this is as wonderful as it gets on the trumpet. Jumbo was amazing and a true original. A sweet guy as well. He was the reason I changed form the clarinet to the trumpet when I was 10. Watching the great Pete Fountain I was in awe, then Al Hirt played and I threw the clarinet on the couch and learned the trumpet.
I am 54 and find that I knew a lot of music growing up, but missed a lot too. I barely knew of Al HIrt then. I spent most of my teens on hard rock & ignored most everything else around. I heard Java on an oldies show 1 night, remembered it a little & started looking up Al HIrt. Amazing what I missed. Same with some other music. Thank goodness for You Tube.
Pete Fountain would have LOVED to sound anywhere like Pee Wee, a man with one of the most amazing clarinet sounds I ever heard, yes, including Benny Goodman. Too bad he spent his most productive years in the shadow of Al Hirt.
There is nobody around today that could approximate Pee Wee's sound. I know so because I played in Al's band for two years. Yes, that's me Rodrigo Saenz, on bass
Pee Wee was my uncle, married to my mother's sister Margaret Tucker. He was never Pete Fountain's "protege". They were friends as are almost all of the close knit musical community of New Orleans. Just as Al was known as "Jumbo", Pee Wee was known as "Short Legs". What you see in the videos of Pee Wee is what you got, a short, sweet, lovable, funny man who played great music. If you have ever heard Pee Wee's solo's at Al's club (I heard many) you would know he sounded nothing like Pete.
Clarinetist Pee Wee Spitilera was a protoge of Pete Fountain - he sounds almost exactly like Pete. Pee Wee was in the "Little Band" on the Lawrence Welk show (1958 & 59) EVERY WEEK for 2 years playing clarinet & baritone saxophone. After Welk he joined Al Hirt.
The duet is I Walk the Line. The first song by Al Hirt and his band is a very fast version of the country song Louisiana Man. The second song by Al Hirt and his band is an extremely fast version of the classic Jelly Roll Morton dixieland song Wolverine Blues. Abargle, I am one of those Al Hirt fans, and so thank you thank you thank you for posting this!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
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The clarinet player is hilarious!
Gwalka 5 months ago
The clarinet player is hilarious!
Gwalka 5 months ago
this is as wonderful as it gets on the trumpet. Jumbo was amazing and a true original. A sweet guy as well. He was the reason I changed form the clarinet to the trumpet when I was 10. Watching the great Pete Fountain I was in awe, then Al Hirt played and I threw the clarinet on the couch and learned the trumpet.
davidlongoria 7 months ago
pretty slick!
Nabokov50 8 months ago
Is tha Pete Fountain on clarinet looking like the Friendly Giant?
Nabokov50 8 months ago
I am 54 and find that I knew a lot of music growing up, but missed a lot too. I barely knew of Al HIrt then. I spent most of my teens on hard rock & ignored most everything else around. I heard Java on an oldies show 1 night, remembered it a little & started looking up Al HIrt. Amazing what I missed. Same with some other music. Thank goodness for You Tube.
usaruss 8 months ago
You don't know who Al Hirt is? Was Johnny Cash the only music you had to listen to under the rock you grew up under?
dbersch 11 months ago
@dbersch Uhm... you're welcome?
abargle 11 months ago
Pete Fountain would have LOVED to sound anywhere like Pee Wee, a man with one of the most amazing clarinet sounds I ever heard, yes, including Benny Goodman. Too bad he spent his most productive years in the shadow of Al Hirt.
There is nobody around today that could approximate Pee Wee's sound. I know so because I played in Al's band for two years. Yes, that's me Rodrigo Saenz, on bass
rodrigozuniga45 1 year ago
Al Hirt was such a cool guy. Never thought I'd hear him playing something like Walk The Line- sounded great.
NorthTulsaBoy 1 year ago
Pee Wee was my uncle, married to my mother's sister Margaret Tucker. He was never Pete Fountain's "protege". They were friends as are almost all of the close knit musical community of New Orleans. Just as Al was known as "Jumbo", Pee Wee was known as "Short Legs". What you see in the videos of Pee Wee is what you got, a short, sweet, lovable, funny man who played great music. If you have ever heard Pee Wee's solo's at Al's club (I heard many) you would know he sounded nothing like Pete.
pepjr60 1 year ago
Yep, "Jumbo" as Al's millions of fans called him, was a GIANT in many ways back in the '60s. Who is that Johnny Cash fella though? LOL
Two true legends indeed! Al inspired me to take up the trumpet in '61 and I'm still going strong today!
motrenrut2008 1 year ago 4
Clarinetist Pee Wee Spitilera was a protoge of Pete Fountain - he sounds almost exactly like Pete. Pee Wee was in the "Little Band" on the Lawrence Welk show (1958 & 59) EVERY WEEK for 2 years playing clarinet & baritone saxophone. After Welk he joined Al Hirt.
dept2 1 year ago
pee wee on clarinet, joe prajean on bone, ronnie dupont on piano
kevinrayclark1 1 year ago 2
Rodrigo Saenz on bass and Paul Ferrara on drums
rodrigozuniga45 1 year ago
yeh pete fountain on clarinet
RicardoDowridge 2 years ago
I think that is Al Hirt's brother Gerald on trombone.
sundrop1974 2 years ago
The duet is I Walk the Line. The first song by Al Hirt and his band is a very fast version of the country song Louisiana Man. The second song by Al Hirt and his band is an extremely fast version of the classic Jelly Roll Morton dixieland song Wolverine Blues. Abargle, I am one of those Al Hirt fans, and so thank you thank you thank you for posting this!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
leopoldmozart 2 years ago 5
Pete Fountain?
willminkorea 2 years ago