I am 55. raised six kids on this great stuff. they could name some of the songs. they had great memories on road trips listening to big band. so many kids are not exposed because the parents don't have the appreciate the broad spectrum of different sounds nothing like the layers of a big band.
Woody was a Milwaukee native, I remember going to the Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee for a field trip band clinic with the Thundering Herd. Very memorable. Great guy.
Woodrow Charles "Woody" Herman (16 May 1913 – October 29 1987). He was with Decca records for two and a half years before his band had its first hit, being "Woodchopper's Ball", recorded in 1939 it started out slowly at first, a real sleeper but Decca records kept re-releasing it and over a period of three or four years it became a hit, eventually selling over five million copies. source Wikipedia
Being a disc jockey from the Big Band days...........there was no greater high than Woody and the Herd. His music continues to swing...................
I remember playing this back in middle school and I've gotta say, this was probably the most happy experience I've ever had playing music. This is really what bridged me over into the music I play and listen to today.
About 40 years ago, I figured this out on guitar,... the chords, the riffs, the bassline...thought it'd be cool to play it, but none of my contemporaries were interested. Alvin Lee did this one in a "rock" way, but I was lookin' for the jazzy way...
Is it me or was that trumpet solo really risky, props to whoever that was with being able to hold those long notes during his solo and making it sound good
A classic it was JUKE BOXES WHEN I WAS YOUNG saw him at the Done Brighton what a night superb when he started to play Woodchoppers the whole audience stood and cheered ah great memories.
