Who is your favourite 1930s jazz arranger?

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Haydn
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Who is your favourite 1930s jazz arranger?

#1 Post by Haydn » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:16 am

I've been reading that one of the secrets of Benny Goodman's success was that he used a lot of top arrangers. Even now many of the names aren't really known outside jazz muso circles.

Who's your favourite?
Last edited by Haydn on Sat Mar 17, 2007 8:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

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kitkat
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#2 Post by kitkat » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:33 am

Actually, I'd be more interested in hearing about the most swinging 1990's & 2000's jazz arrangers. :-D

They're the ones we can still commission for more songs!

Campus Five
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#3 Post by Campus Five » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:38 pm

Dean Mora does some transcribing. I've been using a guy in NY named Harvey Tibbs. He played trombone with us at Lincoln Center. So far he's done "Keep on Jumping," " Jamaica Jam," "Harlem Jump," "Blow Top", and "All the Cats Join In." He's pretty reasonable.

[Edit] I realized you meant commission, as in orginals. Sorry
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JesseMiner
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#4 Post by JesseMiner » Thu Mar 15, 2007 3:34 pm

kitkat wrote:Actually, I'd be more interested in hearing about the most swinging 1990's & 2000's jazz arrangers. :-D

They're the ones we can still commission for more songs!
David Berger!!! Love his arrangements! :)

Sorry Haydn for not replying to your original question.

Jesse
Last edited by JesseMiner on Thu Mar 15, 2007 5:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Eyeball
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Re: Name your favourite 1930s jazz arranger

#5 Post by Eyeball » Thu Mar 15, 2007 3:56 pm

Haydn wrote:I've been reading that one of the secrets of Benny Goodman's success was that he used a lot of top arrangers. Even now many of the names aren't really known outside jazz music circles.

Who's your favourite?
Favorite of the BG arrangers? Or fave 30s arranger?

Both are really hard questions unless you have someone you totally fall over for.

There was so much talent out there back then.

Since no one will likely mention him, I'll shine of spotlight on Elton Hill and did some really good work for Gene Krupa in the early 40s. His' There'll Be Some Changes Made" is to me the best version ever. I cant think of the tune w/o hearing his chart and parts.

And however wrote the full chorus sax section for Tommy Dorsey's "I Don't Know Why" gets into heaven on a free pass for providing me with such listening pleasure for 32 bars.
Will big bands ever come back?

russell
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#6 Post by russell » Thu Mar 15, 2007 5:20 pm

One of my favourites is Sy Oliver. Both his work for other people and under his own name.

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kitkat
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#7 Post by kitkat » Thu Mar 15, 2007 7:48 pm

Campus Five wrote:[Edit] I realized you meant commission, as in orginals. Sorry
Actually, I didn't! I meant commission to arrange old songs we love but never get to hear anymore for modern bands! So you got it exactly right.

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david
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Transcriptions / new arrangements

#8 Post by david » Sun Mar 18, 2007 3:35 pm

kitkat wrote:Actually, I didn't! I meant commission to arrange old songs we love but never get to hear anymore for modern bands! So you got it exactly right.
I guess it depends on whether you want new arrangements or transcriptions of old recordings. There are a lot of people that do the latter, and in the bands I know of (I play in a big band), most arrangements are transcribed that way, by listening to the original recordings.

Campus Five
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#9 Post by Campus Five » Sun Mar 18, 2007 4:06 pm

I was talking about transcribing 20's, 30's and 40's stuff properly, which is a seperate art in itself. Guys who can do "Take-downs" are dime-a-dozen, but guys who properly understand those styles are a lot harder to find. And guys who can write their own arrangements that don't sound totally anachronicistic or alternatively chorny and cliche...well, do they even make those?
"I don''t dig that two beat jive the New Orleans cats play.
My boys and I have four heavy beats to the bar and no cheating!
--Count Basie
www.campusfive.com
www.myspace.com/campusfive
www.swingguitar.blogspot.com

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