Big Band Jazz - Post 1950

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.
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Yeah, and Artie sure got the tomatahs! Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, Evelyn Keyes, Betty Grable, and on and on. He was a very busy lad...:cool:
 

Can't forget our Canadian musicians!

Great stuff from Guido Basso (solo trumpet); Rob McConnell (valve trombone); and others from the future McConnell "Boss Brass". On this chart (written in an interesting 3/4 time). From the clothing angle, this had to have been recorded in the 70s. Guido died in 2023 and McConnell passed in 2010.

 

I became intrigued by Les Baxter's exotic tunes at age 15, when my then BFF's brother gave me the Ritual Of The Savage album. I bought a double CD compilation by him decades later....more exotica. Quiet Village, which was a hit, is on the Ritual album but these two are my favorites:


 
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Big Joe Turner - one of the original blues shouters.

Recorded in 1954 with the Paul Williams Orchestra -- admittedly not a "big band" but close enough for the girls I run with. LOL.

 
It don't get no better than Joe Williams, with Sinatra in the audience. 1990. Many celebs -- too many to name!

 
One more time with the Count and Joe Williams. Extra added bonus -- Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson. From 1972.

 
Toots Thielemans on guitar (rather than harmonica) and his whistling of his chart "Bluesette". Quincy Jones' band, live at the Budakan in Japan, 1981.

 
Back to the military -- the USAF's Airmen of Note.

Dave Steinmeyer was and is an incredible lead trombonist. His opening speech talks about his experience with this band. The chart, of course, was played by many, including one of Dave's clear influences, Bill Watrous.

 
Eupher said:
Back to the military -- the USAF's Airmen of Note.

Dave Steinmeyer was and is an incredible lead trombonist. His opening speech talks about his experience with this band. The chart, of course, was played by many, including one of Dave's clear influences, Bill Watrous.
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Not too bad for a bunch of flyboys..;) Great to hear the legendary Steinmeyer, along with the top flight AF big band. Wonderful trombone playing, and also soprano sax. It's the first I've heard the "Arimen of Note".
 
We just don't hear enough of Ashley Alexander, who is featured on this chart with his Superbone.

 
My all-time favorite Sammy Nestico chart. Recorded by Count Basie and Buddy Rich and their bands, though this particular band was evidently hired by the publisher. The interplay between the two tenors brings it home.

 
Louis Dowdeswell, one of the most exciting trumpet players in the past few years. He's only 31, for God's sake.

Terrific sidemen as well, all of whom, I believe, are Brits. The arranger, a fellow by the name of Callum Au, section trombonist in this video, cranks out charts as worthy as this one incredibly fast.

YT also features a number of videos of live performances.

 
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Ashley Alexander again with a beautiful ballad intro morphing into an up-tempo swing section with Ashley soloing on Superbone.

A Frank Mantooth composition entitled "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most".

List of musicians is on YT.

 
A live performance of Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band.

Lots of dancers!

Eric Marienthal on an insane alto solo, followed by a percussion interlude with the drummer and, well, the percussionist, playing conga, timbales, bongos, and a whole host of percussion stuff. The extended quarter note triplets in the bass drum keeps things spicy and a bit off kilter, which adds to the chart's title "Jazz Police."

 
Eupher said:
Ashley Alexander again with a beautiful ballad intro morphing into an up-tempo swing section with Ashley soloing on Superbone.

A Frank Mantooth composition entitled "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most".

List of musicians is on YT.

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Great S. Bone solo by Ashley!
I see drummer Nick Ceroli was on the track. Nick played for several years with Alpert's Tijuana Brass in the later '60s. Great drummer. Nick was an Ohio native, and was good friends with my teacher at the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati. I met him briefly, but never got to know him. He died way too young, aged 45.
 
Eupher said:
A live performance of Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band.

Lots of dancers!

Eric Marienthal on an insane alto solo, followed by a percussion interlude with the drummer and, well, the percussionist, playing conga, timbales, bongos, and a whole host of percussion stuff. The extended quarter note triplets in the bass drum keeps things spicy and a bit off kilter, which adds to the chart's title "Jazz Police."
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That almost sounds like a Henry Mancini arrangement or composition. Maybe it's because of the ostinato bass line.
 
ChiroDoc said:
That almost sounds like a Henry Mancini arrangement or composition. Maybe it's because of the ostinato bass line.
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Played an arrangement of Mancini's stuff this past Sunday. "Moon River", "Charade", Theme to "Peter Gunn", "Baby Elephant Walk" and a few others. Great arrangement and fun to play.

Meant to add the guitar player was reading his a&& off (when he wasn't scratching his head trying to figure out when to pick his nose). LOL
 
James Morrison, an Aussie, is an incredible multi-instrumentalist. Equally adept on a whole raft of instruments, including trumpet, trombone, piano, reeds, you name it, this is a short snippet of a performance of his with the Black Dyke Band of England, winners of many brass band competitions so beloved by those in the UK, Australia, around the world.

Check out the expressions on the faces behind James while he entertains the audience.

 
A live recording from an early-70s band fronted by Maynard Ferguson. This chart was usually his opener and it features, not surprisingly, a lot of high trumpet work. He's got some heavy hitters in this band, including Stan Mark, who played his lead trumpet book for many years until Maynard fired him, and Lin Biviano, who had lots of chops but suffered in the accuracy department.

The tempo with "Give it One" was reasonable (sometimes he played it ridiculously fast, which wasn't effective) and this recording is much more accurate than other recordings I've heard of this chart.

 

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