Back when I was first getting into jazz in the 1970s, I’d take in a band here and there, and inevitably, the leader would introduce the members. Sooner or later, someone in the band would be identified as “a member of one of Wood Herman’s Orchestras” and the audience would applaud in appreciation. Why the fuss over someone coming from that band? I needed to find out.
These 8 albums on 4 four discs will tell you why. Woody Herman had a band that outlasted and out swung just about every other orchestra, even creating the definitive hard bop band back in the day. His recording career preceded the days of long playing albums, releasing single songs for decades, but the albums from the 1950s and early 60s, which are featured show the relentless creativity and swing that Herman’s Herds could muster.
The list of musicians here is simply overwhelming, but here are a handful: Chubby Jackson-Monty Budwig/b, Billy Bauer-Chuck Wayne-Charlie Byrd/g, Flip Phillips-Stan Getz -Gordon Brisker-Richie Kamuca-Bill Perkins-/ts, Bill Harris/tb, Red Norvo/vib, Shorty Rogers-Pete Condoli-Bill Chase-Cy Touff/tp, Jimmy Rowles-Nat Pierce/p Dave Tough-Buddy Rich-Jake Hanna-Mel Lewis/dr, Serge Chaloff-Med Flory/bari, just to whet your palate.
Herman had the ability to swing as hard as Count Basie, and could even bop with the best as his pair of 1955 albums attest. There are hip takes of “920 Special”, “Broadway”, “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” for the swing fans, and Kamuca had that perfect Lester Youngish lithe tone to his horn. Herman also kept up with the times with bop pieces like “Bags’ Other Groove” and “Opus De Funk”, while showing a nod to Elllingtonian harmonies in the horn sections as on “I Remember Duke”.
Herman knew how to pick arrangers as well, with Ralph Burns and Neal Hefti supplying charts for hard hitters like “Red Top”, “Wild Root” and “Non-Alcoholic”. One of the stars was the big toned Bill Harris, who is in wondrous form on “Bijou” and “Skylark”. And let’s not forget Herman himself. His tone was warmer than Goodman’s and while not a virtuoso, he swung better than Shaw, as you can attest after hearing him tear through “Monterey Apple Tree” like a ravenous dog. His alto sax is reflective of Johnny Hodges, and he is definitely the most underrated vocalist in jazz, specializing in blues, ballads and novelties like “Caldonia”. He did what it took, and always did it well.
In 1958 he had a torrid summit meeting with Tito Puente that also included “Mambo Herd”, and Herman sounds absolutely confident in the caliente altmosphere. There are a couple sessions with his 3 Herds band that includes the classic sax section of Stan Getz/ts, Zoot Sims/ts, Serge Chaloff/bs, Phil Phillips/ts, Bill Perkins/ts and Herbie Stewart/ts, for a gorgeous “Sentimental Journey” a hoot of “Captain Ahab” and a big, bold and brash “The Good Earth”.
From 1960, Herman shows what he could do in concert, as his Monterey Jazz Festival gig that year included a searing “Four Brothers” and bel canto “Skylark”. A smaller unit records modern tunes like Horace Silver’s “Sister Sadie” and Horace Parlan’s “Blues For JP” while Bill Chase leads the charge on a brassy “Camel Walk”.
The sad fact is that, after you take in these 8 albums, you just won’t want to listen to the anemic and navel gazing big band albums that pass for modern jazz these days. When did the bands stop being grass fed? Here is the Keto diet band of a lifetime.