Hot Ptah Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 In high school I played trumpet, badly, in the school band, marching band, pep band, and "stage band"--what was supposed to be a swing big band. As it was populated mostly by kids listening to Jethro Tull and the Allman Brothers, with no feeling for the music we were playing, I doubt that we were very good. One of my friends, another trumpet player in the various bands, bucked the prevailing trends by listening only to Doc Severinsen albums in his spare time. He would bring cassettes of Doc Severinsen albums on the bus when the pep band went to another school to play at a basketball game. The Grand Funk Railroad and Deep Purple fans on the bus would ridicule him, but he kept on with his fervent love of Doc's music. By chance I met him recently, after not seeing him for about 30 years, and he still loves Doc's albums. It made me think, did Doc Severinsen make some credible jazz recordings? Does anyone have favorite Doc Severinsen performances or albums? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 I have some of his LPs released under his name, and they are all on the cusp of pop/EZ/jazz rather than being fully straightforward jazz albums. That said, he is one of the trumpet players on Tito Puente’s album “Tambo” (RCA, 1960) which is HANDS DOWN my VERY favorite Tito Puente album. Doc’s Command albums are, well, like Command albums. I really like side 1 of his RCA album “Rhapsody for Now,” from the early 1970s. It’s much more “now sound” than it is jazz, so many will hate it, but I really love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 did Doc Severinsen make some credible jazz recordings? As a section player, yeah. As a leader, depends on what you mean by "credible". Although I've never heard it, didn't the Tonight Show band do an album or two after Carson left? Not sure if Doc was the leader on those of if Tommy Newsome was, but that was a band full of fine players and a book of credible charts. Although that's not at all a bag I find appealing beyond the level of "professional admiration", if I was going to look for some credible Severinsen-led jazz dates, that would be where I'd start. The guy could/can play decent bop (I've heard a few Command cuts, like you, from my high school days, where he shows this), but his priorities lay elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Although I've never heard it, didn't the Tonight Show band do an album or two after Carson left? Not sure if Doc was the leader on those of if Tommy Newsome was, but that was a band full of fine players and a book of credible charts. No idea if they recorded, but I remember seeing a Tonight Show "Alum" band live circa 1989 (maybe '88), under the leadership of Ed Shaughnessy (drums). Actually, technically that was probably the first ever live jazz concert I ever saw. It's not the first one I usually claim to have ever seen (that would be the Either/Orchestra, a few months later), but that Shaughnessy group was actually the first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 Here's a SUPERB album with young Carl's involvement: Originally on Charlie Parker records, now on a Collectibles CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 Doc was a wonderful artist in a band. He was a "smart" Johnny Carson "band leader". That be it in my world. He did present a "smart" show on tour with the band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 Doc/Tonight Show Band albums: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:8g57gjer86iw http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:7n8j1vy8zzua http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:sykqiknhbb69 http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:dsyvadokt8wo Not at all my thing, but the players & arrangers are all top-shelf in their world, and some, like Snooky Young, Bill Perkins, & Bill Holman, need no defense in anybody's world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 Saw the band on tour about 10 years ago and it was a good show. Nice, if nice does it for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 new meets old (meets new) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 Severinsen search on Youtube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(BB) Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 new meets old (meets new) Thanks for that one, always good to see a little John & John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DukeCity Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 new meets old (meets new) That's priceless!!! Any time you got Snooky MF Young playing TMBG, you got something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIS Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 If you're interested in Tonight Show Band arrangements--Bill Holman, John Bambridge, Tommy Newsom, etc.--I can probably help you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Ptah Posted January 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 Doc/Tonight Show Band albums: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:8g57gjer86iw http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:7n8j1vy8zzua http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:sykqiknhbb69 http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:dsyvadokt8wo Not at all my thing, but the players & arrangers are all top-shelf in their world, and some, like Snooky Young, Bill Perkins, & Bill Holman, need no defense in anybody's world. I have now listened to the first album you have listed here. It has a truly good version of "King Porter Stomp". Conte Candoli and Snooky Young take brief solos before joining Doc in genuinely exciting trading of twos. The rest of it is much like Chuck Nessa said. It's "nice". It swings, it's well played, very tight. There is a certain sameness to it, it's all one bright cheery color. It's not a bad album, not a great one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Ptah Posted January 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 If you're interested in Tonight Show Band arrangements--Bill Holman, John Bambridge, Tommy Newsom, etc.--I can probably help you out. Thanks. My interest does not really extend that far. Maybe someone else is interested. Also, I wonder if these arrangements are available to student bands. I could see them as quite appealing in high school programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIS Posted January 26, 2007 Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 If you're interested in Tonight Show Band arrangements--Bill Holman, John Bambridge, Tommy Newsom, etc.--I can probably help you out. Thanks. My interest does not really extend that far. Maybe someone else is interested. Also, I wonder if these arrangements are available to student bands. I could see them as quite appealing in high school programs. I know of only one of these great arrangements that were ever published. So no, they're not commonly available to student bands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted January 27, 2007 Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 new meets old (meets new) That's priceless!!! Any time you got Snooky MF Young playing TMBG, you got something! I'm with you there. Saw Snooky a couple months back in LA....here's one photo I made. m~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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