Tonight Show Band

[coolwafferman]

@tyoonz Thanks for the info. I had no idea about that. I wasn't even born when this was recorded on TV (lol) I do know the tune "Jumpin' At The Woodside". If you want to hear a great recording of that tune, you should listen to Jimmy McGriff's cover if you haven't already.

[coolwafferman]

Did the NBC Orchestra perform on "The Gong Show"? "One O'Clock Jump" is the same tune that Gene, The Dancing Machine used to dance to on that show. I believe both shows were taped in Burbank.

[tyoonz]

@coolwafferman No, that was Milton DeLugg's band. Incidentally, that tune he used was actually a "mash-up" of Count Basie's "Jumpin' at the Woodside" and Harry James' "Two O'Clock Jump." Both great tunes!

[saxguy1]

Match your metronome to Ed. If they differ, your metronome is broken.

[Sports570]

This was the best "studio big band" ever! The crew which set up the mics did a great job. You heard everything. There was no hollowness which crept into other TV show bands/orchestras of the day.  The musicians were all recognized as being at the top of their field. Jeezus...I miss this stuff.

[tpt1111]

Can't get enough of this, and it isn't coming back, ever...

[Dugan035]

Rest In Peace Snooky Young

[googuse]

Even pro drummers rush!

[saxguy1]

@googuse You might think the tempo is fast, but there is no rushing. It's very consistent...and correct.

[googuse]

Isn't that Two O'Clock Jump?

[swimmerB0B]

doc is awesome...and who didn't love it when johnny would give him a hard time regarding his wardrobe?

[bth1212]

Just Great Music played by great musicians! Johnny was great

[jared0111]

3:12!!!

[christianmfalco]

Thanks so much for posting this. I enjoy watching my dad bust out that trombone solo.

[mlaprarie]

Yes, the tunes are "Two O'Clock Jump" and "Well Git It!". Lots of similarities between tunes here (particularly between Harry James' Two O'Clock Jump and Basie's One O'Clock Jump) and I can see where all the trumpet work would make one think of Bugle Call Rag, but this indeed is "Well Git It!" Nice clarinet solo by Tommy Newsome, as well.

[jason60chev]

The saxes should get their faces out of the music and play to the audience!

[saxguy1]

@jason60chev Why, did you have trouble hearing them? When you can play that well, step up.

[ggxlychan]

Can anybody tell me if that is the keyboard player from the yellowjackets in his early days?? I may be mistaken and would like to be corrected if wrong!!

[2005dave]

@ggxlychan Ross Tompkins is on piano. He was in the band through all its Burbank days. He died about five years ago.

[snakecannon]

boy, they got some nice suits. lol

[blaster1985]

They were the inspiration for the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

[saltaeb99]

Great music

[rsmith7042]

It just does not get better. No band on TV before or since compares to Doc Severinson and the Tonight Show Band.

[BaseFury]

Unbelieveable.

Damn.

I, just...

Damn.

[hfelton]

I thought the NY Carson show band was even better and swung harder. Doc was in the trumpet section with Clark Terry and Cat Anderson the rhythm section had Grady Tate, Bob Haggart and Bucky Pizzarrelli, trombones included Will Bradley, Urbie Green and Jimmy Cleveland and saxes included Marshall Royal, Al Klink, et al. Big band fans will recognize most as former stars of name bands but with their passing, had settled into the lucrative NY studio scene. Few followed when Carson relocated.

[bigfella1998]

@hfelton My uncle, Dick Perry, played in the band before the show moved to LA. It was a terrific group, for sure.

[cov01crew]

Great stuff, tho a trumpet entered a bar too early at the beginning of the first chart.

[MFHorn683]

The second tune is "Well Get It", not Bugle Call Rag.

[jdrum12]

Good call - I noticed that too. Johnny got his tunes mixed up. Well Git It was played a lot on Carson. I remember Buddy Rich doing it with the band.

[Timbalero561]

I remember watching the tonight show as a kid and everytime the show came back from commercials, they would swinging so hard. This was the best band on TV.

[downrightman]

This was the best band from all the late night shows. Nothing today can compare.

[sax852003]

I cannot believe how many people do not find this music to be exciting anymore AND I'M 25 for those of you that were going to assume that I was old bc I like this music. It has so much life to it. America isn't cultured anymore. It is so depressing.

[nandeyanen4212]

ジャンルを超えて、trumpetの魅力を表現できて、tvでの­物腰はタレントで、トークは最高で！これ以上なにを求めるの？d­ocは最高です！

[jayjayvet]

The best band there ever was on television....hell, maybe anywhere! Thanks for posting.

[Lennon4life1968]

If you Wiki "The Tonight Show Band" it implies that Max Weinberg is now the bandleader. I mean no disrespect to Max, Brantford Marsalis or Kevin Eubanks but the real "Tonight Show Band" left with Johnny.

[bargaincountertenor]

Oh, absolutely! There was no one before, nor after that had it together like Doc Severinson, and that includes Johnny's previous two music directors, Skitch Henderson and Milton DeLugg.

[bargaincountertenor]

Man, we used to get this EVERY night. Doc was fabulous and Tommy Newsom did most of the arrangements. If you can find them, the albums the band recorded in the '80's were extraordinary!

[Gilda1089]

Very well stated.

[MAJORSNODGRASS]

The best thing A merica invented was the big band.

[zookmatthews]

Awesome. Check out the video response I posted. I was on Johnny Carson and played stump the band!!

[jonburling]

2nd tune is Dorsey's "We'll Git It" .Gil Falco took the bone solo. What a fabulous band! Got to see a taping once, and when they played on the commercial breaks, they were awesome. Johnny and Doc and the band are sorely missed....

[saltaeb99]

Great stuff!

[TtownJim]

Whenever Johnny gave the band a feature, the crowd went wild. My friends & I looked forward to it more than the guests. Nothing like it on the current Tonight show.

[cadillacdude1975]

the version of Well Git It with Buddy Rich sitting in is far better IMHO.

[lakejw]

yea! this is stupid by comparison! buddy rich is way better than these guys!

[wannawatchu66]

Trumpetking and mikebuddy are correct. The first tune is "One O'Clock Jump" by Count Basie, the second is "Well Git It" as done by Tommy Dorsey. And I would echo mjbari3's sentiments: Doc and the boys were featured all too seldom. But that's probably because guests and bits were scheduled to take up the hour. But I don't remember the band having this much airtime all that often even back when the show was 90 min.

[goldniner]

Muchomerci!! Gonna see him tonight inYountville! YEAH BABY!!

[mikebuddy1]

Secon Tune is :'Well Git It''

A Dorsey Orchestration

TV has come a long way,unfortunatly the wrong way,I miss those days.Thanks for posting

[pyronicus]

Man i wish they did this type of stuff now. I enjoy this type of music :)

[jayjayvet]

Whatta band! You just reminded me how much I really miss these guys.

[generalbullmoose]

Sick!

In a good way, of course. :-)

[trumpetking86]

i thought the second tune was called "well git it"??

[phase901]

To quote the late & great Ed McMahon

You are correct sir ! ! ! Check out the version with Buddy Rich for a real treat

[mjbari3]

Man, you would never see over 7 minutes dedicated to a big band on a TV show now. I used to WAIT for an evening when Johnny featured the band! Thanks!

[Fighterjock01]

I wish i was old enough to even see them preform!!!

[mjbari3]

I remember when stereo tv and stereo broadcasts came out. We had just bought a stereo tv, but nothing was broadcast in stereo. One night, the two snare pickup notes sounded off the Tonight Show theme, and BAM! It was in stereo!!! It was like night-and-day.....

[JazzzDrummer]

Super post !

[bostonbruinsfever]

I really miss this show.

[Wn8ief]

When Musicians were Musicans and music was music.

[redzdvl]

Amen! Brass Rulez! Doc is a Legend in my book, one of the greats that got me into playing - loved the Tonight Show with Johnny, Ed & Doc.

[acaskey15]

@Wn8ief So True

[briguymeister]

The second song played by the band, "We'll Get It" was featured in the Mel Brooks' movie "History of the World, Part I" In the Roman Empire segment, when one of the guys says "you wanna dance" and then he says "Lindus." This was the song the guys danced to.

[CadillacL]

Leno, Letterman, etc. NO feeling in those bands & you don't get to really hear them.

[enlitened1234]

You mean "We"ll get it" As in "we will get it"

[TtownJim]

Tremendous. Nothing like it on TV anymore. Leno and the others don't feature the band like Johnny did. When ever he did, the crowd went wild.

[ivorsherman]

For your information the second tune is called "Let's Git It" - not Bugle Call Rag

[ox092]

You Mean Well Git It** FYI

[stevegj0]

All blowers! Who is the cat on piano??

[AmyKay01]

The great, sadly late Ross Tompkins.

[saltaeb99]

These guys can play!

[HGbunny]

Just amazing.

[karv92]

Im 16 years old and i can tell you that we have got nothing on this generation and i find it so sad that my generation has totally forgotten how to swing like these guys....yet im glad i can see these clips on youtube....thanks Doc

[redzdvl]

I'm 34 & it is just great to hear that there may be some hope for the younger generation... : )

[20322Avenue20]

Such a GREAT band!!!

[gnolt]

Hey!It's mean jean the dancing machine song.

[Egbert1957]

this Arragements in Memoriam Glen Grey,

(capitol LP 1962) i think !?

Greatings from Germany/Bavaria

[tyoonz]

At the end, he's playing a high concert E-flat, holds it and makes it look SO effortless!

[mhenrikse]

A pleasure to listen to! Thanks for posting this video.

[ask3625]

I apologize the correct spelling is Well, Git It!

[ask3625]

Johnny is wrong, that's not Bugle Call Rag, that's a Tommy Dorsey chart called Well, Get It, there is even a clip on here with Buddy Rich playing it with The Tonight Show Band around this same time.

[tyoonz]

Right you are. And, if I'm correct, isn't the first tune actually TWO O'Clock Jump? Those cascading trumpets give it away!