Portrait of Barney Bigard (Podcast #17-012)

Ellington Reflections

https://ellingtonreflections.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/portrait-of-barney-bigard.mp3“I honestly can’t tell much about my impression of the band that first night. I was too busy fighting the notes, the reading stuff, to pay much attention to the band. I remember the weird chords that would come in behind us. I wasn’t used to that kind of chording at all, but the more I played with them, the more accustomed my ear got to it all. I used to go to Duke in the intermission and say,”Those chords behind me on such-and-such a number: they just don’t sound right to me.” He would sit right down and show me what he was doing. He’d break all the principles of arranging too. He’d give a guy different notes to what he should have had for his instrument.”

-Barney Bigard, With Louis and the Duke

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Duke Ellington, Harry Carney, Barney Bigard, Otto Hardwicke, Johnny Hodges

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Autographs of Barney Bigard, Marshal Royal, Bill Berry and Britt Woodman

Autographs of Buster Cooper and Cat Anderson

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Click here to connect to Mark Sowlakis’ excellent blog posting Albany “Barney” Bigard – New Orleans Creole Clarinet, complete with several transcriptions and a discography.

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Geoff Winstead revised Cat Anderson’s high note trumpet method book.

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“Paradox, Ambiguity, and Irony”

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The recordings heard on this podcast episode:

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High Life (LP: “Mood Indigo” RCA ADL2-0152)

Recorded 16 January 1929 in New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Bubber Miley, Freddie Jenkins – trumpets; Joe Nanton – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums, chimes.

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Rose Room (CD: “The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra” Mosaic Records #248)

Recorded 11 February 1932, New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Freddie Jenkins – trumpet; Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

Clarinet Lament (CD: “The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra” Mosaic Records #248)

Recorded 27 February 1936 in New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart – trumpets; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trumpets; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Hayes Alvis – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

Prologue to Black and Tan Fantasy/The New Black and Tan Fantasy (CD: “The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra” Mosaic Records #248)

Recorded 13 January 1938 in New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart, Freddie Jenkins – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwicke, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Billy Taylor, Hayes Alvis – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

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Caravan (CD:”The Complete 1936-1940 Variety, Vocalion and Okeh Small Group Sessions” Mosaic Records #235)

Recorded 19 December, 1936 in Los Angeles

Cootie Williams – trumpet; Juan Tizol – valve trombone; Barney Bigard – clarinet; Harry Carney – baritone sax; Duke Ellington – piano; Billy Taylor – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

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Are You Sticking? (CD: “Highlights of the Great 1940-1942 Band” Avid AMSC1143)

Recorded 5 June 1941, Los Angeles

Wallace Jones, Rex Stewart, Ray Nance – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwicke, Ben Webster, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Jimmie Blanton – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

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Bojangles/Rose Room (CD: “The Fabulous Ellingtonians” Mercury 830 926-2)

Recorded 5 February 1945 in New York City

Barney Bigard – clarinet; Joe Thomas – trumpet; Johnny Guarnieri – piano; Billy Taylor – bass; Cozy Cole – drums.

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In A Mellow Tone/The Beautiful Americans (CD: “The Complete Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington Sessions” Roulette Records / Blue Note 5245462)

Recorded 3 April 1961, New York City

Louis Armstrong – trumpet, vocal; Trummy Young – trombone; Barney Bigard – clarinet; Duke Ellington – piano; Mort Herbert – bass; Danny Barcelona – drums.

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Rose Room (CD: “Rugged Jungle” Lost Secret LSR-001)

Recorded 8 July 1972 at Carnegie Hall, New York City

Cootie Williams, Mercer Ellington, Harold “Money” Johnson, Johnny Coles – trumpet; Tyree Glenn, Vincente Prudente, Chuck Connors – trombone; Barney Bigard, Russell Procope, NorrisTurney, Harold Minerve, Harold Ashby, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Joe Benjamin – bass; Rufus Jones – drums.

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Mood Indigo (LP: “Clarinet Gumbo” RCA APL1-1744)

Recorded 25 June 1973 in Hollywood, California

Barney Bigard – clarinet; Dick Cary – piano; Dave Koonse – guitar; Eddie Safranski – bass; Nick Fatool – drums.

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It’s Something You Ought To Know (Paul Gonsalves – “Ellingtonia Moods and Blues,” RCA Victor / RCA63562)

Recorded 29 February 1960, New York City

Paul Gonsalves- tenor sax; Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Ray Nance – cornet; Mitchell “Booty” Wood – trombone; Jimmy Jones – piano; Al Hall – bass; Oliver Jackson – drums.