Doc once told me that Harry James was the greatest trumpet player of all time. Here is a clip from a recent interview where Doc explains why Harry was so great.
Harry started out as a musician in a traveling circus, where his father (a bandleader) placed him on a strict daily practice schedule. At each session, he was given several pages to learn from the Arban Method book and was not allowed to pursue any other pastime until he had learned them.
A great example of just how much control Harry had over his sound is a recording he did back in 1961 - Lester Leaps In. On his first short solo he sounds like what you would expect typical Harry James to sound like. Then he comes back later and takes another longer ride and steps completely outside of the "Harry James" box, he changes up his sound and style.
Thanks Chuck Par-Due for telling us that this video was shot in 2013 when Doc Severinsen was a soloist, playing with the jazz band at Illinois State University and this 2-hour interview is with the university's Jazz instructor, Professor Amy Gilreath who is interviewing Doc.
Por algo fué el primer trompetista de la unión americana por su estilo único para controlar en forma extraordinaria los altibajos de las melodías que interpretó, incluyendo lo clásico.
To Chuck Par-Due .... Please tell us who this woman is? What is her relationship to Doc Severinsen? What were the circumstances of this interview? What audience was there? College students, music clinic, general audience? What was the event in which this interview took place? Viewers want to know some context in which this video was filmed. Thank you.
You must be koo koo for co co puffs. James had the most beautiful, distinctive tone I've ever heard, immediately recognizable. In addition, he was unsurpassed at reading music - for this they nicknamed him "the hawk" - something many jazz musicians aren't proficient in.
