Happy Birthday, Woody Herman

Jazz clarinetist and big band leader Woody Herman (1913-1987) was born on May 16, 1913, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Critic Scott Janow describes Herman as "A fine swing clarinetist, an altoist whose sound was influenced by Johnny Hodges, a good soprano saxophonist, and a spirited blues vocalist" but adds that his "greatest significance to jazz was as the leader of a long line of big bands."

Herman was particularly good at finding talented individuals — like Stan Getz, Bill Harris, and Zoot Sims — and allowing them to "find themselves." Herman was also interested in playing and creating new music, and his band was the first to absorb the innovations of bebop.

His first band — sometimes known as "The Band That Plays the Blues" — plays its first hit, "Woodchopper's Ball," here:

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the album, The Three Herds (Columbia). The album is available only in vinyl, and Jim Determan recommends as an alternative The Thundering Herds 1945-1947 (Columbia). Purchase the CD, The Thundering Herds 1945-1947, at Barnes & Noble.

Robert
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