Jazz Articles about Woody Herman

Woody Herman: The Third Herd

by Jack Bowers
July 1, 2001

In 1951, two years after he was forced to disband the groundbreaking Second Herd, Woody Herman was back in the saddle and leading another swinging ensemble, the suitably named Third Herd. These radio air–checks of the Herd were recorded during a three–week engagement at the Hollywood Palladium in May–June ’51. Gone were the original “Four Brothers” (Getz, Sims, Steward / Cohn, Chaloff) and other standouts including Bill Harris, Don Lamond, Chubby Jackson, Terry Gibbs and Ernie Royal, but Woody had ...

Woody Herman and His Thundering Herd: Blues in the Night

by Dave Nathan
February 1, 2001

This 1971 performance was part of a huge jazz concert in Clearwater, FL sponsored by station WAZE . In addition to Woody Herman's aggregation, the Four Freshmen and Stan Kenton's band were there. These sessions have also been issued by Hitchcock. Herman's music and arrangements are fresh and exciting, not repeats of the same stuff he was playing with earlier outfits. This regrettably was not the case with Stan Kenton, who was regurgitating material played many times before.

There were ...

Woody Herman: The Complete Capitol Recordings

by Jack Bowers
December 1, 2000

The “complete recordings” of any artist, no matter how accomplished he or she may be, are almost by definition a mixed bag, and Mosaic’s The Complete Capitol Recordings of Woody Herman is no exception. Complementing superb entries from a number of memorable LPs by Woody’s Thundering Herds, circa 1948–56, are tracks on which Herman performs with the Chuck Thomas Dixieland Band, sings (“Mule Train,”(!) “My Baby Just Cares for Me”) with Nat King Cole and his trio, with the long–forgotten ...

The Woody Herman Orchestra, Directed By Frank Tiberi: Live In London at Ronnie Scott's

by C. Michael Bailey
June 1, 2000

Woody N' You! When I think of Woody Herman, I think of a legend in the shadows, a very prominent musician and band leader who, while he was recognized during his lifetime and after, did not receive the same attention, say, a Duke Ellington or a Benny Goodman did. Live In London at Ronnie Scott's is a superb tribute to the bandleader, steered by his friend and protege, Frank Tiberi. The disc is populated with old herd chestnuts, performed with ...

The Woody Herman Orchestra / Ina Ray Hutton Orchestra / Bob Crosby's Bobcats: 1946 Broadcasts / 1943-44 Spotlight Band Broadcasts / 1937-40 Broadcasts

by Jack Bowers
June 1, 2000

Even though there are moments of pleasurable big–band swing in these reissues from 1937–46 by Woody Herman’s First Herd, singer Ina Ray Hutton’s (all–male) orchestra, and Bob Crosby and the Bobcats, they should be of greatest interest to avid record collectors and completists. While Soundcraft has done a respectable job of cleaning the original acetate (and in one case, aluminum) sources, they sound nonetheless precisely like what they were — radio air–checks broadcast more than half a century ago. Those ...

The Woody Herman Orchestra: Live in London at Ronnie Scott's

by Jack Bowers
February 1, 2000

Any list of the year’s ten (or even five) most admirable big–band albums that doesn’t include Live in London should be greeted with a healthy dose of skepticism. Sure, much of the Woody Herman Orchestra’s concert appearance last August at London’s premier Jazz club, Ronnie Scott’s, is comprised of well–worn Herman favorites (“Apple Honey,” “Early Autumn,” Northwest Passage,” “Opus de Funk” and so on) but no one — repeat, no one — plays them with greater passion or awareness than ...