Doc was from tiny Arlington, Oregon. In 1966 or so, he visited my equally tiny town of Milton-Freewater, Oregon and was a guest of our Swing Band. I was a lowly freshman trumpet player and sat next to a really good trumpet player named, Denny Royse. Doc sat right in between us and listened to us play several songs, one of which had a trumpet solo by my friend, Denny. The song was called "Midnight in Moscow," and he knocked it out of the park. But, Doc asked that we play the song again, and this time he played a solo of his rendition of the same song and it was so good that half the band quit playing just to listen to Doc play. When it was over, he told Denny that he was good enough to go places in the world and eventually he did just that. Then, he looked at me and said, kid, you ever think about just playing baseball? We all laughed together and I shook his hand. Great memories.
I was a new band director in Kansas in 1966-68, and I was always excited to bring my stage band to K St. Univ. in Manhattan, KS. He was always the charmer and held the attention of the students literally in his hand. He was never hard to talk with, and his concerts with the band members from high schools all over Kansas were complete knockouts! I'll never forget those days!
I was just thinking of this the other day. I caught it on an old version of the Disney Channel in the late 80's or early 90's. Steve Allen playing trumpet with Doc. Fun to find it.
I played trumpet for 15 years.I still have my silver Getzen. I was lucky enough to see Doc about a dozen years ago or so. I've give anything to see him one more time.
Adn tht "Tonight" that Seve Allen wrote - - wow! What a great song. And hearing Doc play it. Man, that's a great era of great song writing. They say Steve Allen had hundreds of songs he'd written just sitting in his house when he died. Wonder if someone's documented and preserved all that.
The first time I've seen him playing the Mt. Vernon Bach that didn't exist.....no matter, as whatever brand, whatever mouthpiece, he is and will always be one of the greatest trumpet players ever. There always seemed to be just a hint of insecurity to his self deprecating humor, which I've never understood. Some players make it look easy, Doc was always my hero because he worked his butt off to get it right. Half the thrill of watching a performance was like watching a tightrope walker, as anyone who has played trumpet knows he took so many risks and always seemed to pull it off just in the nick of time.
Wow! This is a gem of musical find! Doc at his finest! Exciting group (Zebra) behind him! Trumpet Quartet with Steve Allen on Trumpet!! Surprise! Doc playing the Steve Allen tune "Goodnight" which ended the Steve Allen show each night. Steve was a very talented musician who had a truly funny show with awesome music! How I miss those memorable nights compared with what's happening nightly today!
Great music- Doc is always killin’. Wish his small fusion band had gotten more exposure. Never knew a young Maher did the announcer/M.C. gig on a show like this.
Ive loved DOC as long as Ive known he existed.. A school girl crush back in the day, has lasted now, many years, and forever will be so....... I love you, Doc, musician, handsome , precious , dear heart xxxx
As usual, fantastic live playing by Doc! He never ceases to amaze me in his ability to produce such a wonderful sound all the time so easily. Thanks Doc!
I don't think there's a trumpet player alive that could play that so cleanly. It has speed, range, articulation, etc. One thing about Doc, he makes very few mistakes and everything is organized so well. He brings classical perfection to everything he does. I don't think we'll see another one like him for a long time.
I noticed that Bobby Hackett had such a different tone from the rest of the trumpet players. Then I went back and played it again to listen to why it was different and saw that he was playing a cornet. The trumpet solo on Glenn Miller's String of Pearls made Bobby a star.
I got to back up Patti Page at the Vapors Supper Club in Hot Springs, Arkansas in the late 70's when I was in college. Patti was great to work for and perform with.
I got to see Doc in his Xebron era. I will never forget how he ended his show. He was playing into a mic that was rigged with effects, apparently including a repeater. He played his final notes and while the final notes echoed again and again due to the repeater he walked off stage. I had never seen anything like that. It was so badass.
Wish I could have seen him play. I saw Harry James and his orchestra back in the 70’s and man, was that great!! Got to meet him, got some photos with him and he signed a few albums of his that we bought in hopes that he would, still have them.
Fairmont Hotel Venetian Room Patti sings 8 measures of "How Much...." then went on to sing so good. Cool, smooth, hip, the some what "jaded" band was blown away! Also Anne Jillian was wonderful later.
Good Lord! Never heard the man before. There's a story that Doc played in a US jazzclub and someone told him: 'There's Dizzy at the bar.' Severinsen: 'Oh boy, that's all I need, Dizzy listening to me!' But what pyrotechnics!
A transcription of Doc's version of "Tonight" (15:12) is now available at Sheet Music Plus: www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/tonight-digital-sheet-music/21795802
IMHO While the band xebron was top notch and Doc gave it his usual brilliant virtuoso flare and I totally admire and appreciate it as much as anyone, it was of that what do call “modern jazz” style where much of it is pre planned, chordal wise and even down to each note. (Too commercial) I much prefer and appreciate the old school way of true ad lib style as he and Steve did at the piano. That was Great!
Someone may correct me on this, but I think Xebron consisted of Biff Hanon, keyboards - Tom Rizzo, Guitar - Gordon Johnson, Bass and Steve Gadd, Drums. All former MF band members. I have the Xebron album, but it's been years since I even looked at it.
David Laubach No wonder these guys cook so much; Hannon and Gadd are known to everybody, and the guys totally nailed this tune; and Doc has a platform here to really show both his technical prowess and his all around chops and sound.
Wow, good stuff from Doc and his band. It is odd to hear him play music that is much more avant garde and modern than his Tonight Show music. He does an excellent job with it of course. Was this taped in the 1980s?
What a find!!!! Xebron , big band, small group, Steve Allen.. and 'young whippersnapper' #Bill Maher !!! Great job by the audio crew too!! I never abuse exclamation points like this... (Xebron tunes both from the album Xebron, originally on Passport Records)
He's 97 and still getting around and looking good. There's a recent video of him on here at a factory that makes signature mutes for him. He still has his sense of humor. I doubt he plays much, he's freaking 97!
