By becca (Becca) on Friday, January 05, 2001 - 07:32 pm: EditLes brown passed away today
| By becca (Becca) on Friday, January 05, 2001 - 07:32 pm: Edit |
Les brown passed away today |
| By HopMichael (Mhwang) on Sunday, January 07, 2001 - 10:35 am: Edit |
Becca, thanks for the announcement. Here's some more history on Mr. Brown taken from AMG http://allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?p=amg&sql=B6189 The leader of a first-class jazz-oriented dance band for nearly 60 years, Les Brown's music was never innovative but was generally quite pleasing. While attending Duke University in 1935 he put together his first big band, the Duke Blue Devils. After the group broke up in 1936, Brown worked as an arranger before forming a permanent orchestra in 1938. Influenced by the swing of Benny Goodman but gradually forging its own sound, the Les Brown Orchestra had major hits in "Sentimental Journey" (featuring Doris Day in 1944) and a catchy arrangement of "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm." Several excellent soloists spent time with the band (including Abe Most and Ted Nash). In 1947 Brown started working with Bob Hope and the association, although putting the band in a subsidiary role, made it possible for the orchestra to stay together for so many decades. The Dave Pell Octet, which was quite popular in the mid-'50s, was comprised of some of Brown's sidemen. — Scott Yanow |
| By Gene (Gene) on Sunday, January 07, 2001 - 03:47 pm: Edit |
I have to admit I didn't know much about Les Brown and his band of Renown till by chance I got to see them play last July inside this aircraft carrier, the USS Hornet on Alameda Island across from San Francisco. It has since been decommissioned and became a floating museum where a couple thousand people were on hand all dressed up for this gala event which also featured the opening band Swing Session and two large dance floors on either side of the stage. Les Brown's band was sharp that night and kept the place jumpin' with both dance floors packed and I danced all night till I was begging for air in the very end. It's funny how on your travels you come upon a surprise of this magnitude and you can't help but say to yourself, "Wow, what luck!" I have to give a shout out to my friend from Denver, Susie Watts for knowing about it beforehand and taking me there(it was either there or The Doghouse, but we decided on the former). That evening became more significant for me when I read about his passing in our local fish wrap yesterday. Again, I was quite lucky to be there and to witness a great performance from a man so rich with history and significants dating back to the 30's! It's sad to hear about the passing of another swing icon, but I'm sure his legacy will live on for many years to come. |
| By Blackrider (Blackrider) on Monday, January 08, 2001 - 03:12 am: Edit |
he's dead because i hexed him. he's makin woopee with the devil in hell tonight. |
| By ++NancyAnne++ (Nancyanne) on Monday, January 08, 2001 - 02:08 pm: Edit |
Gene, Les Brown has been sick for quite a while and does not actually play in his band these years. The show that you saw was one of his prior band members taken over the lead; kind of a tribute show. His wife has been keeping the show touring for his sake while he's been sick. |
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