Guy Lombardo Saxophone Sound

[Teasing the Korean]

On the rare occasion that we hear Guy Lombardo - which is about once a year this time, and generally accidental - Ms. TTK will describe the sound as "dead people music."  

I think she is picking up on the sax section sound, and I tend to agree with her.  

Does that distinctive sound have to do solely with the players' use of vibrato, or is there some other weird doubling/orchestration going on?  

Whatever the device, I'm glad that sound went out of vogue. But obviously some people dug it, and you can't blame a brother for trying to earn a living.

[Teasing the Korean]

Nobody knows if the vibrato is the culprit, or if it is more insidious than this?  Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.  

[JSngry]

All music is or will be dead people music eventually. So no points for noting that.

Louis Armstrong loved the band. I used to scoff until it finally clicked/ I still don't like it, but I get it now.

I used to know a few guys who would work the ghost gig (dead people!), and they said it was one of the hardest books they ever played, the doubling, they key changes, and above all, the phrasing. As corny as it is/might be, it's a pocket all its own. I think that's what he (Armstrong) dug, that they laid it in their own pocket and kept it there. Maybe you had to be there, but he was, so, hey.

 

I can only make it so far through this, but not without acknowledging/realizing that I could not - ever - play this gig, not because of a lack of stomach, but a lack of the specific skill. Not a lot of love but fullest props.

[Teasing the Korean]

12 minutes ago, JSngry said:

All music is or will be dead people music eventually. So no points for noting that.

Louis Armstrong loved the band. I used to scoff until it finally clicked/ I still don't like it, but I get it now.

I used to know a few guys who would work the ghost gig (dead people!), and they said it was one of the hardest books they ever played, the doubling, they key changes, and above all, the phrasing. As corny as it is/might be, it's a pocket all its own. I think that's what he (Armstrong) dug, that they laid it in their own pocket and kept it there. Maybe you had to be there, but he was, so, hey.

 

I can only make it so far through this, but not without acknowledging/realizing that I could not - ever - play this gig, not because of a lack of stomach, but a lack of the specific skill. Not a lot of love but fullest props.

So what's up with the distinctive sax section sound?  Is it just the vibrato, or is there more going on than that?

[JSngry]

Blend, vibrato, instruments/mouthpieces (that, especially, the gear changed to meet the demands of new venues, including studios), everything. Section work, know how that gig needs to go and then playing it.

Check this out, the ghost band. Everything has widened up and loosened up and it does not sound the same. It's just not as distinct.

When I matriculated, they taught us how to play in a section. A section, the premise being that all sections would sound the same. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy in a way, because at some point, they pretty much did. Not a fan of that myself.Gimme the OG and let me figure out what that story was, right?

[Teasing the Korean]

5 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Blend, vibrato, instruments/mouthpieces (that, especially, the gear changed to meet the demands of new venues, including studios), everything. Section work, know how that gig needs to go and then playing it.

That makes sense.  Instruments of all kinds seem to keep getting louder with newer and newer models.  

Also, I would gingerly push back regarding Ms. TTK's "dead people music" comment.  Some styles have a longer shelf life than others, and the musicians have no control over this.  

[Shrdlu]

No me gusta esta musica.

[Teasing the Korean]

9 hours ago, Shrdlu said:

No me gusta esta musica.

Well, they were a society band, and there was once an audience for this kind of stuff.

Actually, do society bands still exist?  

[danasgoodstuff]

1 hour ago, Teasing the Korean said:

Well, they were a society band, and there was once an audience for this kind of stuff.

Actually, do society bands still exist?  

Yea and no, or is it no and yes?  There are still bands who make their living playing for private parties and corporate events - it's generally a separate circuit and different bands than play public club gigs and they play differently too.  They don't play like the Royal Canadians anymore, but I think there is a thread of continuity there.

[Teasing the Korean]

1 hour ago, danasgoodstuff said:

Yea and no, or is it no and yes?  There are still bands who make their living playing for private parties and corporate events - it's generally a separate circuit and different bands than play public club gigs and they play differently too.  They don't play like the Royal Canadians anymore, but I think there is a thread of continuity there.

Interesting.

Is that top voice in the reed section a clarinet?  If so, that is a determining factor also.

[JSngry]

Lombardo used to play the Savoy, believe it or not. And apparently were popular there.

They were a dance band, first and foremost. Even as they became a "society" band, they played for dancers.

[Teasing the Korean]

7 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Lombardo used to play the Savoy, believe it or not. And apparently were popular there.

They were a dance band, first and foremost. Even as they became a "society" band, they played for dancers.

Do you know if the top voice in the reed section is a clarinet?

[JSngry]

No, it's usually alto, occasionally soprano. But there was a lot of doubling going on apart from that.

Such as I've heard it, that is, which is not a big whole lot. But I did inherit this record from my folks, which is, I think, a repackaging of 78s.

Talk about a magic bus!!!!!!!

They played good songs, let it be noted as well. More than anything excpet the cover, that's why I keep the record.

 

 

 

I guess this one is a guilty pleasure, although I don't at all feel guilty about it.