The Good Old Days
by Don A. Metivier, The Post-Star, July 9, 1977
“The commercial music being shoved down their throats is a travesty against the good taste of the American public.”
Strong words, but they came from someone with strong opinions and certainly the background to discuss the American music scene, singer Tony Bennett.
He had just finished a most successful concert with the Woody Herman band at Saratoga Performing Arts Center and was relaxing with a cup of coffee in the amphitheater’s Green Room, and Bennett was in a great mood.
He had just reached an agreement with Saratoga Festival officials to be the opening performer for the 1978 Newport Jazz Festival, which has been moved to Saratoga starting next year.
The concert had been a tremendous success. It opened with Woody Herman, still getting over his losing encounter with a car, coming on stage supported by a walker. He shuffled over to a stool in front of a bunch of kids, masquerading as a “Herman Herd,” picked up his clarinet and started to play.
Suddenly this “child band” behind him burst forth with sounds of earlier Herman Herds. These “kids” were playing charts written 20 years before they were born.
They opened the concert with the saxophone classic, “Four Brothers,” something the Herman sax section had made famous in the 1940’s.
The 15 musicians kept up that frantic pace for an hour, as Herman smiled and waved them on from his stool. “Woodchopper’s Ball,” now that’s 40 years old, sounded like 1977.
Then Herman said, “I’ve got someone I would like for all to hear,” and introduced lead trumpet player Allen Vizzutti. This youngster, with a horn in his hand, took his place in front of the band, and while he looked like he should be playing at a high school recital, he played like he was in the middle of the Philadelphia Orchestra brass section.
When he finished his solo, the other four trumpet players dropped their horns and joined the crowd in an ovation.
What’s happening, where are all the rock and roll guitar players, what is it with these strange kids?
Tony Bennett had the answers.
“The oldest kid in that band is 23,” he told us. “Herman says you gotta have a degree to audition, and these kids are coming from Berklee, North Texas State, Indiana, from the best music schools. These young musicians are better trained, better educated, sharper-thinking kids than we’ve ever had in the music business.”
The veteran singer, who came out of Astoria in Queens to become one of the top vocalists in the world, said he thought the entire future of American music was in good hands with today’s young musicians.
“Kids are playing all kinds of music, young kids, 12- and 13-year-olds, are into all kinds of music, they have a broader spectrum of music appreciation than any generation in recent times.”
Bennett then spoke out against the musical pap that is being pushed into the ears of the listening public by most commercial radio stations today, noting they are overlooking much of what is happening musically to concentrate on “punk rock” music (which is a current fad led by the group Kiss).
He’s right. You can’t tell what station you are listening to; they all play the same 50 songs.
There is a big trend in this country, starting here in the east, bringing back bands. They aren’t just playing songs of 40 years ago, but have charts on new things, written by these young and very mature musicians that are filling the chairs in the born-again bands.
Herman is making two albums for RCA Victor with his “kids,” and most of the charts are brand new. His 40th anniversary album included “Fanfare for the Common Man,” a new piece.
With the relocation of the Newport Jazz Festival to Saratoga, we shall be in front-row seats in this area for the rebirth of music.
That is as it should be, because this area was the home of most of the former “big bands.
The Don Bestor Orchestra played nightly on the decks of the original Mohican, Bestor being a forerunner of the Lester Lanin society orchestra. Rudy Vallee was singing at the Halfway House, and a young Cuban was just getting started with his band at Fan and Bills; his name was Desi Arnez.
Jackie Gleason was at the Royal Pines, along with the Ross Trio, that later became the Fontane Sisters, rising to stardom with a kid named Perry Como.
The big name bands. Ellington, Basie, Herman, Redford, the Dorseys, Harry James, etc., moved through playing at Saratoga and Lake George nightspots, as customers danced and gambled the evenings away.
There has been an attempt to bring back this music; the Lake George Theatre Night Club has brought in bands for two years, and now the Subway in Glens Falls has jazz. In fact, some members of the Herman band “sat in” last Saturday night after playing at SPAC.
So, maybe the good old days are now.
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