Doc Severinsen & The Tonight Show Band - Once More...With Feeling! (1991)

Severinsen was the leader of The Tonight Show Band from 1967 until Johnny Carson retired in May 1992. Much like they had with similar releases in 1986 and 1987, Amherst Records got the band to record (mostly) big band classics and jazz standards. Hence the album title - one last hurrah for the band before permanently dissolving. This time, however, it's an analog recording (AAD) and they invited guest artists Tony Bennett and Wynton Marsalis to sit in on a couple of cuts.

As one would expect: great arrangements, stellar solos, and, of course, solid performances. The album was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance, eventually losing to Live At The Royal Festival Hall by Dizzy Gillespie.

Even though he is a legend, I don't think Doc ever got the respect he deserved from the jazz community. Was it jealousy of a steady jazz gig or simple envy of his trademark ultra-cool wardrobe? We may never know.

Peak on the US Billboard 200 album chart: Did not chart

Tracks:

1. Honeysuckle Rose (Thomas "Fats" Waller, 1929) 3:40
2. Poor Butterfly (Raymond Hubbell, 1916) 3:41
3. Body & Soul (Johnny Green, 1930) 5:27
4. Just Friends (John Klenner, 1931) 3:54
5. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart (Duke Ellington, 1938) 3:59
6. Three Shades Of Blue (Tommy Newsom, 1990) 5:12
7. St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy, 1914) 3:50
8. I Can't Get Started (Vernon Duke & Ira Gershwin, 1936) 5:33 with Tony Bennett
9. Avalon (Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva and Vincent Rose, 1920) 4:15 with Wynton Marsalis
10. My Old Flame (Arthur Johnson, 1934) 2:40
11. Things Ain't What They Used To Be (Mercer Ellington, 1942) 5:15
12. What Is This Thing Called Love (Cole Porter, 1929) 5:49
13. Isn't She Lovely (Stevie Wonder, 1976) 3:48
14. Bugle Call Rag (Carey Morgan, Eubie Blake, 1916) 2:53

My favorite tracks are 1, 4, 7, 9, 11, and 14.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: When I hear big band recordings, it reminds me how much I miss playing in those groups. It's been a long while since I sat in one - my best guess is 27 years - but I still remember the rush. And, for reasons that have nothing to do with the slightly-above-average trumpet playing abilities of my earlier life, my daughters-in-law and grandchildren call me "Doc." I realize that fact has nothing to do with the music on this CD, but I like to mention my beautiful grandchildren whenever the opportunity arises. 😎

Previously revisited for the blog:
Merry Christmas from Doc Severinsen and The Tonight Show Orchestra (1991)
The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen, Vol. II (1987)
The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen (1986)

The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen, Vol. II (1987)

Note: For this, the CD Project's 2000th blog post, I've selected the first CD I ever purchased (or second CD I ever purchased, depending on how you look at it). And not only is this post number 2000, today we're also celebrating the 14th anniversary of The CD Project, which started back on September 15, 2010 when I posted a few random thoughts about Paul Simon's Graceland album.

While the source material on Volume II isn't as attractive as what was on this disc's predecessor, the arrangements of said material are stellar. Like the earlier disc, this is 12 tracks of slick, over-produced big band (re-)arrangements of jazz standards. Top shelf music played by top shelf musicians - it's a blast to reacquaint myself with names like Tommy Newsom, Snooky Young, and Ed Shaughnessy. And while Doc himself has the occasional intonation issue, he plays like none other. The slower tunes plod a bit, but the upbeat numbers are what make this one worth a listen. Promoted as an "All Digital Recording" back when that was a big deal.

And I can't remember the last time I watched The Tonight Show. Maybe 2015?

Track 8, Take The 'A' Train, won the Grammy award for Best Arrangement on an Instrumental. The album itself was nominated for the Grammy Award in the category of Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band, eventually losing to Mercer Ellington for Digital Duke.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "Look for similarly programmed, digitally recorded album of standards to duplicate success of its predecessor."
• CashBox: "a dozen glossy standards go zip-bang-bam."
• Downbeat: "This may be the best-equipped working big band in the world"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Jazz: #22
• Billboard CD: #15
• CashBox Jazz: #30
• CashBox CD: #25
• Radio & Records Jazz Radio National Airplay: #25

Tracks, ranked in order of personal preference:

1. In The Mood (1939)
2. Jumpin' At The Woodside (1938)
3. April In Paris (1932)
4. Take The 'A' Train (1939)
5. Do Nothing 'Till You Hear From Me (1940)
6. Hamp's Boogie Woogie (1944)
7. The Jersey Bounce (1941)
8. Airmail Special (1941)
9. Stardust (1927)
10. Georgia On My Mind (1930)
11. The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise (1919)
12. Serenade In Blue (1942)

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: In December 1987, I had my mind made up that I would buy my first CD player within the next few weeks. I had my eye on a Sony D-160 just like the one owned by one of my fraternity brothers. I wanted to be able to hook it up to my car's cassette player as well as my home stereo. In my mind, it was a done deal.

On Christmas break 1987 from my senior year in college, I was visiting my parents in San Antonio. Doing some last minute Christmas shopping, I was strolling through the K-Mart at Loop 410 and Austin Highway (I believe that building is now the Business Services Operations Center of Goodwill San Antonio). In a rack near the front door, I saw this CD, as well as volume one, priced at only $9.99 each. This was at a time when these new CD things were running $15 and up. So even though I didn't have a player, I bought the two discs. Within a week or so, I listened to them on my friend Richard's sweet new Marantz CD player and within a month, I had purchased my D-160.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Merry Christmas from Doc Severinsen and The Tonight Show Orchestra (1991)
The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen (1986)

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For those of you playing along at home, 2000 posts in 14 years averages out to a post ≈ 2.5 days. The chart below examines the albums about which I've written, sorted by year of release, excluding compilation discs. The chart covers albums released in the years 1955-2023 (click to enlarge):

I expected the chart to be the highest in the early '80s, which turned out to be the case. However, I also expected my recent interest in 1960's hard bop albums to have more of an impact and create more of a bell curve, but that wasn't to be. I have no explanation for the outlier that was 1997. Anyway, if you like charts, I created three others: posts to date by genre, by year, by popularity.

My sincere thanks for dropping by and supporting my music & physical media addictions for all these years.

Blog post #2000

The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen (1986)

Note: For the blog's 1000th post, I've selected the first CD I ever purchased.

Even though Doc Severinsen had led the Tonight Show Band since 1967, this was their first recording together. I was attracted to it because 1) it was Doc, and 2) it was an "all digital recording" which wasn't common practice in 1986. It's a great compilation of big band standards from the first half of the century with most of the outstanding arrangements crafted by members of the band. The band members were all top-notch as this was the best big band gig in the land and openings were highly coveted. I haven't listened to this CD in years and I had forgotten how good it is. Man, this band could cook and Severinsen soars above it all. Not only a great look back at some standards, but also a look back at what late night TV was like before Letterman and Leno.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #65
• Billboard Jazz: #21
• Billboard Pop CD: #12
• CashBox CD: #16
• CashBox Jazz: #17

Tracks: While this album is enjoyable from beginning to end, I prefer the arrangements of Begin The Beguine, One O'Clock Jump, Shawnee, Sax Alley, and, of course, Johnny's Theme (The Tonight Show Theme).

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  In December 1987, I had my mind made up that I would buy a CD player within the next few weeks. I had my eye on a Sony D-160 just like one of my fraternity brothers had. I wanted to be able to hook it up to my car's cassette player as well as my home stereo. In my mind, it was a done deal. On Christmas break from my senior year in college, I was visiting my parents in San Antonio. Doing some last minute Christmas shopping, I was strolling through the K-Mart at Loop 410 and the Austin Highway (I think that building is now a bank processing center). In a rack near the front door, I saw this CD (in a longbox, I'm sure) priced at only $9.99. This was at a time when these new CD things were running $15 and up. So even though I didn't have a player, I bought the disc. Within a week or so, I listened to it on my friend Richard's CD player and within a month, I had my own player.

I'm not a pack rat, so I'm surprised I still have the CD and player all these years later.

Turns out hooking up the D-160 to a car stereo through the cassette player was a huge pain, so it didn't get done very often, but for a portable CD player, it had very good sound.

Stereo Review

On this being my 1000th post: when I started this blog more than 3 years ago, I didn't think I owned but about 800 CDs and I didn't think the blog would last to 100 posts. Happily, I was wrong on both counts.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Merry Christmas from Doc Severinsen and The Tonight Show Orchestra (1991)

Blog post #1000

Merry Christmas from Doc Severinsen and The Tonight Show Orchestra (1991)

I was expecting an in-your-face, swinging big band Christmas album. What I got was a handbell choir, a brass octet, a children's chorus, pipe organ, and strings. Doc is fantastic, of course, but this is just average easy listening Christmas music.

Tracks: Most tunes are simply Mantovanian string arrangements, and several tracks don't even have Doc or the band playing. The better tracks include Let It Snow, March Of The Toys, and Jingle Bells.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I bought this disc with no preview, solely on the recommendation of a Houston radio DJ. I learned my lesson.