Perfection: Bill Harris Herd - Blackstrap (1952)

There were New York big bands in the early 1950s and then there was the Bill Harris Herd in 1952—a pack of ex-Hermanites, or former members of Woody Herman's band. If you're hip to your New York studio guys, then the following personnel should blow your mind:

Charles Frankhauser, Bernie Glow, Neal Hefti, Al Porcino and Nick Travis (tp); Bill Harris, Eddie Bert, Vern Friley and Bart Varsalona (tb); Sam Marowitz and Hal McKusick (as); George Berg and Pete Mondello (ts); Murray Williams (bar); Ralph Burns (p); Sam Herman (g); Clyde Lombardi (b) and Tiny Kahn (d).

Bill Harris is an overlooked trombone giant. I'll add the brothers Swope—Rob and Earl—to this list of forgotten slide greats. The trumpet section alone is enough to stop traffic (dig Bernie Glow and Al Porcino on the high notes). Now add Harris and the superb trombonists he's with; Marowitz and Hal in the reed section along with Pete Mondello; Ralph Burns on piano and conducting; and Tiny Kahn on drums. Although uncredited, I'm guessing the jump-crazy arrangement of Blackstrap was Kahn's.

Harris had a clean, swinging sound with a fleshy, crying vibrato up top. And on Blackstrap, his bop is so happening and fluid.

Here's Harris's own Blackstrap, recorded for Norman Granz's Norgran label in March 1952...