Re: [ARSCLIST] Harry Carney

[Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

One man's opinon here. Ellington was indeed amazing and I think was amazingly consistent in his 
output. He recorded all the 78 era hits many times over, once each for Columbia-eventually-owned 
labels and once for RCA-owned labels. Then he went back with Columbia in the 50's and made some 
great records. Then Frank Sinatra signed him to Reprise and gave him a free hand to do what he 
wanted. All of the Reprise studio records not made in Europe were made at Fine Recording. Even some 
of Duke's last stuff, released later on Pablo, is great. Just hearing a genius experiment with his 
instrument -- which was his complete band -- was something else.

Another one of my favorite jazz guys was Johnny Hodges, who was closely associated with Duke. And I 
really dig Lawrence Brown also.

I put Ellington right up in the Jazz Gods Pantheon for sure. Some jazz fans find his music too 
stuffy or dated, but then I can't get into the disorganized non-melody-based stuff of later on 
(later on to me is the stuff after bebop and before fusion, all the stuff that led to dead ends and 
killed off jazz for most people). All that stuff is mostly forgotten, except among critics, but you 
can play Duke Ellington for almost anyone and they'll soon be smiling and feet tapping. If they're a 
musician, they'll still understand how hard it is to write and play what Duke was up to and they'll 
be impressed.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "phillip holmes" <insuranceman@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, February 04, 2007 2:45 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Harry Carney


> Thanks for the leads.  I'll start searching.  I'm amazed by the number of Ellington 
> dates/sides/albums.  I've got quite a few, but they tend to be from the late '50s and on. 
> "Festival Junction" is amazing.  It was so good my wife took notice.  That whole album is amazing.
> Michael Fitzgerald wrote:
> > At 11:18 PM 2/3/2007, you wrote:
> > > Someone on this list probably has encyclopedic knowledge of Duke Ellington.  In all my Ellington 
> > > stuff, I can only think of two records with solos by Harry Carney.  Any recommendations?
> >
> > There are a bunch - some briefer than others. The following is by no means complete.
> >
> > Sophisticated Lady (many - but not all - recordings)
> > Frustration (many recordings)
> > Got Everything But You (1928)
> > I Must Have That Man (1928)
> > Stepping Into Swing Society (1938)
> > Jack The Bear (1940)
> > So Far, So Good (1940)
> > Cotton Tail (1940)
> > Blue Goose (1940)
> > At A Dixie Roadside Diner (1940)
> > My Greatest Mistake (1940)
> > Sepia Panorama (1940)
> > Five O'Clock Whistle (1940)
> > Sidewalks Of New York (1940)
> > Jumpin' Punkins (1941)
> > John Hardy's Wife (1941)
> > Chocolate Shake (1941)
> > The Brown-Skinned Gal (1941)
> > I Don't Know What Kind Of Blues I Got (1941)
> > Perdido (1942)
> > I Don't Mind (1942)
> > Work Song (from Black, Brown, & Beige) (1944)
> > Prelude To A Kiss (1945)
> > Black And Tan Fantasy (1945)
> > In A Sentimental Mood (1945)
> > Blues Is The Night (1946)
> > Just You, Just Me (1946)
> > My Honey's Lovin' Arms (1946)
> > Memphis Blues (1946)
> > Royal Garden Blues (1946)
> > Golden Feather (1946)
> > Progressive Gavotte (1947)
> > Ultra Deluxe (1953)
> > Falling Like A Raindrop (1954)
> > Festival Junction (1956)
> > Prima Bara Dubla (1958, with Gerry Mulligan)
> > Villes Ville Is The Place, Man (1959)
> > In A Mellotone (1959)
> > Stay Awake (from Mary Poppins) (1964)
> > Agra (from Far East Suite) (1966)
> > A Chromatic Love Affair (1967)
> >
> > Carney also was featured clarinet soloist on Rockin' In Rhythm. He can be heard on bass clarinet 
> > on I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart and Black Beauty (both 1945). Early on he played alto and 
> > soprano as well and solos on alto on What Can A Poor Fellow Do and on soprano on Blue Bubbles 
> > (both 1927). Be careful in this early period since Otto Hardwick also played baritone (and bass 
> > sax) and some baritone solos are by him.
> >
> > I believe the DESOR discography - Duke Ellington's Story On Records - by Massagli, Pusateri and 
> > Volonte indicates soloists, so if you really want a comprehensive list, it should be able to 
> > supply the information.
> >
> > Lastly, FWIW, Carney led a few dates - 1946 for HRS (now on a Mosaic boxed set); 1947 for WAX 
> > (now on a Storyville CD); 1947 for Clef (on the Verve CD The Jazz Scene); 1954 for Clef (now on a 
> > Ben Webster Verve CD); and 1960 for Columbia.
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >
> > mike at jazzdiscography.com
> > www.jazzdiscography.com