous recording at break neck speed of Stan Kenton's "Random Riff", recorded live in 1959 at the Blue Room at the Las Vegas Tropicana Hotel. Hold onto your hat and enjoy some fine solo work by trumpeter Jack Sheldon and tenor saxophonist Richie Kamuca!

 
ChiroDoc said:
Here's a marvelous recording at break neck speed of Stan Kenton's "Random Riff", recorded live in 1959 at the Blue Room at the Las Vegas Tropicana Hotel. Hold onto your hat and enjoy some fine solo work by trumpeter Jack Sheldon and tenor saxophonist Richie Kamuca!

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Red Kelly tearin' up those bass strings. Wow!
 
The Army Blues recording of Mary Lou Williams' chart "Roll 'Em"

Great audio and camera work. And the performance is pretty good too! Solos from the lead alto, trombone, trumpet, and bass.

 
ChiroDoc said:
"In the Mood" is generally thought to be the best jitterbug tune ever-- good rhythm, not too fast.
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Arguable, I can think of a few others of that era and genre that always fill a dance floor, but I'm not going to argue the point.
At my age there comes a time when the jive needs a rest, (so do I,) and what better than a sultry rumba danced to either Sway, or, Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps. Sway is Dean Martin's version and Perhaps is by Doris Day.
 
ChiroDoc said:
Man! Popular music sure had class then. What style and grace!
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Absolutely agree! I suppose it's debatable, but Artie Shaw's clarinet playing surpassed Benny Goodman and that of Woody Herman. Eddie Daniels' playing of more recent vintage is also spot-on.

One aspect of early (30s and 40s) swing music that just isn't around much any more is that of the use of mutes with brass players. Trumpets and trombones used several varieties of mutes back in the day. These included straight and cup mutes (still used today), and Harmon mutes (a favorite of Miles Davis back in the 50s, but also still used today). A couple mutes not at all used today AFAIK include hats, which were mounted on stands in front of the player and cut down some of the more strident playing from those trumpets and trombones. And plunger and bucket mutes were also used in big bands in that early era, but not so much today.

More info here on mutes:

Big Band Arranging | 6 | Mutes — Evan Rogers | Orchestrator | Arranger | Conductor
 
Eupher said:
Absolutely agree! I suppose it's debatable, but Artie Shaw's clarinet playing surpassed Benny Goodman and that of Woody Herman. Eddie Daniels' playing of more recent vintage is also spot-on.

One aspect of early (30s and 40s) swing music that just isn't around much any more is that of the use of mutes with brass players. Trumpets and trombones used several varieties of mutes back in the day. These included straight and cup mutes (still used today), and Harmon mutes (a favorite of Miles Davis back in the 50s, but also still used today). A couple mutes not at all used today AFAIK include hats, which were mounted on stands in front of the player and cut down some of the more strident playing from those trumpets and trombones. And plunger and bucket mutes were also used in big bands in that early era, but not so much today.

More info here on mutes:

Big Band Arranging | 6 | Mutes — Evan Rogers | Orchestrator | Arranger | Conductor
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There have been many opinions over Benny and Arty.
Benny was the King of Swing, but Arty was clearly the King of the Clarinet.
Benny once said that Arty was on another level, above himself and all the other clarinet players.
I wouldn't argue with the opinion of Mr Goodman.
 
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