Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 9:04 am Post subject: Horst
I was hired to replace the first trumpet player with the WDR Big Band in 1966. The leader was Kurt Edelhagen and Horst was in the section. He was on his second "warning" for alcohol problems (three and you're out in Germany) and Edelhagen was so sure of his continuing the drinking that without telling me, he also hired Rick Kiefer to join the band believing Horst could be fired and he would have the four man section once the lead player left for Berlin. You never saw a guy sober up so fast when Horst figured out what Edelhagen was up to. I had shipped my belongings over and rented a house and was about to buy a car when Edelhagen told me the situation. I (sort of) blew my stack and demanded he pay for all expenses which he did. The short time I was with the band we had a five man section and to put it mildly, the lead player made it clear to me that "he was the lead trumpet player". There's a good YouTube video of the band at the Berlin Jazz Festival (Kurt Edelhagen/Jiggs Whigham-Berlin 1966) and on Jiggs Whigham's feature "Alice In Wonderland". I'm playing the first part and the lead player in the middle is trying his best to look totally bored. Horst is on the far right and he barely spoke to me at all. Lucky for me Buddy Rich had just left Harry James to form his own band and called asking if I would come back to Las Vegas and play lead for him. Timing is everything I guess and even though that gig only had a one week booking at the Aladdin Hotel we recorded a wonderful two sessions live with Sammy Davis in the Sands showroom called "Sounds Of '66" at four, five and six am after our Aladdin sets. I believe Reprise have re-released it on CD and the band is very hot. Buddy of course is amazing.
"He was on his second "warning" for alcohol problems (three and you're out in Germany) and Edelhagen was so sure of his continuing the drinking that without telling me, he also hired Rick Kiefer to join the band believing Horst could be fired and he would have the four man section once the lead player left for Berlin. You never saw a guy sober up so fast when Horst figured out what Edelhagen was up to. I had shipped my belongings over and rented a house and was about to buy a car when Edelhagen told me the situation. I (sort of) blew my stack and demanded he pay for all expenses which he did. The short time I was with the band we had a five man section and to put it mildly, the lead player made it clear to me that "he was the lead trumpet player". There's a good YouTube video of the band at the Berlin Jazz Festival (Kurt Edelhagen/Jiggs Whigham-Berlin 1966) and on Jiggs Whigham's feature "Alice In Wonderland". I'm playing the first part and the lead player in the middle is trying his best to look totally bored. Horst is on the far right and he barely spoke to me at all..."
> Have to say that's some damn fine --1st playing on the Edelhagen videos and thanks for the history behind it Tony. ..I once attended an AA meeting where individuals discussed various demons with sobriety ; such as trying to quit cold turkey, little or no sleeping at night for weeks at a time were heard. He could not have been too thrilled abruptly sober and playing on a Deutsche style Stan Kenton band, after a sterling solo career, years before..
This is a simply gorgeous sound Horst has. I wonder if any of you know, what mouithpiece did Horst play.
I have enjoyed listening to many of Horsts recordings and his tonality is somewhat reminiscent to me of the great Harry James who I know played on a parduba double cup.
Did Horst play parduba ever, I have heard that he played on a Custom Bruno Tilz does anyone know what characteristics that mouthpiece had that might have contributed to his tone.
Astute point that sound is reminiscent of Harry James. What the custom piece from Bruno Tilz was...is not generally known. An early mouthpiece reveals a flat rim.
A kid of 9 maybe - which would be around 1939...which means during the 3rd Reich in Nazi Germany.
Last edited by rothman on Fri Nov 17, 2017 7:01 pm; edited 1 time in total
Hearing this the first time is not a thing that knocks you out, but something gets your attention long after hearing it the first time.....in some cases, decades later.
If someone is interested in CDs with Horst: in Germany there are 3 CDs on the market, "Ciribiribin" (2008), "Hi Noon" (2009) and "Die Dritte" (2015).
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Manni _________________ http://www.kinle.com/eindex.html
Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Posts: 10609 Location: The land of GR and Getzen
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 10:16 am Post subject: Re: Horst
Tony Scodwell wrote:
There's a good YouTube video of the band at the Berlin Jazz Festival (Kurt Edelhagen/Jiggs Whigham-Berlin 1966) and on Jiggs Whigham's feature "Alice In Wonderland". I'm playing the first part
Wow, Tony! That's the first time I've ever heard you play lead, and I'm impressed! I was not yet two when you recorded that.
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