Betty fell in love with jazz in the 1940s. Armed with her trusted camera, she took as many photos as she could of the musicians she adored. Last week, Betty sent along a bunch of snapshots through her friend Chris, so I could share them with you. Both are avid JazzWax readers. Today, three photos of Joe Graves (above), a big band trumpeter starting in the 1940s and whose sound was a ringer for Harry James.
I'm guessing the year is 1947. I calculated the date by enlarging the photo above. The date on the Carnegie Hall poster in the lower right-hand corner is Sunday, April 20, which makes it 1947. And if you put the two poster halves together, the concert is for Don Cossack (go here), which places Betty and Graves in New York. Where are they in Manhattan? My guess is W. 44th St. There's a sign above Graves' left shoulder for Carousel, which was and is at the Majestic Theater on W. 44th St. On the right is another marquee, with the name Bobby Clark, who was appearing in Victor Herbert's Sweethearts at the Shubert, also on W. 44th St.
My architectural eye tells me that the Shubert is to the right of Graves, with its former roof-line on 44th St. before it was replaced (see 1919 image above). If I put the pieces together, I'm guessing Betty caught Graves on the street in between shows at the Paramount Theater, with its stage entrance on 44th St., while he was in the first trumpet chair in Jimmy Dorsey's band.
These photos were taken at the very start of Graves' recording career. His jazz discography begins in 1947, on recordings with Dorsey. He also recorded that year with Ray McKinley and Charlie Barnet, sitting next to Clark Terry. In 1949, he was with Dorsey again, this time next to Maynard Ferguson. His jazz recording career went cold from 1950 until 1959, when he popped up on Swing! Staged for Sound, an album led by arranger Van Alexander. In 1960 Graves was on a Glen Gray album that featured Mannie Klein, Conrad Gozzo, Shorty Sherock and Pete Candoli. He also recorded on the extensive Time/Life big-band series recorded between 1969 and 1970. Graves led Harry James' ghost band in the 1980s after James died. I don't know much more. Perhaps one of his children will reach out.
JazzWax tracks: Here's Joe Graves and Shorty Sherock on Stealin' Apples in 1959 on Van Alexander's Swing! Staged for Sound...
Here's a clip put up by one of Joe Graves' children, featuring Graves playing the role of Harry James on Ciribiribin from the Time Life in 1969-70...
Here's Graves on Witchcraft...
I'm guessing the year is 1947. I calculated the date by enlarging the photo above. The date on the Carnegie Hall poster in the lower right-hand corner is Sunday, April 20, which makes it 1947. And if you put the two poster halves together, the concert is for Don Cossack (go here), which places Betty and Graves in New York. Where are they in Manhattan? My guess is W. 44th St. There's a sign above Graves' left shoulder for Carousel, which was and is at the Majestic Theater on W. 44th St. On the right is another marquee, with the name Bobby Clark, who was appearing in Victor Herbert's Sweethearts at the Shubert, also on W. 44th St.
My architectural eye tells me that the Shubert is to the right of Graves, with its former roof-line on 44th St. before it was replaced (see 1919 image above). If I put the pieces together, I'm guessing Betty caught Graves on the street in between shows at the Paramount Theater, with its stage entrance on 44th St., while he was in the first trumpet chair in Jimmy Dorsey's band.
These photos were taken at the very start of Graves' recording career. His jazz discography begins in 1947, on recordings with Dorsey. He also recorded that year with Ray McKinley and Charlie Barnet, sitting next to Clark Terry. In 1949, he was with Dorsey again, this time next to Maynard Ferguson. His jazz recording career went cold from 1950 until 1959, when he popped up on Swing! Staged for Sound, an album led by arranger Van Alexander. In 1960 Graves was on a Glen Gray album that featured Mannie Klein, Conrad Gozzo, Shorty Sherock and Pete Candoli. He also recorded on the extensive Time/Life big-band series recorded between 1969 and 1970. Graves led Harry James' ghost band in the 1980s after James died. I don't know much more. Perhaps one of his children will reach out.
JazzWax tracks: Here's Joe Graves and Shorty Sherock on Stealin' Apples in 1959 on Van Alexander's Swing! Staged for Sound...
Here's a clip put up by one of Joe Graves' children, featuring Graves playing the role of Harry James on Ciribiribin from the Time Life in 1969-70...
Here's Graves on Witchcraft...
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
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