Harry James (1916-83) was not only a virtuoso trumpeter with his own exciting style but the leader of the most popular big band of 1942-46 (after Glenn Miller broke up his civilian orchestra). In the 1940s, James was the most famous jazz trumpeter other than Louis Armstrong, and he remained a household name throughout the rest of his life. He first came to fame with Benny Goodman during 1937-38 and, after a bit of struggling leading his early big band, his 1941 hit of “You Made Me Love You” helped catapult him to the top of the swing world.
While virtually all of James’ hit recordings were in the 1940s along with many of his most memorable solos, he was one of the few swing survivors to keep a big band together that worked regularly in the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s, and early ’80s. James never ran out of fans who wanted to see him play his hits, and he never seemed to tire of leading his big band.
By the 1950s James, (after a brief flirtation with bebop) led a swing band that utilized Ernie Wilkins arrangements and often sounded close to that of Count Basie’s. While it is a pity that he very rarely recorded with a combo during his last few decades (unlike his former boss Benny Goodman), James managed to keep his big band music fairly lively and remained a distinctive trumpeter who stretched himself when inspired.
Two CDs released by Hitchcock Media titled 32nd Anniversary Night document all of the music that Harry James and his big band performed on Jan. 25, 1971, at an engagement at the Harrison Hotel in Clearwater, Florida. The recording quality is excellent, James is heard in fine form, and his 16-piece big band includes such soloists as tenors Corky Corcoran (who had been with the trumpeter since the 1940s) and Gary Herbig, altoist Dick Spencer (doubling on flute), baritonist Jack Watson, pianist Jack Perciful, and Count Basie’s former drummer Sonny Payne. In addition, Cathy Chemi contributes a few vocals.
Vol. 1 begins with the swing era tunes “Don’t Be That Way” and “Tuxedo Junction,” includes Basie-ish versions of “Shiny Stockings” and “Moten Swing” and, other than “Sleepy Lagoon” and ‘I’m Beginning To See The Light,” mostly avoids remakes of James’ hits. Vol. 2 features the band swinging on “Corner Pocket,” “Jersey Bounce,” and “Cottontail,” includes a feature for Sonny Payne, hints at more modern music with the one-chord jam on “Malaguena Salerosa,” and has an obligatory four-minutes five-song hits medley featuring the singer (in Helen Forrest’s place) before concluding with “Two O’Clock Jump.”
Throughout, Harry James largely avoids nostalgia and simply plays the swinging music that he enjoyed. It is gratifying to hear a full night of his music from a period when he was making relatively few recordings.
32nd Anniversary Night Vol. 1
Hitchcock Media 0607
www.hitchcock-media.com
32nd Anniversary Night Vol. 2
Hitchcock Media 0608
www.hitchcock-media.com
Since 1975 Scott Yanow has been a regular reviewer of albums in many jazz styles. He has written for many jazz and arts magazines, including JazzTimes, Jazziz, Down Beat, Cadence, CODA, and the Los Angeles Jazz Scene, and was the jazz editor for Record Review. He has written an in-depth biography on Dizzy Gillespie for AllMusic.com. He has authored 11 books on jazz, over 900 liner notes for CDs and over 20,000 reviews of jazz recordings.
Yanow was a contributor to and co-editor of the third edition of the All Music Guide to Jazz. He continues to write for Downbeat, Jazziz, the Los Angeles Jazz Scene, the Jazz Rag, the New York City Jazz Record and other publications.
