SwingDJs

So, no one has started talking about him. I guess I'll beg people to.

I'm addicted to a CD I have of him, but have not been able to find any more while browsing. What are your favorite albums for DJing? For listening? What about specific songs?

I like 1941 Transcription performances and Cherokee 1939-1940. I kinda like the album "Radio Days" as well, but mostly because it has a fantastic version of "Things Ain't What They Used to Be."

My favorite CB songs are probably the aforementioned version of "Things Ain't," as well as "Some Like it Hot," "Emperor Jones," and "The Wild Mab of the Fish Pond."

Random CB trivia: The song "Blue Juice" was named after Charlie Barnet's car.

A friend of mine wanted a fast version of cherokee. Anybody know if there is one?

For dancing to or to listen to?

Pretty much any bop version of Cherokee is going to be blazing. There is a 410 bpm version on Karrin Allyson's "Collage" CD. Swing versions, I dunno.

coreyj5 wrote:A friend of mine wanted a fast version of cherokee. Anybody know if there is one?

There is a moderately fast version of Cherokee on the Ken Burns' Count Basie Collection - it's 220 bpm; the only problem is that it's in two parts (there is a break around the 3 minute mark) and the ending is lousy --- which is too bad since the beginning is really fun to dance to.

julius wrote:For dancing to or to listen to?

Pretty much any bop version of Cherokee is going to be blazing. There is a 410 bpm version on Karrin Allyson's "Collage" CD. Swing versions, I dunno.

He said he loved dancing to it but wished it were faster. 410 might be a little much though.

djstarr wrote:

coreyj5 wrote:A friend of mine wanted a fast version of cherokee. Anybody know if there is one?

There is a moderately fast version of Cherokee on the Ken Burns' Count Basie Collection - it's 220 bpm; the only problem is that it's in two parts (there is a break around the 3 minute mark) and the ending is lousy --- which is too bad since the beginning is really fun to dance to.

I think that's the version from The Complete Decca, it's in two parts too.

kitkat wrote:So, no one has started talking about him. I guess I'll beg people to.

I'm addicted to a CD I have of him, but have not been able to find any more while browsing. What are your favorite albums for DJing? For listening? What about specific songs?

For Charlie Barnett Id say the band was at it's best while at Blue Bird , just because Im thinking of this 2 lp set I have that is packed with smokin stuff. But I know he had some earlier recordings that were good as well going back to 1935 or so.

Barnett , has a nice Mix of tempos...including some nice up tempo numbers such as On a Holiday, and Scotch and Soda...

My favorite Cherokee is a relatively slow version (I'd guess 175 or so) on Big Bands in Hi-Fi, Vol. 1: Let's Dance. It's labeled Cherokee/Redskin Rhumba, but they're basically the same song. This track is great for dancing but it kinda long, 6 1/2 minutes or so if I remember.[/url]

There is a new release (July 2005) of his recordings he made in 1958. Great sound and new arrangements of some of his classics. Includes the version of Cherokee that Mike mentions.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009W5JGO

russell wrote:There is a new release (July 2005) of his recordings he made in 1958. Great sound and new arrangements of some of his classics. Includes the version of Cherokee that Mike mentions.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009W5JGO

Thanks for the tip, I've placed an order. The samples confirm that it has a bit of that late-50s-cabaret-lounge influence going on, but i'm a big Charlie Barnet fan and it's great to have something of his with good sound. Now I just wish someone would hurry up and do a good and comprehensive remastering job on his late 30s stuff.

I have several Barnet titles - I am a big fan!

I reccomend:

"Drop Me Off In Harlem" - some incredible stuff - his excellent 42 - 46 Orchestras; not all is pure dance music but an excellent cd to have all the same. This is most likely out of print, but well worth the hunt; Excellent sound quality as well.

The Chronological Charlie Barnet: 1939 - 1940 (CLC)
and "Charlie Barnet" vol. 1 (Jazz Archives # 30)

SirScratchAlot wrote:

kitkat wrote:So, no one has started talking about him. I guess I'll beg people to.

I'm addicted to a CD I have of him, but have not been able to find any more while browsing. What are your favorite albums for DJing? For listening? What about specific songs?

For Charlie Barnett Id say the band was at it's best while at Blue Bird , just because Im thinking of this 2 lp set I have that is packed with smokin stuff. But I know he had some earlier recordings that were good as well going back to 1935 or so.

Barnett , has a nice Mix of tempos...including some nice up tempo numbers such as On a Holiday, and Scotch and Soda...

I agree with this guy.

I think the best Barnet is from 1939 to 1942. His wartime stuff on Decca is pretty good. His Town Hall concert from 1947 is very good and it is where that live version of SKYLINER is from.

He had kind of a boppish band in the late 40s. His Capitol records are on the jazzy side.

His mid 30s stuff is nice, but fairly 'dance -bandy'. He kept getting better and by the time he hit Bluebird, he was in top shape.

Charlie Barnet is in my top 10...He was a big fan (and good friend) of Duke Ellington and you heard this a lot in his music...which is a real good thing...

This is what I'd recommend:

Anything on the Giants of Jazz label,

They put out three CD's spanning from 35-45 I think...

If anyone has Barnet 1933-36 on Classics PM me, shit is way out of print...

Alex

I have the three Giants of Jazz releases, 1935-1939 Make Believe Ballroom [Giants of Jazz #53274, 1997], 1939-1940 Cherokee [Giants of Jazz #53277, 1996], and 1940-1945 Skyliner [Giants of Jazz #53280, 1996], quite cheap, and with "The Right Idea", "Cherokee", and "The Gal from Joe's" being my absolute favorite tracks.

Unfortunately, and expectedly for the low price, the remastering is not very good (or maybe the masters weren't to good to start with), so I'm eagerly awaiting Hep, Jazz Oracle, JSP, Timeless, Retrieval, Frog, or one of the other wizards of transfering 20's to 40's stuff into gold, to give those Barnet recordings a shot (and please do the same with Erskine Hawkins' wonderful 30's and 40's production as well, by the way)...

/Jonas