Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2023 3:41 am Post subject: Re: HARRY JAMES
jvf1095 wrote:
Say what you will
Okay.
Harry was a superb, technically strong and highly musical player with a distinctive sound. As I understand it in his youth he was in demand for both his improv and lead chops which was considered unusual. I've always heard he was a really strong sight-reader.
I don't have any problem with what I've seen some describe as a "schmaltzy" sound on ballads - it was *his* unique sound and as far as I'm concerned it only enriches the landscape of trumpet artistry.
How he played with the mouthpiece right on his moustache is a wonder to me - lol.
For anyone who hasn't seen these - or even if you have:
Harry tearing it up on an episode of the Danny Thomas show - go to 17:50
Not too shabby? Fantastic! Not a bad crack at acting too right?. And there are those who said he didn't have much range? Harry James can play the phone book! Thanks. Really enjoyed that! Happy New Year to all!!
A P.S.: Loved the Danny Thomas segment in the beginning.
Joined: 25 Aug 2007 Posts: 2018 Location: Charleston, SC
Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2023 4:42 pm Post subject:
Phenomenal playing. And Harry obviously had swag in abundance.
Too bad he wasn't around just a few years back, he'd have made an excellent 'The Most Interesting Man Alive...'. _________________ 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
Not too shabby? Fantastic! Not a bad crack at acting too right?. And there are those who said he didn't have much range? Harry James can play the phone book! Thanks. Really enjoyed that! Happy New Year to all!!
A P.S.: Loved the Danny Thomas segment in the beginning.
While he didn't play charts like "Maynard Ferguson" he hit big G's on a regular basis.
I've heard at least one recording where he hit an Ab and one where he hit an A - both big and in tune in live performances. That's range as far as I'm concerned.
"Crazy Rhythm" from More Harry James In Hi Fi from the 50's. He picks a G out of the air on his second entrance - ends on as nice an F as I've ever heard. His "In Hi Fi" albums are fantastic - re-recordings of his discography with the advancing recording technology of the era, sometimes spiced up a bit compared to his earlier recordings as with this one.
Check this out - isn't that a Dizzy lick he's referencing at the beginning of his second ride? Lol!
On a recording of this same tune he also steps outside of the "Harry James" box playing in a totally different style than you would typically associate with him. I sent an mp3 of that section to someone once and asked them to guess who it was, they thought it was Clifford Brown or someone. When I revealed it was Harry their reaction was "no way!". There was a lot more to him than "You Made Me Love You".
Check this out - isn't that a Dizzy lick he's referencing at the beginning of his second ride? Lol!
Yes!
If I listened to this 'blind', I don't know if I'd mistake it for a mainstream bopper (that effortless stylized vibrato on some notes would leave me mystified), but it certainly is a fascinating melding of the best aspects of the Harry James style with licks and harmonic ideas to fit an uncharacteristic (for him) chart.
I'd say there is a TON of superlative musicianship on the part of Mr. James on display here. Thanks for sharing! _________________ "He that plays the King shall be welcome . . . " (Hamlet Act II, Scene 2, Line 1416)
"He had no concept of the instrument. He was blowing into it." -- Virgil Starkwell's cello teacher in "Take the Money and Run"
Joined: 28 Jul 2011 Posts: 227 Location: Australia
Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2024 12:36 pm Post subject:
The clip of the Danny Thomas show at about 12.40 in some good shots of Frank Beach ans Uan Rasey in the orchestra _________________ CG Benge trumpet
Yamaha Xeno Cornet
MAN I'M GLAD I STARTED THIS THREAD! Good old "Harry" is getting a lot of air time & perhaps exposure to some younger players that didn't know of him very well!
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2024 10:48 am Post subject: HARRY'S TEETH
Harry did not have his teeth replaced until 1968 when four days before a recording we did in Hollywood (The Golden Trumpet Of Harry James-London Phase 4) Harry had all his lower teeth implanted. He played like only he could four days after this procedure and the band did most everything in one take. The single exception was "A Train" when he wanted another crack at his solo and we made that without Harry's lead on the out chorus. He just wanted the solo and Tutti Camarata (who produced the recording) used the entire second take without splicing in Harry's solo to the first take. The "lead" on the out chorus was me on second trumpet.
Later on Harry did have all his teeth replaced with false choppers a few years before he passed away. It didn't seem to hinder him at all but his years of very hard living finally took it's toll a couple years before he died. He still could hit it out of the park even then.
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9032 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2024 11:21 am Post subject:
Tony - you mean Tutti Camarata was a guy's real name? I thought that was the record company's promotional attempt at an Italianesque name for a musical group. No? _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
What a great story Tony! What versatility. And Kehaulani; "tutti" translated in english means "everyone." So could have been a nickname? And Camarata while not that common an Italian last name, could have actually been his last name. Was it Tony?
Tony - you mean Tutti Camarata was a guy's real name? I thought that was the record company's promotional attempt at an Italianesque name for a musical group. No?
Real name was Salvador. Great nickname! My maternal grandfather was from Naples. His Paisans all had funny nicknames.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
