Stan and Woody Herman's Thundering Herd

[Paul Wood]

IN NOVEMBER OF 1936 WODDY HERMAN AND HIS NEWLY CONSTRUCTED BAND PLAYED ITS FIRST DATE AT ROSELAND IN BROOKLYN. FORTY YEARS LATER A MEMORIAL CONCERT TOOK PLACE AT CARNEGIE HALL IN NEW YORK TO HONOR WOODIE AND THE MANY LEGENDARY SOLOISTS WHO HAD APPEARED WITH THIS BRILLIANT ORGANIZATION OVER A SPAN OF FORTY YEARS. AMONG THE MANY BRILLIANT MUSICIANS WAS STAN GETZ. THE PROGRAM INCLUDED MUSIC FROM THE VARIOUS HERMAN'S HERDS INCLUDING THE INCOMPARABLE COMPOSITIONS "FOUR BROTHERS" AND "EARLY AUTUMN".

ALSO ON THE PROGRAM WAS ONE OF STAN'S FAVORITES WRITTEN FOR HIM BY GIGI GRYCE, "BLUE GETZ BLUES" ALSO KNOWN AS "STAN'S BLUES" AND ARRANGED BY GARY ANDERSON. NO DOUBT ALL OF THE DYED-IN-THE-WOOL GETZ FANS HAVE HEARD STAN'S VARIOUS VERSIONS ON NUMEROUS OF HIS RECORDINGS. APPEARING AS A SPECIAL GUEST SOLOIST THAT NIGHT AND BACKED UP BY A WOODY HERMAN BAND WAS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EVENING. THE APPRECIATIVE CROWD CHEERED, APPLAUDED AND SHOUTED LOVINGLY AT WOODY, STAN AND THE BAND MEMBERS. THEY WHO WERE THERE WERE A LUCKY BUNCH INDEED. SO HERE, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, IS THAT TRACK FROM THE RCA CD "WOODY HERMAN MEMORIAL, THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY CARNEGIE HALL CONCERT, NOVEMBER 1976.

[Denis Ouellet]

Thanks so much for this wonderful version of Stan's Blues Paul. Yes indeed
Stan can be a real stompin' tenor man.

Denis

[Paul Wood]

Denis Ouellet said:

Thanks so much for this wonderful version of Stan's Blues Paul. Yes indeed
Stan can be a real stompin' tenor man. Denis

Glad you enjoyed this moment in history, Denis. The program also included, of course, versions of The Four Brothers and Early Autumn. When I was in college I had one of those 45RPM record players that would repeat unless stopped. I would hang over my drawing board and listen to Early Autumn until the record wore out. 60 years later and it is still with me, the song that is, not the 45RPM player.

[Paul Wood]

Denis Ouellet said:

Thanks so much for this wonderful version of Stan's Blues Paul. Yes indeed
Stan can be a real stompin' tenor man.

Denis

[Paul Wood]

You are so right. I don't think there were any limitations on Stan's ability in this respect. I wonder what your opinion is as to the best pianist to ever play in one of Stan's many quartets.

[Denis Ouellet]

Paul

Stan had so many wonderful piano players. Incredibly hard to pick.
How about just naming a few of them
Al Haig, John Williams, Lou Levy, Stanley Cowell and of course Kenny Barron.
I sure forgot some. Maybe you can list some more ?

Thanks
Denis

[Paul Wood]

Denis Ouellet said:

Paul

Stan had so many wonderful piano players. Incredibly hard to pick.
How about just naming a few of them
Al Haig, John Williams, Lou Levy, Stanley Cowell and of course Kenny Barron.
I sure forgot some. Maybe you can list some more ?

Thanks
Denis

[Paul Wood]

Those pianists on your list are formidable, indeed. But Denis, if you read my message I said "best." For me there is one man who stands out above all others and that is Jim McNeely. Jim takes his solos beyond being the fourth member of a jazz quartet. His imagination, inventiveness and the many surprises he offers are, in my opinion, unique. But that's what discussions are all about: differences of opinion. Everyone has his own brain, ear, soul and subsequent emotional response. That's what makes this art form so stupendous. Shakespeare said, "If music be the food of love, play on." Like most everything else, he got that right. (Nice to hear from you Denis.)

[Denis Ouellet]

Paul Wood said:

Those pianists on your list are formidable, indeed. But Denis, if you read my message I said "best." For me there is one man who stands out above all others and that is Jim McNeely. Jim takes his solos beyond being the fourth member of a jazz quartet. His imagination, inventiveness and the many surprises he offers are, in my opinion, unique. But that's what discussions are all about: differences of opinion. Everyone has his own brain, ear, soul and subsequent emotional response. That's what makes this art form so stupendous. Shakespeare said, "If music be the food of love, play on." Like most everything else, he got that right. (Nice to hear from you Denis.)

Ok Paul,

Yes well then I will say Lou Levy.
But again as you so ably stated it it's all a matter of differences of opinions.

But I love them all

Nice to hear from you Paul.

Deni

[Bev Getz]

Hi Boys! (-:

Just read this thread! Great! I was at that Woody 40th Anniversary concert! It was SOOOOOOO WONDERFUL! To see Dad with the band that basically launched him was very cool! And to see him with the other 3 "Bro's" was great! Love that CD of that concert. Actually, I was working for Buddy Rich at the time. We were on the road somewhere in the Mid-West I think. When Buddy heard about the concert, he rearranged the band's schedule, flew us (Buddy, Cathy Rich and me) back to NY so we could go. I will NEVER forget that beautiful and so generous gesture from Buddy! He knew what a thrill it would be for me to see this, and pulled all the strings to make it happen. Buddy was so good to me. Like my 'other' father really.

I have to say that my favorite of Stan's pianists are definitely Kenny Barron. Stan really connected with Kenny. Also, Albert Daly and Lou Levy. But there were so many incredible pianists, it's hard to even remember them all or list them!

Bev

[Paul Wood]

Bev Getz said:

Hi Boys! (-:

Just read this thread! Great! I was at that Woody 40th Anniversary concert! It was SOOOOOOO WONDERFUL! To see Dad with the band that basically launched him was very cool! And to see him with the other 3 "Bro's" was great! Love that CD of that concert. Actually, I was working for Buddy Rich at the time. We were on the road somewhere in the Mid-West I think. When Buddy heard about the concert, he rearranged the band's schedule, flew us (Buddy, Cathy Rich and me) back to NY so we could go. I will NEVER forget that beautiful and so generous gesture from Buddy! He knew what a thrill it would be for me to see this, and pulled all the strings to make it happen. Buddy was so good to me. Like my 'other' father really.

I have to say that my favorite of Stan's pianists are definitely Kenny Barron. Stan really connected with Kenny. Also, Albert Daly and Lou Levy. But there were so many incredible pianists, it's hard to even remember them all or list them!

Bev

[Paul Wood]

Paul Wood said:

Bev Getz said:

Hi Boys! (-:

Just read this thread! Great! I was at that Woody 40th Anniversary concert! It was SOOOOOOO WONDERFUL! To see Dad with the band that basically launched him was very cool! And to see him with the other 3 "Bro's" was great! Love that CD of that concert. Actually, I was working for Buddy Rich at the time. We were on the road somewhere in the Mid-West I think. When Buddy heard about the concert, he rearranged the band's schedule, flew us (Buddy, Cathy Rich and me) back to NY so we could go. I will NEVER forget that beautiful and so generous gesture from Buddy! He knew what a thrill it would be for me to see this, and pulled all the strings to make it happen. Buddy was so good to me. Like my 'other' father really.

I have to say that my favorite of Stan's pianists are definitely Kenny Barron. Stan really connected with Kenny. Also, Albert Daly and Lou Levy. But there were so many incredible pianists, it's hard to even remember them all or list them!

Bev

[Paul Wood]

Bev, so pleased that you have joined this discussion and to describe your experience with Buddy Rich and flight to New York to attend Woody's 40th anniversary at Carnegie Hall. How I envy you for having been there. I also love that CD not least for Woody's off the cuff remarks about his old pals and the audience's wild enthusiasm and admiration for those great musicians in the band. It was a memorable evening no doubt.

As for Stan's favorite pianists and their tasks in a saxophone led quartet, nobody to my knowledge has put it better than life-long admirer Alain Gerber of Radio France in his liner notes to that final statement made by Stan and Kenny Barron recorded in Copenhagen and issued on a two disc album entitled PEOPLE TIME . I urge all Stan Getz fans to read the words of Alain as well as those of Kenny in the booklet that accompanies this great recording. I believe they say it all. If you don't own it you should.

To hear your views, Bev, as well as those of all our members, and to allow myself the privilege to air mine, is a wonderful thing. In the final analysis we are all here for one purpose: to keep the memory of a great jazz musician alive in our minds and souls as well as those admirers who follow.

Paul