Benny Goodman At Carnegie Hall, New York 1974 #4

The Song Is Called Gotta Be this Or That
Featuring Benny Goodman On Clarinet And Vocal, Hank Jones On Piano, Red Norvo On Vibraphone, Bucky Pizzareilli On Guitar, Slam Stewart On Bass, Grady Tate On Drums, Zoot Sims and Al Klink On Saxophones, Bobby Hackett, Bernie Previn On Trumpets.

[@dhbvmm]

The Norvo tantrum was a gag; he used to do that same routine earlier in his career when he played xylophone. With the wood xylophone bars, they could break when thrown so he had a few specially made rubber xylophone bars installed on his xylophone for that purpose. If one looks closely at his vibraphone in this video, the low F# is not mounted in its pegs properly - it sits a little crooked. That is so it is possible for Red to grab that row of bars easily for the "toss."

[@christopherescott6787]

Class incarnate.

[@zacharyboulterbowers]

Fantastic! Check out those slap mallets Red is using

[@alansouzacruz970]

Amazing !!!

[@andy_travis]

the gimmick has distracted a lot of you from 1) the beyond-tight, totally good feelin', good humored presentation 2) the fact Slam Stewart is the most underrated bass player of all time 3) Zoot Sims! 4) HANK JONES!!!!!!!!!

[@PiotrBarcz]

Wait, Slam Stewart is in this? And Hank Jones?

[@hommefriday]

This is just priceless!!

[@VincentHoudijk]

WOOW!!!!

[@SatchmoSings]

Amazing how the 1938 concert was recorded with but ONE microphone and while this one is a "mixologists delight."

[@78scott]

this was all a set-up. when Red was with BG during the mid 40s when this was performed live, Red would do the same schtick tossing his vibes at Benny. It's all in Russ Connor's BG discog and other bios of Benny.

[@electriccellist]

How else is vibe player gonna be freakin' noticed. Hello!

[@GoldenBug]

Oh shit. Red had been hanging out with Sinatra and Buddy Rich for too long, apparently.

[@paulie4m]

@crtune it was part of the act from what I have read.

[@lacynut]

Goodman and Norvo did the same schtick for the performance of "Gotta Be This or That" on the "Swing Into Spring" TV broadcast. Anyone out there have a copy of that? Btw, the joke element is clearer on "Swing Into Spring": Goodman and Norvo have a "musical argument" before Norvo goes into his routine. It's great to see Slam Stewart and H.J. on this version, though!

[@rickhorvath]

must have been some schtick. the band is amazing!

[@HESSIONSSESSIONS]

Obviously, a very hip gag! Maynard used to put people on all of the time and they would always believe it to be the "gospel truth." One time, we printed out all of the negative comments from the Maynard Ferguson Forum and had a ball! I wish that we could have posted what Maynard actually said about all of those guys and their posts. They would have all gone home and cried to their mommies.

[@crtune]

Does anyone know if this is just a gag or what (Red Norvo throwing the set of tone bars from his vibes set). My guess is it was their idea of a funny gag. I can almost hear them scheming the thing back stage...."I'll pretend to throw the bars at you, Bennie..., It will be hilarious!". That is just my guess, though. Anything is possible.

[@smythe555]

Gag or not, clearly Hank Jones wasn't in on it! He's sitting right next to Red! Those mallets come pretty close to hitting his head! Hank Looks terrified!

[@megatongirl]

The beginnings of rage quitting =D

[@PsychoticDreams0]

Genesis.....that's the word you're looking for.

[@MartacusJazz]

Man, Red Norvo needs to relax...

[@SarcasticBanana01]

I hated playing that instrument

[@djoutrage18]

I think red was joking... I hope so anyway lol I'm gonna have mental images of buddy ritch picking up his drum kit and hurling it at people all day... lol very childish, but funny

[@SheridanJazz]

Part of a running gag, whenever he worked with BG.

[@augusthour]

It's called a gag, folks. Jesus, relax.

[@dovlandzbaum5036]

Yes, a gag...a stupid one, maybe, but a gag, nevertheless.

[@JohnnyConga]

Where is Red's maturity bout this?....his ego is totally in the way..and to act like that is embarrassing to other musicians....and to do what he did to the vibes is a 'sacrilege'...he should be ashamed of himself....