Les Elgart - Bandstand Boogie (Full Version)

[JSngry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGjXo-3AjCc

Really, really good section playing here, for those who are entertained by such things. Chart has its uber-corny moments, but also some that are anything but.

If you're "of a certain age", the opening minute or so is indelibly etched into your memory. But there rest of the chart...not so much.

[DukeCity]

Thanks for posting that!

Don't forget this one.

[Larry Kart]

Nice to hear that. I listened to a fair amount of Elgart back then; it was a popular band among what might be called the sock-hop audience and wasn't associated, in terms of its leaders' names, with a prior era, which no doubt was important in appealing to that audience. Likewise with Ray Anthony.

Do you know this anecdote? When drummer Karl Kiffe was playing with the Les and Larry Elgart Band, the brothers were trying to get him to adapt to the band's style. At one point, Larry told him, "When the band starts to swing, I want you to play more on the ride cymbal." Kiffe replied, "When the band starts to swing, will you please raise your hand?"

[JSngry]

That seems a bit harsh. The Elgart(s) band(s) certainly don't not swing...which is kinda like saying "yeah man, I really dig what you're trying to do", but still...

All things considered, it's proven to be a fun (enough) band to listen to. That "cool", unison sax style gave it a "modern" (enough) sound.

Never cared for Ray Anthony myself, though...too "schmaltzy", even when it wasn't supposed to be. Of course, I wasn't there in real time, so maybe my perception is skewed.

[Larry Kart]

I preferred the Elgarts to Anthony, too -- Anthony's tone was schmaltzy, and then there was the ubiquitous "Bunny Hop" (though that record, when it was played at parties, did give one an excuse to touch a girl during that rather grim stage of human and social development when one felt an excuse was necessary).

In any case, I mentioned the anecdote not as a form of judgment but as an instance of musician humor.

BTW, one of Elgart's sidemen, tenor saxophonist John Murtaugh, was an interesting player. His best (and maybe only extended) shot, alongside baritone saxophonist Marty Flax, is on Bobby Scott's 1956 ABC-Paramount album "The Compositions of Bobby Scott," reissued under that title on Fresh Sound, coupled with Scott's two 10" Bethlehem dates. Murtaugh was his own man, but his rather dry timbre and "talky" accentuation are reminiscent of what Jack Montrose was doing on the West Coast at that time. Likewise reminiscent of Montrose (who recorded many nice things with his friend Bob Gordon) is the tenor-baritone front line on Scott's date, though I would guess that the resemblance is coincidental.

[Larry Kart]

A link to more of Murtaugh from his son Danny:

http://dannymurtaugh.com/bluescurrent/

[JSngry]

Wow. I only know "Danny Murtaugh" as the old Pirates manager...

[Dave James]

Here's a nice take on Charlie Barnet's Skyliner with actual footage of the Elgart brothers band. I really like this arrangement.

And just for compartitive purposes, I threw in Barnet's original, and quite different version. Talk about great section playing.

Edited August 21, 2010 by Dave James