[78-L] Total Recall: Artie Shaw

[Royal Pemberton]

Shorty Rogers

On Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 12:47 AM, Taylor Bowie <bowiebks at isomedia.com>wrote:

> Great list,  Jeff.  I imagine we could all think of more names to add,
> those guys who wrote really creative charts,  so I'll just add the first
> that came to my mind which aren't on your list:
>
> Ed Finkel
> Jerry Gray
> George Dunning
> Gordon  Jenkins
> Nelson Riddle
> Bill Challis
> John Scott Trotter
>
>
> The more I've listened to jazz and dance bands,  the more interested I've
> become in the people who wrote the charts.
>
>
> Taylor
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jeff Sultanof" <jeffsultanof at gmail.com>
> To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 4:39 PM
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Total Recall: Artie Shaw
>
>
> I have written extensively about the idea that the arranger/composers for
> the big bands were an important group of American composers, in some ways
> as
> important and creative as Copland, Harris, Gershwin and so on. Let's look
> at
> some of the names:
>
> Manny Albam
> Ralph Burns
> Tadd Dameron
> Gil Evans
> Bill Finegan
> George Handy
> Paul Jordan
> Phil Moore
> Johnny Richards
> Pete Rugolo
> William Russo
> Eddie Sauter
> Paul Villipigue
>
> There are many more; these are just the names I think of first.
>
> I have just started a project where the music of these people and more will
> be available legally with estates getting paid, something I've been wanting
> to do for over thirty years. So yes, very often the arranger was challenged
> to make something good out of a terrible song. That so many could do so,
> with horrible time constraints (cranking it out overnight for a recording
> session, hammering it out on the bus traveling to another job) truly makes
> them heroes in my eyes.
>
> Jeff
>
> On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 7:10 PM, Geoffrey Wheeler
> <dialjazz at verizon.net>wrote:
>
> >
> > I think what you say, Jeff, about Shaw’s dislike of some of his
> > Brunswick recordings is true. He regards them from his own perspective,
> > whereas we listeners and collectors look at how and why they fit into
> > the historical spectrum of his canon. Many artists, of course, were
> > stuck with tunes they regarded as “crap,” but what often transformed
> > them into engaging, sometimes enthralling, pieces were the arrangements
> > and the solos. I regard arranging as akin to classical composition. In
> > many cases, the arrangements were the tune. Very few people today may
> > listen to some of the recordings Ben Pollack made for Decca with a full
> > band, but I find the arrangements excellent, and the well-constructed
> > solos fitting beautifully. Examples include: Naturally, So
> > Unexpectedly, Meet the Beat of My Heart, What Are You Doing Tonight,
> > and As Long as I Live. Vocalist Paula Gayle does a first-class job.
> > Francis Hunt, who was mentioned in the context of Goodman Victor
> > recordings, also recorded with Pollack for Decca.
> > Geoffrey Wheeler
> > _______________________________________________
> > 78-L mailing list
> > 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
> > http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l
> >
> _______________________________________________
> 78-L mailing list
> 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
> http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> 78-L mailing list
> 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
> http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l
>