Jazz on the Johnny Carson show

Joe Carter · January-24th-2005, 08:21 AM

Anybody remember seeing/ hearing any Jazz on JC's show? I remember tuning in one night and Tony Bennet and Bill Evans were performing one of the tunes from their first duo album. I don't remember which tune but what was amazing is that Johnny had BOTH of them come over to the couch after their song. When they approached, Tony graciously pushed Bill to sit in the first seat, next to Johnny. Johnny engaged both of them in a three way conversation and I remember thinking what a wonderful conversationalist Bill was, better than the average Johnny Carson guest.

I beleive the Gene Bertoncini/ Michael Moore duo performed once but I didn't see that one. If I remember correctly, Gene taught guitar to one of Johnny's sons.

Joe C.

Dr Dave · January-24th-2005, 09:22 AM

Take a look at the Carson thread in the Alley. There was jazz EVERY night on the show--we're trying to remember who was in the band in New York and on the West Coast.

craigz · January-24th-2005, 09:34 AM

Buddy Rich was on dozens of times. That kind of thing seemed to be Johnny's favorite, especially since he played the drums. Dizzy was on many times too.

steve(thelil) · January-24th-2005, 09:38 AM

Steve Reynolds has asked me to post a couple of things for him while he's out on the road:

"If Johnny knew *Anything* about jazz he would have had Hamid Drake on instead of that airbag Buddy Rich"

Oh Yeah, he had 2 words for Johnny: "Where's Brotzmann?"

bostontricky · January-24th-2005, 09:40 AM

Great picture in the print edition of the NY Times this morning of the jazz combo from hell: Carson on drums, Jimmy Stewart on accordion, former LA Mayor Sam Yorty on banjo, and Phyllis Diller on alto. Yipes!

Jimmy Cantiello · January-24th-2005, 11:43 AM

And I'm sure most of you know that Clark Terry was part of the Tonight Show band for quite a while. There were many really good players in that band over the years....................

Lenny D.Guitarist · January-24th-2005, 12:01 PM

Jimbo, you're correct on that one.

I bet that pos Kenny G was also on the Carson show several times...

Ron S · January-24th-2005, 12:12 PM

Speaking of the Tonight Show band, I'm supposed to see Doc Severinsen's predecessor Skitch Henderson--joined by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra--this coming Saturday night at the Smithsonian in D.C. Skitch is getting the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal. Skitch Henderson Smithsonian Program

Brian Olewnick · January-24th-2005, 12:44 PM

Sometime in the early 80s, Cosby was guest-hosting and Sonny Rollins was scheduled to appear. Predictably, he didn't get on until about 12:45AM, but when he did, he came out solo and launched into some blistering work. About 6-7 minutes in, it was apparently time for a commerical break as the band began tinkling behind him (which says reams about where Rollins falls on the general American value scale). Cosby shushed them (hurrah!) and Rollins continued on for another 5 or so minutes. Twelve minutes of (almost) uninterrupted solo Rollins on network TV! Still the best single jazz performance I've ever seen on the tube.

Jim R · January-24th-2005, 12:57 PM

http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet...10019/season-1

graypencil · January-24th-2005, 01:10 PM

Johnny was a huge jazz fan and an amateur drummer himself ..and he did manage to keep the last large TV band going for over 25 years ( and loaded with many star players as well: Conte, Clark Terry, Snooky Young, Pete Christlieb, Ernie Watts, The Phantom, etc. )

There was lots of jazz you DIDN'T hear nighly as well ..the band usually played through each break for four or five minutes several times per hour.

jazzy mary · January-24th-2005, 01:26 PM

That's right, GP, and whenever they came back from the break, you would see Johnny tapping his pencil like a drumstick and nodding appreciately at the band. I just knew there was some great music we all were missing. I remember Joe Williams being on the show alot and how Johnny was so genuinely fond of him and thought he was so great. My dad was a HUGE,HUGE Johnny Carson fan and we used to watch it together. It makes me sad because my Dad died 8 years ago this Feb.!

Dr Dave · January-24th-2005, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Olewnick

Sometime in the early 80s, Cosby was guest-hosting and Sonny Rollins was scheduled to appear. Predictably, he didn't get on until about 12:45AM, but when he did, he came out solo and launched into some blistering work. About 6-7 minutes in, it was apparently time for a commerical break as the band began tinkling behind him (which says reams about where Rollins falls on the general American value scale). Cosby shushed them (hurrah!) and Rollins continued on for another 5 or so minutes. Twelve minutes of (almost) uninterrupted solo Rollins on network TV! Still the best single jazz performance I've ever seen on the tube.

I remember that! Totally amazing performance. I recall Cosby being in schoolteacher mode. He didn't say it in so many words, but it was sort of "You better listen to this because it is very good for you."

clinthopson · January-24th-2005, 01:58 PM

Ross Tompkins once admitted to me that he had the best gig any jazz musician could have.

Valerie · January-24th-2005, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clinthopson

Ross Tompkins once admitted to me that he had the best gig any jazz musician could have.

Ross and John B. Williams!

Gentle Giant · January-24th-2005, 02:49 PM

I recall another time when Cosby was guest-hosting and he had Max Roach on. After playing a tune, Cos asked Roach to sit on the couch with just his sticks and his hi hats, and he asked Max to do something. Max did some crazy stuff that blew my mind.

Jazz Journalist · January-24th-2005, 03:14 PM

Marian McPartland told me that Johnny Carson had her on the show several times. I have an audio tape (sorry, no video) of a track played by Stephane Grappelli in 1983, though I don't know who the guitarist (probably Martin Taylor or Marc Fossett?) or bassist are.

Ron Thorne · January-24th-2005, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gentle Giant

I recall another time when Cosby was guest-hosting and he had Max Roach on. After playing a tune, Cos asked Roach to sit on the couch with just his sticks and his hi hats, and he asked Max to do something. Max did some crazy stuff that blew my mind.

I missed that show, GG. Damn!

I think that I can safely surmise that Max may have done one of his now-famous hi-hat tributes to "Papa" Jo Jones. I have one of those moments on a Dizzy Gillespie DVD. Phenomenal!!!!!!

Chaz Longue · January-24th-2005, 04:48 PM

Anybody ever see Pete Barbuti?

Funny as hell AND swung his ass off...

Jim R · January-24th-2005, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chaz Longue

Anybody ever see Pete Barbuti?

Oh... probably a few dozen times.

Ron S · January-24th-2005, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Thorne

I missed that show, GG. Damn!

I think that I can safely surmise that Max may have done one of his now-famous hi-hat tributes to "Papa" Jo Jones. I have one of those moments on a Dizzy Gillespie DVD. Phenomenal!!!!!!

I got to see Max do this live during a free (believe it or not) outdoor concert he gave at Penn's Landing in Philly about 10 or so years ago. The audience thought it was phenomenal then, also.

Peterdubya · January-24th-2005, 06:32 PM

Bill Perkins and Pete Christlieb were both in the LA band.

I saw Hendrix (Jimi) on the show Flip Wilson was the guest host. Also on hand (same night, I think) Wilson Picket.

Arranger-Transcriber · January-24th-2005, 10:37 PM

CNN just finished interviewing Ed McMahon and Doc Severinsen about their days with the Tonight Show. Doc told a bittersweet story about playing those great jazz charts during commercial breaks.

There was one tune that Doc said he was particularly enamoured of and played frequently. On one fateful night he played it once too often. Ed and Doc agreed that Johnny loved jazz and big band, but on this occasion Johnny wrote Doc a note while the band was playing that read, "If you ever play that tune again, you're dead!"

Doc added that after the show, he collected all the parts for the chart--a substantial one about three inches think--took it to the parking lot, and, in Johnny's presence, set fire to it and burned it to ashes.

To those who saw the CNN show: Is my version of this story accurate?

Doc didn't reveal what chart it was. Being something of a collector myself, I would love to have known what it was and if there are any surviving editions. But I feel greatful to have "rescued" about a dozen of those great charts, some even bearing the "Tonight Show" stamp.

BFrank · January-25th-2005, 12:12 AM

Doc is on The Charlie Rose Show tonight. I'll listen for that story.

Ron Thorne · January-25th-2005, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arranger-Transcriber

CNN just finished interviewing Ed McMahon and Doc Severinsen about their days with the Tonight Show. Doc told a bittersweet story about playing those great jazz charts during commercial breaks.

There was one tune that Doc said he was particularly enamoured of and played frequently. On one fateful night he played it once too often. Ed and Doc agreed that Johnny loved jazz and big band, but on this occasion Johnny wrote Doc a note while the band was playing that read, "If you ever play that tune again, you're dead!"

Doc added that after the show, he collected all the parts for the chart--a substantial one about three inches think--took it to the parking lot, and, in Johnny's presence, set fire to it and burned it to ashes.

To those who saw the CNN show: Is my version of this story accurate?

Doc didn't reveal what chart it was. Being something of a collector myself, I would love to have known what it was and if there are any surviving editions. But I feel greatful to have "rescued" about a dozen of those great charts, some even bearing the "Tonight Show" stamp.

I saw most of the CNN feature too, and I have a slightly different memory in two areas.

• I remember Doc saying that Johnny sent a note to him while they were on-the-air which read (to paraphrase) "don't ever play that song again as long as you live." There wasn't an explicit threat in what I heard Doc say.

• I don't recall Doc (or anyone) discussing the thickness of the chart(s), only that he'd gathered them all up after the show and set them on fire in Johnny's presence in the parking lot in Burbank.

It shouldn't be impossible to learn the identity of that chart with some online sleuthing and a few e-mails. I'm very anxious to know what it was too, frankly.

I suspect that our resident graypencil might be able to put his finger on this one for us.

Doc, at 77+, looked *great* tonight!

clinthopson · January-25th-2005, 11:28 AM

The Phantom would know the name of that chart.

VIBEr · January-25th-2005, 11:41 AM

I remember back in 1985 that John McLaughlin was scheduled to be a guest on the show. At the time McLaughlin had released a new album under the name "Mahavishnu," and I couldn't imagine that band being on Carson. Anyway I stayed up to see it. Well, Johnny introduces McLaughlin, who walks out with only an acoustic guitar and sits right in front of the Tonight Show Band, and they all launch into a burning super-uptempo version of "Cherokee" with McLaughlin taking two fiery choruses on acoustic that were simply amazing. At the end of the tune, you could hear Carson cheering in the background and McLaughlin got invited over to the couch.

I was hoping that it would be repeated at some point, but never was. Too bad - it would definitely turn some heads around regarding McLaughlin's ability to play standards with the best of them.

Capt.W./TX. · February-15th-2005, 11:13 PM

I remember seeing a Carson Show ca. summer of '68 (I was living in K.C. MO
at the time) during which Al Hirt was a guest on the show. There was a trumpet battle between Jumbo, Doc & Clark Terry on an up-tempo blues I'd love to see and hear again.

However, for featuring jazz on the 'Tonight' show, Steve Allen is still the champ!

Arranger-Transcriber · February-15th-2005, 11:33 PM

Sorry, I haven't kept up with this thread. Shortly after I recounted the story of Doc burning the chart, I heard from someone in his organization. Doc's Road Manager reported to me that Doc had been asked to identify the chart he burned and that Doc's response was that he didn't remember. That doesn't necessarily mean that nobody in the band remembers, however. (Or have they been sworn to secrecy?)

There's been some discussion about the identity of musicians in the band. They're not at all difficult to identify. Doc recorded several very nice CDs with his Tonight Show Band. Check out the albums!