Have You Ever Heard A Big Band Live?

[jazzypaul]

I have nothing to compare to the stories read here. I simply had my doors blown off by the Mingus Big Band.

And to think that this was the stuff that people could hear any night of the week at some point. Man, I done missed out.

[neveronfriday]

Right off the top of my head ...

Basie

Ellington

Thad Jones

Gil Evans

Lionel Hampton (can't remember how big)

Buddy Rich

McCoy Tyner

Clayton-Hamilton BB

... plus more ... and of course various Danish and German radio BBs (I was a huge fan of Fatman Herbolzheimer).

Cheers!

[Jim R]

I saw Ellington (twice), Herman (both at the same club in Montreal), Basie at Disneyland!...

I saw the Herman band at Disneyland (outdoors), circa early 70's. As I recall, they were hardly elevated at all (I assume there was a stage, but it must have been quite low). There were few (or no) seats, and there were crowds of people standing for the whole show. I hardly saw anything from where I was, but I remember the big sound they produced.

I saw Basie (with Sarah) in 1981 at a place called The Circle Star Theater (rotating stage) in Redwood City, CA. We were only a few rows from the front. Very memorable...

[Jim Alfredson]

My advantage is my age.

I saw Herman many times from The Band That Plays The Blues, through all the incarnations of the Herds. Kenton a few times, Ellington, Basie, McKinley, Oneof the greatest but little known- Georgie Auld, Goodman, Les Brown, Krupa, James, Calloway, Armstrong,Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Glen Gray, Dizzy Gillespie, and last of all , but not least of all, Guy Lombardo. Jan Garber and Eddie Duchin. (The last three must have been on the bill with a movie my girl friend wanted to see)

This isn't bragging - this is just an example of one of the advantages of old age.

Fran

Wow.

And wow to Marla's posts, too.

[PHILLYQ]

I've seen the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis big band at the Village Vanguard,

Gil Evans at Sweet Basil's, Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin(on a double bill with the Mel Lewis big band-by that time Thad Jones had passed away),

the Basie band after Basie's passing, as special guests backing Manhattan Transfer(!!!!), Sun Ra(!!!), the Arkestra, Lester Bowie's Hip-Hop Feelharmonic Orchestra(!!!). I can't say there was a bad one in the bunch, and to see and hear the power and sheer punch of a big band, especially in a small club, is a great experience.

[LAL]

Only once - Count Basie ghost band last year.

The Charles Mingus big band is dropping by my neck of the woods in a few months. Shall I go see them?

[JSngry]

Why not?

[Ron S]

Just saw the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Saturday night at the Smithsonian in D.C. They played at a program where Skitch Henderson (age 87) received the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal. Long before Skitch led the Tonight Show Band for Steve Allen, Jack Paar, and Johnny Carson, he worked with the Dorsey Band for a while (when Frank Sinatra was the vocalist), and ended up being Sinatra's music director when he went out on his own. The Dorsey Orchestra was great, as was Skitch, who was "interviewed" on stage before the band came out and was as sharp as a tack.

[jazzypaul]

The Charles Mingus big band is dropping by my neck of the woods in a few months. Shall I go see them?

YES!!!!! MY WORD YES!!!! A THOUSAND TIMES YES!!!

They're amazing. Mingus' tunes are already awesome and to hear them done in this setting really does them justice. I dig that band so much.

[chris olivarez]

Woody Herman-Woody was in great form that night. Stan Kenton- It was excruciating sitting through that show. I bailed halfway through it. Buddy Rich-Buddy didn't rant and rave once that evening. It was a great show.

[LAL]

Why not?

Gone broke from buying too many J.I.Ps and OJCs.

[Jazz Kat]

Yes. Opened up for a Ray Charles show two years ago.

[Larry Kart]

First one I saw (I think) was the Herman Third Herd, probably in 1955, at the Blue Note. Age 13, I went with my parents. Starting time was 9 p.m., so to be on the safe side we arrived at about 8:30 -- to an utterly empty room. At my urging we took the front center table. At maybe 9:30 the band came on. Woody had six (!) trumpets that night -- somebody new was probably coming in, while the guy he was replacing was still there -- so you can imagine what the impact of the first number (a Manny Albam flagwaver from the "Road Band" album) was on someone who'd never heard a big band in-person before. I was stunned and delighted -- grinning like an idiot. My mother, though, asked if we could move to a table further back, and we did. I definitely recall that John Coppola and Jay Migliori were in that band, perhaps Cy Touff and Bill Harris too. Wish I'd been able to heard the vintage Third Herd, with Perkins and Kamuca, but what the hell!

Second one, that same year, was the Basie Band at the Chicago Opera House. Again -- as with Herman and as others have said here -- the in-person dynamic range/physical impact was unforgettable. And the grooves! Also, from that time, Ellington at Ravinia from the front row -- I remember the unreality of being that close to the porta-desks with Duke's name on them in script and the magic of watching Johnny Hodges -- and Maynard Ferguson on a Birdland All-Stars tour. There was a weird moment there that may resonate with Jim Sangrey. Jimmy Ford was on the band, and at one point, in the midst of a fiery solo, he briefly seemed to have some kind of seizure -- one hand suddenly flew off the horn and rose head-high in a Jerry Lewis having a spasm manner, or as though Ford were a bird flapping a broken wing. A scary thing to see, and I'm still not sure what was up -- could have been an actual fit of some sort, induced by any number of things, but it's not impossible that Ford, who certainly was playing his ass off and literally didn't miss a beat, was just letting off some steam in a rather free-form manner. I assume, from things I've heard, that he was a rather free-form guy. A nice intro to bebop values.

[BFrank]

Definitely see the Mingus BB. I saw them last year at Fez when I was in NYC. A lot of fun. I suppose it depends on who's playing when you see them, but I don't think they hire any duds.

In the 70's I saw Don Ellis, Buddy Rich and a double bill of Maynard Ferguson and Woody Herman.

In the 80's - Sun Ra (at New Orleans Jazz Fest) and also a performance of Mingus' "Epitaph" at Lincoln Center.

More recently, I've seen Dave Holland's BB, the Mingus BB and coming up in a couple of weeks - Charles Tolliver's Big Band at the Jazz Standard in NYC.

[chris olivarez]

Oh god I forgot I saw Ferguson too! It was probably one of the most bizarre settings I have ever experienced at a concert. It was at the Imperial County Fairgrounds in Imperial,California. It was right across the way from an auto race dirt track and a race was in progress. I don't think I can adequately convey how annoying that was but Maynard ever the professional proclaimed that band could play louder than the cars. They proceeded to do just that.

[ii-5-i]

I saw the Mulligan Big Band at the old Jazz Showcase location when it was under the disco off Rush St. in Chicago. They cooked that night.

[alankin]

- Buddy Rich big band - literally hundreds of times between 1970 and last time December 1986. Mostly heard Buddy and his band at a place in Philadelphia called Brandi's Wharf

Marla, where was Brandi's Wharf?

[ejp626]

I saw Maynard Ferguson playing in Chicago's Soldier Field back in 1985 or 86.

The Basie Ghost Band at CSO on New Years.

Mingus Big Band a few times.

That's all I can recall.

[RDK]

As I mentioned early in this thread, I've seen the Akiyoshi band a number of times. Also the Mingus BB. Saw the Arkestra, but only after Sonny left this realm. Most recently (though still a couple of years ago), I saw Teddy Edwards' unusual "orchestra" that knocked me for a loop.

[ghost of miles]

SGUD MISSILE is far too modest.  He's confessed elsewhere to having once sat in with the Thornhill band... details, details! 

Actually, I didn't "sit in " ..During my summer break in college in '57 ( I think ), I actually worked with the Band for about two and a half months ( I think I was somewhere near Winston Welch )

Claude was still usng all that great Mulligan, Evans and Carisi stuff ..and the late ,great Gene Quill became my "road rabbi "

My fault, sir... I misread your earlier post. Certainly did not mean to understate your stint with the Thornhill band. Color me impressed!

[Chuck Nessa]

Sure I will forget a bunch but here goes - Ellington, Basie, Maynard, Herman, Kenton, Jacquet, Ra, Mulligan, Toshiko/Tabakin, Gil, George Russell, Hampton, AACM, Machito AND (bands we assembled for the Chicago fest) Benny Carter, Benny Goodman, Roy Eldridge, Earl Hines and a wonderful Monk BB with Mal Waldron on piano.

Some of these I heard a number of times - Ellington around 20 times.

[Adam]

As I mentioned early in this thread, I've seen the Akiyoshi band a number of times. Also the Mingus BB. Saw the Arkestra, but only after Sonny left this realm. Most recently (though still a couple of years ago), I saw Teddy Edwards' unusual "orchestra" that knocked me for a loop.

RDK - we've probably been at some of the same shows in LA.

Sun Ra Arkestra, post Ra, a couple of times

Teddy Edwards Brass-String Ensemble - twice - at the Musicians Union

And other big bands there as well, but I'm blanking on the leader. Los angeles studio people mostly fill up the bands, and they are good.

Mingus BB, but not yet in a club. Seeing them again soon at UCLA.

The Asian-American Big Band (I can't remember the exact name).

Saw Vinny Golia's Really Big Band at LACMA - that was grand.

Another couple of bands at some LA Jazz Institute conventions.

There's a Big Band convention over Labor Day weekend every year here, but I've never been.

The Jazz Bakery has big band Mondays every week - lots of chances to see various big bands in a club. And never made it to any of those yet.

James Newton has a big band at Cal State LA that tackles interesting work, but I have yet to make it.

I wish I had seen that Monk BB with Waldron that Chuck mentioned. Never even heard of it. Was that related to those "Interpretations of Monk" concerts that were released on CD?

[Chuck Nessa]

I wish I had seen that Monk BB with Waldron that Chuck mentioned. Never even heard of it. Was that related to those "Interpretations of Monk" concerts that were released on CD?

No, when I was head of the fest committee and Monk was alive, I planned a Monk program to do this (with Monk in the audience - since he was not in emotional shape to play) but TM died as did my plans - didn't want to seem to be "cashing in".

A few years later Art Lange took over the project and the band. He consulted with Don Sickler and put together a dandy outfit. The band included Rouse, Phil Woods, Eddie Bert, Steve Lacy, Ben Riley, etc. I'll have to back to the tapes to get all the names.

[marcello]

The first time I saw Basie, in a club, was such a kick sitting front and center of the band that had Curtis Fuller, Lockjaw Davis and Sonny Payne in it!

[Don Brown]

Jeez, what great memories. Toronto was one of the principal cities on the circuit in the 50s and 60s for jazz groups and big bands. I first saw Ellington in 1951 (the band with Louis Bellson) then at least twice a year up until 1973. Then there was my very first big band: Lionel Hampton (with Milt Buckner, Paul Higaki, Curly Hamner and Billy Mackel) in 1950, followed by Woody Herman (the MGM band with Sonny Igoe on drums - not really the Second Herd but earlier than the Third Herd), Cab Calloway (with Jonah Jones, Ike Quebec and Panama Francis), Tommy Dorsey (with Charlie Shavers and Sam Donahue), and Count Basie (the first time with Joe Newman, Paul Quinichette, Lockjaw Davis and Charlie Fowlkes). Ellington, Herman, Basie and Hampton each played Toronto at least once a year but usually twice, sometimes in concerts at Massey Hall, but also for dancing at the Club Kingsway, or at the Colonial Tavern where the trumpet and trombone sections were crammed onto a stage designed for a small group, while the saxophones sat on folding chairs down on the floor in front of the stage. The piano was also on the floor. If you got there early enough to grab the right table you'd be close enough to Ellington, or Basie or Nat Pierce (with Woody) to reach over and touch their right hands. It was pure heaven!

In later years we heard Carla Bley's band, the Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band, and Sun Ra. I saw Sun Ra three times, once at Humber College and twice at the Horseshoe Tavern, a country and western bar. The looks on the faces of the waiters at the Horseshoe was worth the price of admission!