Title: Four Brothers 1945-1947 Artist: Woody Herman Release Date: 5/16/2008 Label: Definitive Album Type(s): Greatest Hits UPC: 8436006493836 Genre: Jazz Style: Big Band Moods: Earthy, Exuberant, Rollicking, Amiable/Good-Natured, Boisterous, Elegant, Joyous, Playful, Refined/Mannered, Sophisticated, Stylish, Cheerful, Complex, Energetic, Freewheeling, Party/Celebratory, Passionate Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 0 Number of Discs/SwapaCD Credits: 1

1. Woodchopper's Ball
2. Apple Honey
3. Goosey Gander
4. Northwest Passage
5. The Good Earth
6. A Jug of Wine
7. Your Father's Moustache
8. Bijou
9. Wild Root
10. Panacea
11. Back Talk
12. Non-Alcoholic
13. The Blues Are Brewing
14. The Goof and I
15. Four Brothers
16. Blue Flame
17. Laura
18. I Wonder
19. Yeah Man (Amen)
20. I've Got the World on a String
21. Put That Ring on My Finger
22. Gee, It's Good to Hold You
23. Lazy Lullaby
24. I've Got News for You
25. Keen and Peachy

Year Type Label Catalog # 2008 CD Definitive 11383

No other editions were found for this album.

This single-disc compilation on Definitive -- an offshoot of the great folks who produce and distribute the Disconforme and Lonehill Jazz imprints -- is a very solid collection of Woody Herman's greatest bands. Though the lineups in the Thundering Herd were always shifting, they did remain relatively steady during the period between 1945-1947. This is the band that brought to the jazz scene great young talents such as Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Serge Chaloff, Flip Phillips, John LaPorta, pianist Jimmy Rowles, trumpeters such as Shorty Rogers and Pete Condoli, drummer Buddy Rich, and composer/arrangers Neal Hefti and Al Cohn (who would become a later member of the band on saxophone). The music here walks an interesting line: while the sounds found on nuggets such as "Woodchooper's Ball," "Northwest Passage," Jimmy Giuffre's classic title track, and Johnny Mercer's eternal "Laura" all bear the signature of dance band swing -- in steep decline in the postwar years -- the collection also offers the view that this music was far from dead creatively. What we really hear in these 25 glorious tunes are the roots of something that would take another half-decade to begin to gel in the music of Stan Kenton: in other words, the definable roots of progressive jazz. There are no arguments that Duke Ellington and Count Basie were leading killer outfits that were perhaps far more advanced harmonically, but both those orchestras had already abandoned any vestiges of swing and were entities unto themselves. This is a very fine single-disc introduction to Herman's terrific bands and the music they played during this period, with decent sound and rudimentary but serviceable notes -- and sold for a great price point. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Name Credits Al Cohn Arranger Al Porcino Trumpet Arthur Morton Liner Notes Bernie Glow Trumpet Bill Harris Quintet Trombone, Arranger Billy Bauer Guitar Bob Peck Trumpet Bob Swift Trombone (Bass) Buddy Rich Drums Cappy Lewis Trumpet Carl Warwick Trumpet Charles Frankhauser Trumpet Chubby Jackson Bass Chuck Peterson Trumpet Chuck Wayne Guitar Conrad Gozzo Trumpet Conte Candoli Trumpet Don Lamond Drums Earl Swope Trombone Ed Kiefer Trombone Ernie Royal Trumpet Flip Phillips Arranger, Sax (Tenor) Frances Wayne Vocals Fred Otis Piano Gene Sargent Guitar Herbie Steward Sax (Tenor), Sax (Alto) Irv Lewis Trumpet Jimmy Giuffre Arranger Jimmy Rowles Piano Joe Mondragon Bass John LaPorta Sax (Alto), Clarinet Marjorie Hyams Vibraphone Mickey Folus Sax (Tenor) Nat Pierce Author Neal Hefti Arranger, Trumpet Neal Reid Trombone Ollie Wilson Trombone (Bass) Pete Candoli Trumpet Pete Mondello Sax (Tenor) Ralph Burns Piano, Arranger Ralph Pfeffner Trombone Ray Linn Trumpet Ray Wetzel Trumpet Red Norvo Vibraphone Roger Segure Arranger Sam Marowitz Sax (Alto), Clarinet Sam Rubinwich Sax (Baritone), Flute Serge Chaloff Sax (Baritone) Shorty Rogers Arranger, Trumpet Skippy de Sair Sax (Baritone) Sonny Berman Trumpet Stan Fishelson Trumpet Tony Aless Piano Walter Yoder Bass Woody Herman Leader, Vocals, Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Author