Ivy Anderson is such a wonderful singer. Very much forgotten. But the immaculate Duke chose her for a reason during his greatest era. Because she was the best.
Ivie Anderson- Vocalist on Stormy Weather- was a superb artist and has been unjustly misaligned through history. Sadly, she died very young in 1949 from an acute attack of asthma, the same ailment with which she had suffered for many of her productive years. At the time of her death, she had long retired from the Ellington band, moved to California, and had become an entrepreneur- opened her own fried chicken joint that fed the fellahs from the band when they stopped by there during their travelling concert tours. Listen to her rendition of "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)". Somethin' else...
Nearly all the big bands of the 20s & 30s had a bass sax. There are several solos by Hardwick eg Harlem Twist (East St Louis Toodle-Oo) 19/1/28 on Okeh and Doin' The Frog 29/12/27 on Vocalion.
Practically all the big bands in the 20s and 30s used a bass sax. Listen to 'Toby' Hardwick play the bass sax solo on the Columbia version of 'East St Louis Toodle-oo) or Coleman Hawkins on the Fletcher Henderson Dixie Stompers 'Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie'. Also the well known 'Teddy Bears Picnic' by Henery Hall and the BBC Dance Orchestra features a duet with bass and baritone saxes.
Couldn’t have been all that common - enormous unwieldy instrument and actually, not a whole lot of bass saxophones probably even existed. These bands traveled extensively … so, I’m sure some bands used a BS but not “practically all”… that said, don’t quote me on this ha ha Ha…
The first couple measures had a pianola feel to it :) Absolutely love "Stormy Weather." I've never heard a 30s version of this song, I've mainly heard versions from the 40s and later. I love when Lena Horne sings this song.
Movie title: Bundle of Blues. The 1933 Duke Ellington Orchestra plays a brief 'Rockin' in Rhythm', then accompanies Ivie Anderson in her great version of 'Stormy Weather', and the dancers Florence Hill & Bessie Dudley in 'Bugle Call Rag'. By the way, that's a baritone sax, not a bass sax. Harry Carney was the undisputed 20th Century master of the instrument, and the cornerstone of Ellington's reed section for nearly 45 years. Rockin' in Rhythm is Harry's tune.
At about 35seconds into the clip you will see a close up of Otto Hardwick playing alto with his BASS SAX on the stand to his right. It looks like a Conn - the one I play is a Buescher. What's wrong with you all are you blind?
And to think ...music has evolved into sexy 1:1 syncopations (every single vehicle going down the road letting off a big thud every 4 seconds) and songs that consist of 10 words repeated for 44 minutes...yay...
at 0.45 there's no way he's playing that guitar- his left hand isn't moving on the frets, he's just goofing around. It isn't Fred Guy, either- he must have been unavailable that day, and they just got some vaudeville clown to fill the space. Other than that, what an absolute gem- never knew it existed, and yes- it IS a bass sax
yea pfff what a clown right, that trumpet players spinin the horn around haha ,i say the whole brass section are a bunch of minstrels you know what ,even duke himself for doing that little condactor sketch its not like they are playing music meant for dancing and having fun and its not like its 1933 and thats what white folks want to see no no not all. jokes aside i hope you are not a musician because maybe you would know the energetic style needed to play unumplified guitar and bass infrornt of 10+ horns. (i know this comment is 7 years old as of 2020)
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les danseuses!quelle energie!de la dynamite!merci du partage
Ivy Anderson is such a wonderful singer. Very much forgotten. But the immaculate Duke chose her for a reason during his greatest era. Because she was the best.
The Duke of Ellington will rule music forever!!! And Ivie Anderson, OMG!!!
Ivie Anderson- Vocalist on Stormy Weather- was a superb artist and has been unjustly misaligned through history. Sadly, she died very young in 1949 from an acute attack of asthma, the same ailment with which she had suffered for many of her productive years. At the time of her death, she had long retired from the Ellington band, moved to California, and had become an entrepreneur- opened her own fried chicken joint that fed the fellahs from the band when they stopped by there during their travelling concert tours. Listen to her rendition of "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)". Somethin' else...
Ivy Anderson beautiful Voice ❤️
Ivie Anderson was perhaps one of the most underrated band vocalists.
yall thats fire
Nearly all the big bands of the 20s & 30s had a bass sax. There are several solos by Hardwick eg Harlem Twist (East St Louis Toodle-Oo) 19/1/28 on Okeh and Doin' The Frog 29/12/27 on Vocalion.
Practically all the big bands in the 20s and 30s used a bass sax. Listen to 'Toby' Hardwick play the bass sax solo on the Columbia version of 'East St Louis Toodle-oo) or Coleman Hawkins on the Fletcher Henderson Dixie Stompers 'Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie'. Also the well known 'Teddy Bears Picnic' by Henery Hall and the BBC Dance Orchestra features a duet with bass and baritone saxes.
Couldn’t have been all that common - enormous unwieldy instrument and actually, not a whole lot of bass saxophones probably even existed. These bands traveled extensively … so, I’m sure some bands used a BS but not “practically all”… that said, don’t quote me on this ha ha Ha…
The first couple measures had a pianola feel to it :)
Absolutely love "Stormy Weather." I've never heard a 30s version of this song, I've mainly heard versions from the 40s and later. I love when Lena Horne sings this song.
Great!
@tapdance86 She OWNED the song - but there's another great version on TH-cam, sung by Elizabeth Welch (I know - I uploaded it!)
At 7:03 you can clearly see Hardwick's bass sax and Carney's baritone.
Movie title: Bundle of Blues. The 1933 Duke Ellington Orchestra plays a brief 'Rockin' in Rhythm', then accompanies Ivie Anderson in her great version of 'Stormy Weather', and the dancers Florence Hill & Bessie Dudley in 'Bugle Call Rag'. By the way, that's a baritone sax, not a bass sax. Harry Carney was the undisputed 20th Century master of the instrument, and the cornerstone of Ellington's reed section for nearly 45 years. Rockin' in Rhythm is Harry's tune.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was trying to figure out what movie this might have been from and who the wonderful woman singing was.
It’s like I’m on the set of Swing Kids !!!
Otto Toby Hardwicke PLAYED the bass sax. no discussion on this
At about 35seconds into the clip you will see a close up of Otto Hardwick playing alto with his BASS SAX on the stand to his right. It looks like a Conn - the one I play is a Buescher. What's wrong with you all are you blind?
And to think ...music has evolved into sexy 1:1 syncopations (every single vehicle going down the road letting off a big thud every 4 seconds) and songs that consist of 10 words repeated for 44 minutes...yay...
7:10- world's first twerk!
at 0.45 there's no way he's playing that guitar- his left hand isn't moving on the frets, he's just goofing around. It isn't Fred Guy, either- he must have been unavailable that day, and they just got some vaudeville clown to fill the space. Other than that, what an absolute gem- never knew it existed, and yes- it IS a bass sax
yea pfff what a clown right, that trumpet players spinin the horn around haha ,i say the whole brass section are a bunch of minstrels you know what ,even duke himself for doing that little condactor sketch its not like they are playing music meant for dancing and having fun and its not like its 1933 and thats what white folks want to see no no not all.
jokes aside i hope you are not a musician because maybe you would know the energetic style needed to play unumplified guitar and bass infrornt of 10+ horns. (i know this comment is 7 years old as of 2020)
@ 06:48 ....that is where James Brown and eventually Prince probably got that move :)
That's hell of a lot of skin for 1930s.
2/14/2017
where this things recorded live there? anyone knows how they used to do that?
mid 30s recording??? I never knew ellington had a bass sax...
Man check out Sonny Greer's elaborate drum kit
I would like to but all comments get lost.
"The Duke of Ellington"? It's Duke Ellington, not THE Duke OF Ellington....
Oh lighten up …
No point!