Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 6:29 pm Post subject: March 15th, mark it down.
March 15th will have been Harry James' 101st birthday. He lived to be 67 and I guarantee you he would not have changed a thing. Most everybody I admire would say he was one of the most gifted trumpet players to ever pick up the horn. His band leading career spanned over forty years and all of his bands were filled with top flight players. The recordings he made certainly were a commercial success, especially in his early years, with some serious writers like Neal Hefti, Ernie Wilkins and Thad Jones adding charts for his later bands. He would look at a new chart one time and never pick it up again. And if you don't rate his abilities as a jazz player, well just listen to what he did on charts like "Cotton Tail", "Cubano Chant", "A Train" or the many others he recorded. Those that choose to list only his human faults and downgrade his musical abilities, well, don't throw stones as the saying goes. Happy forthcoming birthday Harry and I'll be paying you a visit again. And oh yes, I'll bring the Smirnoff.
You're probably familiar with that recording of "Lester Leaps In" that Harry played on. Ever since I heard that I thought it really underscored how talented Harry was. He had one of the most identifiable sounds ever yet he demonstrated he could completely step outside the "Harry James" box if he wanted to. The first ride he takes sounds like what you'd typically associate with Harry James, then he comes back the second time and plays with a different approach. I've played pieces of that solo for people who weren't familiar with it and asked them to guess who it is. They were sure I was pulling their leg when I revealed who it was.
I've heard various people attempt "Concerto For Trumpet", I have yet to hear a version I thought was the equal of Harry's. After hearing that, it's always baffled me that he kind of struggled with Hora Staccato. Maybe he didn't have enough time to really work it up for the movie? _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
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Last edited by Robert P on Wed Mar 08, 2017 8:51 pm; edited 1 time in total
I had a great uncle who was a professional trumpet player. He grew up in Italy and began playing in the late 1880's. He settled eventually in Milford CT and was on staff at many of the big theaters in the area. He made most of his living playing trumpet. I know that he was a great admirer of Harry. I also know that my Uncle Louie was a man who was not easily impressed.
I really never got the chance to hear him play. He was already in his 80's when I was born in 1956. He had managed his money well and was a shrewd investor. By the time I came along he had pretty much retired.
Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 7770 Location: Des Moines, IA area
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 6:58 pm Post subject:
Thanks for keeping the important memories alive, Tony.
These days it seems like a lot of people think "history" began when they were born, and if they never got to hear/see anyone live it was probably not worth the effort anyway. HJ left a huge impact on players and music, present in his time and in the future and his contributions should be remembered and credit given. We've all done crap we weren't proud of; the question really is: What have you done that has made the world greater for your having been here? James' contributions more than made up for some simple bad choices.
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