Why is Harry James often not spoken of?

Mikeytrpt · Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 4:33 pm Post subject:

He sure had a lot of notches in his gun belt, though...

"Drinks with Mr. James?"

CurtisCalderon · Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 5:07 pm Post subject:

Different strokes for different folks is the way I see it. Also, to me he wasn't as much as of standout as Louis was during his day. The stuff Louis was doing, melodically, harmonically and physically on the trumpet was simply amazing for the day. Harry could play, no doubt about that, but listen to him and Roy Eldridge around the same time and you see perhaps there were guys who could match him in some ways as trumpet players. Harmonically, he didn't do all that much that was innovative and if you're going on virtuosity, don't forget about Rafael Mendez. He was around the same period in a sense as well. So, I really don't think Harry stood out in that many ways, aside from just being a technically brilliant trumpeter. Allen Vizzutti is the same way in my opinion. Technically, one of the most amazing guys to ever play the trumpet, but he never really gained popularity like Wynton did.

PS don't forget about Bunny Berigan and the likes that were also around during the same time. It was a great century for trumpeters!

CurtisCalderon · Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 5:36 pm Post subject:

No disrespect to Harry wih my above post. I have learned and performed most of what he did and it wasn't easy and he was a musical guy for sure. Any trumpeter that dismisses him is doing a disservice to himself. There's also the unknown of why some guys get famous and others don't or why some tunes take off when one artist does them and not when another does. Harry James definitely celebrated much fame and celebrity in his day and afterwards.

65strad · Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 2:01 pm Post subject:

Why is Harry James often not spoken of?

The man was a monster player period. By viewing the amount of reply's and views on this thread, I'd say that the trumpet community is demonstrating that this threads title is a bit erroneous.
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toughcritic · Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 2:55 pm Post subject:

The man was a monster player period. By viewing the amount of reply's and views on this thread, I'd say that the trumpet community is demonstrating that this threads title is a bit erroneous.[/quote]

I totally agree with your observation on Harry and this topic. With no disrespect to Louis Armstrong the two men are not even in the same category. Armstrong was an innovator for his time but his time came and
went and he became known dthe last 25 years of his life mostly for his vocals by himself and duets with other singing stars, films and variety shows performing very commercial material . If you are talking style, incomparable technique, longevity of his band under his direction (44 years), films, recordings, concert appearances over the years all over the world and numbers of other pros who count him as a major influence I personally believe no twentieth century trumpeter comes close to Harry James.

65strad · Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 7:48 am Post subject:

My previous comment about Harry isn't comparing him to anyone else, his legacy stands on it's own, and speaks for itself.
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TrentAustin · Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:52 am Post subject:

Tony Scodwell · Heavyweight Member Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1964

Trent is absolutely correct. Louis literally invented what we now call jazz, and listen carefully to his recordings from the mid 20's and you will hear him playing phrases in a swinging style (today the norm) 10 years before the other cats figured it out. Louis "slanted" the notes when everyone else was playing "straight up and down". And let's not forget the amazing breaks he came up with which very few could pull off at that time including his mentor King Oliver. And the ease with which he soared into the upper register, much above what was considered the limits then. Harmonically he also reached into new territory with lightning speed included. Oh yes, Louis was the inspiration for virtually everyone who followed, trumpet players being part of the group. I can tell you from personal experience playing with Harry James, Louis was the guy he learnt from and no bigger fan of Harry's exists than me.
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available in the US only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808 and also in Sydney, Australia at Sax and Woodwind...and Brass and Freiburg, Germany at Musik-Bertram.

BGinNJ · Veteran Member Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 380

I just picked up a bargain bin compilation of Harry James big band tracks, "hits" I've heard before. Sure, he can play, but the band, the singers, strings- it's corny, just doesn't swing for me.

TrpPro · Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 10:48 am Post subject:

Check the "swing meter" for this one from "Young Man With A Horn"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvFqN7uVP3g

spitvalve · Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 4:57 pm Post subject:

65strad · Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 2:30 am Post subject:

The subject of the thread has been disproved by the responses and views.

Not quite sure how this evolved in to a "I'm better than you" comparison between HJ and who ever.

To criticize HJ or any accomplished pro would make me feel like a moron once I did a reality check and took a good look in the mirror.
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Tony Scodwell · Heavyweight Member Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1964

Critics beware when youth (in my case then) overtakes better judgement. In 1964 when I was with the Tommy Dorsey band, the Sam Donahue led band featured Frank Sinatra, Jr, Helen Forrest, The Pied Pipers and Charlie Shavers. We were in England and Larry O'Brien, Tommy Check, Charlie and I did an interview with the magazine Crescendo which was the British equivalent of DownBeat. It was set up as a type of blind fold test and one of the pieces we heard was a dixieland recording. I made the stupid comment that "dixieland makes me sicker than the flu" to which Charlie added, "the best airplane ever built was the Wright Brother's plane". God, I was so hip. My point here is exactly as the other post said so well, look in the mirror before passing judgement.
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available in the US only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808 and in Sydney, Australia at Sax and Woodwind...and Brass and in Freiburg, Germany at Musik-Bertram.

dmb · Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 12:28 pm Post subject: Re: My thoughts again

rothman · Veteran Member Joined: 23 Jan 2014 Posts: 329

Great mutual respect...

.......

toughcritic · Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 9:31 am Post subject: HIS MASTER'S VOICE

From the Harry James biography, TRUMPET BLUES, to quote the great Louis Armstrong when he first heard Harry play in a DOWNBEAT magazine all stars recording session: "That cat can really play!" I think that says it all.

bamajazzlady · Heavyweight Member Joined: 22 May 2011 Posts: 691

rothman, who are the two in the photo (especially the Black man)?
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toughcritic · Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 1:47 pm Post subject:

Arranger-Transcriber

Why is Harry James often not spoken of? Time tends to eradicate memory. Probably 10 percent of the American population can identify Wynton Marsalis, but only 1 percent Harry James.

My contemporaries cut their teeth on Harry James Trumpet Method and Harry James Studies and Improvisations for Trumpet, books that have long ago yellowed, fallen apart, and been relegated to the dust bin--well actually I still have my copies. Why aren't these books spoken of today? Not necessarily because they're inferior to more current ones but rather because they've been forgotten.