Les
Elgart (August 3, 1917, New Haven, Connecticut-July 29, 1995, Dallas, Texas)
was an American swing jazz bandleader and trumpeter.
Along
with his brother Larry, trumpeter Les Elgart led one of the more popular swing
orchestras of the '50s. His smooth, tightly arranged sound helped keep the
declining big band style alive on the charts for a little while longer, and his
later reunions with Larry often produced stylistic detours into contemporary
easy listening trends.
Elgart
was born August 3, 1917, in New Haven, CT, to parents who both played the
piano; he took up the trumpet in his early teens and was already performing
professionally by the time he turned 20. During the early '40s, Elgart
performed in orchestras led by Raymond Scott, Charlie Spivak, and Harry James,
among others, and sometimes wound up in the same groups as his sax-playing
brother, Larry.
The
two formed their own orchestra in 1945, and hired top-notch arrangers like
Nelson Riddle, Ralph Flanagan, and Bill Finegan. However, a number of factors
conspired against them: the Musicians' Union recording strike, the declining
popularity of live swing music, conflicts over leadership, and the end of World
War II. They wound up disbanding in 1946, and Les and Larry went their separate
ways, making a living as freelancers in whatever orchestras could pay them.
The
Elgart brothers reunited in 1952, with arranger Charles Albertine in tow.
Taking advantage of new recording technology, they crafted a more nuanced,
subtle sound that was lighter in tone and rhythm; it relied on tight brass and
saxophone sections, and eliminated the piano and nearly all soloing. The 1953
LP Sophisticated Swing established this new blueprint, and a subsequent series
of albums on Columbia over the next few years proved quite successful.
Charles
Albertine's tune "Bandstand Boogie" was first recorded by the Elgart
band on 1/29/54 and was issued soon thereafter on Columbia single 40180 (both
78 and 45rpm). Eventually adopted as the theme music for the local
"Bandstand" afternoon dance program on Philadelphia's WFIL-TV, the
recording, and show host Dick Clark, remained relatively unknown outside of
Philly until ABC-TV went national with "American Bandstand" in August
of '57.
Their
biggest sellers were 1956's The Elgart Touch and the following year's For
Dancers Also, both of which reached the Top 15 on the LP charts; they weren't
as successful on the singles side, although they did have a minor hit with
their theme to "The Man With the Golden Arm," and their original
"Bandstand Boogie." Nominal co-leader Les spent more and more time handling the
business side of things, and eventually stopped performing altogether in the
late '50s; he left the band and moved to California, and Larry officially took
over the musical direction (he'd pretty much taken charge already).
Les
reunited with Larry once again in 1963, by which time Larry had moved into more
of a contemporary easy listening sound, blending rock, pop, swing, exotica,
lounge, and space age bachelor
pad music. Charles Albertine returned as arranger early on, but soon left to work in the TV/film industry, and was replaced by Bobby Scott. Released in 1964, Command Performance! was their last charting album, but a number of other albums from this era later became popular with lounge collectors, particularly 1967's Girl Watchers. That was one of the brothers' final recordings together, as Les retired to Texas and performed only occasionally. (Larry, meanwhile, found commercial success in the early '80s as mastermind of the popular Hooked on Swing medley albums.)
pad music. Charles Albertine returned as arranger early on, but soon left to work in the TV/film industry, and was replaced by Bobby Scott. Released in 1964, Command Performance! was their last charting album, but a number of other albums from this era later became popular with lounge collectors, particularly 1967's Girl Watchers. That was one of the brothers' final recordings together, as Les retired to Texas and performed only occasionally. (Larry, meanwhile, found commercial success in the early '80s as mastermind of the popular Hooked on Swing medley albums.)
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Les & Larry Elgart – Best Of Big Bands, Vol. 1
http://uploaded.net/file/b6p6uirc
01. Skyliner (2:15)
02. Mood Indigo (2:42)
03. Song Of India (2:37)
04. So Rare (2:53)
05. Woodchopper’s Ball (1:40)
06. Sentimental Journey (2:27)
07. Blues In The Night (2:48)
08. You Made Me Love You (2:30)
09. My Heart Belongs To Daddy (1:59)
10. Tuxedo Junction (2:48)
11. Jersey Bounce (2:39)
12. One O’Clock Jump (2:14)
13. Caravan (2:13)
14. A String Of Pearls (3:09)
15. Little Brown Jug (2:15)
16. Green Eyes (2:30)
17. The Continental (2:25)
18. Cherokee (2:01)
19. And The Angels Sing (2:33)
20. Poinciana (2:23)
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