Search - Harry James :: Strictly Instrumental-His Grea

STILL THE MAN TO BEAT !

Dick Bobnick | Burnsville, Minnesota United States | 03/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nearly twenty one years have passed since the golden trumpet was silenced but thanks to his incredible body of recorded work, the countless reissues and the digitally remastered originals, Harry James will go on forever for the lovers of truly great trumpeting and big band jazz.Harry James started out very young (3) as a drummer and contortionist in the Haag Brothers Circus. Four years later he started on the trumpet under the tutelage of his Circus Band conductor father, Everette. At 10 Harry was leading the circus' second band and at 14 he was leading it. At 16 he was on the road with territory bands playing lead charts. At 19 he was heard by Benny Goodman's brother and called to Chicago for an audition. The rest is history. For nearly 4 years Harry James fired the best trumpet section in the band business before starting his own band in 1939. Harry's first band was a powerhouse aggregaton that brought down the roof wherever he played but supper clubs and hotels didn't like the sound. Too loud and too fast. Harry changed his philosophy to cater to the dancers at all times. Many critics thought he had lost his jazz soul. No way! Amid all the sweet and soulful commercial hits in his early career there still beat the heart of a true jazz giant. Although he always had the dance book he also had many of the best jazz charts ever put to paper.Harry was an icon to most of the best and most diverse trumpeters to ever pick up a horn: brassmen like Maynard Ferguson, Doc Severinsen, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Arturo Sandoval and hundreds of others too numerous to mention here. Harry's own favorites were Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke and Mugsy Spanier. Harry surpassed them all in his tremendous technique and range (he was a virtuoso at 14). His electrifying solos with the Goodman band paved the way for his own award winning band.This album includes his incredible throwbacks to classical trumpet virtuosity, "Flight Of The Bumblebee", "Carnival Of Venice" and his own "Concerto For Trumpet". Add to that the bluesy "Feet Draggin' Blues" and "East Coast Blues" and the swing hits "Two O'Clock Jump", "Back Beat Boogie" and "Moten Swing". Add to this mix the brilliant production numbers like "Carnival", "Trumpet Rhapsody" and "Trumpet Blues and Cantabile" plus some of the hit ballads and you have the most versatile trumpeter-composer-arranger in the annals of modern American music. Few, if any, of his trumpet playing peers can match his achievements. The cuts are digitally remastered so the sound is great, even on the earlier '30's recordings. This compilation is one of my personal favorites because of the wide range of musical genres displayed to such perfection. Truly a 5 star collection!"