Pete Candoli was an iron man in an iron-man calling. He played lead trumpet in the big bands of Tommy Dorsey, Glen Miller, Stan Kenton, Les Brown, Count Basie, Freddy Slack, Tex Beneke, Jerry Gray, Charlie Barnet and Woody Herman...among others. He became famous as Superman With A Horn in Woody Herman's First Herd of 1945 and '46. Later, he co-led a group with his younger brother Conte. He was a mainstay in the recording studios and on the sound stages of Hollywood. News of Pete Candoli's death … [Read more...]
With A Little Help…
January 15, 2008 by
Rifftides Readers sometimes send useful tips. Here are three: Pianist Emil Viklický called our attention to this YouTube clip of him and two other Czech musicians sitting in with Dizzy Gillespie's band in a 1990 concert. In a moment of geographic confusion, Diz introduces them as our "Yugoslav brothers." The other Czechs are saxophonist Jiri Stivin, who plays a startling solo on pennywhistle, and trumpeter Juraj Bartos. Paquito D'Rivera is also aboard, on clarinet and alto. The bassist is John … [Read more...]
The nonagenarian pianist presented de Barros with every biographer’s hope, unrestricted access to his subject’s personal papers and nearly unrestricted access to her private thoughts. He made the most of it, turning exhaustive research and hundreds of hours of interviews into a true story with the sweep of a novel. From the early discovery of McPartland’s musical gift through her wartime service, her ecstatic and stormy marriage to Jimmy McPartland, her growth as a pianist, her deep affair with Joe Morello, and the radio show that made her a national figure, she has had a fascinating life. It makes a splendid read.
Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band had three fewer musicians than most big jazz outfits. Its size permitted precision, flexibility and subtlety, yet the band had the power of sprung steel. In this concert from a half century ago, the CJB is as fresh as yesterday. Arrangements by Mulligan, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn and Johnny Mandel set standards to which big band writers still aspire. Bassist Buddy Clark and drummer Mel Lewis inspired Mulligan, Brookmeyer, Conte Candoli, Gene Quill and Zoot Sims to some of the best soloing of their careers. This beautifully produced issue of the complete concert is a basic repertoire item.
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The ultimate frustration is that I, outside the U.S. (i.e. Germany), cannot access the video even when using a proxy giving me a U.K. IP-number!...André Growald on Stompin’ For Mili
Hi Doug, John Bolger, Brandon Bloch, Iola and all the other passengers on board! I wish to express my indebtedness for being invited to...Peter Katz on A Bert Wilson Broadcast
Bert Wilson and his band were always the highlight of the Berkeley Jazz symposium held 2x per year at the UC Berkeley Newman Center back...David on Aperturistic Trio At Tsaritsino
What an exquisite recaptured audience shot at 0:59, perfectly illustrating the sentence above the clip. A remarkable amount of rhythmic tension develops beginning with the...Jim Eigo on Happy Fatha’s Day
Had the good fortune to see Fatha Hines in 1973 at the New School in NYC. There's a nice live recording of this concert too.