[Dixielandjazz] Nelson Riddle + Frank Sinatra = Magic

[Steve barbone]

You said it Henry. Not only was Milt a monster player, but you can bet the
farm that each one of those 22 solo takes was DIFFERENT. . . improvised on
the spot one right after the other. Yessir, some may not consider Riddle or
Sinatra as "jazz" musicians, and some may not even know much about Milt
Bernhart, but IMO, they were all monster musicians and had more jazz in
their little fingers than most folks we know. They were folks that 1950's
jazz musicians used to classify as "swingers", or as "having soul". They had
an attitude mixed with expertise that produced some really fine music,
however we wish to define it.

Cheers,
Steve

on 1/12/06 11:10 PM, Henry Mason at hcmsjo at gmail.com wrote:

Hi Guys,

Speakin as the guy who has to play that solo just once on the occasional
gig, let me tell you that Milt Bernhart was a MONSTER if he did 22 takes on
it.    It is right at the top of the horn  (for normal folks anyway) and as
LOUD as you can blow.

I don't even like to see that thing come up in the third set.   As you might
guess,   that is when it most often gets requested.   I keep trying to get
the boy singer to forget the lyrics, but so far to no avail.

That is one of the best.... and the hardest.    Milt must have had an iron
jaw.