1944 was a pivotal year in Herman's career, the year his orchestra gradually evolved into The First Herd, his most exciting band. This CD features music from two radio shows in August (actually rehearsals for the broadcasts) plus performances from two prestigious engagements at the Hotel Pennsylvania in August and the Hollywood Palladium that October. With Flip Phillips's jump tenor and Bill Harris's expressive trombone already emerging as the band's top soloists and Francis Wayne contributing a few fine vocals, Ralph Burns ...
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1944 was a pivotal year in Herman's career, the year his orchestra gradually evolved into The First Herd, his most exciting band. This CD features music from two radio shows in August (actually rehearsals for the broadcasts) plus performances from two prestigious engagements at the Hotel Pennsylvania in August and the Hollywood Palladium that October. With Flip Phillips's jump tenor and Bill Harris's expressive trombone already emerging as the band's top soloists and Francis Wayne contributing a few fine vocals, Ralph Burns and Neal Hefti were hurriedly putting together colorful arrangements to challenge the young sidemen. The music on this set, which precedes The Herd's first commercial recordings, could be titled The Birth of the Herd. Recommended, particularly to serious Woody Herman fans. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi
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