Since discovering this Ben Bernie medley, it has become almost an obsession with me. I truly believe it represents one of the best representations ever of what early 20th century jazz was all about. Today, if someone said to me you have only one piece you music that you will be able to listen to for the rest of your life, this would probably be it. The musicianship, the impeccable timing and the overall sound would be hard to match today and almost impossible to best.
Nice trumpet triple tounging at 3:20. Just really good tight playing all around and with energy, all memorized! Does anyone play this well in this style today?
In regard to your question, "Does anyone play this well in this style today?," I would suggest that most bands today could not hold these guys coats, let alone compete with them. This session was first a great arrangement and then took some really first rate musicians to pull off. It is one of the best of the period.
the Bratislava Hot Serenaders do it well. Ondrej Havelka & his Melody Makers do some of this type of music too (although they seem to do more late 20's early 30's stuff).
Ahhh, a video of Ben's orchestra! How cool! Very nice clip, terrific sound quality. I would date this around 1927, but no matter - this has really been a treat! Thanks for posting.
Remarable soundtrack; at least you can see and hear an early big band drummer at work!! He is very active, much more than the most revival drummers are allowed to do!!
I like the tension between the banjo and the violin in these pieces, although together they almost blot out the piano. Bernie was always inventing, small and large. People don't realize how many of his tunes are in all our heads!
"Lady Be Good" is in the beginnng, "Rosemarie" is in the middle, w/"Fascinatin' Rhythm", and "Indian Love call" is towrads the end. gotta give both Gershwin and Friml equal credit! Jack Pettis is also in this band, and he had his own band called Jack ettis and his Pets. I have the ARC/Plaza 78 of "Candied Sweets" by Jack Pettis, which is backed by "There's a Rickity Rackity Shack" written by Razaf & Waller voc. by Andy Razaf done by Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra. Both hot sides!
My dad sang with the Ben Bernie orchestra, probably in the mid-to-late '30s. I have only one photo of him with the band in a book titled "The Big Bands." Any one out there have photos/clips featuring singer Patrick Kennedy? He was an Irish tenor.
Bernie was a Violinist by training and a damn good one too. If this is from 1925 then it must be a DeForest/Farnsworth experimental
orthocon ray sound on film project. Good fidelity. His personnel stayed pretty much the same, though out this time. My in-lawa danced to his music at the Cocoanut Grove in Boston the week before it burned down. My Father-in-Law wasn't particularly fond of Bernie as he thought hw was flirting with my Mother in Law. Bernie died in 1943 from Cancer.
An amazing clip for 1925 -- two years before "The Jazz Singer"! Ben Bernie was an ex-vaudeville star who racked up 44 hits as a bandleader between 1926 and 1936 (he died in 1943). Among the biggest: "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Sleepy Time Gal" and "Ain't She Sweet" (the latter later covered by The Beatles!). His trademark expression, "Yow-sah, yow-sah" later turned up on disco records by Chic! What a great band he had.
Here's yet another treasure..I'm always in wait for the next offering...and they so often have the Aaron signature...that something special added to the original.
Thanks. I colorized it with wax 2.0. This is from Lee Deforest Phonofilm Corporation which had been making short 'sound' films since 1922. Check out Eddie Cantor singing in 1923 (also on youtube). All these songs were written in 1923/24.
Did you colourize this yourself? Nice work! However, this dates from 1929 or 1930, and not earlier. Vitaphone sound-on-film didn't really roll out until 1927, and the sound quality here is too good to have been from the first years. Also, some of the songs being played in this medley are post-1925. But this is absolutely wonderful, and thanks for posting it!
Loved hearing and seeing a very young Oscar Levant show off his piano virtuosity in the background. Thanks so much for posting!
hdksr2 5 months ago
Marvellous marvellous stuff.
Amazing to think jazz is (?) not traceable much before about 1911, yet within 14 years or so, it got to have conductors.
uranrising 1 year ago
Great music and fascinating to WATCH!
abendstunde49 2 years ago
yowsa yousa yousa. Loved the melody he did when closing his radio program. Simply the best.
hajune 2 years ago
This film clip leaves no doubt why Ben Bernie was such a successful band leader and showman.
bsgs98 2 years ago
Never tire of watching this excellent film clip.
Bigband78 2 years ago 3
5*****!
sbd650 2 years ago
I love medleys like this.
ChristophePhilippe 2 years ago
Since discovering this Ben Bernie medley, it has become almost an obsession with me. I truly believe it represents one of the best representations ever of what early 20th century jazz was all about. Today, if someone said to me you have only one piece you music that you will be able to listen to for the rest of your life, this would probably be it. The musicianship, the impeccable timing and the overall sound would be hard to match today and almost impossible to best.
jd03150 2 years ago 7
Yowsa! Darn good hot playing from one of the best bands in the mid-20s.
manidig 2 years ago 2
Great posting. Nice to see a movie clip of this great orchestra.
I wonder if you have his recording of "Am I Asking Too Much". Perhaps I am asking too much!
Thanks for this great posting.
Corrie121 2 years ago
Nice trumpet triple tounging at 3:20. Just really good tight playing all around and with energy, all memorized! Does anyone play this well in this style today?
highlandsh 2 years ago
In regard to your question, "Does anyone play this well in this style today?," I would suggest that most bands today could not hold these guys coats, let alone compete with them. This session was first a great arrangement and then took some really first rate musicians to pull off. It is one of the best of the period.
jd03150 2 years ago
the Bratislava Hot Serenaders do it well. Ondrej Havelka & his Melody Makers do some of this type of music too (although they seem to do more late 20's early 30's stuff).
lunarpollen 2 years ago
Ahhh, a video of Ben's orchestra! How cool! Very nice clip, terrific sound quality. I would date this around 1927, but no matter - this has really been a treat! Thanks for posting.
2n918 2 years ago
Remarable soundtrack; at least you can see and hear an early big band drummer at work!! He is very active, much more than the most revival drummers are allowed to do!!
Great.
santopec 3 years ago
Aaron,are you sure this is 1925?I thought more like 1927-28.I loved it seeing the actual Ben Bernie Band live.
Bigband78 3 years ago
Excellent!
windsor36 3 years ago
maravilloso
cubocefalo 3 years ago
I like the tension between the banjo and the violin in these pieces, although together they almost blot out the piano. Bernie was always inventing, small and large. People don't realize how many of his tunes are in all our heads!
whizbang47 3 years ago
ah the colour effect was great :D
hartnell114 3 years ago
why was this
colorized?
cvwtzhaar 3 years ago
I was bored, so I colorized it with paint shop pro and wax 2.0 application.
Aaron1912 3 years ago 2
Aaron1912, 'Still fantastic. I can't get enough of Ben Bernie! Ha Ha! Regards, J.
fuzzbear6240 3 years ago
"Lady Be Good" is in the beginnng, "Rosemarie" is in the middle, w/"Fascinatin' Rhythm", and "Indian Love call" is towrads the end. gotta give both Gershwin and Friml equal credit! Jack Pettis is also in this band, and he had his own band called Jack ettis and his Pets. I have the ARC/Plaza 78 of "Candied Sweets" by Jack Pettis, which is backed by "There's a Rickity Rackity Shack" written by Razaf & Waller voc. by Andy Razaf done by Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra. Both hot sides!
78timothy 3 years ago
I only just came across this nice posting.
"Tea For Two" was second to last, and "Fascinating Rhythm" ended the medley.
fatsfan70 3 years ago
I love this sound and the pieces! That drummer has a built-in metronome what doesn't change!
pianotuna55 3 years ago
My dad sang with the Ben Bernie orchestra, probably in the mid-to-late '30s. I have only one photo of him with the band in a book titled "The Big Bands." Any one out there have photos/clips featuring singer Patrick Kennedy? He was an Irish tenor.
deaconpat1 3 years ago
Bernie was a Violinist by training and a damn good one too. If this is from 1925 then it must be a DeForest/Farnsworth experimental
orthocon ray sound on film project. Good fidelity. His personnel stayed pretty much the same, though out this time. My in-lawa danced to his music at the Cocoanut Grove in Boston the week before it burned down. My Father-in-Law wasn't particularly fond of Bernie as he thought hw was flirting with my Mother in Law. Bernie died in 1943 from Cancer.
78timothy 3 years ago
why do I remember...riding on a streetcar in Detroit and somone says "Ben Bernie just died..."
chfanncr 3 years ago
Heard "Lady be Good" in that wonderful medley
Victrolaman1 4 years ago
It's Rosemarie!!!
jnizny 4 years ago
An amazing clip for 1925 -- two years before "The Jazz Singer"! Ben Bernie was an ex-vaudeville star who racked up 44 hits as a bandleader between 1926 and 1936 (he died in 1943). Among the biggest: "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Sleepy Time Gal" and "Ain't She Sweet" (the latter later covered by The Beatles!). His trademark expression, "Yow-sah, yow-sah" later turned up on disco records by Chic! What a great band he had.
horarwgt 4 years ago
This is fantastic music!
I love that vintage sound!
5 stars!
Happy Holidays,
RagJazzMonkey
Tom Warner
tdub1941 4 years ago
My guess, without checking music dates, is 1927 or 1928, from the style of the band
muscleco 4 years ago
Beautiful music=)
Paal1994 4 years ago
Here's yet another treasure..I'm always in wait for the next offering...and they so often have the Aaron signature...that something special added to the original.
eldon12000 4 years ago 2
Truly a great video !
Markink 4 years ago
This nearly made me cry; it was so very sweet and yet so driving, so full of joy. Thanks so much.
livingaragtimelife 4 years ago
Haha! Wonderful! Love the colour!
DGatsby 4 years ago
Pure gold. I love your posts. as long as we're around this music will never die!
bingcrosby1903 4 years ago
Thanks. I colorized it with wax 2.0. This is from Lee Deforest Phonofilm Corporation which had been making short 'sound' films since 1922. Check out Eddie Cantor singing in 1923 (also on youtube). All these songs were written in 1923/24.
Aaron1912 4 years ago
Excellent!
Bobchai 4 years ago
@Aaron1912 I like the colorization . . . it gives a bit of wistfulness and nostalgia.
carathebaker 1 year ago
Did you colourize this yourself? Nice work! However, this dates from 1929 or 1930, and not earlier. Vitaphone sound-on-film didn't really roll out until 1927, and the sound quality here is too good to have been from the first years. Also, some of the songs being played in this medley are post-1925. But this is absolutely wonderful, and thanks for posting it!
Bobchai 4 years ago
I think you own the copywright now. Fantastic idea.
jozefsterkens 4 years ago
Fantastic clip.
kspm01 4 years ago
Great job still amazes me were you get these old clips from!!!!!!:]PERFECT!!!!!
TINS24651 4 years ago