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John Mohan Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Nov 2001 Posts: 9830 Location: Chicago, Illinois
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Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2020 1:55 pm Post subject: Claude Gordon and his Big Band on American Bandstand 1959 |
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Hi all,
I just came across a YouTube video of Claude and his band's performance on American Bandstand in 1959. This was the culmination of when Claude and his band won the national "Best New Dance Band" contest sponsored by the Musician's Union. It was an effort to promote Big Band / Dance Band music among the youth of America at the time (who were turning in droves to Rock & Roll bands and music).
The YouTube video appears to have been put up by the family of Cecil Hill, who was Claude's lead alto player in the band at the time.
The first song ("I Could Have Danced All Night") is okay but not thrilling. It was the piece all 170 of the bands had to play for the contest. But the second piece (a medley called "Fantasia") is pretty cool, especially toward the end.
The band is TIGHT.
But that didn't prevent the kids in the audience from clapping on 1 and 3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOuai_uKKW0
Best wishes,
John Mohan
Skype Lessons Available - Click on the e-mail button below if interested _________________ Trumpet Player, Clinician & Teacher
1st Trpt for Cats, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Evita, Hunchback of Notre Dame,
Grease, The Producers, Addams Family, In the Heights, etc.
Ex LA Studio Musician
16 Year Claude Gordon Student |
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trpthrld Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 4810
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Tpt_Guy Heavyweight Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 1102 Location: Sacramento, Ca
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Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2020 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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trpthrld wrote: | What a find and what a sound!
But the audience clapping on one & three? NNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!! |
All joking aside, excellent performance. I haven't heard much of Claude playing (that I know of), so it's nice to hear the man, the myth the legend. _________________ -Tom Hall-
"A good teacher protects his pupils from his own influence."
-Bruce Lee |
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John Mohan Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Nov 2001 Posts: 9830 Location: Chicago, Illinois
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Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2020 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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Regarding clapping on 1 and 3...
Usually one must go to a festival at a remote German village to hear such heresy. I know. I've been to that village. Many times. In many places. And not because I love music. Because I loved the money. |
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cheiden Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 8914 Location: Orange County, CA
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Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2020 4:17 pm Post subject: |
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John Mohan wrote: | Regarding clapping on 1 and 3... |
When this happens you need to hope that you have Harry Connick on the keys. he knows how to solve that problem.
https://youtu.be/UinRq_29jPk _________________ "I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9033 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2020 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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John Mohan wrote: | Regarding clapping on 1 and 3...
Usually one must go to a festival at a remote German village to hear such heresy. I know. I've been to that village. Many times. In many places. And not because I love music. Because I loved the money. |
I played in your warm-up band . . as much as I can remember (can you say Obstler?)! _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
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EricV Veteran Member
Joined: 28 Jul 2011 Posts: 227 Location: Australia
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Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2020 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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This is a great clip and as John says one tight band!
Anyone know who the three trumpet players were? You would have to be pretty good to get a gig with CG i imagine!!
Thanks for posting this
Eric _________________ CG Benge trumpet
Yamaha Xeno Cornet |
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Seymor B Fudd Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Oct 2015 Posts: 1474 Location: Sweden
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2020 1:33 am Post subject: |
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EricV wrote: | This is a great clip and as John says one tight band!
Anyone know who the three trumpet players were? You would have to be pretty good to get a gig with CG i imagine!!
Thanks for posting this
Eric |
I think I saw Claude G inflate his top lip a bit, at least when he ascended - commenting this since I´ve found I do the same whenever I play above say G on top of staff. Never did that in younger days, as far as I remember.
It´s no problem for me but my latest (and 2:nd overall) teacher tells me to avoid that.
What´s your opinions on this?
And of course -nice clip! _________________ Cornets: mp 143D3/ DW Ultra 1,5 C
Getzen 300 series
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GeorgeB Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Apr 2016 Posts: 1063 Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2020 3:37 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for that clip, John. I had never seen Claude play before. And what a band. I counted 13 members, including Claude, but it sounded like a much larger band. And tight ? Oh, man, yes! _________________ GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
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1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
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Bruce Haag Regular Member
Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 43 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
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Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2020 11:10 am Post subject: Big Band Contest |
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The judges for the "Best New Band in America Contest" were Stan Kenton, Lawrence Welk, Sammy Kaye, Woody Herman, Neal Hefti, and Guy Lombardo.
Claude told me that after he had won the contest, later that evening, Stan Kenton came up to him and related how after Claude's band had only played a few bars of their first number, Woody Herman threw his pencil down and exclaimed “No contest!” _________________ Bruce Haag
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Last edited by Bruce Haag on Mon Feb 24, 2020 11:33 am; edited 1 time in total |
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9033 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2020 11:20 am Post subject: |
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Interesting anecdotes. I remember his winning that (gad I'm old).
I was a young bebopper and pretty much dismissed the band as being "too commercial". Thanks for the memory. _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn |
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deleted_user_02066fd New Member
Joined: 03 Apr 1996 Posts: 0
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 5:03 am Post subject: |
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Nice. I've on watched one previous video of Claude playing. It was a masterclass and it was a brief demonstration.
John, did Claude bend his mouthpiece slightly?
One funny story about clapping on 1&3. I was watching a documentary on Fats Domino a few years ago. One of his band members was talking about how musically hip everyone in NOLA was. He said something like even the white folks know they're supposed to clap on 2&4. It may have been David Bartholomew.
I immediately texted a musician friend that I frequently play with at church. We always cringe when someone claps on 1&3 during a gospel number. |
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RussellDDixon Heavyweight Member
Joined: 04 Apr 2014 Posts: 832 Location: Mason, OH
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 5:23 am Post subject: |
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Thanks John ... first time I've ever seen him play. I like the Tenor player who was bouncing a lot ! Amazing how big bands and brass in general is no longer appreciated or used in popular musical culture. _________________ Schilke X3 Bb trumpet
Yamaha 631g Flugelhorn
Nicholson Monette Prana Resonance LT mouthpiece
Kanstul Claude Gordon Personal mouthpiece |
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mrhappy Veteran Member
Joined: 03 Dec 2018 Posts: 371 Location: Port Jackson, NY
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:11 am Post subject: |
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RussellDDixon wrote: | . I like the Tenor player who was bouncing a lot ! |
Yeah me too!! _________________ MH |
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Yamahaguy Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 3992
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:30 am Post subject: |
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Wow!! Thanks, John...this is awesome! And that horn is sweet, pre-Benge I'm
guessing. A Besson Meha? Love the stop rod on top of the 3rd valve slide! |
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lipshurt Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Feb 2008 Posts: 2642 Location: vista ca
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Jeff_Purtle Heavyweight Member
Joined: 14 Mar 2003 Posts: 936 Location: Greenville, South Carolina
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John Mohan Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Nov 2001 Posts: 9830 Location: Chicago, Illinois
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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Glad you're all enjoying the video!
Regarding the bent mouthpiece, yes, Claude's mouthpiece is bent.
In Systematic Approach to Daily Practice for Trumpet Claude wrote the following regarding bent mouthpieces:
Quote: | To some, bending the mouthpiece is extremely beneficial. To some, it is harmful.
A student on this matter should seek the advice of a competent teacher, whereas an experienced player may use common sense and a little experimenting. |
Makes sense to me. |
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John Mohan Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Nov 2001 Posts: 9830 Location: Chicago, Illinois
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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We all know how Claude extolled us over and over not to become overly lip conscious.
Claude Gordon wrote: | "The only purpose of the lips is to vibrate."
"Too often the student is lip conscious to the point that all emphasis is placed on this one item to the exclusion of the many other important factors that cause the lip to function. All of these items must be developed and coordinated. When the whole machine is working harmoniously, then playing becomes a pleasure without abusing the lips." |
And yet...
In one of the other dedicated forums someone has started a thread analyzing what appears to him in the video to be Claude's "inflated upper lip" on high notes. Oh the irony...
https://i.postimg.cc/R081GJ0C/f67498eb918f60ab574bb8e6a47ee343206b4995.jpg |
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RussellDDixon Heavyweight Member
Joined: 04 Apr 2014 Posts: 832 Location: Mason, OH
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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mrhappy wrote: | RussellDDixon wrote: | . I like the Tenor player who was bouncing a lot ! |
Yeah me too!! :D |
I KNEW you would Mr. Happy !!! _________________ Schilke X3 Bb trumpet
Yamaha 631g Flugelhorn
Nicholson Monette Prana Resonance LT mouthpiece
Kanstul Claude Gordon Personal mouthpiece |
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