Juke Box Jamboree - Harry James

 

The Touch

Juke Box Jamboree

Harry James

Photo: Robert James Witt

Columbia Records CL 615

1955

From the back cover: The unifying force in this pleasantly diverse program is the James trumpet, which has been soaring high and free, sweet and hot, through fine polar music for some time now. Harry's career began when his precocious trumpet studios won him a seat in the bandstand of the Might Haag Circus, of which his parents were members. Competing with the roar of lions and the antics of clowns, Harry had a chance to learn ensemble work at an early age, and to explore on his own the possibilities of this instrument. When the family retired and settled down in Texas, he continued his studies, and played with various local orchestras on weekends and holidays. Bit by bit his fame spread, coming to the attention of Benny Goodman, who signed Harry to play with his incomparable orchestra of the late Thirties.

Harry stayed with this remarkable group until 1939, when he left to organize his own group. There were giants in swing in those days, and even a name as powerful as his had become had some difficulty in establishing itself. But after a year of so, there was a new giant in the lists, for Harry and his sturdy men were making some of the finest  records of the day (and this, for that matter) and providing dancers and listeners with superlative music, superlatively played. There has been no variation in that pattern ever since, for Harry's group has continued to boast some of the finest peers in the music world and the music in this collection offers further proof. Here are fine popular songs, here is fine polar trumpet, here, in  short, is fine music in today's invigorating idiom.

Little Things Mean A Lot

Hernando's Hideaway

Three Coins In The Fountain

The High And Mighty

The Touch

O, Mein Papa

Ruby

Serenata

Smile

I Need You Now

Oop Stoop

Muskat Ramble