Fletcher Henderson

[Clunky]

Anyone else interested in Fletcher Henderson.......I've had only limited exposure to his work the form of the Hep " Wild party " Cd, sessions with Red Allen etc. Very nice pre-swing material. Exciting in the same way as Bennie Motens late band. Any way any other henderson recommendations and what reissue series.

What are his key sessions ?

I'm aware Classics has put out a lot of CD s but transfer quality is poor. Anyone know if the Naxos disc(s) are good place to go next.

thanks

[king ubu]

I can't help with regard to key sessions, but I enjoy immensely what I've heard of his music.

There is a 3CD box set called "A Study in Frustration" (what a title ) on Columbia, but it has horrible sound. Nice booklet, however.

Here's a photo:

And one more:

ubu

[king ubu]

This is all from the Downbeat website:

Fletcher Henderson was the pianist - composer whose pre-swing era arrangements laid the foundation for the contemporary jazz big band.

Born into a middle-class family on Dec. 18, 1897, in Cuthbert, Ga., Henderson studied European art music from his piano teacher mother. Ironically, his family frowned on the "low" music of spirituals, work songs and blues that would later form the backbone of modern jazz. Henderson earned a chemistry degree from Atlanta University and moved to New York in 1920 to do post-graduate work. Racism kept him from getting a job in the field.

Instead, he worked for Pace-Handy Music Company, a black-owned publishing firm, demonstrating sheet music. When Harry Pace formed Black Swan Records, Henderson put together groups behind singers Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters. The job offered a springboard to his bandleader career, which began at New York's Cotton Club in 1923. A year later he led a band at the Club Alabam on Broadway, then segued to the Roseland Ballroom. There he assembled a band that included Coleman Hawkins and Don Redman. In 1924, Henderson hired trumpeter Louis Armstrong. Though Henderson's band only played the social dance music of the day, Armstrong brought the influence of jazz to musicians and fans hungry for the new sound. At this time, music director Redman began working out the seminal arrangements that still dominate big band writing: call and response between brass and reeds; one section playing supporting riffs behind another; solos interspersed between sections. With Armstrong leading the way, the band recorded some of its best known works, including "Copenhagen," "Go 'Long Mule," "Shanghai Shuffle" and the band's first hit, "Sugar Foot Stomp."

Though not the only band experimenting with jazz, Henderson's was among the principal role models for big bands through the mid-'30s. After Redman's departure in 1927, Henderson took over most of the arranging chores (with some contributions from Benny Carter). Easy to play, the arrangements were clean, spare and delicate, but the group's best-known tunes, like "King Porter Stomp," "Down South Camp Meeting" and "Wrappin' It Up," generated an infectious swing.

Henderson boasted an affinity for discovering new talent (Lester Young also rose from this band), but his poor management skills cost him players who defected to other bands. Financial woes in 1934 forced him to sell some of his best arrangements to Benny Goodman, then starting his own band. Still, the arrangements fueled Goodman's rise and the popularity of swing era bands from 1935-'45 and continued to vault Henderson's cachet. Henderson joined Goodman as a full-time arranger and occasional pianist in 1939. He returned to leading his own groups in 1941. Henderson suffered a severe stroke in December 1950, which left him partially paralyzed till his death. He died on Dec. 29, 1952, in New York City.

In 1973, Henderson was elected by the Critics into the Down Beat Hall of Fame.

http://www.downbeat.com/artists/window.asp...tcher+Henderson

[king ubu]

Another nice thing I found googling:

[EKE BBB]

All my Fletcher is on Classics. I have quite a few of them and I have no complaints on the sound quality (but I´m not and audiophile at all, so don´t you ever trust in me ).

Fletcher Henderson doesn´t attract many attention nowadays, I´m afraid. I started a thread on AAJ last year and only got a few replies (very few, actually).

He led which was the most important African-American band of the mid-20´s (Duke took his place a bit later).

IMHO he was a capable but not outstanding pianist, but he would deserve a pedestal if only for:

-establishing the standard for big band arrangement, with his own writing (that later would make Benny Goodman´s one of the most successful big bands in the late 30´s) and with the work of two incredible arrangers: Don Redman and Benny Carter.

-establishing as well the standard use of reed and brass sections.

He wasn´t a business man, but his big band gathered, in its more than twenty years of living, some of the greatest musicians of that era..... I mean of all times jazz!!!

Just a few of them, as they come to my mind:

Trumpet/cornet: Louis Armstrong, Rex Stewart, Cootie Williams, Tommy Ladnier, Henry Red Allen, Roy Eldridge, Joe Smith, Sidney De Paris, Wilbur De Paris, Bobby Stark...

Saxophones: Don Redman, Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, Ben Webster, Chu Berry, Russell Procope, Lester Young...

Clarinet: Buster Bailey...

Trombone: JC Higginbotham, Dan Minor, Dicky Wells, Benny Morton, Charlie Green...

Drums: Sid Catlett...

Bass: John Kirby...

[EKE BBB]

And in my books want-list, this one´s been for so long (too long). One of these days...

Hendersonia, The Music of Fletcher Henderson and his Musicians; a Bio-Discography by Walter C. Allen., Highland Park , 1973

[EKE BBB]

From 1936...

[EKE BBB]

Has anybody already got the recently published biography written by Jeffrey Magee "The Uncrowned King of Swing: Fletcher Henderson and Big Band Jazz" on Oxford University Press?

GoM?

Any impressions?

[FrancoisD]

The best-sounding Henderson is to be found on the following CDs (representing only a fraction of his output unfortunately):

-Yeah Man! Hep CD1016 (1931-33 Brunswick/Columbia)

-Wild Party! Hep CD1009 or Tidal Wave GRP 16432 (both cover the 1934 Deccas)

-The Indispensable Fletcher Henderson RCA Jazz Tribune 73421226182 (most Victor recordings from the 1927-36 period)

-Louis with Fletcher Henderson (1924-25) 3-CD set Forte F-38001/2/3

-The Harmony and Vocalion Sessions vol. 1 (1925-26) Timeless 1064

-The Harmony and Vocalion Sessions vol. 2 (1927-28) Timeless 1069

Edited October 4, 2004 by FrancoisD

[Clunky]

thanks for all the helpful advice

[Chuck Nessa]

If you are interested in Henderson, avoiding the Classics is a big mistake. I have all of them and the 2 Neatwork suppliments.

[jazzbo]

Yes, and Kaiser Marshall too.

Agustin and others here pretty much say it all. I find that I don't listen to much Fletcher these days and haven't gone the complete route on Classics/Neatwork with him. . . maybe someday! I've got the GRP, RCA, Forte, and Columbia cds mentioned here and a few others, and it's a good collection that holds me!

[P.D.]

EKE covered this well.. I agree on the Classics they're fine.. but I started listening to Jazz when the main media was 78rpm, and a hand cranked record player.. so perhaps I'm more tolerant, especially when it's music fom thepre LP era.

Classics is still the only way to "get it all".. except for alts.. then there's Neatwork as Chuck has pointed out.

I like just about all of Hendersons recordings, there is always something interesting in the arrangements, and a great place to hear the development of Coleman Hawkins.

Listing Pres as one of Henderson's musicians is a bit of a stretch.. he didn't last long due to Mrs. Henderson's tutorials

Also this seems a bit of a stretch for a the title of a 3 CD set

Louis with Fletcher Henderson (1924-25) 3-CD set Forte F-38001/2/3

They must be very short CDs if they only feature the recordings Satch did with Fletcher, ( kinda sounds like a Lonehill title ), but at the minimum I would think a solid 3CD set deserves to be in anyones collection.

Edited October 4, 2004 by P.D.

[FrancoisD]

Also this seems a bit of a stretch for a the title of a 3 CD set

Louis with Fletcher Henderson (1924-25) 3-CD set Forte F-38001/2/3

They must be very short CDs if they only feature the recordings Satch did with Fletcher, ( kinda sounds like a Lonehill title    ), but at the minimum I would think a solid 3CD set deserves to be in anyones collection.

On the contrary, the discs on the 3-CD set The Complete Louis Armstrong With Fletcher Henderson (Forte 38001/2/3) are quite long ones, since every known take of every track on which Louis played (either in the section or as a soloist) is included. Details of the 66 tracks in this set are as follows:

Disc 1:

Manda

Go 'Long Mule

Tell Me, Dreamy Eyes,

My Rose Marie

Don't Forget You'll Regret Day By Day

Shanghai Shuffle (Pathé)

Words (13925)

Words (13926)

Copenhagen (13928)

Copenhagen (13929)

Shanghai Shuffle (Vocalion)

Naughty Man (Vocalion) (13952)

Naughty Man (13953)

One Of These Days

My Dream Man -1

My Dream Man-2

The Meanest Kind Of Blues (Columbia)

Naughty Man (Columbia)

How Come You Do Me Like You Do?-1

How Come You Do Me Like You Do?-2

How Come You Do Me Like You Do?-3

Disc 2

Araby

Everybody Loves My Baby-1

Everybody Loves My Baby-3

Naughty Man (Oriole)

Prince Of Wails-1

Prince Of Wails-2

Prince Of Wails-3

Mandy Make Up Your Mind-1

Mandy Make Up Your Mind-2

I'll See You In My Dreams-1

Why Couldn't It Be Poor Little Me?-2

I'll See You In My Dreams-5

I'll See You In My Dreams-6

Why Couldn't It Be Poor Little Me?-4

Why Couldn't It Be Poor Little Me?-5

Why Couldn't It Be Poor Little Me?-6

Bye And Bye

Play Me Slow-2

Play Me Slow-3

Alabamy Bound-2

Alabamy Bound-3

Alabamy Bound-4

Disc 3

Swanee Butterfly-1

Swanee Butterfly-2

Swanee Butterfly-3

Poplar Street Blues

12th Street Blues

Me Neenyah

Memphis Bound

When You Do What You Do

I'll Take Her Back If She Wants To Come Back

Money Blues-1

Money Blues-2

Sugar Foot Stomp

What-Cha-Call-Em Blues

I Miss My Swiss (The Southern Serenaders)

Alone At Last (The Southern Serenaders)

You Dirty Mistreater (Coot Grant and Kid Wilson)

Come On Coot, Do That Thing (Coot Grant and Kid Wilson)

Have Your Chill, I'll Be Here When Your Fever Rises (Coot Grant and Kid Wilson)

Find Me At The Greasy Spoon-1 (Coot Grant and Kid Wilson)

Find Me At The Greasy Spoon-2 (Coot Grant and Kid Wilson)

TNT

Carolina Stomp

Recorded from October 7, 1924 to October 10, 1925.

Remastered by the late John R.T. Davies, which means that the sound here is superior to any previous reissue of these titles.

Edited October 5, 2004 by FrancoisD

[EKE BBB]

Listing Pres as one of Henderson's musicians is a bit of a stretch.. he didn't last long due to Mrs. Henderson's tutorials

Yes. He didn´t sound just like Coleman Hawkins, did he?

[P.D.]

EKE.. I knew you would get the reference

Francois.. O.K. I was thinking in terms of recordings where LA solos with the Orchestra..also not including the recordings with singers like Coot Grant etc. where the group was a small contingent from the FH Orchestra..

these are, I suspect outside the realm of Clunky's question about Henderson.

If such recordings qualify, then the list seems to miss The Trixie Smith

You've got to beat me

Mining Camp Blues

and Clara Smith recordings,

Shipwrecked

Court House

My John

which had Satch on them and Fletcher on piano.

There may be others, but I have to admit there are more recordings of LA with Fletcher than my memory gave credit to.

[EKE BBB]

Has anybody already got the recently published biography written by Jeffrey Magee "The Uncrowned King of Swing: Fletcher Henderson and Big Band Jazz" on Oxford University Press?

GoM?

Any impressions?

In fact it looks like it hasn´t been published yet. Due out on November 1, according to jazzmatazz.

You can pre-order it at amazon for $20.40.

[neveronfriday]

As an aside: I've done quite a bit of reading on "swing kids" under Nazi rule trying to get their hands on (American) jazz music and playing it when- and wherever possible. Whenever you study these accounts a bit more closely, Fletcher Henderson is a name that pops up constantly, always mentioned with the utmost respect and cited as one of those that had a huge (!) influence on those who only had limited access to jazz recordings. Somehow Henderson, perhaps along with Jimmie Lunceford, another name which is all over these accounts, seems to have been more "widely" available? Have to ask my dad sometime.

Cheers!

[mmilovan]

Has anybody already got the recently published biography written by Jeffrey Magee "The Uncrowned King of Swing: Fletcher Henderson and Big Band Jazz" on Oxford University Press?

GoM?

Any impressions?

One can listen to FH band real close and to find great new world of swing before swing music. Thanks to our friend Agustin, I listened to 1932-34 period of this band, and how it sounded way back then it is unbelievable. You can instantly forget Benny Goodman (and I like BG) – he smooth the sound and the fire of FH arrangements. “Down South Camp Meeting”, “King Porter Stomp” sounds boring when played by BG comparing to FH band.

What was real nice to compare late FH band (around that time 1932-34) and early Basie band that played and recorded some of FH arrangements (Basie told that FH sold some parts of his book during those first days of organizing OT band).

Well, that is interesting Kansas City integration into NY sound

And more to notice: BG band sound just like Fletcher's: Harry James did solos just like Red Allen, Vido Musso like Bean, and - Jess Stacy was just like Fletcher while working in rhythm section or taking some ocasional solos.

Anyone notice those simillarities?

[Chuck Nessa]

And more to notice: BG band sound just like Fletcher's: Harry James did solos just like Red Allen, Vido Musso like Bean, and - Jess Stacy was just like Fletcher while working in rhythm section or taking some ocasional solos.

Anyone notice those simillarities?

I don't think so.

Is this a "whites are just as good as blacks" thread?

Edited October 7, 2004 by Chuck Nessa

[Brownian Motion]

I'll take Fletcher's 1936 band over any other band of the swing era. It's a good place to start an investigation of Henderson's recordings. Stealin' Apples, Christopher Columbus, and Blue Lou come immediately to mind as both Henderson classics and definitive versions of three jazz standards. You can work forward and backward from this point and find interesting recordings, although some of the 1920s stuff is fairly commercial and not everything is well-recorded. (Even 2 or 3 years after electrical recording had been introduced, Fletcher was still waxing an occasional acoustic disc.)

[mmilovan]

And more to notice: BG band sound just like Fletcher's: Harry James did solos just like Red Allen, Vido Musso like Bean, and - Jess Stacy was just like Fletcher while working in rhythm section or taking some ocasional solos.

Anyone notice those simillarities?

I don't think so.

Is this a "whites are just as good as blacks" thread?

Hell, no... No single thought about whites or blacks!

My impressions was on nice teacher/clever pupil side, and I said I like BG.

OK, if you can not hear what I can. What terrible world it will be if we thought the same about everything.

[BERIGAN]

Jess Stacy was a better pianist than Fletcher....

[Chuck Nessa]

Hell, no... No single thought about whites or blacks!

My impressions was on nice teacher/clever pupil side, and I said I like BG.

OK, if you can not hear what I can. What terrible world it will be if we thought the same about everything.

In my haste I misread you post. I apologize.

[mjzee]

Listening to this now while transferring it to my computer. Excellent, swinging band, interesting arrangements...even the vocals are catchy! Good sound quality, too.