Friday Night YouTube Music #7

Big-band music, 21st Century style

My parents grew up in the 1930s and ‘40s and much of the pop music they heard was made by “big bands”, large ensembles with horn sections, as well as drums, upright bass, piano, and/or guitar. While there were smaller combos that captured the public’s attention (The Benny Goodman Quartet, for example), big bands were able to play both danceable instrumental music and offer lush accompaniment for vocalists. Famous names from that period include bandleaders Jimmy Dorsey, his brother Tommy, Glenn Miller, and Artie Shaw, and singers like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Doris Day, all of whom began their careers singing with big bands.

Growing up in the 1950s, I was exposed to this style of music- my mother constantly had the radio on (television was in its infancy while radio had been a part of popular culture since the 1920s). Mostly what I heard was the pop music of my parents’ generation. I was not, for instance, exposed to the esoteric music of the large jazz bands of Duke Ellington or Count Basie. By the end of the 50s, rock-and-roll had emerged as the predominant genre of pop music. Record companies began using professional “session” musicians to play behind vocalists. There were few self-contained combos; Buddy Holly and the Crickets stand out in my memory. What big bands were heard were often studio orchestras backing mega stars like Frank Sinatra and Nat “King” Cole.

The 60s saw a revival of self-contained bands in pop music that continued into the 2000s. Pop music became dominated by groups that could sing and play their own instruments, as well as compose their own music- The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Allman Brothers, the Band… It was what is now called the era of Classic Rock. Except for groups such as Blood, Sweat and Tears, and Chicago, horns were not an integral part of most rock bands (though producers would at times use horn players on studio recordings).

The 80s saw the introduction of truly functional polyphonic synthesizers, electronic keyboards that could produce orchestra-like sounds. For many, the synth signaled the death of the big band in pop music.

But perhaps recent developments have shown that a new generation of musicians is bringing back a big band sound, combining the power of the horn section with a modern rhythmic approach, often incorporating synths.

The first of these to come to my attention was the Tedeschi-Trucks Band. With roots in blues, R-and-B, and gospel, this band pays homage to the Southern rock pioneered by the original Allman Brothers Band but shows other influences. This live performance captures some of the band’s signature sound- Derek Truck’s slide guitar set against the full sound of horns and keyboards:

In a different musical vein is Snarky Puppy, the jazz-funk collection of musicians led by bassist Michael League. The band has 18-20 members (by my count) but not all of the musicians are at every performance. This video shows the sophistication of composition and arranging with which they approach their music. The rhythms are so infectious it would be impossible not to clap your hands, tap your feet, or move some part of your body.

I have mentioned Cory Wong several times here. Cory is a 35-year-old guitarist from Minneapolis who is skilled in many different styles. Years ago, he was playing jazz (check him out here); he’s been a session musician, a producer, and even did a stint with Jon Baptiste’s “Stay Human”, the house band on the Stephen Colbert show. Now he has formed a big band that includes a 6-piece horn section (the “Hornheads”), alumni of various Prince projects. Also included are long-time Wong bandmates Petar Janjic (drums) and Kevin Gastonguay (keyboards), and another Prince alum, Sonny T(Thompson) on bass. This recording, a cover of the Vulfpeck’s “Dean Town, is from a live recording session. FYI- Cory also plays guitar with Vulfpeck.

This is not the same big band music I heard as a kid, but it’s great music. I’ll leave you with one more amazing piece which features mandolin virtuoso Sierra Hull.

Enjoy!

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