Search - Woody Herman :: Jazz Hoot / Woody's Winners

Sidewinder

Robert Usher | Florida | 06/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I would take exception to the number of derrogatory comments about "Sidewinder". The caleidoscopic trumpet sequence in the middle of that piece is more than worth the price of admission, and Woody's vocal, as pedestrian as most of his vocal performances were, makes the piece (and him) all-the-more endearing. And then there is the presence of Charlie Byrd ("The Duck" "Boopsie"). The greatest guitarist this side of Joe Pass. The "Jazz Hoot" album was originally a 1974 compilation of left-over material from Herman's Columbia sessions of the late sixties. Check out (if you can) the original "Jazz Hoot" from the Philips album "Woody Herman 1964". Phil Wilson's trombone solo and Jake Hanna's clog dance drums are worth TEN stars!!!"

What a bargain!!!

Robert Usher | 03/05/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"choice 'woody' material from the mid sixties when he switched over to columbia from the phillips label. all the great soloists are here...nistico on tenor, chase, don rader and dusko goykovich on trumpet. the bargain is that you are getting 2 albums for the price of 1. at least they are compatible with each other, which is more than i can say for the 'jazz swinger' re-release. the only reason i give this 4 instead of 5 stars is that you have to suffer through two of woody's vocals on 'sidewinder' and 'boopsie'. at the very least, you can get a good laugh when you hear those tracks. the rest of the charts are great though. nice mix of updated 'woody' standards, classic big band tracks and originals written for the herd."

Wonderful Woody

Dan DeTorpedos | Stamford, CT | 05/19/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tremendous, driving jazz! The band featured so many stars: Jake Hanna (drums), Howard McGhee (tenor), Sal Nistico (tenor), Bill Harris ('bone), Bill Chase (trumpet), Ronnie Zito (drums), Nat Pierce doing the ivories, etc. A couple of the selections from the Jazz Hoot half of the album have some appeal, although the material recorded at the Basin Street gig is the best. I agree with other reviewers...the Philips material is superior in many respects to the Columbia stuff, but it is ALL worth hearing...except for Woody's vocals from the '60s and later. In any case, I would urge anyone interested in the big band resurgence of the 50s-60s to get his/her hands on as much of Woody's music as possible from that era."