[Dixielandjazz] trumpeters

[Charles Suhor]

If you’re looking for a no-compromise jazz artist, that’s not Al Hirt. Al was something of a chameleon—staring with his early career, he became a thorough musician, lead big band trumpeter, “showcase” instrumentalist, swing era combo soloist, Dixieland band leader, commercial sellout, swinging eclectic jazzman, and sadly, a broken-down old man who performed badly in a wheelchair….  If you’re looking for one of those guys and hear a different one, you’ll be disappointed. The point is that he could, when the climate would bear it, swing his butt off. But seldom on record. When the rhythm section at his club made up of Fred Crane, piano, Jay Cave. bass, and Jimmy Zitano, drums, I heard some truly remarkable jazz trumpet. Much later, past the “He’s the King” years, his bassist Bill Huntington sent me a video of Al's combo on the road playing “Indiana” that blew me away. It’s hard to assess a career like that, but I’m happy that he zigzagged through the music scene and landed at some great spots along the way. HUGE side effect—the Dukes, Pete, Al, and Preservation Hall re-branded N.O. as a tourist site for Dixieland and traditional jazz between 1956 and 1961. 

Charlie

 
> On Nov 14, 2015, at 9:01 AM, Paul Kurtz Jr <phktrumpet at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> As a trumpet player and performer, I would like to be both as talented and as boring as Al Hirt was. He was an influence in my early life and after going through a period where he didn’t have a “dark and classical enough tone” when he worked with the Boston Pops, I’ve re-listened to, and yes, bought a ton of stuff and gained a great appreciation of both his talent and live performances and persona. Marek, my friend, (and yes, you are), you will have another disagreer on this one for a fact. That plumber become famous trumpeter is up in my pantheon. 
> 
> I’ll say this, too; I’ll bet that if everything he did in his own place had been captured, there’d be some performances that would raise your hair and some fun that would have you saying, “Well! That’s true entertainment!” I think he restrained himself on some of his notablle recordings when he should’ve just cut loose! That includes Bugler’s Holiday with the Boston Pops. 
> 
> Paul Kurtz Jacksonville, FL
>> On Nov 14, 2015, at 8:43 AM, Jim Kashishian <jim at kashprod.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Marek wrote, speaking of Al Hirt:  >although technically brilliant, was
>> extremely boring.
>> 
>> There, Marek, we will have to remain in disagreement.  After all, both of
>> our opinions are just that...personal opinions.
>> 
>> Perhaps you never heard Al Hirt's "Pier (is it?) 56" album with Pete
>> Fountain & Bob Havens.  The music on that album is far from boring.  
>> 
>> I love their fun version of the Saints where each of the wind instruments
>> takes a note.  Not easy to do, as the 4 notes do not divide up evenly
>> between the 3 instruments, so you get a different note at each pass!
>> Probably more fun for the player than the listener!
>> 
>> Jim
>> 
>> 
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