Thundering Herd

Thundering Herd

ASIN: B000000Z0Y

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The same wide-open ears that led Woody Herman to Igor Stravinsky, the innovative arrangements of Jimmy Giuffre for the Four Brothers band, and a host of great soloists from Stan Getz to Sal Nistico were still in evidence in 1974 when the veteran bandleader recorded this unusual set of tunes with a young band. Included are two compositions by John Coltrane ("Lazy Bird" and the beautiful ballad "Naima") and, more remarkable still, a vigorous and complex arrangement of Frank Zappa's "America Drinks and Goes Home." Throughout, the band members play with an energy that lets you know they're on the trail of something more than the mere re-creation of others' past glories, and the results succeed within the terms of the Herman tradition. There's nothing patronizing about this stimulating and unusual melding of musical approaches from across the generations. --Stuart Broomer

Tracks:

Concerto For Clarinet, Strings, Harp And Piano
Ebony Concerto: Allegro moderato
Ebony Concerto: Andante
Ebony Concerto: Moderato; Con moto
Prelude, Fugue And Riffs
Concerto For Clarinet And Orchestra: Cadenzas
Concerto For Clarinet And Orchestra: Elegy
Concerto For Clarinet And Orchestra: Antiphonal Toccata

Customer Reviews:

Sorry...Not a Stolzman Fan.......2006-12-14

I've played the clarinet for 15 years and also teaches music professionally and I have to warn you I am one of those nerds that will read the sheet music while listening...well I can tell you, NO ONE COMPARES TO STANLEY DRUCKER. I hear and read so many mistakes with Stolzman and it almost sounds like he's faking or playing the wrong notes...which can be understandable with Corigliano's concerto (it's harder than anything I've played).
I do have to admit that Stolzman plays with great character and you NEVER tell when he makes a mistake (Drucker is too much a perfectionist sometimes).

Forget Mozart!!! These are the Clarinet music I like..........2005-02-22

I actually own a previous version of the album, featuring all but Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto, but I have lots of good things to say about the top three clarinet music I really enjoy listening to.

Corigliano: As a person obsessed with the so-called Avant Garde Classical music (consider those like Pendericki, Glass, Boulez, etc.), Copland's Clarinet Concerto is nothing less than subtle. A complete travesty to those who love Mozart's I would have to say (sinister laughter)! Anyway, as with other music by the the composer, it's both highly barbaric, wild and intense in faster segments, and dark, solemn, and painful in slower sections. Both the orchestra and the brilliant clarinet soloist Richard Stolzman plays with much passion. I especially like the outer two, each frenzic in its own way. I just love listening to the constant scream-like high notes in those movements - the first more bitter and serious, and the third more witty and somewhat sardonic.

Copland: A complete shift from something vile to something much more innocent and enjoyable for causal listeners. Just having the soloist being accompanied by the string orchestra, harp, and piano also adds the effect. The first movement is slow, lyrical, and lulls you to peace, while the second movement is more active, more fun, with a bit of jazz-like elements. Stolzman has done a brilliant work playing both beautifully and richly in the first, and full of wit and color in the second, more than most other recordings I have heard.

Bernstein: This is the recording of the piece to look for, after finding myself somewhat not as pleased in the Bernstein/Goodman recording and the more disasterous Bernstein/Vienna one (Would you expect a world class European orchestra to play a piece not really part of their very genre, and across the Atlantic???). The jazz band in this recording is more enticing, more jazzy feeling. Excellent timbre in both brass and the saxophones (I love the honking sounds of baritone, and the soprano sounds very nostalgic as in the Roaring 20s). As for the clarinet solo, no offense Goodman, but Stolzman wins this one. More apparent musicality. In one section, he actually makes a huge glissiano from an A up to a E.

For those who like Mozart's Clarinet concerto, try getting out of this obstinate conservatism like the constant arpeggios themselves and be exposed to something more beyond the borderline.

Absolutely Unbelievable..........2002-12-30

Okay, at the risk of sounding crazy, Richard Stoltzman is the greatest thing that ever happened to clarinet music!! There are no words to describe the great talent he displays on this CD. I've personally perfomed the Copland Concerto (not anywhere nearly as well as him, though) and I'm baffled by his technical skill and how easy he makes it sound. I've heard many versions of this (including the original by Goodman) and Stoltzman's jazzy interpretation is wonderful and not at all over-done (as far as smears and what not). The Stravinsky is really nice, but might take a little getting used to.. I really enjoy it though. The Berstein is really nice, but I do agree w/ another review which said it was largely filler... there isn't a whole lot of clarinet in the "Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs", but what there is is fantastic.

Now, for the Corigliano. I've met Corigliano before, and the man is a genious (as is evident in his music). Beware of "Cadenzas"... it starts really soft, but gets really loud so be read to adjust the volume at a moments notice... The last movement is unbelievable... Stoltzman really showcases his abillities here. There is a quasi-cadenza in the clarinet in the third section after a little timpani solo that is amazing. I've listened to it several times and I still can't grasp how he makes the sounds he does (you really have to hear it to understand). While a little harder on the listener than a "typical" concerto, this one is really nice. Corigliano manages to showcase the most wonderful qualities of the clarinet AND create unique and inspiring sounds in the orchestra (especially in the first movement). This is a must have for any music lover (clarinetist or not).

A suberb interpreter of the modern clarinet.......2002-03-03

This CD showcases Richard Stoltzman's strength in jazz-oriented modern clarinet music. The selections are well-matched in their sound, yet still provide a diverse musical experience. You *will* enjoy this CD.

Essential Clarinet--not enough of it........2001-07-10

All right, Richard Stoltzman is awesome. Yes. We all know it. This CD is great in its own right, however...it's lacking more of what the title promises--the clarinet. The Copland Concerto is great (a little brighter than other recordings of his I've heard) and the Corigliano is different and VERY essoteric. However, the other pieces are primarily orchestral filling. This CD is all about style and attitude! If you're looking for something different, this CD is for you.

Average customer rating:

Woody Scores!
Creative arrangement
Surprisingly Good -- Especially For the '70s!
Swingin
The 70s Herd at their best.

Thundering Herd
Woody Herman
Manufacturer: Ojc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000000Z0Y
Release Date: 1995-06-20

Tracks:

Lazy Bird
Blues For Poland
What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
America Drinks And Goes Home
Naima
Corazon
Come Saturday Morning
Bass Folk Song

Amazon.com

The same wide-open ears that led Woody Herman to Igor Stravinsky, the innovative arrangements of Jimmy Giuffre for the Four Brothers band, and a host of great soloists from Stan Getz to Sal Nistico were still in evidence in 1974 when the veteran bandleader recorded this unusual set of tunes with a young band. Included are two compositions by John Coltrane ("Lazy Bird" and the beautiful ballad "Naima") and, more remarkable still, a vigorous and complex arrangement of Frank Zappa's "America Drinks and Goes Home." Throughout, the band members play with an energy that lets you know they're on the trail of something more than the mere re-creation of others' past glories, and the results succeed within the terms of the Herman tradition. There's nothing patronizing about this stimulating and unusual melding of musical approaches from across the generations. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Woody Scores!.......2006-12-30

The picture on the album cover underscores the fact that this big band was Woody Herman's Team! And everyone contributed to this stellar outing.

I own the original LP, but revisiting the music on CD made me realize how great a bandleader Herman was. Every chart is stellar, outstanding ensemble and solo work, and a beautiful sounding recording. Although Herman started leading bands at the tail end of the Big Band Era (1940s), this 70s recording is crisp and modern featuring a good mix of modern jazz, standards and rockers. Zappa! Coltrane! There are great solos here by Gregory Herbert, Frank Tiberi, Bill Stapleton, Tony Klatka, a great rhythm section, and excellent lead trumpet by Dave Stahl. Even Bassoon (Tiberi???) And of course Woody had long used his soprano sax to good effect on the rockers. He definately had something to say on that soprano when things turned modern!

This band swung as hard as it rocked. It all came together on this one.

I agree with another reviewer: Corazon totally rocks. A simple tune, building slowly until h*#l breaks loose and Woody's soprano takes over.

This is what 70s big band music was about. You'll love it!

Creative arrangement.......2003-08-01

I had this recording on LP 25 years ago and am going to buy the CD. The arrangement of Come Saturday Morning is a piece of creative genius. The accompaniment is lifted from Maurice Ravel's orchestral masterpiece, Daphis et Chloe. It's a crazy idea, but is pulled off beautifully. Play it for your classical music-lover friends and watch their reactions.

Surprisingly Good -- Especially For the '70s!.......2002-04-09

I don't know why anyone remembers '70s music fondly. It seemed as if things were going down hill across all styles, and jazz was no exception. There were a few things out there that made the grade, and this delightful Woody Herman album is certainly one of them. What is remarkable here is that, without exception, each tune holds up after all this time. Compared to what the other big bands were doing in 1974 (Duke Ellington died that year, Maynard Ferguson was cranking out album after album of dreadful funk-based tunes, much of Buddy Rich's new material was lacking and he was about to come off the road for a few years, Stan Kenton and Count Basie stuck pretty close to their respective styles but recorded little), "Thundering Herd" is truly special. Woody was always an innovator in every era in which he led a band. He just instinctively knew what was good, and he hired the top musicians and arrangers and gave them free reign to make it happen.

Other reviewers have mentioned individual arrangements on the album, so I don't need to repeat their comments. Except, check out "Come Saturday Morning." The original was a nothing pop ballad, so I wasn't expecting much. This arrangement, however, is about as lush and beautiful as it gets without being sappy. Well, not overly sappy, anyway.

Like all of the big bands in the '70's, Woody had his share of hit-and-miss material. Not on this album. Buy it! Enjoy it!

Swingin.......2001-08-04

Corazon has to be the coolest song I have ever heard!!!! If you haven't heard it before you need to

The 70s Herd at their best........2001-04-27

I love this album for the Frank Zappa tune alone. Very dense, complex, and NOTHING at all like the original. "Blues For Poland" and "Lazy Bird" are also worth the price of admission. Tony Klatka and Bill Stapleton are two amazing trumpeters/arrangers who have been sadly overlooked.

Tracks:

Goldfinger
Where Am I Going?
I Capricorn
Let Me Sing and I'm Happy
Johnny One Note
For All We Know
I'd Like to Hate Myself in the Morning
I (Who Have Nothing)
Day by Day
And I Love You So
Diamonds Are Forever
Big Spender
Introduction of Orchestra
Never, Never, Never
You and I
Something
This Is My Life (La Vita)
A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening (Instrumental)
The Party's Over

Customer Reviews:

a truely DIVA way way before.......2007-03-16

This dame is such a magnificent performer and many would agree and i dare those who don't.I grow up listening to my fathers record and i can almost imagine now my father saying what a voice!she talks and sings the same timber,truly a natural gifted singer so even at her age70!!!!she can still belt and hold the bar.I'm speechless and have no more word to describe her .My only wish is Oprah should be aware of this singer and have her come to her show and prove to those American Idols and learned from her staying power cuz she really gives everything for her fans and that is her life.I could go on and on........Oh by the way is there a 6 star for rating?

BASSEY AT HER BOMBASTIC, BRILLIANT BEST!.......2006-02-13

Those who know me know that I worship at the Shrine of Bassey. Those who wonder why need to listen, even once, even briefly, to this 1973 sold-out celebration. Here is the bombastic belter at her best: cooing and wooing and working the crowd into a frenzy not seen since Judy worked the hall a decade earlier. Choosing a highlight is (almost) impossible --- "Day By Day" and "Big Spender" have to be cited, but the takes on "Never, Never, Never," "You and I" and "This is My Life" are Bassey at her most brilliant. I am not the only one who understands the power of love: In 1999, the Queen of England choose Shirley to receive her highest honor, proving that, indeed, there's nothing like this Dame.

The Original Bond Girl.......2006-02-01

Dame Shirley Bassey gives it her all at this concert from Carnegie Hall, 1972. Personally there are three recordings from Carnegie Hall that are must have for me; Judy Garland's, Liza Minnelli's and Shirley's Carnegie Hall albums. This live recording is a bravura performance, her vocal power is amazing and the material she performs is amazing. She opens the show with her biggest hit single ever, Goldfinger, which is pretty bold! Who have the nerves to open a show with their biggest hit? She continues with to songs from the album "I Capricorn" the latter, and "Where Am I Going" which are adorable.

Shirley seems so happy to perform there and it shows "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy" is bawdy but so fantastic and her rendition of "Johnny One Note" is out of this world. She sings many of her biggest hits from "For All We Know" to "And I Love You So". This is simply one of the greatest live performances I've ever heard, her voice is so powerful, unlike anything I've ever heard. Her onstage chatter with the audience just proves how humble she is - and not at all this diva everybody likes to classify her as. Many of these songs are covers of old classic, but Shirley makes them her own with her amazing interpretation skills as a performer, "Big Spender" is originally by Peggy Lee, but over the years the song has become mostly associated with Bassey. Her voice is very unusual, a deep bellowing with a strong mannered vibrator.

"Something in the way he moves" she sings in such a convincing manner, with strong conviction and capability. The entire show is out of this world, Bassey is at the top of her game and only a few people could follow her. At the end of the show she performs her statement song "This Is My Life" which is simply amazing, again a perfect display of her amazing skills. When it all comes down to it, Shirley Bassey: Live At Carnegie Hall is one of the greatest live albums of the 70's and a great legacy to all performers to come.

Average customer rating:

Live at Newport Jazz Festival 1972
Woody Herman And The Thundering Herd
Manufacturer: Jazz Band
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000JQLL
Release Date: 1999-08-24

Tracks:

Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul
Variations on a Scene
Four Brothers
Early Autumn
Reunion at Newport
Introduction
I Can't Get Next to You
Caldonia
Woody's Whistle

Average customer rating:

Upbeat With No Sappiness
Hey! Where is "A Stone Called Person"!?!?!
More than Bill Chase
Great Woody stuff
Exceptional band, top arrangements

Keep on Keepin' On: 1968-1970
Woody Herman and His Thundering Herd
Manufacturer: Grp Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

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GRP | Verve Music Group | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B000006EJ9
Release Date: 1998-04-07

Tracks:

Light My Fire
Keep On Keepin' On
Impressions Of Strayhorn
Pontieo
I Say A Little Prayer
Hush
My Cherie Amour
Catch That Bird
I Can't Get Next To You
Aquarius
Blues In The Night
A Time For Love
Smiling Phases
The Indigenous Artifact

Customer Reviews:

Upbeat With No Sappiness.......2005-07-27

it's nice that the people who compiled this cd focused on a few of herman's records from one of his most overlooked periods, both in terms of quality releases and by their transfer from lp to cd. compiled off of the cadet lps, light my fire, heavy exposure, and the indigenous artifact from 1968-1970, many hip tracks have been included that were only available on import compilations before. the main focus seems to be on pop cover songs like "hush", "say a little prayer", "my cherie amour" and "aquarius". herman's band is swingin' on all of them. they're horn heavy tracks, without a hint of strings or any other sappiness. the more upbeat tracks are loud, yet warm, and a few have a touch of the electric in them - bass and piano. for fans who don't like the sound of the clarinet, i know there are a few, don't worry because you'll barely hear it on these tracks.

Hey! Where is "A Stone Called Person"!?!?!.......2001-04-28

In the late 60s and early 70s, record labels produced some bizarre hybrids of big band jazz and rock music (usually just to get the younger "rock crowd" to buy their albums). The typical end result was an uncomfortable compromise album that caters to no one, turning off the jazz purists while being too clunky and "out of it" for the rock-n-rollers. This Woody Herman compendium is a good example of such a production.

That said, I'm obsessed with this music! I can't describe it. It's awful and great at the same time. This particular CD culls songs from three seperate out-of-print Cadet releases (Light My Fire, Heavy Exposure, & Woody), all of which I own on vinyl. The musicians are all great, but what a strange choice of tunes. Some is catchy, dancable fare ("I Can't Get Next To You," "Catch That Bird"), some will win over the jazz audiences ("Impression of Strayhorn," "Blues In The Night" ) and some of it is just plain embarrassing ("Light My Fire," and especially "Hush"). Whatever the case, I love all of it. I just wish that ALL of the music from the aforementioned albums was released.

Some good selling points: Bill Chase is heard playing lead trumpet on a few of the tunes; tenor Sal Nistico wails on the title track, which also features some phenominal lead trumpet split between Gary Grant and Nat Pavone; Tom Harrell's flugelhorn feature on "Time For Love"; and a previously unissued bonus track for those of us who already have the albums. Guaranteed to alienate some and delight others, this is a truly odd release.

More than Bill Chase.......2000-12-09

For all you Bill Chase fans out there(including me)he isn't the most firey lead player on this great album. Don't get me wrong, I love Chase but I gave a huge WOW to Gary Grant on the songs he played on(1-6). He especially lit the bands' fire on title track where he plays several double high c's.

This CD is definately worth the the cost and more. In fact, getting this CD for just the first 2 songs is worth it. Get this CD!

Great Woody stuff.......2000-01-11

This is great stuff from Woody Herman. If you love big band sound, you will love this. Mostly seventies tunes with a big band sound. Great arrangements and of course Bill Chase on trumpet. Love them horns.

Exceptional band, top arrangements.......1999-10-21

This recording is another fine example of the Herman band playing outstanding arrangements. The hard driving 60's era band features many great musicians, including the fiery lead trumpet of Bill Chase.

Average customer rating:

Ebony - Woody Herman's Thundering Herd

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Innervoices

ASIN: B000003EPG
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

American Medley: Amazing Grace/America the Beautiful/Battle Hymn ... - Richard Stoltzman,
Come Sunday - Richard Stoltzman, Woody Herman & His Thundering Herd
Apple Honey - Richard Stoltzman, Woody Herman
Ebony Concerto: Allegro Moderto - Richard Stoltzman,
Ebony Concerto: Andante - Richard Stoltzman, Woody Herman & His Orchestra
Ebony Concerto: Moderato/Con Moto - Richard Stoltzman,
Igor - Richard Stoltzman, Woody Herman
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Waltz for Woody - Richard Stoltzman, Woody Herman & His Thundering Herd
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Thundering Herd: Best of the Golden Palominos

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Thundering Herd: Best of the Golden Palominos
Golden Palaminos
Manufacturer: Dead Line
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000008G2O
Release Date: 1991-01-29

Richard Stoltzman & Woody Herman's Thundering Herd

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Richard Stoltzman & Woody Herman's Thundering Herd

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000T8T2KC

Product Description

RCA Victor 6486-2-RC

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And The Thundering Herd

Manufacturer: CSI
ProductGroup: Classical
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001VXZBY

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Jazz Music

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