The Woody Herman Band - Chick, Donald, Walter & Woodrow - 1978 - US Century Records
In 1978, Woody Herman, the legendary jazz musician was in his mid-60's. Even then, he was trying to keep his sound fresh and original by listening to new material. That is partly the reason this album was recorded. One side contained a three part suite written and arranged by Chick Corea, and the other side contained Steely Dan covers. Through a mutual friend, Dick Lapalm, who was working at the Village Recorder in West L.A where the brilliant "Can't Buy A Thrill" album was recorded, Steely Dan collaborated with the great Woody Herman. LaPalm knew Woody, and had no problem persuading him to record some of Becker & Fagen's tunes. Becker and Fagen have stated that they were honoured to have been associated with this album. Chick, Donald and Walter can't be heard on the actual record, but B & F met with Woody to choose the songs for this album. They also wrote humorous little liner notes for the album. (details in RAR file.) Jim Pugh, the trombonist was a strong link between Steely Dan and Woody Herman. He's been touring with The Dan since 2000, but was also a member of Woody Herman's band as lead trombonist and featured soloist for touring and for Grammy winning albums like Giant Steps and Thundering Herd. Dick LaPalm was also involved in the 1988 "Hoops McCann Plays The Music Of Steely Dan" , another great album of Steely Dan jazz covers. "The Woody Herman Band - Chick, Donald, Walter & Woodrow" is a very rare recording. It is the original 1978 US Century ( CR-1110) black vinyl release. The album was later released in 1991 on CD on BBC Enterprises Ltd. with the bonus "Deacon Blues" track included.
TRACKS / COMPOSERS
1. Suite For A Hot Band (First Movement, Second Movement, Third Movement) - Corea
2. Green Earrings - W.Becker & D.Fagen
3. Kid Charlemagne- W.Becker & D.Fagen
4. I've Got The News- W.Becker & D.Fagen
5. Aja- W.Becker & D.Fagen
6. FM- W.Becker & D.Fagen
MUSICIANS
Woody Herman - alto&Soprano sax,clarinet,vocal
Frank Tiberi - tenor sax,flute,bassoon
Gary Anderson - tenor sax,flute,alto flute,piccolo
Joe Lovano - tenor sax,flute
Bruce Johnstone - baritone sax,bass clarinet,flute,vocal
Jay Sollenberger - trumpet,flugel
Allen Vizzutti - trumpet,flugel
Nelson Hatt - trumpet,flugel
Glenn Drewes - trumpet,flugel
Dennis Dotson - trumpet,flugel
Bill Byrne - trumpet,flugel
Birch Johnson - trombone
Larry Farrell - trombone
Jim Daniels - bass trombone
Pat Coil - piano
Marc Johnson - bass
Jeff Hamilton - drums,percussion
Tom Scott - tenor sax,lyricon
Victor Feldman - synthesizer,percussion
Mitch Holder - guitar
REVIEW
In keeping with his policy of featuring his orchestra on modern material, Herman had his band play compositions by Chick Corea (the three movements of "Suite for a Hot Band") and the team of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (co-leaders of Steely Dan). In reality, the orchestra's solos are more impressive than the compositions with Tom Scott taking a couple of guest spots and the other strong voices including Joe Lovano and Frank Tiberi on tenors, baritonist Bruce Johnstone and Herman himself on soprano and clarinet. It's a worthy but not particularly memorable effort. © Scott Yanow, allmusic.com
12 comments:
Thanks. That's my leeching done for tonight. Great blog.
Thanks, Dermot. Keep in touch
this must have been deleted by the mysterious Anon, it just goes to a website with no file link, oh well, whenever it comes back, will be checking for it, you have awesome taste
Hi, bshears. Thanks for comment. These file hosts are pure rubbish. Try LINK
Please keep in touch...Cheers
Oh Gosh...more favors. I found this post of Woody Herman...it's is playing as I write this and it sounds typically Woody, and so far, Green Earrings stands out...pretty outrageous actually. So clean and tight...big bands are just so amazing. It is too bad that they have gone by the wayside mostly due to high production costs I'd guess. Anyway, while reading your blurb on Woody, you led me to Hoops McCann Band. The link is dead and I found a few clips from this album on studio musician site. The clips have given me a MAJOR JONES to hear this album ...it sounds fantastic!
Then I read the blurb you wrote for Hoops...there are two more Dan cover albums of quality...who knew? I have been a staunch Dan fan right from the beginning back in the day when I sold stereos with King of the World as a demo piece. I generally give Steely Dan credit as my favorite band of all time (actually this dubious honor really flops around a bit from time to time, but SD is always towards the top of the heap). I would love to hear these three cover albums...gosh, I can't tell you how much I'd love to hear them. Is there any way you could re-post the links?...all three are dead.
And there is more mooching to come... I've been trying to replace a somewhat cheesy but a favorite Woody Herman album from days gone by and loans unreturned. Woody did a fun album around 1971 called "Light My Fire" with yes, Light My Fire on it. It is almost a jazzified easy listening album and certainly not a barn burner, but it is very pleasant and listenable. It also holds personal attachment as it reminds me of certain good times and people from that chapter in my life. I have just got to figure anyone with Full Moon lying around might have a Woody Herman, Light My Fire somewhere in the collection. Maybe?
All the Best, Yim :)
Hi,Yim! Howzitgoin'? King Of The World was the perfect demo piece. It took some "new at the time" recording techniques to put that track together. George Martin couldn't have done a better job! OK..Good news first - The Woody Herman album can be found on the great RARIN' TO GO blog @ http://rarin-to-go.
blogspot.com/
search/label/
Woody%20Herman
Thanks to that blog.
The other albums you must mean are Sara Isaksson and Rebecka Törnqvist's sublime "Fire In The Hole" album, and the "Justin Morell Quintet Play The Music of Steely Dan". I will post them both with the Hoops McCann album in less than a week. That's the "Not so bad news! Like Carlsberg..."Worth waiting for"...Cheers, Yim, and thanks for your ongoing interest
You are very kind and generous. Those terms get tossed around quite a bit and are said without much thought many times...sort of like the "Thank you for shopping at K-Mart" syndrome, but I mean them sincerely...you are truly very kind and generous.
Cheers, Yim :)
Well, thank you very much for those kind words, Yim. You obviously are a kind and thoughtful person yourself, and you have great taste in music!! Thanks a mill. Those three links will be up by tomorrow. TTU soon, Yim
super cool and thank you
Thanks a million,OldHippieRick
Thanks you very much.
This is appreciated a lot.
My best regards.
Hi,DLC. Thanks a million. Regards 2u2 & please keep in touch
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