For those who were born before 1990

[happyfilmluvguy]

I wanted to know if there is anyone in the lounge who has actually attended a concert for one of the esteemed jazz and big band artists of the Golden Age?

Those who have been to a Benny Goodman concert, or Frank Sinatra, or Artie Shaw or Danny Kaye, or Glenn Miller, etc.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Lionel Hampton 1977, I think. Marian McPartland, maybe 1975 or 1976. I was a youngster, anyway. Frank Sinatra around 1992. Tony Bennett '92 or '93. Sun Ra in 1989! Saw Cab Calloway's orchestra tonight.

 

[carebear]

In the '80's

Clapton, original Journey, Barry Manilow, MC Hammer (when he was topping the charts)

Barry's about as close to a "standards" singer as I ever saw.

 

[Terry Lennox]

In the '80's

Clapton, original Journey, Barry Manilow, MC Hammer (when he was topping the charts)

Barry's about as close to a "standards" singer as I ever saw.

That's funny!

 

[carebear]

That's funny!

There's nothing funny about admitting to seeing Barry Manilow.

Courageous? maybe...

Sad? almost certainly...

 

[HLSheppard]

Saw Benny Goodman's orchestra once and Chick Corea's group twice (once electric, once acoustic).

 

[LizzieMaine]

I've seen the Artie Shaw "ghost band", which I thought was kind of amusing, since Artie was still alive at the time!

 

[scotrace]

Good question

Saw Count Basie at such an advanced age he was wheeled to the piano and mainly just smiled and plinked out the last few topper notes at the end of each song.
Also saw Woody Herman and even got to dance at that one. He was also quite old - back on the road to pay back taxes. The crowd shouted all night for "Caledonia." He finally gave in and played it but said "OK, but you're not gonna be able to dance to it..."

Is it just me, or do the modern orchestras who play swing (even the official bands like the Glenn Miller Orchestra) lack the amazing drive, tempo and passion of the stuff I hear on 78? It seldom seems up to tempo to me, and often a little too Bob Evans. Then there's the occasional clarinet squawk...

 

[LizzieMaine]

Count Basie was scheduled to play a concert at the University of Maine the week he died -- I had hoped to go see him, but unfortunately...

I think you're right about the "potted" sound of a lot of modern swing bands. I think part of the problem with ghost bands, especially, is that they're so focused on recreating a specific style that there's no room to really innovate or experiment. The effect is more like a second-generation dub of the original than the original itself.

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

Cab Calloway - autograph on the wall.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I got into jazz seriously in the late 70s, and managed to see some classics:

Most pursuant to this thread, I saw the Count Basie Band in about 1980. The Count was in a motorized wheelchair by then, but still swinging. Of course, this was far from his classic 50s "New Testament" band - many of the players were very young. But it was a great show.

I saw the "last reunion" of the Benny Goodman Quartet at Carnegie Hall - with Panama Frances stepping in for the already-gone Gene Krupa. It was great, but I was sitting in the very last row of the balcony, and they were playing without microphones - so it was like hearing it from the next room.

I saw the Modern Jazz Quartet in a small club - the Blue Note - which was utterly *amazing*. I also saw shows by Doc Cheatum, Herbie Mann, Dave Brubeck, Tal Farlow, Jon Hendricks, Jim Hall, Vic Dickensen, Bucky Pizzarelli (with then-second banana son John), etc. And a couple of mega-swinging performances by The Harlem Blues and Jazz Band - a shifting group of veteran swing players who were all former Basie/Ellington/Lunceford/Waller, etc. alumni. They were always jaw-droppingly *great*...

Alas, I missed Duke Ellington by only a few years!

 

[Elaina]

My grandfather knew several artists, that I was introduced to, but sadly didn't care when I was younger.

I met Benny Goodman once, who knew my father because my grandfather played clarinet with him when he first started, and Goodman asked my dad if his name was Frank, because he knew a man who looked like him (dad and grandfather look identical). My grandmother ruined my grandfather's music, and my dad remembered my grandfather playing in a basement and dad thought it was Goodman playing. Goodman laughed and said my grandfather was as good as he was. Very brief meeting, my dad told me I should remember it, no one was better.

I saw Ella Fitzgerald in concert when I was too young to actually be in the place she was singing, I had to stand in the wings to see it, and keep out of sight of everyone and had to leave before the last encore was over. I saw the Chery Poppin' Daddies before they made it big, too, but that's not quite the same. It seems I've met someone else in a club in New Orleans when I was there, but to be honest, I can't remember who it was. I remember it was a horn player, and he was a really nice old guy, but the name eludes me now.

Other then that, I doubt Johnny Cash at the Grand Ole Opry, Willie Nelson on his front porch or Dolly Parton at Dollywood count. Used to be a huge concert goer, probably saw over 100 different acts between 13 and 26. Country was all my Dad's fault, rock was mine.

Elaina

 

[Terry Lennox]

There's nothing funny about admitting to seeing Barry Manilow.

Courageous? maybe...

Sad? almost certainly...

I thought you were making a joke since this thread is about seeing big bands and classic Jazz artists and you list Clapton, Journey, Barry Manilow, and MC Hammer.

Sorry...

 

[Lincsong]

Tony Bennett was playing at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas the week before I went. So I missed that one. I see Don Rickles perform at least once a year.

 

[Air Boss]

Looks like Count Basie is the winner. We saw, and danced to him in 1978 on our honeymoon. Unless the Manhatten Transfer counts, that's all for me.

 

[carebear]

I thought you were making a joke since this thread is about seeing big bands and classic Jazz artists and you list Clapton, Journey, Barry Manilow, and MC Hammer.

Sorry...

Well, kinda.

It was more bemoaning my lack of concert going. Of course we are at a disadvantage up here. The audience is pretty small so bands that will come up either aren't big names in their prime or have wide popularity.

We do get some good jazz and blues but many are more "modern" and "free form" than swingie.

 

[Harp]

Francis Albert

Sinatra, but by then he had sadly faded.
Al Hirt and Pete Fountain in New Orleans years ago.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I got to see Frank Sinatra in concert in the fall of 94'. Wow, what a night. Most romantic night of my life, but I think I was the youngest person in the audience.

 

[carebear]

I got to see Frank Sinatra in concert in the fall of 94'. Wow, what a night. Most romantic night of my life, but I think I was the youngest person in the audience.

Out with an older guy then?

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Oh yeh!

-Buddy Rich (twice!)

-Louie Belson

-and The United States Air Force 'Glenn Miller' Band

-dixon cannon