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Croquethed
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Joined: 19 Dec 2013
Posts: 615
Location: Oakville, CT
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 Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2020 10:48 am Post subject: Re: Al Hirt |
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| Tony Scodwell wrote: | Concerning "Jumbo", the guy was on another level from most players. RCA did to him what major labels always seem to do and that is lower his amazing talent down to a pedestrian level. I'm sure he didn't mind the loot tunes like "Java" brought in but to diminish his talent like some of the reviews written, well what can you say about critics that most knowledgable musicians don't already know?
There was a Spa-hotel here in Las Vegas some time ago (mid-seventies) and a guy hired a big band to play for entertainment and dancing. I was hired to play lead along with two other good players who have worked together with me. The book was written with four trumpet parts and I asked who was hired to play the fourth book. "Not to worry" was the answer. When we all were on the stand getting ready to start who shows up but Al Hirt. I introduced myself and Al just said he was there to play fourth trumpet. "Like Hell" I said and persuaded him to play whatever solos were in the book. His son was with him and I showed him my "famous" drinking mute. When his son showed it to Al I was proud to present one to him. Why the guy had hired Al Hirt in the first place was always a mystery to me, and on fourth trumpet.
Tony Scodwell
www.scodwellusa.com |
I bet the guy made sure Al was the best-paid fourth trumpet player in the country. But it also denotes what a pro Al was to say sure, he'd play fourth book. |
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Bogey Factory
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Joined: 09 Jan 2019
Posts: 56
Location: Springfield, MO
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2020 10:53 am Post subject: |
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Al Hirt, Harry James, and Doc Severinsen are my big three. The imaginary trumpet player in my head sounds a lot like these guys. Horn A-Plenty is my favorite album from Al. He's on fire and the band is incredible.
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Bethmike
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Joined: 21 Jan 2020
Posts: 194
Location: NW of ORD
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:29 am Post subject: |
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What ever you call that "little something extra" in Al Hirt's sound was awesome!
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deleted_user_02066fd
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Joined: 03 Apr 1996
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2020 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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Great story from Tony Scodwell.
I read a story somewhere about Trummy Young. Trummy played trombone with Louis Armstrong for a number of years. Trummy left the road and settled in Hawaii where he lived until he passed. He had a regular gig at one of the hotels in Waikiki and if any well known musicians were in the islands they were always welcome to sit in. The guy who was telling the story said one time Jumbo was vacationing in Waikiki and sat in with Trummy's group while wearing a bathing suit. That must have been quite a sight.
I'm not sure how many people here had the chance to meet Al. I did, he was an enormous man. Must have been six foot two, around 300 pounds and his hands were very large. I've only met one person who's hands were bigger than Al's and they belonged to basketball Hall Of Famer Bob Lanier. Al was in his late 40's when I met him and was not fat, just huge all over. He was incredibly nice as well. |
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Dale Proctor
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Joined: 26 May 2005
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Location: Heart of Dixie
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2020 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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I got to see him with his combo when they passed through our city on tour in the mid 1960s. I was in junior high at the time, and my mom took my best friend (also a budding trumpet player) and me to the concert. I think my mom was a fan, too... 
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GeorgeB
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Joined: 20 Apr 2016
Posts: 1063
Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
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| Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2020 3:40 am Post subject: |
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I also got to see and hear, and meet him, many moons ago in New Orleans. He was a nice person with great sense of humor and a fantastic ability to play the horn. Pete Fountain was playing with Al that night but, unlike Al who wandered from table to table, Pete disappeared during the break. They sure worked great together, though.
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GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
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1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet |
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Maid of the Mist
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Joined: 19 May 2017
Posts: 20
Location: San Antonio Texas
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2020 6:54 am Post subject: Al Hirt's Talent |
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I lived in New Orleans for several decades including the 70's. I heard Al live several times and knew many players, especially from Pete Fountain's band that worked with him regularly.
He had phenomenal range, technique and stamina. He was an elite player.
His musical roots were pure New Orleans. Dixieland and traditional jazz. He was more about that than constantly putting his extreme ability on display for its own sake. Unlike other popular trumpeters of the day. |
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GeorgeB
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Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 4:37 am Post subject: Re: Al Hirt's Talent |
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| Maid of the Mist wrote: |
He had phenomenal range, technique and stamina. He was an elite player.
His musical roots were pure New Orleans. Dixieland and traditional jazz. He was more about that than constantly putting his extreme ability on display for its own sake. Unlike other popular trumpeters of the day. |
I don't know if it is jealousy, envy or whatever, but in my opinion Al Hirt is just not getting anything near the recognition he deserves from a lot of today's trumpet players, and that is a damn shame.
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GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet |
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trumpetteacher1
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Joined: 11 Nov 2001
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Location: Garland, Texas
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 10:48 am Post subject: |
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I don't see any jealousy or envy. It is more of a bias towards one style of playing or the other.
While Al Hirt had world-class skills, he mostly focused those skills into a very narrow genre. Dixieland fans are happy he did, but others may think that he wasted his talents.
For the record, I am a huge fan.
Jeff |
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A.N.A.Mendez
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 11:44 am Post subject: |
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He struggled after he was injured in that parade, his chops were never the same. So sad.....
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deleted_user_02066fd
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 12:15 pm Post subject: |
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| A.N.A.Mendez wrote: | | He struggled after he was injured in that parade, his chops were never the same. So sad..... |
I saw him about two years after the injury and he definitely was not struggling. He was brilliant. His power was amazing and he frequently played off the microphone. He talked a bit about the injury.
Later in life he didn't play quite as well from some clips I've heard. I think this was more health related than anything else. He still played well but had lost a step or two. I know he was in a wheelchair the last year or two.
Maynard sort of went through that as well. I recall seeing Maynard a year or so before he passed. He was very overweight and didn't play much at all. Pat Hession covered a lot of his parts. I saw him one last time a few months before he passed. He played a lot and sounded great. As soon as he walked out you could see he had dropped a significant amount of weight. The spark was back and it showed. |
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Ronnman
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Location: SE Louisiana
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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For those who have not seen this 1983 interview of Al Hirt, I have provided the link below. Covers his life in some 20 minutes.
Ron
https://youtu.be/c6v4v0kIe20
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Robert P
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Ronnman wrote: | For those who have not seen this 1983 interview of Al Hirt, I have provided the link below. Covers his life in some 20 minutes.
Ron
https://youtu.be/c6v4v0kIe20 |
That's fantastic. Thanks for posting this. I never knew Al had a Ph.D.
There are points I wish the interviewer didn't cut him off in mid-sentence.
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Bogey Factory
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Joined: 09 Jan 2019
Posts: 56
Location: Springfield, MO
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 5:09 am Post subject: |
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| Robert P wrote: | | Ronnman wrote: | For those who have not seen this 1983 interview of Al Hirt, I have provided the link below. Covers his life in some 20 minutes.
Ron
https://youtu.be/c6v4v0kIe20 |
That's fantastic. Thanks for posting this. I never knew Al had a Ph.D.
There are points I wish the interviewer didn't cut him off in mid-sentence. |
I agree, I loved watching this but the interviewer could have been better. Looks like Al was playing a Martin Committee that was missing a bottom cap. It looks like the video was from 1983. I think his signature Leblanc model was out by then. It was interesting watching him fidget with the horn too.
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Justin Shaw |
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Robert P
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Oncewasaplayer
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JonathanM
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Joined: 25 Aug 2007
Posts: 2018
Location: Charleston, SC
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2020 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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I really like the Youtube vids where we can see them playing. Al does some great playing here - with Maynard looking on. Very neat.  "I Can't Get Started" is the song they play.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDgGNOjIj-E
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Jonathan Milam
Trumpets: 18043B, 18043*, 18043 Sterling Silver +, 18037 SterlingSilver+, Benge 4x, Olds: '34 Symphony, '47 Super, '52 Recording
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GeorgeB
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Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
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| Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 3:49 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for that vid, Jonathan, it's one I haven't seen before. Would love to have been part of the audience on that one. Two of the greatest, playing at the top of their game.
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GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet |
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JonathanM
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Posts: 2018
Location: Charleston, SC
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| Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 4:41 am Post subject: |
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Agreed! It looked fun, didn’t it? Very relaxed and enjoyable.
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Jonathan Milam
Trumpets: 18043B, 18043*, 18043 Sterling Silver +, 18037 SterlingSilver+, Benge 4x, Olds: '34 Symphony, '47 Super, '52 Recording
Flugle: Strad 182
Puje: American Belle
Cornet: Olds Recording & Super |
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deleted_user_02066fd
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| Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 5:00 am Post subject: |
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Somewhere on youtube there's video of Al and Diz playing A Night In Tunisia. I looked for it but haven't found it to put up here. I stumbled across it a while back. Al recorded a version on Hot N Spicy as well.
Nice to see renewed interest in Al. Hearing and meeting him when I was a kid is a memory I'll never forget. Fabulous trumpeter and nice guy. |
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