Monday 16 May 2022

Woody Herman born 16 May 1903


Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987), better known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and Big band leader. During his lifetime, he led some of the most exciting big bands of the twentieth century. His bands changed styles and approaches to jazz but still managed to keep their musical integrity. 

Herman was born Woodrow Charles Thomas Herman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His parents were Otto and Myrtle  Herman. His mother was Polish. His father had a deep love for show business and this influenced Woody Herman at an early age. As a child he worked as a singer and tap-dancer in Vaudeville, then started to play the clarinet and saxophone by age 12. In 1931, he met Charlotte Neste, an aspiring actress; they married on September 27, 1936. 

Woody Herman joined the Tom Gerun band and his first recorded vocals were "Lonesome Me" and "My Heart's at Ease". Herman also performed with the Harry Sosnick orchestra, Gus Arnheim and Isham Jones. Isham Jones wrote many popular songs, including "It Had to Be You" and at some point was tiring of the demands of leading a band. Jones wanted to live off the residuals of his songs; Woody Herman saw the chance to lead his former band, and eventually acquired the remains of the orchestra after Jones' retirement.  This band became known for its orchestrations of the blues and was sometimes billed as "The Band That Plays The Blues".


                              

On April 12, 1939 Woody Herman recorded his greatest commercial and mega popular hit record "Woodchoppers' Ball", featuring Woody on clarinet, Neal Ried on trombone, Saxie Mansfield on Sax, Steady Nelson on trumpet and Hy White on guitar. Other big early hits were "Blue Flame," "Dupree Blues", "Blues Upstairs and Downstairs" and "Blues in the Night" with Joe Bishop on flugelhorn, Tommy Linehans on piano, Cappy Lewis on trumpet, and the strong rhythm team of Walt Yoder and Frankie Carlson. This popular swing band took off and was listed number three in the country in a popularity poll by Down Beat Magazine in 1940. This band recorded for the Decca label. The band was first pinned "Herman's Herd" in a Martin band instrument advertisement in the same magazine on April 1, 1941. 

This band's music was heavily influenced by Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Its lively, swinging arrangements, combining bop themes with swing rhythm parts, were greatly admired; Igor Stravinsky wrote "Ebony Concerto" for this band. Other pieces for which the band was known include "Caldonia" and "Northwest Passage." During this time, Woody Herman recorded for the Columbia label. Featured musicians were trumpeter Sonny Berman, trumpeter/arranger Neil Hefti, trumpeter/vocalist Steady Nelson, tenor saxophonist Flip Phillips, trombonist Bill Harris, vibraphonist Red Norvo, pianist/arranger Ralph Burns, drummers Davey Tough and Don Lamond and bassist Chubby Jackson, who was the driving force/talent scout behind the bands progressive development. 

Herman was forced to disband the orchestra in 1946 at the height of its success, his only financially successful band, to spend more time with his wife and family. During this time, he and his family had just moved into the former Hollywood home of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Another reason Herman may have disbanded was his wife Charlotte's growing problems with alcoholism and pill addiction. In 1947 Herman organized the Second Herd and in 1948 moved to the Capitol label. This band featured a cooler sound, provided by such musicians as Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Serge Chaloff, Al Cohn, Gene Ammons, Lou Levy, Oscar Pettiford, Terry Gibbs, Shelly Manne, and Herbie Steward. Among this band's hits were "Early Autumn," "The Goof and I," and "Four Brothers". This band was also known as the Four Brothers band. 

Herman's many later bands included the Third Herd and the New Thundering Herd. He was known for hiring the best young musicians and using their arrangements. His band's book consequently came to be heavily influenced by rock and roll. By the 1970s, Herman had returned to straight forward jazz, dropping some of the newer, even rock-oriented approaches. A highlight of the nineteen seventies was the appearance of the Woody Herman orchestra with Frank Sinatra at Madison Square Garden for his "Main Event" television special and "Main Event" recording for Reprise records. 

Herman continued to perform into the 1980s, after the death of his wife and with his health in decline, chiefly to pay back taxes that were owed because of his business manager's bookkeeping in the 1960s. Herman owed the IRS millions of dollars and was in danger of eviction from his home. With this added stress, Herman was forced to continue working long after he should have been enjoying a retirement. He delegated most of his duties to leader of the reed section, Frank Tiberi, before his death in 1987. Tiberi leads the band in performances to this day. 

( Edited from Jazz Music Archives & Some Jazz and Swing blog)

13 comments:

boppinbob said...

For “Woody Herman - The Quintessence, 1939-1962 (2019 Fremeaux Heritage)” go here:

https://workupload.com/file/2uHAMRggUxs

01. At the Woodchopper's Ball
02. Apple Honey
03. Caldonia
04. Northwest Passage
05. Blowin' up a Storm
06. The Good Earth
07. Wildroot
08. Steps
09. Keen and Peachy
10. The Goof and I
11. Four Brothers
12. Summer Sequence, Pt. 4
13. That's Right
14. Lemon Drop
15. Early Automn
16. Keeper of the Flame
17. More Moon
18. Not Really the Blues
19. Lollypop
20. Stompin' at the Savoy
21. Men from Mars
22. Four Others
23. Misty Morning
24. Autobahn Blues
25. Wild Apple Honey
26. Cool Cat on a Hot Teen Roof
27. Captain Ahab
28. 9: 20 Special
29. Jumpin' at the Woodside
30. The Boot
31. It's Coolin Time
32. Lullaby of Birdland
33. Johnny on the Spot
34. Panatella
35. In a Misty Mood
36. Skoobeedoobee
37. Monmart Bus Ride
38. Hermosa Beach
39. Sister Sadie
40. Freud's and Alice'S

Frémeaux & Associés’ « Quintessence » products have undergone an analogical and digital restoration process which is recognized throughout the world. This 2 CD set presents a selection of the best recordings by Woddy Herman between 1939 and 1962.

boppinbob said...

Here’s a whopping 50 album links of Woody Herman albums I picked up mainly from an old jazz forum. Incredibly they are still active as of this posting. I know because checked every one of them, but please note ONCE THE LINK IS DEAD then it’s gone. I will not be able to re-up as I have not got the files.
As they are mainly held by rapidgator, turbobit and FileCat, you will find restrictive download times, unless of course you have accounts with one or all. If not then patience is a virtue. I don’t think you’ll get such a comprehensive free discography anywhere else at present.

Albums marked (*) are from bluesever @ thebluesthatjazz (no restrictions)
(**) are from Mike1985 @ Jazz’n’Blues Club
(***) are from egroj @ egrojworld blog (no restrictions, password: egroj)
As always a very big thank you to all original up-poaders

(***) 1937 – woody Herman – 1937

https://ulozto.net/file/A7Ewy4O0T3TR/woody-herman-o-1937-rar

1943/44 - Woody Herman & His Orchestra - The Turning Point

https://dfiles.eu/files/3hz6mcxt8

1944 – Woody Herman – Live 1944 (2021 issue)

https://rapidgator.net/file/ace617b731c0f6338f4bb2e4c224f5a6/_Woody_Herman_-_Live_1944_(2021).rar.html

1946 - Woody Herman & His Orchestra - Ebony Concerto

https://rapidgator.net/file/d9954af998b92525e7c549f0dffa9e94/Woody_Herman_-_Ebony_Concerto_(1946).rar.html

1948 -Woody Herman - The Second Herd (1997 issue)

https://rapidgator.net/file/dd1912ea2a607afdbd4c00b20d0d64fe/Woody_Herman_-_The_Second_Herd_1948_(1948).rar.html

1948 - Woody Herman & The Second Herd - The Road Band Volumes 1 & 2 (2003 issue)

https://turbobit.net/lg4hu8n68uen.html

1948/50 - Woody Herman - Complete 1948-1950 Capitol Sessions (2001 issue)

https://rapidgator.net/file/d38aff962438c45c5303fbb85f505320/Woody_Herman_-_Complete_1948-1950_Capitol_Sessions.rar.html

1949 - Woody Herman & The Second Herd Plus Nat King Cole & His Trio - The California Concerts

https://rapidgator.net/file/3264585b1c8fa053bb2cb48228e1a434/Woody_Herman-Nat_King_Cole_-_The_California_Concerts_(1949).rar.html

1952/54 - Woody Herman - The Third Herd Volume 1 & 2

https://rapidgator.net/file/18c41184a4e09a34724bdd18931cd628/Woody_Herman_-_Third_Herd_Volume_1_&_2_(1952-1953).rar.html

1953 - Woody Herman And The Third Herd

https://rapidgator.net/file/51cc72a57a320f146619f1a91c404698/Woody_Herman_And_The_Third_Herd_%E2%80%93_Woody_Herman_And_The_Third_Herd_(1953).rar.html

1953/55 - Woody Herman - The Girl Upstairs

https://rapidgator.net/file/e6106033c0cdc3a1f2a5af4405ac6439/Woody_Herman_-_The_Girl_Upstairs_(2009).rar.html

(***) 1954 - Woody Herman With Erroll Garner - Music For Tired Lovers
https://ulozto.net/file/5F1yiPcR08KP/woody-herman-with-erroll-garner-o-music-for-tired-lovers-rar

1954 - The Woody Herman Band

https://rapidgator.net/file/60c8a63890d64f77a6722adadc30510d/The_Woody_Herman_Band_%E2%80%8E%E2%80%93_The_Woody_Herman_Band!_(1954).rar.html

1954 - Woody Herman - The Moon is Blue

https://rapidgator.net/file/087b0f08d22454b20a0ecea93973ad42/Woody_Herman_-The_Moon_is_Blue_(1954).rar.html

1954 - Woody Herman And His Third Herd - Omaha Nebraska (1980 issue)

https://rapidgator.net/file/392aaefe61d3990ae3297477a74de187/Woody_Herman_And_His_Third_Herd_-_Omaha_Nebraska_1954_(1954).rar.html

1954/55 - The Woody Herman Herd - Road Band!

https://rapidgator.net/file/2eca6f5169bd7d5d5962858ae8ca6cbb/Woody_Herman_-_Road_Band_!_(1954-1955).rar.html

1955 - Woody Herman And The Las Vegas Herd - Jackpot!

https://rapidgator.net/file/b0224d459f1b51b50744810a09348c3a/Woody_Herman_-_Jackpot!_(1955).rar.html

1955/56 - Woody Herman - Blues & Swing Groove

https://rapidgator.net/file/4fb18bee9248a756691b02b1753c4aa4/Woody_Herman_-_Blues_&_Swing_Groove_(1955-1956).rar.html

(**)1956 - Woody Herman - Woody Herman & His Orchestra (2000 issue) (2CD)

https://filecat.net/f/WO8uMN

boppinbob said...

1957 - Woody Herman And His Orchestra ‎– '58 Featuring The Preacher

https://rapidgator.net/file/eb1c1784450e04911333721b47cae1c4/Woody_Herman_And_His_Orchestra_%E2%80%8E%E2%80%93_'58_Featuring_The_Preacher_(1957).rar.html

1957 - Woody Herman & His Orchestra Featuring Bill Harris - Live In Stereo At Marion (1991 issue)

https://rapidgator.net/file/c301b8047066768c280da53483147e4c/Woody_Herman_-_Live_In_Stereo_At_Marion_June_8,_1957_(1957).rar.html

1958 - Woody Herman & His Orquestra - Live At Peacock Lane Hollywood (1991 issue)

https://turbobit.net/l6jccopgclpd.html

1958 - Woody Herman & His Orchestra - The Herd Rides Again

https://rapidgator.net/file/ef38217255600d99b283aa2e995fdeac/Woody_Herman_-_The_Herd_Rides_Again_(1958).rar.html

(**) 1958 - Woody Herman - Blowin' Up a Storm (1994 issue) (Flac files)

https://filecat.net/f/LK42mV

1958/60 - Woody Herman & His Thundering Herd - Crown Royal

https://rapidgator.net/file/0e99b0249b8b11ff885d107df64f5edd/Woody_Herman_-_Crown_Royal_(1958).rar.html

1959 - Woody Herman's Anglo-American Herd - In England

https://my-files.su/syowh2

1963 - Woody Herman – Encore

https://rapidgator.net/file/b70b6132fce98e1a0cda7a93ee843a1c/Woody_Herman_%E2%80%8E%E2%80%93_Encore_(1963).rar.html

1963 - Woody Herman & The Fourth Herd - Live In Stereo: 1963 Summer Tour

https://rapidgator.net/file/b2dc6fc6f028c9d532da793d76ff6941/Woody_Herman_-_Live_In_Stereo_-_1963_Summer_Tour_(1963).rar.html

1964 - Woody Herman - Live in '64

https://rapidgator.net/file/bd803a3c0f3c58c4fdada884f78b5b6e/Woody_Herman_-_Live_in_'64_(1964).rar.html

1964 - Woody Herman - The Swinging Herman Herd Recored Live

https://rapidgator.net/file/bdc33b4fda5ef96be06e5aa1f0f84408/Woody_Herman_-_The_Swinging_Herman_Herd_Recored_Live_(1964).rar.html

1964 - Woody Herman - And His Swinging Heard

https://rapidgator.net/file/67ecd92171315f0697f28512283abe1f/Woody_Herman_-_And_His_Swinging_Heard_1964_(1964).rar.html

(*)1965 - Woody Herman & His Swinging Herd - My Kind Of Broadway

https://disk.yandex.com/d/AEMjrgJihT4pM

(*)1965 - Woody Herman - Jazz Hoot & Woody's Winners (2001 issue)
https://disk.yandex.com/d/3rOptysKhegcp

(*) 1965 - Woody Herman - Live In Antibes (1988 issue)

https://disk.yandex.com/d/FmxIRsM5hT2rb

(*) 1967 - Woody Herman Orchestra – Vienna

https://disk.yandex.com/d/aIaxIAaOhTDKs

boppinbob said...

1968 - Woody Herman - Light My Fire

https://turbobit.net/2pawpftqs3qc.html

1969 - Woody Herman - Blue Flame

https://rapidgator.net/file/01fdceea94d3ef861c70942035b1f44c/Woody_Herman_-_Blue_Flame_(1969).rar.html

1969 – Heavy Exposure

https://rapidgator.net/file/5402c04439f0d4349856b96708723e11/Woody_Herman_-_Heavy_Exposure.rar.html

(**) 1972 - Woody Herman - The Raven Speaks (Flac files)

https://filecat.net/f/S5d5s8

(**) 1973 - Woody Herman - Giant Steps (1994 issue) (Flac files)

https://filecat.net/f/nfj2s8

1976 - Woody Herman - Woody Herman And His Big Band In Poland

https://turbobit.net/dfdj5xzz81y2.html

1976 - Woody Herman - 17:30

https://turbobit.net/lkyb9ucaauwy.html

(*) 1977 - Woody Herman – Woody Herman And His Big Band In Poland

https://disk.yandex.com/d/nkbOhDC-3KcQaG

1978 - The Woody Herman Orchestra - Blue Flame

https://rapidgator.net/file/fa0fdd582f141130a6ff8f33bb93c7a1/Woody_Herman_Orchestra_-_Blue_Flame_(1978).rar.html

1978 - Woody Herman - Philharmonie, Berlin DEU

https://rapidgator.net/file/a567f8c5d937c0851fe4900f370f5b87/Woody_Herman_-_Philharmonie,_Berlin_DEU_(1978).rar.html

1978 - Woody Herman & His Thundering Herd - Fatha Herman And His Thundering Herd

https://turbobit.net/wk4d017zq2hv.html

(**) 1981 - The Woody Herman Big Band - Live At The Concord Jazz Festival (2002 issue)

https://filecat.net/f/l4KlNZ

1982 - The Woody Herman Big Band - Aurex Jazz Festival

https://rapidgator.net/file/b1d9b1e8dd4d4c27d3f02b4fcbdcc37c/The_Woody_Herman_Big_Band_-_Aurex_Jazz_Festival_'82_(1982).rar.html

(*) 1983 - Rosemary Clooney & Woody Herman – My Buddy

https://disk.yandex.com/d/uAP9P1gShSxMF

1984 - Woody Herman and the Young Thundering Herd - Big Bands At Disneyland

https://rapidgator.net/file/b7565c6d4fcf5e6cef0a607991b1ce6c/Woody_Herman_and_the_Young_Thundering_Herd_-_Big_Bands_At_Disneyland_(1984).rar.html

(**) 1995 - Woody Herman - Verve Jazz Masters 54 (1960’s recordings)

https://filecat.net/f/dnU1TG

2005 - Woody Herman - The Genius Of Clarinet

https://turbobit.net/rkixzbe0jg7d.html

boppinbob said...

P.S. Thanks to egroj for suggesting todays birthday musician.

Crab Devil said...

Gulp! And me only stopping by for that one "Woodchopper" tune! (Just kidding: thanks for this mega-post.)

egroj.jazz said...

Great and Superb Post Bob!!
Many Thanks!!

Anonymous said...

No importa la cantidad, aún soy joven ;)

rev.b said...

@Crab Devil, I hear ya. Talk about eye poppin'...
@BB, I can't imagine I'll ever get around to listening all of this, nut thank you for digging this all up and making it available.

Guitarradeplastico,scraping oddities said...

Many thanks

plus fabulous record:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fujdb1LoMH8
https://soundcloud.com/rip-city-digital/the-woody-herman-big-band

https://www.discogs.com/es/release/2121023-The-Woody-Herman-Band-Chick-Donald-Walter-Woodrow
Arranged By – Alan Broadbent (pistas: B4), Bill Stapleton (pistas: B2), Chick Corea (pistas: A1 to A3), Gary Anderson (pistas: B5), Joe Roccisano (pistas: B1), Victor Feldman (pistas: B3)

shagasha said...

Thanks for this posting: riding your advice on patience, I was able to get all 50 postings.
Thanks again.

peterhaslund said...

Thanks a million. Could you reup the 1968 "Light my fire" album? It's pretty hard to come by and I can't rip my vinyl (o:
Cheers, Pete

boppinbob said...

Sorry Peter but as I stated in second comment These are not my links and once gone they are gone! I never downloaded any of the 50 albums just checked the links which at that time were all working.