Favorite 'Big' Bands??

Self ^ | 12/31/01 | Freepers Comments

[maestro]

What 'Big' Bands have you enjoyed, 'live'??

[maestro]

Yeah!!!.......it's called, "Cook'n".
:-)

[Roux]

Got to see Pete Fountain live a few times. I know he's not a big band but he's great.

If you go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans he starts out at Comanders Palace on Washington Ave. about 7:30 am with his Half-Fast Walking Club. You have to see it to believe it.

[okie01]

"Duke was always very conscious of the whole show, even before it began, just as he was of the whole orchestra and all of it's capabilities. Absolute professionals."

An absolutely extraordinary assemblage of talent. I would argue that the Duke was one of the five most important composers in American histoy -- if not THE most important. And his band was almost certainly the greatest collection of musicians in the world at the time.

[maestro]

Yup,.............."Cool Cats".
Meowwwwwwwwww........Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
:-)

[SlickWillard]

Maynard Ferguson's big band of the 1970's and 1980's!

And now, a word from our sponsor...

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

The nearest to the real thing I've heard is Harry Connick Jr. (I'm only 44.) In this area, your only choices are country (:-/ NPR -- classic or new age :-( or rock. Sigh.

[maestro]

You bet!!
Been ta N'Orleans........Pete and Al Hert together!!
Wow!!

[maestro]

"Sigh"
I Agree!!!

[kAcknor]

kAcknor Sez:

What 'Big' Bands have you enjoyed, 'live'??

My favorite is this guy, Rick Brunetto. He runs a 16 piece band in the Columbus Ohio area. Good tunes, good dancing, good time.

"yIQeqQo' neH, DoS yIqIp!" (Don't just aim, hit the target!)

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[Artem55]

Glenn Miller's band is my all-time favorite. Although I did get to see Doc Severinsen perform in Las Vegas about 20 years ago and he was impressive! Really a great musician.

[doctor noe]

The Penetrators
X
The Blasters
The Who
The Clash
Butthole Surfers
Meat Puppets
Circle Jerks
Fear
Black Flag
Green Day
Adolescents
Replacements
Plimsouls
Third Eye Blind
Jerry Ramey & the Shames

The list goes on and on!

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

When we lived in Pensacola, there was a radio station that played only big band music, but it's changed it's format now. There is no accounting for taste these days (sniff) We went to N.O. once in the 80's, but it wasn't a place to go when if you have young children (as we did then.) Haven't been back.

[maestro]

Understood!
I'm 'grey'.
I remember 'NO' in the 50's and 60's.
A whole 'different' country then.
This 'New Age' is in/un/human in many aspects.
'New Age'= 'Evil Age'.
Never-the-less, Happy New Year to you & your FAMILY!

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

Agreed. Happy New Year to you and yours!!!! I think I'm gonna hit the hay. The clock has stuck midnight here. Goodnight everybody!

[doc11355]

Was fortunate to grow up near Hershey, PA where there were Big Bands booked into the Hershey Ballroom every weekend through the summer. During '58, '58 and '60 the Bands were still touring and I was old enough to drive there and used it frequently for dates with girls I really wanted to impress.

Got to see them all... Goodman, both Dorseys, Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Ellington,, etc.

While in the Army in Germany in 1970 I talked my way past security and spent about 15 minutes talking with Stan Kenton during intermission - what a memory! The only let down was that Maynard Ferguson, my idol, wasn't touring with them at the time.

I still think they represent the apex of American music.

[Renegade]

Rolling Stones, The Who, Pink Floyd, Kiss, Beach Boys, and Liberty Lovin' Gun Lovin' Ted Nugent

[JoJo the Clown]

You are right about Harry Connick Jr. I forgot to mention him. I saw him in concert with his big band about ten years ago, and his band rivalled any of the greats I have seen over 50 years. The reason he deserves special mention is that he introduced a whole new generation of music lovers to big band music with his first three or four albums. He's always paid tribute to the great big bands of past years by doing so.

[kampeska]

Glenn Miller: Great songs and arraingments, A new distinctive sound coming from a doubling of the 1st saxs' part with a clarinet.

[JoJo the Clown]

Oh, yeah. Bill Chase had a great big band in the early 70s before everyone was killed in a plane crash. The band made two or three excellent albums. My favorite of all time was Don Ellis, whose big bands in the late 60s and 70s were constantly reinventing the genre. Some of Ellis's big bands albums have only recently been re-released, and I highly recommend them to anyone interested in the more avant garde type of big band music. Unfortunately, the music from the peak of his short career (he died in his late 40s of a heart condition) was released on Columbia albums, most of which have still not been re-released. A tragedy. The guy was IMHO one of the most creative geniuses in modern music, and his bands were crammed with virtuoso musicians who were comfortable playing the most challenging music being written in their time.

[MVV]

Without a doubt, Tommy Dorsey! And put Frank Sinatra with him and I am in heaven! Ah! The classic sounds of yesteryear and days gone by. . .