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| Thread ID: 46691 | 2004-07-02 08:30:00 | Off Topic: HTOTW#23 Hoagy Carmichael Tunes | Terry Porritt (14) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 249202 | 2004-07-02 08:30:00 | HTOTW=Hot Tunes Of The Week. Real Audio Player or an alternative capable of playing real media files is required to listen to the streaming audio of the sites hosting the 1920s/30s music of a golden era of hot bands and orchestras. We have mentioned Hoagy Carmichael several times, indeed HTOTW#1 was devoted to his all time great tune 'Stardust'. Hoagland 'Hoagy' Carmichael was born in 1899 in Bloomington, Indiana. His mother was a pianist, and Hoagy showed promise as a pianist at an early age. He soon came under the jazz influences of the age. He studied law and graduated with a law degree in 1926, and went to practise in Florida, but he soon gave that all up to turn to being a full time musician and composer. He had already during the early 1920s mixed with jazzmen, such as the Dorsey brothers, Bix Beiderbecke and the Wolverines Orchestra, and composed several tunes including Washboard Blues, and recorded some sides in 1924 for Gennett with a band called 'Hitch's Happy Harmonists'. It was Bix Beiderbecke however who had the greatest influence on Hoagy, and who left a lasting impression on him. It has been said that Hoagy was inspired by Bix's improvisings when composing 'Stardust', and it is probable that 'Stardust'would not have evolved without the Bix influence. During the 30s, 40s and 50s Hoagy composed hit songs and appeared in films playing cameo roles. He died in 1981. You can read a brief biography of Hoagy here (www.dlib.indiana.edu). Onto the music. One of my favourites is 'Georgia on my Mind', an all time hit that I heard a blues singer performing on TV only last week. The version I prefer is the one by Hoagy Carmichael and his Orchestra recorded in September 1930 with a poignant Bix Beiderbecke, his last recording session before a final breakdown due to alcholism.. However, this time, let's hear Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra in 1931, playing Georgia On My Mind (www.redhotjazz.com). Another Hoagy tune that will hopefully be recognised is Rockin' Chair, a typically offbeat Hoagy tune. Here he vocalises with Louis Armstrong (not much colour predjudice among jazz musicians), this is a particularly nice version of Rockin' Chair (www.redhotjazz.com)recorded in 1929 six months before the Beiderbecke recording. That was great cornet from Louis. Let's move onto Irving Mills' Hotsy Totsy Gang and hear some more typical Carmichael, here they are playing What Kind Of Man is You (www.redhotjazz.com) in 1929. Also from 1929 is a whacky tune called Harvey (www.redhotjazz.com) with Hoagy on piano and vocalising in his distinctive way. We are going to finish this series of HTOTW as we started in HTOTW#1 with my favourite version of Stardust, no apologies for repeating the fantastic rendering of the tune. The Hotsy-Totsy Gang in 1929 with their version of Star Dust (www.redhotjazz.com). Now for those who will miss their 1920s 'fix' of hot music, here are the sites that the music has come from: http://www.redhotjazz.com Michael Duus's collections at http://dismuke.org "Martins' 78 Turntable" at www.geocities.com Pete Faints' Jack Hylton site at www.petefaint.co.uk Albert Haims' Bix Beiderbecke resources site at http://www.bixbeiderbecke.com Of course if there is popular demand, I will be more than happy to continue to share my love of this music with PF1'ers, so let me know :). |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 249203 | 2004-07-06 07:09:00 | Many thanks Terry for the HTOTW's. I've enjoyed them & hope you will continue to share more on this forum. Can you recall on an earlier HTOTW you featured an Australian who had "cleaned/enhanced" 78rpm records. His results were amazing. I've been trying to find it again, but no luck. Can you point me to the HTOTW# or his site. Thanks.. |
Bazza (407) | ||
| 249204 | 2004-07-06 10:34:00 | Thanks Bazza for the appreciation. I enjoy doing the bit of reading required to get some of the musical facts correct as well as listening myself. HTOTW will be back in a few weeks time. Glad you mentioned that site, as it took some finding again. The site had changed and moved somewhat. The character is Robert Parker, I have a number of his LPs that he produced, and also recorded from Concert FM some years ago his series of programs called Jazz Classics in Digital Stereo that were first broadcast on Australian ABC radio, together with another series called A to Z of Jazz which occupied 10 C60 cassette tapes. This is the new link to the Bob Parker page: www.neworleansradio.com |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 249205 | 2004-07-06 20:20:00 | Hi Terry, I would like to second what Bazza said. I have passed on your links to a friend. We enjoy the music of the era and greatly appreciate your info and the research you have put into it. Looking forward to many more HTOTW's Baldy:-) |
Baldy (26) | ||
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