WOODY HERMAN
Igor Stravinsky
Ebony COncerto
Ebony Concerto was commissioned by Woody Herman and his producers. Stravinsky was know to have a liking for jazz and used aspects of it in several pieces such as L'histoire du soldat, the Ragtime for eleven instruments, and the Piano-Rag-Music. Although traces of jazz elements, especially blues and boogie-woogie, can be found in his music throughout the 1920s and 1930.
The composer explained that his title does not refer to the clarinet, as might be supposed, but rather to Africa, because "the jazz performers I most admired at that time were Art Tatum, Charlie Parker, and the guitarist Charles Christian. And blues meant African culture to me. It is doubtful that Stravinsky had ever heard the Herman band before writing this piece.
The composer explained that his title does not refer to the clarinet, as might be supposed, but rather to Africa, because "the jazz performers I most admired at that time were Art Tatum, Charlie Parker, and the guitarist Charles Christian. And blues meant African culture to me. It is doubtful that Stravinsky had ever heard the Herman band before writing this piece.
Herman found the solo part frighteningly difficult, and did not feel that Stravinsky had really adapted his writing to the jazz-band idiom. Instead, he "wrote pure Stravinsky", and the band did not feel at all comfortable with the score initially. "After the very first rehearsal, at which we were all so embarrassed we were nearly crying because nobody could read, he walked over and put his arm around me and said, 'Ah, what a beautiful family you have
Probable Personnel:
On various recording dates.
Woody Herman (vocals, clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone);
Billy Bauer (guitar);
Sam Marowitz (clarinet, alto saxophone);
John LaPorta (alto saxophone);
Flip Phillips, Mickey Folus , Pete Mondello (tenor saxophone);
Skippy de Sair (baritone saxophone);
Tony Aless (trumpet, piano);
Conte Candoli, Irv Lewis, Charles Frankhauser, Howard McGhee, Neal Hefti, Pete Candoli, Ray Linn, Ray Wetzel, Shorty Rogers, Sonny Berman , Carl Warwick (trumpet);
Ralph Pfeffner, Ed Kiefer, Bill Harris (trombone);
Ralph Burns (piano);,
Red Norvo (vibraphone); Dave Tough, Don Lamond, Alvin Burroughs
Billy Bauer (guitar);
Sam Marowitz (clarinet, alto saxophone);
John LaPorta (alto saxophone);
Flip Phillips, Mickey Folus , Pete Mondello (tenor saxophone);
Skippy de Sair (baritone saxophone);
Tony Aless (trumpet, piano);
Conte Candoli, Irv Lewis, Charles Frankhauser, Howard McGhee, Neal Hefti, Pete Candoli, Ray Linn, Ray Wetzel, Shorty Rogers, Sonny Berman , Carl Warwick (trumpet);
Ralph Pfeffner, Ed Kiefer, Bill Harris (trombone);
Ralph Burns (piano);,
Red Norvo (vibraphone); Dave Tough, Don Lamond, Alvin Burroughs
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