Sunday Afternoon Listening Cafe #4
The Big Band Hit Parade
I was brought up on big band music. Lawrence Welk was the Sunday soundtrack. My dad had gotten to see some of the greats as a teenager as his brother-in-law was a jazz musician and took him to concerts.
I do love listening to the originals but there’s just something about the arrangements (by mostly by Jeff Tyzik and Tommy Newsom) in this collection that give it a fresh feeling. The players are exceptional: Doc Severinson, Cab Calloway, Gerry Mulligan, Eddie Daniels, Dave Brubeck, Eddie Daniels, Buddy Morrow, Ed Shaughnessy - all led by Erich Kunzel, who by this point was king of orchestral pops, taking the title from Arthur Fieldler. (Kunzel would come up to Toronto and do the symphony's pop series every year for 30 years so I was well aware of him.)
My favourite track is St James Infirmary. Cab Calloway sounds fantastic. Or maybe it’s Caravan, which I prefer over the original. (Sorry, Duke!) So to end instrumental week, enjoy this blast from the past!
Erich Kunzel—now that's a name I haven't heard or thought of in years! Growing up north of Cincinnati, we didn't realize how spoiled we were by having the Cincinnati Pops around. They were a pretty regular feature of my county's Independence Day celebrations... fantastic live music.
Have you heard Jon Batiste's version of "St. James Infirmary?" It's a spare take, especially compared to Cab Calloway's rendition on this album; and it's the reason I bought Batiste's "Hollywood Africans" album.
I'm not much on coincidences but this sure seems like one. For some reason I woke up this morning with The Glen Miller Band playing 'Chatanooga Choo Choo' in my brain. Now I come in here and see this?!? Thanks for all of them, MK. As always....!