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Buddy Bregman?

JSngry

By JSngry
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JSngry Grand Master

JSngry

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That record of Joe Williams and Basie, why write charts that don't sound at all like Basie, I mean, really? 

I never bought this as a standalone record, nor would I recommend that anybody do. It's just some sillyass foofaw minkalinga. 

Also, are we sure that Sonny Payne is the drummer here? Really?

Color me skepectical. 

Teasing the Korean Grand Master

Teasing the Korean

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I became aware of Bregman through the Ella Fitzgerald Cole Porter and Rodgers & Hart Songbooks. I instantly thought the arrangements were subpar.  The best are serviceable, and the worst sound dated and old-fashioned. I don't think Bregman had a very good harmonic instinct.  I found out only later that he was a relative of Norman Granz.  Having friends and relatives in high places always helps.  To this day, those are my two least favorite Ella Songbook albums, and that's too bad, because they are among my favorite songwriters of that crowd.    

JSngry Grand Master

JSngry

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4 minutes ago, Teasing the Korean said:

I don't think Bregman had a very good harmonic instinct. 

Nor architectural instincts, either. That stuff just blops out there, like Billy May writing too drunk to write (if that was even possible?)

I seem to recall that at some point he realized his shortcomings and tried to get better? 

This arranging shit isn't easy, there's more to it than just filling up space with generic action figure discards, right? 

Teasing the Korean Grand Master

Teasing the Korean

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18 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Nor architectural instincts, either. That stuff just blops out there, like Billy May writing too drunk to write (if that was even possible?)

I seem to recall that at some point he realized his shortcomings and tried to get better? 

This arranging shit isn't easy, there's more to it than just filling up space with generic action figure discards, right? 

I don't know much about him, or what he did later. I think I have him on an Anita O'Day record also.  

Larry Kart Proficient

Larry Kart

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2 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said:

I became aware of Bregman through the Ella Fitzgerald Cole Porter and Rodgers & Hart Songbooks. I instantly thought the arrangements were subpar.  The best are serviceable, and the worst sound dated and old-fashioned. I don't think Bregman had a very good harmonic instinct.  I found out only later that he was a relative of Norman Granz.  Having friends and relatives in high places always helps.  To this day, those are my two least favorite Ella Songbook albums, and that's too bad, because they are among my favorite songwriters of that crowd.    

 Bregman's uncle (on his mother's side) was composer Jule Styne ("Gypsy," etc. ). Bregman wasn't related to Granz, but the connection with Styne carried some weight in getting him those gigs. He sure was a drag musically.

Teasing the Korean Grand Master

Teasing the Korean

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6 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

 Bregman's uncle was composer Jule Styne ("Gypsy," etc. ). Bregman wasn't related to Granz, but the connection with Styne carried some weight in getting him those gigs. He sure was a drag musically.

Thanks for clarifying.  I knew there was a famous relative! 

Teasing the Korean Grand Master

Teasing the Korean

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1 hour ago, Larry Kart said:

It's pronounced that way, but he's a guy.

OK.  I didn't know if the name was technically pronounced "jool" and "Julie" was a nickname.  But that makes sense. 

Like guys named Angelo who go by Angie. 

Edited by Teasing the Korean
JSngry Grand Master

JSngry

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Did you know that Jimmy Smith paled a janitor on one or two episodes of the first Bill Cosby Show? The one where he played a coach named Chet Kincaide.

His character's name was "Jim".

Larry Kart Proficient

Larry Kart

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1 hour ago, Teasing the Korean said:

OK.  I didn't know if the name was technically pronounced "jool" and "Julie" was a nickname.  But that makes sense. 

Like guys named Angelo who go by Angie. 

IIRC, one of the key hoodlums in "Guys and Dolls" was Big Jule, pronounced with a long "e."

Teasing the Korean Grand Master

Teasing the Korean

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54 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Did you know that Jimmy Smith paled a janitor on one or two episodes of the first Bill Cosby Show? The one where he played a coach named Chet Kincaide.

His character's name was "Jim".

Did not know that!

54 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

IIRC, one of the key hoodlums in "Guys and Dolls" was Big Jule, pronounced with a long "e."

Gotcha.

  • 2 months later...
Teasing the Korean Grand Master

Teasing the Korean

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 8/25/2022 at 8:17 PM, Teasing the Korean said:

I don't know much about him, or what he did later. I think I have him on an Anita O'Day record also.  

Funny you mention this, TTK.  Last night I was randomly pulling up albums that I have backed up on my hard drive.  I pulled up a seldom-spun Anita O'Day record on Verve titled Anita.  I'm listening and I'm thinking, "Wow, these arrangements are really subpar."  So I waddled over to the jazz/pop vocal section of my CD library, pulled out the album, and lo and behold, it was arranged by none other than our old friend Buddy Bregman.  

Edited by Teasing the Korean

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