Download Booklet
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
120762bk DorseyBros 14/2/05 8:43 PM Page 8 The Naxos Historical labels aim to make available the greatest recordings of the history of recorded music, in the best and truest sound that contemporary technology can provide. To achieve this aim, Naxos has engaged a number of respected restorers who have the dedication, skill and experience to produce restorations that have set new standards in the field of historical recordings. Available in the Naxos Jazz Legends and Nostalgia series … 8.120625* 8.120628 8.120632* 8.120681* 8.120697* 8.120746* * Not available in the USA NAXOS RADIO Over 70 Channels of Classical Music • Jazz, Folk/World, Nostalgia www.naxosradio.com Accessible Anywhere, Anytime • Near-CD Quality 120762bk DorseyBros 14/2/05 8:43 PM Page 2 THE DORSEY BROTHERS Personnel Tracks 1, 3 & 4: Bunny Berigan, trumpet; Tracks 8-11: Manny Klein & unknown, trumpet; ‘Stop, Look and Listen’ Original 1932-1935 Recordings Tommy Dorsey, trombone; Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, trombones; clarinet, alto sax; Larry Binyon, tenor sax; Jimmy Dorsey, clarinet, alto sax; unknown, alto Whether you call them The Fabulous or The over to the newly formed American Decca label. Fulton McGrath, piano; Dick McDonough, sax; Larry Binyon (?), tenor sax; Fulton Battling Dorsey Brothers, Tommy (1905-1956) In the two knock-down drag-out years that guitar; Artie Bernstein, bass; Stan King, drums McGrath (?), piano; Dick McDonough, guitar; and Jimmy Dorsey (1904-1957) were major followed, the Dorseys produced some Track 2: Bunny Berigan, trumpet; Tommy Artie Bernstein (?), bass; Stan King or Ray influences on the development of jazz in the outstanding and exciting jazz, all the while Dorsey, trombone; Jimmy Dorsey, clarinet; McKinley, drums 1920s and ’30s. The tempestuous brothers engaging in repeated bouts of fisticuffs with Martha Boswell, piano; Eddie Lang, guitar; Tracks 12-14: George Thow, Jerry Neary, Charlie really had three separate stages of their careers: each other; spitting, slashing brawls, in which Artie Bernstein, bass; Stan King, drums Spivak, trumpets; Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, first, as freelance sidemen for the small, hot New they not only beat each other up, but destroyed Track 5: Manny Klein, Frank Guarente, Charlie Don Mattison, trombones; Jimmy Dorsey, York studio bands of the late ’20s; second, as each others’ instruments as well. Usually, these Margulis, Bunny Berigan, trumpets; Tommy clarinet, alto sax; Jack Stacey, alto sax; Skeets co-leaders of the short-lived Dorsey Brothers battles were over the most mundane disputes, Dorsey, Lloyd Turner, Chuck Campbell, Herfurt, tenor sax, flute on track 12; Bobby van Orchestra and finally, as highly successful and when someone would attempt to break trombones; Jimmy Dorsey, clarinet, alto sax; Eps, piano; Roc Hillman, guitar; Delmar leaders of their own respective big bands of the them up, the two brothers often ganged up on Lyle Bowen, alto sax; Jimmy Crossan, Larry Kaplan, bass; Ray McKinley, drums late ’30s and ’40s. This CD deals with the the peacemaker. Binyon, tenor sax; Fulton McGrath, piano; Dick Track 15: George Thow, Charlie Spivak, second of these stages. Born in Pennsylvania, Jimmy (a leap year McDonough, guitar; Artie Bernstein, bass; Stan trumpets; Tommy Dorsey, Joe Yukl, Don Although two people acting as co-leaders of baby, born in Shenandoah on 29 February King, drums Mattison, trombones; Jimmy Dorsey, clarinet, a popular dance band sounds like a difficult 1904) and Tommy (born in Mahanoy City on Tracks 6 & 7: Frank Guarente or Charlie alto sax; Jack Stacey, alto sax; Skeets Herfurt, concept, it has been done successfully, although 19 November 1905), both took cornet lessons Margulis, Bunny Berigan, Manny Klein, tenor sax, flute; Bobby van Eps, piano; Roc not often. Note the ’20s groups led by, early on from their father, who led a local trumpets; Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Chuck Hillman, guitar; Delmar Kaplan, bass; Ray respectively, Victor Arden/Phil Ohman and concert band. By the time they were teenagers, Campbell or Lloyd Turner, trombones; Jimmy McKinley, drums Carlton Coon/Joe Sanders. However when the Jimmy had settled on the clarinet and Tommy on Dorsey, clarinet, alto sax; Lyle Bowen, alto sax; Tracks 16-19: George Thow, trumpet; Tommy leaders are brothers, the result can be even more trombone. Jimmy would later become an adept Jimmy Crossan, Larry Binyon, tenor sax; Joe Dorsey, Joe Yukl, Don Mattison, trombones; troublesome, as Tommy and Jimmy soon alto saxophonist as well and would double Venuti, violin; Fulton McGrath, piano; Dick Jimmy Dorsey, clarinet, alto sax; Jack Stacey, discovered. Joining forces as a recording unit frequently on the instrument as well as McDonough, guitar; Artie Bernstein, bass; Stan alto sax; Skeets Herfurt, tenor sax; Bobby van beginning in 1928, the Dorseys not only made occasionally play trumpet. Both worked in a King, drums Eps, piano; Roc Hillman, guitar; Delmar records on their own, but backed some of the popular territory band called the Scranton Sirens Kaplan, bass; Ray McKinley, drums most influential vocalists of the ’30s, including that traveled a lot but unfortunately released Bing Crosby, Mildred Bailey, and the Boswell only one 78. By the late 1920s they were firmly Sisters. They hit their stride in 1934 when they ensconced in the lucrative New York studio decided to form a touring band, recording first business, cutting hot jazz sides with the likes of for Brunswick, and then moving with Jack Kapp Red Nichols, Miff Mole, Joe Venuti, and Eddie Original monochrome photo of the Dorsey Brothers from Michael Ochs Archives / Redferns 2 8.120762 8.120762 7 120762bk DorseyBros 14/2/05 8:43 PM Page 6 7. Annie’s Cousin Fannie 3:09 14. Honeysuckle Rose 6:37 Lang. In addition, they played for many of the gliding trombone solo by Tommy Dorsey that (Glenn Miller) (Fats Waller–Andy Razaf) biggest names in the dance band business, forecast his reluctant but necessary label as the Vocals by Ensemble: Tommy Dorsey, Kay Vocals by Skeets Herfurt, Roc Hillman, including Jean Goldkette, Nat Shilkret, Rudy ‘sentimental gentleman of swing’. The Dorseys Weber, Don Mattison, Skeets Herfurt, Don Mattison Vallee, and Paul Whiteman. had a knack for bringing out the best in vocalists Glenn Miller Decca 296, mx 38409-A, 38410-A In 1928 the Dorsey brothers began who fronted their band. Bing Crosby seemed to Brunswick 6938, mx B 15249-C Recorded 23 August 1934 recording under their own name, but only as a genuinely enjoy himself when he sang Someone Recorded 4 June 1934 15. Solitude 4:36 studio group. Their records reflected some of Stole Gabriel’s Horn at their joint session for 8. By Heck 3:14 (Duke Ellington–Eddie deLange–Irving Mills) the better Paul Whiteman efforts of that period Brunswick in 1933. (L. Wolfe Gilbert–S. R. Henry) Kay Weber, vocal and even included an attempt to emulate When they decided to go on the road with Decca 118, mx 38302-A Decca 15013, mx 39243-A Whiteman’s combining classical music with jazz. their band in 1934, they took some of their Recorded 14 August 1934 Recorded 11 January 1935 One of the two records issued by The Dorsey members from remnants of the recently 9. I’m Getting Sentimental Over You 2:37 16. Tailspin 2:53 Brothers and Their Concert Orchestra was even disbanded Smith Ballew orchestra, including (Ned Washington–George Bassman) (Frank Trumbauer–Jimmy Dorsey) conducted by Eugene Ormandy. trombonist/arranger Glenn Miller, drummer Ray Bob Crosby, vocal Decca 560, mx 39342-A The earliest record included in this collection McKinley, saxophonist Arthur ‘Skeets’ Herfurt, Decca 115, mx 38304-A Recorded 6 February 1935 is an alternate take of Jimmy Dorsey’s 1932 tour and vocalist Kay Weber. The new group was Recorded 15 August 1934 17. Dipper Mouth 2:24 de force, Oodles of Noodles, in which Dorsey’s larger than those the Dorseys had been playing 10. Stop, Look and Listen 3:18 (Joe Oliver) virtuosity on the alto sax is exhibited. This ‘B’ with in New York studios, consisting of 11–15 (John & George Van Eps–Ralph Freed) Decca 561, mx 39345-A take was first issued in the 1940s on a Columbia men, a size that could be compared to the Casa Decca 208, mx 38303-A Recorded 6 February 1935 78 album in the ‘Hot Jazz Classics’ series Loma Orchestra, one of the best of the white Recorded 15 August 1934 18. You’re Okay 2:52 featuring early sessions by the Dorsey Brothers. bands of the period that played arranged jazz. 11. Heat Wave 2:56 (Rube Bloom–Mitchell Parish) Even when provided with a transcript of the According to Ray McKinley, the idea was to (Irving Berlin) Decca 1304, mx 39339-A music, it is difficult to follow the notes as they pitch the sound of the band around the middle- Decca 208, mx 38301-A Recorded 6 February 1935 whiz by. register sonority of Bing Crosby, who had Recorded 14 August 1934 19. Weary Blues 3:59 The 1933 tracks are carry-overs from the fronted the Dorsey band on occasion. Crosby 12. Milenberg Joys 3:11 (Artie Matthews) Dorseys’ career in the compact New York outfits was then the hottest vocalist in the business and (Leon Rappolo–Paul Mares–Jelly Roll Decca 15013, mx 39341-A typified by Red Nichols’ Five Pennies. Backing the Dorseys felt that there was something in his Morton) Recorded 6 February 1935 facile singers such as Crosby, Bailey, and the resonant baritone that would work by focusing Decca 119, mx 38407-A The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra Boswells, Tommy and Jimmy were featured in their sound in the low brass and saxophones. Recorded 23 August 1934 All selections recorded in New York solos that showed their versatility in This may have been one reason why they 13.