mmilovan Posted June 22, 2005 Report Posted June 22, 2005 (edited) (infos taken from 78-online list and various other sources) Chris Griffin - the last survivor from "the best trumpet section of all time" (these words from Duke Ellington and from interview that aired on the BBC in 1977) - Benny Goodman's band around 1938 - passed away on June, 18th. While other members of that section - Harry James and Ziggy Elman - delievered Armstrong-like trumpet style, Griffin remain more in Beiderbecke area. "All three members could solo and play lead. They memorized their parts, played matching Selmer trumpets, and tuned slightly sharp for a more brilliant sound. Nearly seventy years later it is still thrilling to hear their roar on classic recordings like ”Roll 'Em,” “Life Goes to a Party,” and the Stravinsky-inspired frenzy, “Sing, Sing, Sing.” In vintage footage they toss out their valve hands with a flourish, point their bells high and rip through their parts with the proud nonchalance of young men who know they are the best at what they do." - from interview with Chris Griffin made by David French Edited June 23, 2005 by mmilovan Quote
catesta Posted June 23, 2005 Report Posted June 23, 2005 RIP Some info I found online. Griffin House Quote
mmilovan Posted June 23, 2005 Author Report Posted June 23, 2005 RIP Some info I found online. Griffin House ← Yes, bunch of infos here. Especially that it brings to consious fact about that famous trumet section! Quote
JSngry Posted June 23, 2005 Report Posted June 23, 2005 Also that Griffin was the guy who played the Honeymooner's theme with that gorgeous tone. Helluva career! Quote
catesta Posted June 23, 2005 Report Posted June 23, 2005 Also that Griffin was the guy who played the Honeymooner's theme with that gorgeous tone. Helluva career! ← Indeed. I'm sorry I learned all this stuff after the guy passed away. Quote
Brownian Motion Posted June 23, 2005 Report Posted June 23, 2005 Chris was a pretty good jazz trumpet man, and one of the last surviving jazz musicians that made his mark in the 1930s. He'll be missed. Quote
neveronfriday Posted June 24, 2005 Report Posted June 24, 2005 Hm. I've been watching this thread for a while and almost guessed that there wouldn't be many posts in it. This one was perhaps not for the Blue Note crowd. If you, like me and some others on the board, have a much larger portion of swing and big band jazz in your collections and are able to live it up to some good Goodman sides on a Friday night (which I regularly do), this piece of news was a bit of a stunner: It just makes you remember that you are in fact listening to historic music. Hardly anyone left. The sections just didn't blow anymore the way they did for Goodman (and some few others). I played my entire Goodman collection these past weeks for another project (and I think I'm up to 70 or 80 discs, all told) and it just all reminded me of how/why I got into this music in the first place. Man, the section with Griffin was a powerhouse. He might not have been great as an individual player, but as a team man together with the aformentioned players, the section burned down the house ... and will continue to do so, no matter who's still around or who isn't. A sad loss for all of us. Quote
JSngry Posted June 24, 2005 Report Posted June 24, 2005 Good section playing (hearing it or doing it) is one of the great joys in life, but one that is sadly overlooked, un/underappreciated, and/or all but lost these days. Maybe the Spurs/Pistons series will get people to thinking! Quote
Christiern Posted June 25, 2005 Report Posted June 25, 2005 (edited) My good friend, DEEP, just pointed out to me that, with Griffin's passing, the entire cast of Benny Goodman's 1938 Carnegie Hall concert has relocated to Vermont. Edited June 25, 2005 by Christiern Quote
mmilovan Posted June 26, 2005 Author Report Posted June 26, 2005 Hm. I've been watching this thread for a while and almost guessed that there wouldn't be many posts in it. This one was perhaps not for the Blue Note crowd. If you, like me and some others on the board, have a much larger portion of swing and big band jazz in your collections and are able to live it up to some good Goodman sides on a Friday night (which I regularly do), this piece of news was a bit of a stunner: It just makes you remember that you are in fact listening to historic music. Hardly anyone left. The sections just didn't blow anymore the way they did for Goodman (and some few others). I played my entire Goodman collection these past weeks for another project (and I think I'm up to 70 or 80 discs, all told) and it just all reminded me of how/why I got into this music in the first place. Man, the section with Griffin was a powerhouse. He might not have been great as an individual player, but as a team man together with the aformentioned players, the section burned down the house ... and will continue to do so, no matter who's still around or who isn't. A sad loss for all of us. ← Must say I'm with you while reading this post all the way. Benny Goodman is musican so often connected with somewhat mediocre context, and his band, although had no briliant musicans as those of Duke and Basie is something everyone should be listen to. For me it's pure joy to listen to Goodman's recordings from the first years of his band (1935-40), pure joy, fun, swing, name it... It's another level (some will say it's descending, I wouldn't say so) of understanding Fletcher Henderson's arrangements. And, BG, his music and heritage he left to us, lead me to all those greats we often mentioned, BN giants, Parker, Monk and even to free. Quote
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