After early experience in Chicago with the bands led by Tom Gerun and Harry Sosnik, Woody Herman toured with Gus Arnheim. In 1934, he joined Isham Jones, and when Jones's group disbanded in 1936 Herman used its leading sidemen as the nucleus for his own orchestra. This band went through a number of changes of personnel, such as the inclusion in 1943 of Chubby Jackson and in 1944 of Neal Hefti, Ralph Burns, Flip Phillips, and Bill Harris (by the mid-1940s, under the name Herman's Herd, it was internationally famous for the force and originality of its music. Herman reformed the band in 1947, and the distinctive feature of the Second Herd was the group of saxophonists (three tenor and one baritone) who came to be known as the Four Brothers; among the musicians who played in the section were Serge Chaloff, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, and Gene Ammons.
After the demise of the Second Herd in 1949, Herman continued to lead bands; these were perhaps less creative, but their consistently high level of musicianship assured his continuing reputation. The Anglo-American Herd, which he organized in 1959, was significant in the history of English Jazz; another of the more distinctive later bands, the Swinging Herd, was formed in 1962 and featured such excellent soloists as Bill Chase, Phil Wilson, and Sal Nistico. Herman broadened his scope in the late 1960s, when he took up soprano saxophone and included young jazz-rock players in his groups. He toured widely in the 1970s, and in the early 1980s held a residency in a club in New Orleans. Thereafter he worked principally on the West Coast, before taking up another residency in the St. Regis Hotel, New York, in 1985. He celebrated his 50th anniversary as bandleader with the formation of a new orchestra in 1986.
Although Herman's instrumental expertise was considerable, his essential importance was as an organizer. His rare ability to assemble and sustain bands notable for the quality of their musicians grew especially clear in the late years of World War II, when his group consisted of brilliant improvisers whose ensemble playing was exuberant and incisive; Igor Stravinsky was so impressed by its sound that in 1945 he composed his Ebony Concerto for the band. The harmonic procedures of bop influenced Herman's next orchestra even more deeply, confirming his freedom from the contemporary sectarianism in jazz. The ebullient Lemon Drop (1948) with its succession of exciting improvisations illustrates Herman's shrewd open-mindedness as a bandleader as do more overtly ambitious recordings like the two-part Lady McGowan's Dream (1946) and the four-part Summer Sequence (1946-7), both composed by Burns.
https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/woodyherman
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Tras una temprana experiencia en Chicago con las bandas lideradas por Tom Gerun y Harry Sosnik, Woody Herman hizo una gira con Gus Arnheim. En 1934, se unió a Isham Jones, y cuando el grupo de Jones se disolvió en 1936, Herman utilizó a sus compañeros principales como núcleo de su propia orquesta. Esta banda pasó por varios cambios de personal, como la inclusión en 1943 de Chubby Jackson y en 1944 de Neal Hefti, Ralph Burns, Flip Phillips y Bill Harris (a mediados de la década de 1940, bajo el nombre de Herman's Herd, fue internacionalmente famosa por la fuerza y la originalidad de su música. Herman reformó la banda en 1947, y el rasgo distintivo de la Segunda Manada fue el grupo de saxofonistas (tres tenores y un barítono) que llegaron a ser conocidos como los Cuatro Hermanos; entre los músicos que tocaron en la sección estaban Serge Chaloff, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn y Gene Ammons.
Tras la desaparición de la Segunda Manada en 1949, Herman continuó dirigiendo bandas; éstas eran quizás menos creativas, pero su constante alto nivel de musicalidad aseguraba su continua reputación. La Anglo-American Herd, que organizó en 1959, fue importante en la historia del jazz inglés; otra de las bandas posteriores más distintivas, la Swinging Herd, se formó en 1962 y contó con excelentes solistas como Bill Chase, Phil Wilson y Sal Nistico. Herman amplió su ámbito de actuación a finales del decenio de 1960, cuando se dedicó al saxofón soprano e incluyó a jóvenes músicos de jazz-rock en sus grupos. Hizo muchas giras en los 70 y a principios de los 80 hizo una residencia en un club de Nueva Orleans. A partir de entonces trabajó principalmente en la Costa Oeste, antes de hacer otra residencia en el Hotel St. Regis, Nueva York, en 1985. Celebró su 50 aniversario como director de banda con la formación de una nueva orquesta en 1986.
Aunque la experiencia instrumental de Herman era considerable, su importancia esencial era como organizador. Su rara habilidad para reunir y sostener bandas notables por la calidad de sus músicos se hizo especialmente evidente en los últimos años de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, cuando su grupo estaba formado por brillantes improvisadores cuya interpretación en conjunto era exuberante e incisiva; Igor Stravinsky quedó tan impresionado por su sonido que en 1945 compuso su Concierto de Ébano para la banda. Los procedimientos armónicos del bop influyeron aún más profundamente en la siguiente orquesta de Herman, confirmando su libertad del sectarismo contemporáneo en el jazz. La exuberante Lemon Drop (1948), con su sucesión de emocionantes improvisaciones, ilustra la sagaz apertura de miras de Herman como director de banda, al igual que otras grabaciones más abiertamente ambiciosas como el Sueño de Lady McGowan (1946), en dos partes, y la Secuencia de verano (1946-7), en cuatro partes, ambas compuestas por Burns.
https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/woodyherman
Tracks:
01. Monmart Bus Ride
02. Aruba
03. Darn That Dream
04. Crown Royal
05. I Can't Get Started
06. The Grind
07. Off Shore
08. Single O
09. Afterglow
10. Hermosa Beach
Credits:
Baritone Saxophone – Jimmy Mosher
Bass – Larry Rockwell
Drums – Jimmy Campbell
Leader, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Woody Herman
Piano – Martin Harris
Tenor Saxophone [1st] – Don Lamphere
Tenor Saxophone [2nd], Flute – Gus Mas
Tenor Saxophone [3rd] – Larry McKenna
Trombone [1st] – Jimmy Guinn
Trombone [2nd] – George Hanna
Trombone [3rd] – Kent McGarity
Trumpet [1st] – Bill Chase
Trumpet [2nd] – Paul Fontaine
Trumpet [3rd] – Don Rader
Trumpet [4th] – Jimmy Bennett
Trumpet [5th] – Rolf Ericson
Recorded March 22, 1960 in Chicago at Universal Recorders
Label: Crown Records (2) – CLP 5180
Format: Vinyl, LP
Released: 1960
Genre: Jazz
Style: Big Band
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