Portrait of Charlie Barnet, Part I (Podcast #22-001)

Ellington Reflections

https://ellingtonreflections.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/portrait-of-charlie-barnet-part-i.mp3

“Charlie Barnet has always been a wonderful friend to me. Because of his musicianship, good judgement, and good taste, he has always had people working for him whose potential was immense. Some who come to my mind are Lena Horne, Kay Starr, Judy Ellington, Clark Terry, Billy May, Andy Gibson, Willie Smith, Al Killian, and Spud Murphy. At the same time, he constantly bolstered my ego by playing a book almost full of our compositions. The arrangements of our things – no copycat versions – were done to fit the Charlie Barnet band, and they were suitable for whatever occasion he played.”

Duke Ellington, Music is my Mistress

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A big thank you to Ulf Lundin and the Duke Ellington Society of Sweden for the kind words and support for this podcast! You can hear his interview with me here.

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With a vocal and dancing by Bunny Briggs

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Charlie Barnet, Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey in a scene from “A Song is Born”

Duke’s “Dallas Doings” figures into Andy Gibson’s arrangement of “Rockin’ in Rhythm” for the Charlie Barnet band. (Barnet credits it to Billy May in his autobiography.)

Charlie Barnet’s autobiography is out of print, but used copies can be cheaply found at the bookfinder.com website – here.

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This song was written to “commemorate” the Palomar fire.

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The recordings heard on this podcast episode:

In A Mizz (CD: “The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra” Mosaic Records #248)

Recorded 12 June 1939, New York City

Wallace Jones, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwick, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Billy Taylor – bass; Sonny Greer – drums; Ivie Anderson – vocal.

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Moonlight Fiesta (CD: ”The Complete 1936-1940 Variety, Vocalion and Okeh Small Group Sessions” Mosaic Records #235)

Recorded 16 June 1937, New York City

Barney Bigard and his Jazzopators: Rex Stewart – cornet; Juan Tizol – valve trombone; Barney Bigard – clarinet; Harry Carney – baritone sax; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Billy Taylor – bass; Sonny Greer – drums; Charlie Barnet – maracas.From “The Duke, where and when” (www.tdwaw.ca)

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The Duke’s Idea (CD: “Charlie Barnet, 1913-1991” Classic Jazz Archive 222011-306)

Recorded 10 September 1939, Los Angeles

Bobby Burnet, John Owens, Lyman Vunk, Billy May – trumpet; Don Ruppersberg, Bill Robertson, Ben Hall – trombone; Gene Kinsey, Don McCook – alto sax; Charlie Barnet, Kurt Bloom, Skippy Martin – tenor sax; Bill Miller – piano; Bus Etri – guitar; Phil Stephens – bass; Ray Michaels – drums.

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Ebony Rhapsody (CD: “Duke Ellington, The Centennial Edition” RCA Victor ‎– 09026-63386-2)

Recorded 14 April 1934, Los Angeles

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Freddie Jenkins – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums; Ivie Anderson – vocal.

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Ebony Rhapsody (CD: “Charlie Barnet, 1913-1991” Classic Jazz Archive 222011-306)

Recorded 26 June 1939, New York City

Bobby Burnet, John Owens, Johnny Mendel – trumpet; Don Ruppersberg, Bill Robertson, Ben Hall – trombone; Gene Kinsey, Curt Bloom, Don McCook – alto sax; Charlie Barnet, Kurt Bloom, Skippy Martin – tenor sax; Nat Jaffe – piano; Bus Etri – guitar; Phil Stephens – bass; Ray Michaels – drums.

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Jubilesta (CD: “The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra” Mosaic Records #248)

Recorded 20 September 1937, New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart, Freddie Jenkins – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwick, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Billy Taylor – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

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Emperor Jones (CD: ” The Charlie Barnet Collection 1935-47″ Fabulous FADCD2039)

Recorded 5 August 1937, New York City

Jack Koven, Jimmy Milazzo, Frankie Newton – trumpet; John D’Agostino, Bob Fishel – trombone; Charlie Barnet, Harry Carrel, Ernie Driven, Kurt Bloom – saxes; Ludwig Flato – piano; George Cuomo – guitar; John Kirby -bass; Joe Dale – drums.

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The Gal from Joe’s (CD: “Duke Ellington: The Columbia Years 1927-1962” Columbia 5176872)

Recorded 2 February 1938, New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart, Freddie Jenkins – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwick, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Billy Taylor, Hayes Alvis – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

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The Gal from Joe’s (CD: ” The Charlie Barnet Collection 1946-50″ Fabulous AADCD3345)

Recorded 20 September 1947, Los Angeles

Charlie Barnet – soprano sax, alto sax, tenor sax; Clark Terry, Doc Severinsen, James Nottingham, Joseph Graves, Jimmy Campbell – trumpet; Porky Cohen, Herbert Harper, Freddie Zito – trombone; Walt Weidler, Salvatore Dottore – alto sax; Jack Henderson, Don Raffell – tenor sax; Robert Dawes – baritone sax; Claude Williamson – piano; Robert Bain – guitar; Don Tosti -bass; Richard Shanahan – drums.

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Things Ain’t What They Used To Be (CD: ” The Charlie Barnet Collection 1935-47″ Fabulous FADCD2039)

Recorded 28 July 1942, New York City

Charlie Barnet – alto sax; Irving Berger, Joseph Ferrante, Charles Zimmerman, Peanuts Holland – trumpet; Kahn Keene, Wally Barron, Bill Robertson, Russell Brown – trombone; George Bone, Murray Williams, Bob Elden – alto sax; Kurt Bloom – tenor sax; James Lamare – tenor and baritone sax; Bill Miller – piano; Tom Moore – guitar; Jack Jarvis – bass; Cliff Leeman – drums.

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Rockin’ in Rhythm (CD: “Charlie Barnet, 1913-1991” Classic Jazz Archive 222011-306)

Recorded 19 June 1940, New York City

Bobby Burnet, John Owens, Lyman Vunk, Billy May – trumpet; Don Ruppersberg, Bill Robertson, Claude “Spud” Murphy – trombone; Gene Kinsey, Leo White – alto sax; Charlie Barnet, Kurt Bloom – tenor sax; James Lamare – baritone sax; Bill Miller – piano; Bus Etri – guitar; Phil Stephens – bass; Ray Michaels – drums.

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Rockin’ in Rhythm (CD: ” The Charlie Barnet Collection 1946-50″ Fabulous AADCD3345)

Recorded 20 September 1947, Los Angeles

Charlie Barnet – soprano sax, alto sax, tenor sax; Clark Terry, Doc Severinsen, James Nottingham, Joseph Graves, Jimmy Campbell – trumpet; Porky Cohen, Herbert Harper, Freddie Zito – trombone; Walt Weidler, Salvatore Dottore – alto sax; Jack Henderson, Don Raffell – tenor sax; Robert Dawes – baritone sax; Claude Williamson – piano; Robert Bain – guitar; Don Tosti -bass; Richard Shanahan – drums, Bunny Briggs – vocal.

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— Our closing music —-

It’s Something You Ought To Know (Paul Gonsalves – “Ellingtonia Moods and Blues,” RCA Victor / RCA63562)

Recorded 29 February 1960, New York City

Paul Gonsalves- tenor sax; Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Ray Nance – cornet; Mitchell “Booty” Wood – trombone; Jimmy Jones – piano; Al Hall – bass; Oliver Jackson – drums.

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