All are welcome.
Meanwhile, please accept the Big Band Academy's wishes for a happy holiday season and a prosperous 2013!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
ASMAC Attack
Our friends at the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers - ASMAC - will be celebrating the organization's 75th birthday next month:
All are welcome.
Meanwhile, please accept the Big Band Academy's wishes for a happy holiday season and a prosperous 2013!
All are welcome.
Meanwhile, please accept the Big Band Academy's wishes for a happy holiday season and a prosperous 2013!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Groovin' Hard
Jazz author and BBAA board member John Tumpak attended last month's L.A. big band festival Groovin' Hard. Here's his report:
Ken Poston’s Los Angeles Jazz Institute presented Groovin’ Hard, another in the Institute’s twenty-two-year series of outstanding big band jazz programs, from October 10 through 14 at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott. The five-day festival that ran daily from early morning to late evening included eighteen big band concerts, four film showings and seven panel discussions.
Groovin’ Hard celebrated the big band renaissance that began in the mid-1960s with the emergence of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis and Buddy Rich orchestras. Many of the young musicians who benefited from Stan Kenton’s jazz education efforts were beginning to come of age and a whole new era of big band jazz was born. Groovin’ Hard gathered an incredible array of star soloists and arrangers who all played significant roles in the big band resurgence.
Among the eighteen bands that performed were the Don Ellis Reunion Band, the Louie Bellson Explosion, the Maynard Ferguson and Buddy Rich Alumni bands, and an all-star big band featuring Stan Kenton alumni directed by Mike Vax. All the bands played in top form and were applauded by an excited audience. A high point of the big band performances was “An Evening with Patrick Williams” on October 12.
The legendary composer, music educator and two-time Grammy Award winner played selections from his influential "Threshold" and "Aurora" albums, and between songs talked about his music philosophy and big band history. At the end of his near two-hour set he received a standing ovation.
The outdoor lunch breaks were a unique treat. Each day a jazz band from a local Southern California college played at a sun-splashed poolside concert. Those bands were superb in quality and provided a wide variety of jazz music. For example, at the October 11 luncheon concert the highly talented Cal State Northridge 'A' Jazz Band directed by John Daversa played the music of Thad Jones and Mel Lewis. Their well-received hour-long performance had both excellent ensemble and solo work.
Every year Poston presents a special event on the first day of the concert. This year on October 10 he featured a “Woody Herman 100th Birthday Celebration.” It started with a panel discussion about Herman. The panel was comprised of Herman alumni and moderated by Bill Clancy, author of "Woody Herman: Chronicles of the Herds." Next came the world premiere of Jazzed Media record label founder and president Graham Carter’s new film, "Woody Herman: Blue Flame - Portrait of a Jazz Legend." The 110-minute film that covers both the personal and professional life of Herman in striking detail received an enthusiastic response from the viewing audience. A small-group jam session followed the film premier with eight Herman alumni playing. The celebration closed with a concert by the sixteen-piece Woody Herman Alumni Orchestra conducted by Frank Tiberi. Music from the many Herds that Woody organized during his fifty-one year career was featured.
On October 14, Groovin’ Hard gave well-deserved recognition to the legendary Tonight Show Band formed by Johnny Carson when he took over "The Tonight Show" from Jack Paar in 1962. Skitch Henderson was the band’s director until 1966 when he left to be replaced by Milton DeLugg. A year later Doc Severinsen took charge and remained director until 1992 when Carson retired and the band was reformed down to a smaller size by Branford Marsalis. Saxophonist Tommy Newsom was frequently the band’s substitute director, filling in for Severinsen when he was absent from the show.
The seventeen-piece Tonight Show Band was one of the all-time great big bands. In his book "Lucky Drummer," the band’s drummer Ed Shaughnessy wrote about how Count Basie admired the band and frequently told him so. He said that one time the owner of a club called the Americana on 36th Street in Manhattan told Basie he wanted to book him with the Tonight Show Band. Basie told the owner, “You want me to play against that band?”
The day started with a film showing of rare clips of the Tonight Show Band during its time in New York (1962-72) and California (1972-92). The clips featured great musicians Pete Christlieb, Conte Candoli, Clark Terry, Snooky Young, Doc Severinsen in his early days in the trumpet section, and a guest appearance by Buddy Rich and his orchestra. Carson loved to play the drums since his childhood in Nebraska. There was a clip showing him playing brushes on a tin pail accompanying Benny Goodman playing clarinet.
Next came the Tonight Show Band Reunion, a concert by a roaring fifteen-piece band consisting of mostly alumni from the original band. High-note trumpeter Chuck Findley led the band that was driven by swinging drummer Jeff Hamilton, who sat in for Ed Shaughnessy. At the opening note of the first song, “Johnny’s Theme” (The Tonight Show theme song), the audience erupted in applause. An unquestionable concert highlight was tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts featured on "Body and Soul.” The band played two songs, “April in Paris” and “Take the 'A' Train”, from their album "The Tonight Show Band, Vol. 2." The album won a 1987 Billboard Award for Top Contemporary Jazz Album and “Take the 'A' Train” won an '87 Grammy for the Best Instrumental Jazz Arrangement. Bill Holman did the arrangement.
After the concert, there was a panel discussion about the Tonight Show band. The panel consisted of past band musicians along with Jeff Sotzing, Johnny Carson’s nephew and President of the Carson Entertainment Group, and former band music supervisor Don Sweeney who wrote "Backstage at The Tonight Show" about his near twenty-year association with the program. Los Angeles radio personality and musicologist Ken Borgers was the moderator. Two themes evolved from the discussion. First, the musicians said that playing on "The Tonight Show" was a wonderful experience and the highlight of their musical life. Second, all panel members expressed unanimous admiration for Carson, whom they fondly called “The Chief.”
Many Carson stories were told. Among them, Johnny was generous in promoting his band members’ careers. He would usually mention where they were playing locally in his monologues. Also, there was a bar for the show and Carson often would stick around afterward and swap stories with the musicians at the bar. Finally, Carson was proud of the band and consistently expressed that pride on his show. With a twinge of nostalgia, he said on his last show in May 1992 that this was probably the last time a swing band would appear regularly on television. He was right.
Ken Poston has been conducting jazz conferences since 1991, starting with his "Stan Kenton: Back to Balboa" event. These annual symposiums have provided outstanding jazz entertainment and academically furthered the cause of jazz research, adding to the archives of his Los Angeles Jazz Institute. The Poston events are a must for enthusiasts of large-ensemble jazz. To learn more about the Institute’s past big band and jazz programs, visit www.lajazzinstitute.org.
Thanks, John!
Judy Chaikin writes:
Just wanted to let you know that "The Girls in the Band" is up for a major prize, the Gotham Award, presented by IFP, the Independent Feature Project. We're competing against some studio films and our opponents for the nomination are hauling out the big PR guns. So we're trying our best to keep up with them. We're asking all our friends if they would go to our Facebook page and post/repost our latest information: facebook.com/TheGirlsintheBand. And retweeting our tweets would be helpful, too: twitter.com/GirlBandMovie.
Anything you could do to help us get out the word out would be greatly appreciated.
Consider it done, Judy. And the best of luck!
Groovin’ Hard celebrated the big band renaissance that began in the mid-1960s with the emergence of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis and Buddy Rich orchestras. Many of the young musicians who benefited from Stan Kenton’s jazz education efforts were beginning to come of age and a whole new era of big band jazz was born. Groovin’ Hard gathered an incredible array of star soloists and arrangers who all played significant roles in the big band resurgence.
Among the eighteen bands that performed were the Don Ellis Reunion Band, the Louie Bellson Explosion, the Maynard Ferguson and Buddy Rich Alumni bands, and an all-star big band featuring Stan Kenton alumni directed by Mike Vax. All the bands played in top form and were applauded by an excited audience. A high point of the big band performances was “An Evening with Patrick Williams” on October 12.
The legendary composer, music educator and two-time Grammy Award winner played selections from his influential "Threshold" and "Aurora" albums, and between songs talked about his music philosophy and big band history. At the end of his near two-hour set he received a standing ovation.
The outdoor lunch breaks were a unique treat. Each day a jazz band from a local Southern California college played at a sun-splashed poolside concert. Those bands were superb in quality and provided a wide variety of jazz music. For example, at the October 11 luncheon concert the highly talented Cal State Northridge 'A' Jazz Band directed by John Daversa played the music of Thad Jones and Mel Lewis. Their well-received hour-long performance had both excellent ensemble and solo work.
Every year Poston presents a special event on the first day of the concert. This year on October 10 he featured a “Woody Herman 100th Birthday Celebration.” It started with a panel discussion about Herman. The panel was comprised of Herman alumni and moderated by Bill Clancy, author of "Woody Herman: Chronicles of the Herds." Next came the world premiere of Jazzed Media record label founder and president Graham Carter’s new film, "Woody Herman: Blue Flame - Portrait of a Jazz Legend." The 110-minute film that covers both the personal and professional life of Herman in striking detail received an enthusiastic response from the viewing audience. A small-group jam session followed the film premier with eight Herman alumni playing. The celebration closed with a concert by the sixteen-piece Woody Herman Alumni Orchestra conducted by Frank Tiberi. Music from the many Herds that Woody organized during his fifty-one year career was featured.
On October 14, Groovin’ Hard gave well-deserved recognition to the legendary Tonight Show Band formed by Johnny Carson when he took over "The Tonight Show" from Jack Paar in 1962. Skitch Henderson was the band’s director until 1966 when he left to be replaced by Milton DeLugg. A year later Doc Severinsen took charge and remained director until 1992 when Carson retired and the band was reformed down to a smaller size by Branford Marsalis. Saxophonist Tommy Newsom was frequently the band’s substitute director, filling in for Severinsen when he was absent from the show.
The seventeen-piece Tonight Show Band was one of the all-time great big bands. In his book "Lucky Drummer," the band’s drummer Ed Shaughnessy wrote about how Count Basie admired the band and frequently told him so. He said that one time the owner of a club called the Americana on 36th Street in Manhattan told Basie he wanted to book him with the Tonight Show Band. Basie told the owner, “You want me to play against that band?”
The day started with a film showing of rare clips of the Tonight Show Band during its time in New York (1962-72) and California (1972-92). The clips featured great musicians Pete Christlieb, Conte Candoli, Clark Terry, Snooky Young, Doc Severinsen in his early days in the trumpet section, and a guest appearance by Buddy Rich and his orchestra. Carson loved to play the drums since his childhood in Nebraska. There was a clip showing him playing brushes on a tin pail accompanying Benny Goodman playing clarinet.
Next came the Tonight Show Band Reunion, a concert by a roaring fifteen-piece band consisting of mostly alumni from the original band. High-note trumpeter Chuck Findley led the band that was driven by swinging drummer Jeff Hamilton, who sat in for Ed Shaughnessy. At the opening note of the first song, “Johnny’s Theme” (The Tonight Show theme song), the audience erupted in applause. An unquestionable concert highlight was tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts featured on "Body and Soul.” The band played two songs, “April in Paris” and “Take the 'A' Train”, from their album "The Tonight Show Band, Vol. 2." The album won a 1987 Billboard Award for Top Contemporary Jazz Album and “Take the 'A' Train” won an '87 Grammy for the Best Instrumental Jazz Arrangement. Bill Holman did the arrangement.
After the concert, there was a panel discussion about the Tonight Show band. The panel consisted of past band musicians along with Jeff Sotzing, Johnny Carson’s nephew and President of the Carson Entertainment Group, and former band music supervisor Don Sweeney who wrote "Backstage at The Tonight Show" about his near twenty-year association with the program. Los Angeles radio personality and musicologist Ken Borgers was the moderator. Two themes evolved from the discussion. First, the musicians said that playing on "The Tonight Show" was a wonderful experience and the highlight of their musical life. Second, all panel members expressed unanimous admiration for Carson, whom they fondly called “The Chief.”
Many Carson stories were told. Among them, Johnny was generous in promoting his band members’ careers. He would usually mention where they were playing locally in his monologues. Also, there was a bar for the show and Carson often would stick around afterward and swap stories with the musicians at the bar. Finally, Carson was proud of the band and consistently expressed that pride on his show. With a twinge of nostalgia, he said on his last show in May 1992 that this was probably the last time a swing band would appear regularly on television. He was right.
Ken Poston has been conducting jazz conferences since 1991, starting with his "Stan Kenton: Back to Balboa" event. These annual symposiums have provided outstanding jazz entertainment and academically furthered the cause of jazz research, adding to the archives of his Los Angeles Jazz Institute. The Poston events are a must for enthusiasts of large-ensemble jazz. To learn more about the Institute’s past big band and jazz programs, visit www.lajazzinstitute.org.
Thanks, John!
*************
Judy Chaikin writes:
Just wanted to let you know that "The Girls in the Band" is up for a major prize, the Gotham Award, presented by IFP, the Independent Feature Project. We're competing against some studio films and our opponents for the nomination are hauling out the big PR guns. So we're trying our best to keep up with them. We're asking all our friends if they would go to our Facebook page and post/repost our latest information: facebook.com/TheGirlsintheBand. And retweeting our tweets would be helpful, too: twitter.com/GirlBandMovie.
Anything you could do to help us get out the word out would be greatly appreciated.
Consider it done, Judy. And the best of luck!
Thursday, October 11, 2012
High-Interest CDs
Two other members of the ensemble favored me with CDs of theirs that deserve your attention.
To reach Roy and learn about obtaining copies of his disc, e-mail him at roywiegand@att.net.
Also enhancing the BBAA's record library through her generosity was vocalist Nancy Osborne. Nancy's comprehensive website includes a section -- www.nancyosborne.net/audio.htm -- devoted to her two CDs, "Hot Swing, Cool Jazz" and "Songs in the Key of Love." Among many treats, the former features an uptempo take on "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead," which Nancy performed with the Longo band at Typhoon, dedicating it to her former mother-in-law.
The brand-new "Songs in the Key of Love" finds Nancy more at peace with her relatives. With the aid of a combo led by guitarist/arranger Don Peake, Nancy charms as easily on standards such as "Tenderly" and "That Old Black Magic" as she does with the lesser-known delights "Like A Lover" (lyric by Alan & Marilyn Bergman) and Laura Nyro's "I Never Meant to Hurt You." And in addition to offering audio samples from both albums, Nancy's website contains links to order physical CDs or download titles from iTunes.
The Big Band Academy salutes Roy and Nancy. We heartily encourage your support of their endeavors.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Sailing, Sailing
The cruise of a lifetime has just been scheduled for next June. All you need to know is:
- The Celebrity Solstice
- Alaska
- The world's best jazz and big band performers
Milt Bernhart Travel is proud to have been designated the official air agency for cruise passengers needing airline service to and from Seattle.
Once again, do yourself a favor and click here for further information!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Jazz for the End of Time
If you're hunkered down indoors on this Carmageddon 2 weekend, why not check out "Souvenir of You," the new collection from vocalist Deborah Pearl. Deborah has taken melodies composed by the legendary Benny Carter, written her own lyrics to them, and the result is a charming 13-song CD now available through all the usual sources.11 of the titles are wholly new recordings; on the other two, Deborah sings to the backing of vintage Carter big-band tracks. Previews of all 13 can be found on the homepage of Deborah's website, www.deborahpearl.com.
As Dan Singer of the monthly magazine In Tune International puts it: "The new words by Ms. Pearl are perfect. You'll love her singing." I couldn't say it better.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Noontime Jamboree
So I'm in Oregon for a wedding a week ago Sunday and Monday, right? The wedding takes place Sunday evening, and because I know I'm going to be encountering a number of people I haven't seen in a while, I've scheduled my flight home for Monday evening. This leaves all day Monday free in case any friends or family are available to get together.
But by 11 o'clock Monday morning, everyone else has checked out of the hotel and is on the road back to the airport. Still, there can't be many places more scenic than Hood River in which to kill a few hours, so I start off on a hike toward the hills overlooking town, my Sony Walkman radio in tow.
Now I'll be blunt: Most terrestrial radio these days sucks. In fact, it frequently suuuucks. But around noon, I'm suddenly on a station that's playing Bob Wills, followed by Fats Waller, followed by Chet Atkins, followed by Pearl Bailey (!), followed by Martha Raye (!!). And it goes like that for the next couple of hours; one great record after another from the '20s into the '60s. There have been similar programs on L.A. radio, but not in many years. I felt as if someone had heard my plea.
The show is called "The Noontime Jamboree" and it airs every Monday from noon to 2 on public radio station KBOO 90.7 FM in Portland. Local vocalist Retta Christie hosts the first and third Mondays of every month and was behind the mic for the installment I happened upon. Wade Hockett hosts the other Mondays, though in September Retta will be at the helm each week, including a live show on Labor Day.
This being the year 2012, distance is no obstacle to your discovery of "The Noontime Jamboree."
So, yeah, I wish my relatives hadn't hustled out of Hood River so fast. But let's think about it: Lunch or a mid-afternoon snack in some greasy diner with family members who weren't really crazy to see me versus a walk in God's country, accompanied by the dulcet tones of Smith Ballew:
Maybe things worked out for the best.
Now I'll be blunt: Most terrestrial radio these days sucks. In fact, it frequently suuuucks. But around noon, I'm suddenly on a station that's playing Bob Wills, followed by Fats Waller, followed by Chet Atkins, followed by Pearl Bailey (!), followed by Martha Raye (!!). And it goes like that for the next couple of hours; one great record after another from the '20s into the '60s. There have been similar programs on L.A. radio, but not in many years. I felt as if someone had heard my plea.
This being the year 2012, distance is no obstacle to your discovery of "The Noontime Jamboree."
- Of course, KBOO streams its programming live: kboo.fm/Listen
- If you're unable to catch the broadcast as it happens, the show page makes the two most recent episodes available on demand on a continuing basis: kboo.fm/TheNoontimeJamboree
- And if you like what you hear anywhere near as much as I did, kicking a buck or two back to KBOO wouldn't be a bad investment either. As much of a labor of love as this obviously is for Retta, Wade and the radio station, it costs money to keep the lights on and the webcast operating: kboo.fm/MembershipForm
Maybe things worked out for the best.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
It Was Al All the Time
At the risk of channeling Red Buttons, many deserving folks have never had a dinner thrown in their honor. That list will be one name shorter after September 12, thanks to the celebration planned that evening by the National Association of Record Industry Professionals (NARIP) for music industry attorney Al Schlesinger.Al has practiced law for more than fifty years, specializing in intellectual property. Before becoming an attorney, he was a music publisher and record company executive. He was an early member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), rising to the presidency and later serving as national chairman. The California Copyright Conference also benefited from naming Al its president.
Al's commitment to charitable causes is notable, as he served as president of the Society of Singers and as a board member of MusiCares, organizations devoted to assisting music people in need. And Al showed he could take his act on the road, too, representing the soft-rock group Bread ("Make It With You," "If") as personal manager for the entirety of the band's existence.
And on the seventh day he rested.
Today, Al is a sought-after lecturer and panelist, active in teaching the next generation of music professionals.
The dinner saluting Al will take place at the Big Band Academy's old haunt, the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City, on Wednesday, September 12. If you're interested in attending, please e-mail Tess Taylor, president of NARIP, at tess@narip.com.
Ticket prices haven't been announced, but I don't expect I'll have to hock "Everything I Own."
Sorry. Hope to see you there!
*************
The latest request from a reader hoping we can help him or her connect with their past comes from Joe Ditler:
"My father, Jack Ditler, played trumpet during the big band era, both before
WWII and as part of Army entertainment in the South
Pacific.
Prior
to the war, he was with the Hal Grayson orchestra. I've seen photographs of him with
bands in the Catalina Casino Hall of History and I have numerous
anecdotes from him, but I'm looking for further
information.
He performed after the war in Honolulu,
at the Duke Kahanamoku bar, and I've seen him in newsreels when the
camera switches to the pit to show the musicians. One of his post-war bands was the
Swingtwisters.
I'd like to find more of his music, photos and
hopefully some of the newsreels he was in. If it's useful, he sometimes went by 'Dittler' or 'Henry John Ditler.'"
Well, Joe, your request is now being viewed by our wonderfully diverse readership. If anyone recognizes the name Jack Ditler and can provide details of his life or career, please e-mail them to me at the address below and I'll pass them along to his son. And, of course, I'll look forward to posting a follow-up here on the blog!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Summer Reading
The first novel in a projected big band trilogy, "Second Tenor" tells the story of a young musician, his goals, romance, the Great Depression and World War II.
Terry doesn't take on small subjects, does he?
"Second Tenor" is now available in paperback from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other fine retailers. Amazon also offers a preview of the novel. Click here, then on "Search inside this book."
And I am personally honored to have written the foreword. Congratulations, Terry. The Big Band Academy wishes you the best in this endeavor!
Monday, May 7, 2012
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