Big Band LP's
- Thread starter malden
- Start date
twiiii
Lunatic Member
I did three PA Jobs for Al Hirt, and the sound was so much better than what I ever heard on a RCA LP. I forgotten which album it is but one had terrible intonation and sounded like he was over loading the first stage of the mixer. We were using Neumann, AKG, and Sony tube condenser mics, and they all had over load switches and we placed the solo mic at least 10 ft in front of Al. If he had been any closer he would have over loaded are mixer for sure. I really admire his side kick that played clarinet, what a talent. One time Al came to town with Pete Fountain, the only clarinetist that could play as loud as Al and more notes per second. I have an album or maybe no its 3 albums with Al on Audio Fidelity, those are some discs to be enjoyed. Even if they are a little bight.
I didn't do any sound jobs for Les Brown, though I heard him twice when he came to Ft Bliss. I was always amazed how much better the band was on recordings as compared to the band on tour. Ever listening to some of Bob Hope broadcasts with the band weren't great They were ragged at best. I loved his arrangements and having the double bass tuba in the brass section was really a treat.
Benny may be credited for having the first big band that was tight and played in tune, but for a solo clarinetist I always preferred Artie Shaw. Woody Herman was a different story, such a talent and innovator. I can't explain the difference between Benny and Woody. They both could push the envelope, both could make you dance in the isles But there was something about Woody, especially when he played in the lower register or played Sax that separated him from the rest. His big concert pieces were very special. I heard him 3 or 4 times in the 60's and 70's. Experiences I will always remember. My better half played every clarinet from Bb down to BBb metal radiator, and she always preferred Woody, though if Benny came to town even to play with the Symphony we had to attend. I only got to her Tommy Dorsey once and I was very young, but that band cooked. It was because of Tommy D that I took up trombone and because of my DAD I played Euphonium. The best big band I did PA for was Ray Charles Big Band. They were so tight, tuneful and powerful. The section leads were tremendous.
The band I enjoyed the most was Basie's. Such control, such energy, such musicianship, and they had so much fun. Basie didn't have the soloists Ellington had and that was Ellington's weakness. Great soloists don't always know how to play together and blend. Basie had the blend down in Spades. His key tinkling was such a driving controlled force. He could change a tempo or mood with just two or three key strokes. The energy of the band was so harnessed and under control that when he allowed it to turn loose you couldn't believe it. I have never heard a recording that captured the explosive capability of Basie's ensemble. Basie also new how to make a tempo so slow you wanted him to hit the accelerator, but he never did.
I only heard Buddy Rich once. Such a prima donna. If everything wasn't perfect for him he became a real Devil and his mouth was even worse. But if you had everything just so on stage and his green room was properly arranged , with a great food and bar. He could be a very nice person.
My best friend had known Stan Kenton for many years and we always did sound for him when he came to town. They could play great dance music for the Officers club and had these big arrangements for concert halls. There was something unpolished about the band I didn't like. Some of his soloists were way out in left field. I never got use to some of his dissonant minor and augmented doubled cord structures. The musicians have to be perfectly in tune or the sound drives me up the wall and more often that not during a live setting things were never perfect. But like Woody you have to give Stan a lot of credit for keeping his band together until the very end and by doing so they both trained many musicians very successfully and brought happiness to a lot of folks in the 70's and 80's.
I didn't do any sound jobs for Les Brown, though I heard him twice when he came to Ft Bliss. I was always amazed how much better the band was on recordings as compared to the band on tour. Ever listening to some of Bob Hope broadcasts with the band weren't great They were ragged at best. I loved his arrangements and having the double bass tuba in the brass section was really a treat.
Benny may be credited for having the first big band that was tight and played in tune, but for a solo clarinetist I always preferred Artie Shaw. Woody Herman was a different story, such a talent and innovator. I can't explain the difference between Benny and Woody. They both could push the envelope, both could make you dance in the isles But there was something about Woody, especially when he played in the lower register or played Sax that separated him from the rest. His big concert pieces were very special. I heard him 3 or 4 times in the 60's and 70's. Experiences I will always remember. My better half played every clarinet from Bb down to BBb metal radiator, and she always preferred Woody, though if Benny came to town even to play with the Symphony we had to attend. I only got to her Tommy Dorsey once and I was very young, but that band cooked. It was because of Tommy D that I took up trombone and because of my DAD I played Euphonium. The best big band I did PA for was Ray Charles Big Band. They were so tight, tuneful and powerful. The section leads were tremendous.
The band I enjoyed the most was Basie's. Such control, such energy, such musicianship, and they had so much fun. Basie didn't have the soloists Ellington had and that was Ellington's weakness. Great soloists don't always know how to play together and blend. Basie had the blend down in Spades. His key tinkling was such a driving controlled force. He could change a tempo or mood with just two or three key strokes. The energy of the band was so harnessed and under control that when he allowed it to turn loose you couldn't believe it. I have never heard a recording that captured the explosive capability of Basie's ensemble. Basie also new how to make a tempo so slow you wanted him to hit the accelerator, but he never did.
I only heard Buddy Rich once. Such a prima donna. If everything wasn't perfect for him he became a real Devil and his mouth was even worse. But if you had everything just so on stage and his green room was properly arranged , with a great food and bar. He could be a very nice person.
My best friend had known Stan Kenton for many years and we always did sound for him when he came to town. They could play great dance music for the Officers club and had these big arrangements for concert halls. There was something unpolished about the band I didn't like. Some of his soloists were way out in left field. I never got use to some of his dissonant minor and augmented doubled cord structures. The musicians have to be perfectly in tune or the sound drives me up the wall and more often that not during a live setting things were never perfect. But like Woody you have to give Stan a lot of credit for keeping his band together until the very end and by doing so they both trained many musicians very successfully and brought happiness to a lot of folks in the 70's and 80's.
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If you find it, buy it! Almost all of the Denon Digital recordings of the Count Basie Orchestra are excellent, but you can probably only find them on CD or SACD.Can't believe nobody has put this one up yet:
AudioJag
Active Member
Can't believe nobody has put this one up yet:
"The King James Version" album was originally a full analogue Sheffield Lab, Direct to Disc recording in 1976.... fantastic by the way.... This was done by Sheffield Lab-3 (SL21,SL22)..... a must have if you can find one..... And also if you can find it, the companion direct-to-disc "Harry James .. Comin From a Good Place"
DustyOldPile
Vinyl Goddess
Had this whole collection. Loaned it to a friend, never got it back.Believe it or not, this compilation is very satisfying sonically:
Thanks for the GREAT remembrances!
vwestlife
Super Member
Believe it or not, this compilation is very satisfying sonically:
A brief sample (and favorable opinion) of it here (skip to 16:41 in the video):
squirrelnest
Lunatic Member
Balifly
Listening
The Essential Benny Goodman -Vervehttps://www.discogs.com/Benny-Goodman-The-Essential-Benny-Goodman/release/3389248
twiiii
Lunatic Member
Chuck Sagle Splendor in the Brass is available on iTunes. Its different with french horns, Euphoniums, valve trombones, and other brass instruments you don't hear that often in addition to the standards. The version on i-tunes is bright. Turn down your treble and barely boost the bass if you want to replicate the analog record. He had about 6 other albums in the Schwan catalog I could never find in the 70's. Would have loved to have them all. There is even a set of tympani to be enjoyed. The big band can get a move on, set a tempo and they are ready to whale. There dynamics can be smooth and polished to blowing the wall down. It must have been fun making that album.
