In the past, Mosaic Records has released music by Woody Herman covering his days with Columbia and his famous “Four Brothers” second Herd. This 7 disc limited edition (2000 copies) set contains all of the material before, during and after these periods from the Decca, Mars and MGM labels, with the big band incarnations including his Orchestra, Third Herd and smaller ensemble The Woodchoppers. Each Herman edition had both its star musicians and avid followers, with Herman able to change with the times, both as a bandleader, clarinet and alto sax player and even as a highly underrated vocalist.
The exciting and extroverted Orchestra from 1943-44 featured sparkling arrangements by Dave Matthews and the legendary Ralph Burns, boasting of forward thinking members including Allen Eager/ts, Ben Webster/ts, Budd Johnson/ts, Juan Tizol/tb, Billy Bauer/g, the incessantly swinging Chubby Jackson/b and the luscious vocals of Frances Wayne.
Wayne oozes sensuality on “As Long As I Live, “ “I Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night” and a sultry “Speak Low.” Herman specializes on novelties, ballads and blues, having a gas with the jokey “Who Dat Up Dere?” and “I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But The Blues.” The orchestra is a tight unit with exciting charts, particularly when drummer Dave Tough and tenor saxist Flip Phillips join the lineup for material like “Perdido.”
The band jumps light years ahead by 1946, with arrangements by Burns and Neal Hefti. There’s a recording from a Carnegie Hall concert from March 25, 1946. There isn’t a nanosecond of introversion here, with fascinating work on “Bijou” with the addition of the bold trombone of Bill Harris, and the sections bouncing back and forth with “The Good Earth” and “Blowing Up a Storm” as beboppers Red Norvo/v, Shorty Rogers/tp and Pete Condoli/tp burst through the ceiling with “Wildroot.” The famous “Ebony Concerto” is delivered here. Billy Eckstine joins for a duet with Herman on “Here Come the Blues” and a cozy “Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries” while “B” is in full baritone form on an exotic “I Left My Hat in Haiti.” This is post-War Big Band music at its apotheosis.
Moving up into the 1950s, Herman’s Orchestra features the voice of Fran Warren and Frances Wayne as we as the inclusion of instrumental swingers like Bill Perkins/ts, Ted Nash/ts, Urbie Green/tb, Phil Urso/ts and Dave McKenna/p. Things get real exciting by 1953 with the creation of the New Third Herd which boasts Kai Winding/tb, Nat Pierce/p, Ernie Royal/tp, Dick Hafer/ts and arrangements by Jimmy Giuffre, Pierce and Ralph Burns. Hot tunes like “Marakeesh” “Castle Rock” and “Four Others” are vibrant and fresh, with Herman holding down impressive vocals on “Sorry ‘Bout the Whole Darn Thing” and “Mess Around.”
In between stints with orchestras, Herman also did a number of sessions with his smaller group The Woodchoppers, which included Green, Pertkins and McKenna. Unpretentious material like “Brother Fats” and “My Baby’s Gone” have a nostalgic feel, with choruses on “Fancy Woman” and “Eight Babies to Mind.”
Much of the material here is absolutely first rate, particularly the early years and the youthful Third Herd. You can never go wrong with anything sung by Frances Wayne as well. Some music here has Herman trying to survive the era of vocalists, and he survived well musically, if not by IRS standards. Highly worthwhile for Big Band aficionados, as Herman was one of the few bandleaders to change with the times. As with all things Mosaic, the 30 page booklet with vintage hip photos, session listings and insightful notes by Jeffrey Sultand keep this boxed set at the gold standard of reissue labels.