Woody Herman - now overlooked Swing band

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Eyeball · #1 Post by **Eyeball** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 7:54 pm

Once a giant, then not. Now - overlooked.

Most people single out his work from 1945 to 1947 as his very best while on Columbia. Heavy Jazz influence in a powerful, swinging and fun band.

His earlier work on Decca Records in the late 30s to mid 40s (1944) features many good sides for dancing. Woody does quite a few vocals and he sang very well on pop tunes, both ballads and novelties.

That Decca band reached an apex round 43 and 44 with side after side filled with all sorts of guest sidemen (many from the Ellington band) who were sitting out the recording strike with their home bands and labels. (Decca caved early.)

I'd like to recommend off the top of my head~

HERMAN AT THE SHERMAN
BASIE'S BASEMENT
MILKMAN, KEEP THOSE BOTTLES QUIET!

WOODCHOPPER'S BALL was a mega hit for his band, so I guess it kept the dancers happy.

Most of the best Herman Deccas are never mentioned and rarely revived, but there is a lot of good stuff.

The pre '38 recordings have a kind of Dixieland feel to them. That band morphs into "THE BAND THAT PLAYS THE BLUES" in the very late 30s and rides that style into the mid 40s ("The Turning Point" as one reissue LP was masterfully titled) and becomes the "FIRST HERD" on the sides over at Columbia Records.

Happy discoveries to you!

CountBasi · #2 Post by **CountBasi** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 12:52 am

I like 'Sig Ep' off 'Woody Herman-1963/The Swingest Band Ever/Woody's 25th Year...His Greatest'

Yep that's the full name of the CD I think!

zzzzoom · #3 Post by **zzzzoom** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 6:11 am

Get Your Boots Laced, Papa Part 1

Get Your Boots Laced, Papa Part 2

straycat · #4 Post by **straycat** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:00 am

Yardbird Shuffle
Down Under
Apple Honey

Eyeball · #5 Post by **Eyeball** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 12:49 pm

JUKIN' Way fast!

COUSIN TO CHRIS Solid in there!

BLUE INK Good generic middle tempo rhythm number!

PEACH TREE STREET Good groovy slower tempo that is not a ballad.

For some reason, the Jazz On Line site has a lot of pop tunes and ballads.

Eyeball · #6 Post by **Eyeball** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 12:52 pm

Question -

Can you guys tell just by the titles on the Jazz On Line Woody Herman page which ones are going to be simple pop tunes and ballads vs the very likely Swing numbers?

I've done this for years, but I wonder if younger, newer people can tell which are which.

trev · #7 Post by **trev** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 5:34 pm

I'm starting to develop a sense for it:

If it has "memories", "sentimental" or "lovely" in the title: avoid

If it's called "bustin'", "red heat", "riff set" or "lennox shuffle" it's probably a safe bet. I just made those up, but you get the idea.

Eyeball · #8 Post by **Eyeball** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:40 pm

trev wrote:I'm starting to develop a sense for it:

If it has "memories", "sentimental" or "lovely" in the title: avoid

If it's called "bustin'", "red heat", "riff set" or "lennox shuffle" it's probably a safe bet. I just made those up, but you get the idea.

Hahahahahaha!!!

Noooooooooooooooo...not "avoid" b/c a lot of those are really nice tunes.

The word "You" is a tip off oft-times. If you in it, it aint swinging.

Therefore - "Sentimental Memories of Lovely You" wont generate much passion outside of the living room couch.

Yeah - there are clue words - riff, stomp, heat, swing.

A 'goofy' word in the title is usually a novelty - which may swing...or not.

trev · #9 Post by **trev** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:01 pm

Eyeball wrote: Therefore - "Sentimental Memories of Lovely You" wont generate much passion outside of the living room couch.

hahaha! If I was in a band, I'd want that as the title for our killer diller.

Eyeball · #10 Post by **Eyeball** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:50 pm

trev wrote:
Eyeball wrote: Therefore - "Sentimental Memories of Lovely You" wont generate much passion outside of the living room couch.
hahaha! If I was in a band, I'd want that as the title for our killer diller.

Here - I've made it worse :

"I'm Dreaming Sentimental Memories of Lovely, Little You".

lipi · #11 Post by **lipi** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:30 pm

Eyeball wrote: "I'm Dreaming Sentimental Memories of Lovely, Little You".

"...under the ol' apple tree/silvery moon/twinklin' stars"

back on topic: the only woody herman tune i have marked "play" is "the preacher" off "woody's winnners" (1965). i recently picked up the complete columbia recordings (1945-47), though, so i hope that'll change once i get to listen to those.

Eyeball · #12 Post by **Eyeball** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:41 pm

WH is pretty good up to about 1967 when the band tries to get current with 'rock' style writing. It got pretty grim from there through the 70s.

Someone has said that his last recordings on the Concord label are a return to Jazz. I don't recall them b/c I had given up on him by that time.

The Capitol LPs in the 50s are pretty good, but the 40s are really his era.

But just near all of the Columbia recordings from the 60s are very good. I dont think they are dance material, but I never listened to them from that perspective. Same thing with the Mercurys from the earlier 60s - hard swinging.

russell · #13 Post by **russell** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 7:47 pm

Anyway have an opinion on the Mosaic Woody Herman boxsets from a musical and swing dance perspective?
They look interesting.

http://www.mosaicrecords.com/artists.as ... rman_Woody

One set from the 60's and the other the complete Columbia 1945-1947.

kitkat · #14 Post by **kitkat** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:37 pm

I thought we had a thread on SwingDJs that listed pretty much every Woody Herman song worth spinning for a floor full of lindy hoppers.

Am I mistaken?

Mr Awesomer · #15 Post by **Mr Awesomer** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 2:35 pm

kitkat wrote:I thought we had a thread on SwingDJs that listed pretty much every Woody Herman song worth spinning for a floor full of lindy hoppers.

Am I mistaken?

Here is one from a year ago, but it wasn't very long:
http://www.swingdjs.com/phpbb2/viewtopi ... f6dda09150