Way Out In Front

Band leader Boyd Raeburn pioneered a radically new sound in 1940's jazz -- so ahead of his time that audiences weren't ready for him.

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Entertainment

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• Raeburn
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• Entertainment
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• jazz
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• swing

[CrankedUpReallyHigh]

Thanks so much for doing the film and posting it! Discovering Raeburn via some 78s that were part of a collection I bought in the 1990s really rocked my world—"Tonsilectomy"! "Dalvatore Sali!" That arrangement of "Over the Rainbow"! Crazy stuff!!

Eventually, I got to meet and hang with his son, Dr. Bruce Boyd Raeburn, while visiting New Orleans; a great and knowledgeable guy.

[Astrobeej]

I'm so glad you liked it! I don't know if folks around here know it, but I discovered Mr. Raeburn when looking for the soundtrack music for my noir mystery short "The Smiling Man." Boyd's music added the perfect tone for the movie. DVDs are available at TheSmilingMan (dot) com.

[rickygervais1776]

My only criticism is the lack of reference to David Allyn. This strikes me as odd. He is certainly associated with Raeburn more than most of the other people named. To be forgotten in a documentary about a forgotten big band is pretty tragic.

[Astrobeej]

I hate to admit it, but the only reason I didn't include David Allyn is that I couldn't find even a single image of him! If anyone has pics of him, please send them to astrobeej(at)strafe(dot)com and I'll add him in!

Beej

[ogwen123]

Thanks for this!! Came across it while looking for Ginnie Powell recordings.

[jazzmonster123]

i like raeburn but i think that billy eckstine's, dizzy gillespie's and even (ulp!) stan kenton's big bands deserve more credit for being ahead of their time than raeburn. though raeburn certainly is entitled to more than the mere footnote he's been relegated to.

[CDSJAZZ]

What a find this is ! Great job on one of the most progressive big bands that could swing like hell thanks to the great Jackie Mills.What happened to the book that McKinney was writing on Boyd? p.s. Not a word about him on the Ken Burns' "Jazz".

[mensalicious]

This is a really nice overview of Boyd Raeburn's great band. Everyone is influenced by others, but Raeburn had his own style, especially with the double reeds. He was indeed a man ahead of his time. That bass sax sounded great on the bottom of the saxes!

[boppete]

Hello, manishafan,

yes, indeed! You're right. And if you guys want to read more about June Christy's way from Raeburn to Kenton - there's an Anita O' Day version of the story in O'Day's autobiography.

At last Spencer's recordings are available on CD. Listen to it!

And more interesting stories about Raeburn's orchestra you'll find in Ira Gitler's "Swing To Bop. An oral history of the transition in jazz in the 1940s" (But I'm sure most of you guys already know that book.)

[manishafan]

I agree that Sauter and those were writing already. However, they grew in time, as Mandel did after writing with Raeburn when he was only 16 years old. The question isn't who came first, but who made the inroads as a band leader with this style of arranging. That's why it was being called new and innovative under his baton.

[JosephNScott]

"You are set on Kenton not being influenced by anybody." No. "Sauter also was one that early on found the Raeburn influence to be his impetus." Before Finckel or Handy was writing for Boyd, Sauter was a favored arranger for the most famous jazz band in the world ("Benny Rides Again," "Superman," "Clarinet A La King," etc.). "Whether it was Handy or Finckel, it doesn't matter." Both important, I'm interested how. Agree that DE admired and funded Boyd's work -- after DE wrote the likes of "Ko-Ko."

[manishafan]

I am glad that you mentioned Eddie Sauter. He was highly influenced by the Raeburn band and named Raeburn's arrangers as the influence for the Sauter Finegan sound. Ellington used to fund the Raeburn band in it's hard times because he admired so much his work.

[manishafan]

Actually, Eddie Sauter found Raeburn to be the great influence on his band in the 50's. You are set on Kenton not being influenced by anybody. Eddie Sauter also was one that early on found the Raeburn influence to be his impetus. I should send you the IAJRC tape where countless times there are stated first hand accounts of this influence. Whether it was Handy or Finckel, it doesn't matter. Best to you as well. I'll go with Mandel and countless other first hand accounts.

[JosephNScott]

"the Tone Poem, pioneered by[....]" Ellington, Sauter and others were writing works similar to the classical "tone poem" during the years just before Raeburn went adventurous. Anyway, I would suggest Bothwell leaving Raeburn as a useful chronological cutting off point, and I'd suggest that when Bothwell left the band, Finckel likely had had more overall influence on all adventurous big bands than Handy yet had, and that Kenton was already adventurous and already successful.

Best wishes.