Jazz / New Orleans Jazz Revival
Pete Fountain - Clarinet, Sax (Tenor)
Al Hirt - Trumpet
Abe Lincoln Trombone
Bob Havens Trombone
Eddie Miller Sax (Tenor)
George H. Buck, Jr. Liner Notes
Harry Shields Clarinet
Joe Capraro Guitar
Johnny Edwards Drums
Lee Pickens Vocals
Mick Burns Liner Notes
Morty Corb String Bass
Paul "Big Bird" Edwards Drums
Ray Bauduc Drums
Rita St. Claire Vocals
Roy Zimmerman Piano
Stanley Wrightsman Piano
Pete Fountain
Active Decades: '40s, '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and '00s
Born: Jul 03, 1930 in New Orleans, LA
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Dixieland, Dixieland Revival
One of the most famous of all New Orleans jazz clarinetists, Pete Fountain has the ability to play songs that he has performed a countless number of times (such as "Basin Street Blues") with so much enthusiasm that one would swear he had just discovered them. His style and most of his repertoire have remained unchanged since the late '50s, yet he never sounds bored. In 1948, Fountain (who is heavily influenced by Benny Goodman and Irving Fazola) was a member of the Junior Dixieland Band and this was followed by a stint with Phil Zito and an important association with the Basin Street Six (1950-1954), with whom the clarinetist made his first recordings. In 1955, Fountain was a member of the Dukes of Dixieland, but his big breakthrough came when he was featured playing a featured Dixieland number or two on each episode of The Lawrence Welk Show during 1957-1959. After he left, he moved back to New Orleans, opened his own club, and has played there regularly up until retiring from the nightclub business in early 2003. Fountain's finest recordings were a lengthy string for Coral during 1959-1965 (they turned commercial for a period after that).
---Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Al Hirt
Active Decades: '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s
Born: Nov 07, 1922 in New Orleans, LA
Died: Apr 27, 1999 in New Orleans, LA
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Dixieland, Dixieland Revival
A virtuoso on the trumpet, Al Hirt was often "overqualified" for the Dixieland and pop music that he performed. He studied classical trumpet at the Cincinnati Conservatory (1940-1943) and was influenced by the playing of Harry James. He freelanced in swing bands (including both Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, and Ray McKinley) before returning to New Orleans in the late '40s and becoming involved in the Dixieland movement. He teamed up with clarinetist Pete Fountain on an occasional basis from 1955 on, and became famous by the end of the decade. An outstanding technician with a wide range, along with a propensity for playing far too many notes, Hirt had some instrumental pop hits in the 1960s. He also recorded swing and country music, but mostly stuck to Dixieland in his live performances. He remained a household name throughout his career, although one often feels that he could have done so much more with his talent. Hirt's early Audiofidelity recordings (1958-1960) and collaborations with Fountain are the most rewarding of his long career; he died at his home in New Orleans on April 27, 1999.
---Scott Yanow, All Music Guide |
