Counting Woody Pines

First up, the return of the Herd for “The Herd Rides Again In Stereo” ten or so years after the First Herd roared across America between the years 1945-1948. Original members like Chuck Jackson are joined by the likes of Bob Brookmeyer who had played with the Herd for 7 weeks way back in 1952 and other fine musicians like Billy Bauar, Nat Pierce, Al Cohn and Don Lamond. A year later and another reunion of sorts as “The Fourth Herd” stampede into town! This time, however, we have a band playing within a band!? That is, an octet featuring Woody Herman, Zoot Sims, Nat Adderley, Eddie Costa and the big band rhythm section all basking in the “inspiring warmth” of the big orchestra”…

Woody Herman had a breakthrough during the period of time covered by Classics' third Herman CD. The Apr. 12, 1939, session yielded "Woodchopper's Ball," Herman's first hit, and it also featured "Dallas Blues," "Blues Downstairs," and "Blues Upstairs." From then on, Herman's first group would be known as "The Band That Plays the Blues." Other highlights of this enjoyable CD include four titles featuring singer Connie Boswell, the Andrews Sisters guesting on "Begin the Beguine," some vocals by Mary Ann McCall, and the tracks "The Sheik of Araby" and "Farewell Blues." Despite the lack of any major soloists (beyond the leader), things were definitely looking up by August 1939 for Herman.

These are not your usual recordings. They are field recordings, created by fans on cassette tapes with equipment sitting on jazz club tables or attached to house sound systems, catching a master jazz musician and his band in acts of purest creativity. Woody has been labeled by many jazz critics and historians as the "Last Great Innovator" and has influenced jazz performers of all instruments ever since his arrival on the scene in the early 60s and beyond his death in 1989. Previously unreleased field recordings from the 1970's and '80's courtesy of Woody Shaw III and Steve Turre. Produced with the help of the Woody Shaw Global Arts Foundation. Liner notes include commentary by jazz historian Tammy Kernodle and jazz trumpeter/educator Pat Harbison.

In the early '60s, the U.S. government came up with the idea to tape jazz instrumentalists and vocalists for special programs aimed at recruiting young men for the National Guard. While it seems puzzling that male teenagers of the era would be drawn to the likes of Sarah Vaughan and Woody Herman, both of whom are heard in this program, the music is superb. Vaughan's vocals are on the money throughout, especially in the lush treatment of "On Green Dolphin Street" (with Herman's clarinet in the background), along with one of her most requested numbers, "Poor Butterfly." Herman's instrumentals include a swing version of "Muskrat Ramble," along with oft-requested numbers like "Woodchopper's Ball" and "Four Brothers"…

This CD is quite a bit different than most audiophile releases for it contains rare rather than famous recordings. 1959's The Fourth Herd (which features an all-star group of studio musicians and Woody Herman alumni along with his octet of the time) was only put out briefly by Jazzland while the music on 1962's The New World of Woody Herman was never available commercially before; both were originally cut for the SESAC Transcribed Library and were available only to selected radio stations on a subscription basis…

This LP finds Herman's Third Herd in its prime. Rather than just revisiting his celebrated past, he and his orchestra primarily perform then-recent material, much of it arranged by Ralph Burns. Highlights include a big-band version of Horace Silver's "Opus De Funk," Burns's "Cool Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "I Remember Duke" and Bill Holman's reworking of "Where or When." With tenors Richie Kamuca and Dick Hafer, trumpeter Dick Collins and bass trumpeter Cy Touff as the main soloists, The Third Herd had developed into a particularly strong unit by the mid-'50s.