Famous Signature Songs
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@kehaulani said in Famous Signature Songs:
That's interesting because I've read the opposite. Matter of fact, he spent most of his practice time womanizing and drinking.
But there are 24 hours in a day.
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There was definitely a dark side to Harry James but what he did in his private life was his business as far as I was concerned. It was the music he made and how he played that horn that made him my hero and my desire to play the trumpet.
There was as book published a few years ago called Trumpet Blues. Unfortunately the book concentrated more on the sensational side of his personal life more than on his music.
Chuck Par Due righted that wrong when he wrote Harry James Trumpet Icon. -
"It is important to point out just how hard the Goodman musicians worked in those days. At the Paramount, the band played five shows a day (later years it became seven or eight), seven days a week. Simultaneously, it was working at the Hotel Pennsylvania from 7 pm to 1:30 am every night but Sunday.... Rehearsals for the Tuesday night Camel Caravan broadcast took place after the gig on Thursday nights until 4am." (From "Trumpet Blues.")
That was early in his career, when he was with Benny Goodman. I'm sure he slowed down later on. And he definitely liked drinking, womanizing, and gambling.
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I think there would be alot more famous signature songs if it weren't for extra curricular activities. Kinda sad that in the rarefied air of the greats(at least the ones listed so far) so many died young, and of those that died a number were due to alcohol.
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@smoothoperator True. Harry lived to age 67, which was actually pretty good, given the booze and cigarettes.
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Although my favorite Clifford Brown tune is "I Can Dream, Can't I?"
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I think his signature song is "Joy Spring".
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Did anyone mention Ray Anthony. He had some hits, I'm not sure which would be a signature tune though.
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Ray Anthony was basically a musical prostitute. He did a ton of songs but I'm not sure any stuck out.
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@kehaulani said in Famous Signature Songs:
Ray Anthony was basically a musical prostitute. He did a ton of songs but I'm not sure any stuck out.
By definition, almost any pro player Is to some degree a prostitute, but what specifically do you mean?
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Well, since we're on it, just compare the number of tunes that were either Harry's or that he put his own, unique spin on borrowed tunes, and compare them to the innocuous treatment Anthony put on his music.
I don't want to give a wrong impression. I liked Ray's professionalism and even had some of his records, but he was a journeyman at best while Harry showed real unique style.
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@kehaulani
Although I wouldn't go so far as to call Ray Anthony a musical prostitute, rather I would label him more of a musical entertainer who did a good job of keeping the big band sound alive during a period when the younger generation's taste was leaning toward hard core rock and roll.
I know he sounds like Harry James but he wasn't the only one copying Harry's style.
I own a lot of his records and enjoy listening to them often.
