Woody Herman

Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader.

Herman was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on May 16, 1913.

His parents were Otto and Myrtle (Bartoszewicz) Herrmann.

His mother was born in Poland.

His father had a deep love for show business and this influenced Woody at an early age.

As a child, Woody Herman worked as a singer and tap-dancer in vaudeville, then started to play the clarinet and saxophone by age 12.

Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his death in 1987.

His bands often played music that was cutting edge and experimental; their recordings received numerous Grammy nominations.

In 1931 he met Charlotte Neste, an aspiring actress; the couple married on September 27, 1936.

Woody Herman joined the Tom Gerun band and his first recorded vocals were "Lonesome Me" and "My Heart's at Ease".

Herman also performed with the Harry Sosnick orchestra, Gus Arnheim and Isham Jones.

Jones wrote many popular songs (including "It Had to Be You") and at some point was tiring of the demands of leading a band and wanted to live off the residuals of his songs.

Herman saw the chance to lead his former band and eventually acquired the remains of the orchestra after Jones' retirement.

Herman's first band became known for its orchestrations of the blues, and was sometimes billed as "The Band That Plays The Blues".

This band recorded for the Decca label, at first serving as a cover band, doing songs by other Decca artists.

The first song recorded was "Wintertime Dreams" on November 6, 1936.

In January 1937, George T. Simon ended a review of the band with the words: "This Herman outfit bears watching; not only because it's fun listening to in its present stages, but also because it's bound to reach even greater stages."

After two and a half years on the label, the band had its first hit, "Woodchopper's Ball" recorded in 1939.

Herman remembered that "Woodchopper's Ball" started out slowly.

"[I]t was really a sleeper. But Decca kept re-releasing it, and over a period of three or four years it became a hit. Eventually it sold more than five million copies—the biggest hit I ever had."

"The Golden Wedding" (1941), arranged by James "Jiggs" Noble, featured an extended (34 bars) drum solo by Frankie Carlson.

The trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie wrote three arrangements for Herman, "Woody'n You", "Swing Shift" and "Down Under".

In January 1942, Herman would have his highest rated single (No. 1 in the Billboard charts), singing Harold Arlen's "Blues in the Night" backed by his orchestra.

Other hits for the band include "Blue Flame" and "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me".

Musicians and arrangers that stood out included Cappy Lewis on trumpet and saxophonist/arranger Deane Kincaide.

These were arranged in 1942.

"Woody'n You" was not used at the time.

"Down Under" was recorded July 24, 1942.

Herman's commissioning Gillespie to write arrangements for the band and hiring Ralph Burns as a staff arranger heralded a change in the style of music the band was playing.

The first side Herman recorded was "Laura", the theme song of the 1944 movie.

Herman's version was so successful that it made Columbia hold from release the arrangement that Harry James had recorded days earlier.

The Columbia contract coincided with a change in the band's repertoire.

The 1944 group, which he called the First Herd, was known for its progressive jazz.

The First Herd's music was heavily influenced by Duke Ellington and Count Basie.

Its lively, swinging arrangements, combining bop themes with swing rhythm parts, were greatly admired.

In February 1945, the band started a contract with Columbia Records.

Herman liked what drew many artists to Columbia, Liederkranz Hall, at the time the best recording venue in New York City.

As of February 1945, the personnel included Sonny Berman, Pete Candoli, Bill Harris, Flip Phillips, Billy Bauer (later replaced by Chuck Wayne), Ralph Burns, and Davey Tough.

On February 26, 1945, in New York City, the Woody Herman band recorded "Caldonia".

Neal Hefti and Ralph Burns collaborated on the arrangement of "Caldonia" that the Herman band used.