Charlie Barnet - Skyliner

[@talbotvanman]

I had the pleasure of accompanying (on Drums) Charlie Barnet when he cruised with his wife on the Cunard Liner I worked on in 1963. He borrowed the bandleaders alto and we gave a concert for the ships crew featuring (of course!) Skyliner and Cherokee. He was a gent!!

[@lessthanzero1955]

Which of his wives was that? hmmmm? He had at least 11.

[@lulz_danny_1541]

No fucking way, tell more

[@CaptZdq1]

Lucky ducky.

[@brasil33]

What a memory that must have been! You’re a fortunate man! 👍🏼

[@SuperBC10]

Wow!

[@TheBoondoggler]

Imagine living during the time this music was the most popular. What a blessing.

[@robertchamberlain7202]

My computer and KZbin takes me back 80 years were I can enjoy the past 8 decades in music. What wonderful music and memories.thanks to all the people who makes this possible

[@albertadriftwood3612]

First rate band from an era that was far too short. Very sophisticated, and a joy to watch. Imagine hearing this live!

[@michaeljayklein500]

I once spoke to him on the phone when visiting my mom in San Diego in my teens. This was in 1978. I worked on a big band radio program in Atlantic City and was hoping he'd do a phone interview with us later. His name was in the phone book (he lived on Anchorage Drive, I remember that). He was as nice as could be and was rather pleased to know he was speaking to a 16-year-old fan.

[@brasil33]

Great memory for you 👍🏻

[@spikehofmann]

Thanks for sharing delightful story

[@filsgreen]

This just evokes memories of my long departed parents......

[@EdVanMeyer]

One of my all time favourite tracks

[@TheDrewmeister66]

Love this song. Love Big Band music period. Shame that music went downhill since then.

[@johncoles-pw4qx]

I love big band and swing music it never fails to cheer me up, it wasn't a weapon in ww2 but it was certainly a morale booster, the axis had nothing like it, no wonder they lost.

[@thebigfist]

Great find, Chuck. Charlie definitely had one of the most underrated of all of the big bands,Thas some all -star lineup he had!

[@piercejanecek1764]

Charlie Barnett is great.

[@robkeeleycomposer]

Glorious. You don't need to to have lived in 1944 to feel nostalgia for that period. Makes you feel good to be alive.

[@stevesvideoentertainer]

I was born in 1944 and this music filled my soul 🙂

[@donalddenton2297]

Whenever the crazy news gets too much, i spend an hour listening to this challenge.

[@msbony2u]

This was used as the theme song for a radio show on WJQS AM in Jackson, Miss., in the late '50's and early '60's, from 11 PM till 2 AM or so. They played great music on that station, which my dad managed.

[@pavelvasilyev3826]

no way, wow

[@msbony2u]

Yes, way!

[@jjakiefte2165]

Lyman Vunk on the short trumpet bit, Barney Kessel on guitar.

[@pgcsec]

My father was conscripted into one of the tank regiments in the UK around 1946 or 47. As well as being a driver of the tank in Germany he volunteered to be the projectionist for films and the news reels. He always played this to let the troops know the film was about to start. We all thought it fitting to play it as his funeral.

[@johncoles-pw4qx]

Great to know that as we approach 2025 people still enjoy this music.

[@vicsplace7708]

American troops in Munich in 1945 used this as a theme song for the show "Midnight in Munich.

[@MrSpadeofAce]

i love this.. they were more classy back then

[@scotnick59]

D'ya think? yes = there seemed to be more class in the thirties/forties/fifties somehow

[@TheTricky411]

and racist

[@madkittylady]

@@TheTricky411Racism has gone on for centuries, not just during this era. Blame your whites for the slave trade, because that's what it all stems from. So from the days of Captain Cook, to President Biden............because of attitude, NOTHING changes!

[@andraxdosreis6570]

An amazing melody and band!!!

[@gaspersacco9914]

Believe it or not , I took alto sax music lessons from one of the Charlie Barnet`s great sax players who also taught ! I was a 1950`s teenager in a Newark NJ high school dance band at the time!

[@andyong2494]

This was used as the theme song in our local Radio network in the mid-1950's for a program called "Spot the Favorites". Had to look our for Kelsey Grammer. Caught him on the left of the screen at about 1:22 Andy Ong - Singapore

[@topazioazulazul]

This music makes me soooo happy!!! People that make this beautiful music are AMAZING!!!

[@bandstand16]

Thank you so much, for 2 mins. and 52 seconds, I forgot about all the earthquakes, floods and poverty that's surrounding us. This music is from an era that will never be forgotten. The stage design reminded me of Ricky Ricardo's Tropicana Club...Wonderful...

[@krg1965]

Great cut - swings like a good 'un. I first heard the Ted Heath version and loved it ever since, wonderful to hear the original - thanks! Neal Hefti (RIP) was an absolute genius, responsible for another of my all-time favourites, Splanky. (Like another poster, I'm too young to remember the big band era, but luckily my Dad introduced me to the music...)

[@tallpaul521]

Thanks. My favorite tune of Barnet's, who is sadly forgotten in the realm of Big Bands. Posted on May 16th -- my birthday. There used to be a video of Barnet doing "Cherokee" from a film, on You Tube, but it has disappeared.

[@brasil33]

I think it’s back on KZbin (2021)

[@irenekent4335]

Oh just wonderful love this music happy days for me

[@MrRJDB1969]

The great Charlie Barnet !!

[@abmrl14]

HOW COOL WAS THAT!!!!!!!!

[@kurentbellsringing4306]

My dad just named this man as a great contribution to his 45 record collection . Thanks for your post , he got to enjoy tunes from his childhood. 🙏

[@VallinSFAS]

ES-PECIALE: That split screen at the guitar solo groovin' wit' da bass. Yeah, Man!

[@johnnolan9312]

One of the truly great arrangements of the big band era. Right up there (almost) with Artie Shaw's Begin the Beguine.

[@ghairraigh]

"Skyliner" dropped out of the standard Big Band repertoire because it is just too hard to play those breaks with the brass pyramids at tempo. However, my Big Band ( the O.M.J.B.) performs it. I love the tension in the rhythm section between the bass/drums playing in "two" and the guitar playing a straight swinging "four".

[@SuperBC10]

It's a beautiful piece of musical language I think. I love the long tenuto notes in one passage followed by the staccato in the next - or even vice versa. You sort of get into that groove but it surprises you next time round. Beautiful.

[@orchardist1965]

Conjures the wonderful sight of lights of the airport coming into land.

[@scottalexander7612]

Skylines was my parents fav when they were dating in 46… she still in the RAF, he demobbed from raf and working in Montreal mum from Scotland, dad a Yorkie. Really nice to have found this

[@evenstar0]

took a break from listening to a bunch of goth rock to revisit some of swing favorites, and this is one I haven't listened to since I was living at home and had it taped off the radio on a cassette, a few years ago... I love love love it! one of my absolute favorite charlie barnet tunes - when the saxes come in behind the trumpets and things at about 0:25 I get chills every time!

[@shirleybarratt6496]

Bloody great, reminds me of my mum she used to play it to death in the sixties

[@josephpapalia7106]

One of the best bands coming out of the forties.

[@XNYer68]

This IS one of my favorites from the Swing Era. There is just something I love about this tune.

[@RitaMahony-nn1lx]

Skyliner is one of my favourites. It is a flight of joy. And, yes, the music had class.

[@EsquadrãoAço]

Particularmente é o trabalho do Charlie e sua Big Band, que mais aprecio.

[@1948BigCy]

Neal WAS a genius. Check out his work with Count Basie. He also issued an album under his own name that is great. He was one of the BEST arrangers around!

[@schnieef]

The trombone section at 1:42 is something I can't get out of my ears.

[@dept2]

The guitar player is a young Barney Kessel. There's also a young Doc Severinson in the trumpet section but you can't see him on the video. And..this is NOT live - it's pre-recorded!!!!! They are just playing along with an earlier recording.

[@timothyfioravanti7042]

Who is playing the piano?

[@Zartonistv]

One of my favorite pieces of music. Thanks for posting this live performance.

[@muhammadomar2343]

one of the best jazz swing ever

[@robertino2008]

gracias youtube por ésta herramienta, que nos permite escuchar lo que ya dabamos por perdido en nuestros oidos!!!!

[@akoripahs]

Re: stijnhouwer's question - I'm almost positive that Barney Kessel is the guitar soloist!

[@pauldorobialski8871]

I have this & other musical selections by Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra on a 16mm short subject produced by Universal Studios.

[@littlequacka]

So smooth.

[@patrickmartin925]

CONTINUE TO LOVE IT.

[@MrsClippit]

Ive been humming this tune off and on for years but never knew the name of the song....My Mom used to listen to the Big Band music on KFI Los Angeles back in the 60s when i was little and this song was one they played all the time. So anyway,Im listening to XM Sirius Jazz Classics 40s and they played this song! So now i know the name! LOVE IT!!

[@zeekfromthecreek]

Yeah that's the downside of instrumental music. If no one's singing, it's hard to figure out what the title is. Of course sometimes it's pretty hard even if someone's singing.

[@rolandlundh1505]

Härligt och vilket gung det är !

[@22stublue]

Charlie Barnett...the epitomy of cool...

[@RatPfink66]

UPCUT! Dang it, so many of these rare old music films stop right before the ending.

[@Queenmary1936]

Nothing epitomizes sailing day for the great ocean liners QUEEN MARY and QUEEN ELIZABETH than this song!

[@enaj78]

Thanks so much for this. One of my favorite Barnet numbers.

[@ghairraigh]

This is a wonderful Charlie Barnet chart that we play in our big band. Unlike many swing era hits, "Skyliner" is largely forgotten and omitted from modern big band repertoire because it is so difficult to play. The repeated brass pyramid breaks where each horn enters in turn are hard to perform smoothly at tempo. Watch for the Barney Kessel guitar solo.

[@georgealfano6291]

I don't know that it is forgotten because it was the closing theme on the Tonight Show.

[@wadeharris65]

Very true. Even in Glenn Miller's band, Tex Beneke would sometimes double on clarinet (and takes the clarinet solo on "By the Waters of Minnetonka").

[@johnholloway2445]

I HEARD BIG BANDS FIRST .........A BIG BAND BOOMER ....SO FAR SO GOOD .BIG BANDS FOREVER

[@annabevivino9327]

Mi piace moltissimo

[@kansasross]

I was stationed in Japan during the Korean War. Each day at noon we listened to Honshu Hayride, a disk jockey program coming from Yokohama. The intro theme music at the beginning of the program was Skyliner, the wlole piece every day. I didn't know the name of it at that time but it became one of my lifetime favorite recordings, along with Shina-no Yoru, China Night, also played every day. I still love both of them. China Night was recorded by an American girl, Shirley Yamaguchi but it seemed to come right out of the soul of Japan..

[@colinglass1342]

Fantastic love this 😀

[@Petox20x]

Perfect accompaniment for Martini- and Manhattan-fueled madness.

[@stunatox]

The "clarinet" Charley is playing is a soprano sax.

[@heantonstudios]

this is truly great work an amazing sound, i no nothing much about big band music but i fell in love with this and as my dad 79 would say thats proper music. i used this for my mates stag do video check out Daves Stag Do Golf. music today well....lets not go there!!!

[@carloscasarero2620]

Charlie Barnet : Ritmo Elegancia " una Caricia para el oído " !!!.

[@wadeharris65]

Actually Barnet's instrument is a straight soprano sax. As far as I know, Barnet never recorded on the clarinet, although I may be wrong.

[@deralteu96dasboot]

the guitarist is definitely Turk van Lake!. Must Know it, cause he is my armenian uncle. Thank´s for posting!

[@onlyme6662]

Love this song! 😁😁

[@daantemminkpiano]

amazing players

[@carloscasarero2620]

Virtuosos de la Música " que Perdura en el Tiempo ",. Que Ritmo en Cada Grupo de Músicos, dirigidos por el Gran Charlie Barnet.

[@guyperry4010]

Fabulous

[@OLD_SOUL1900]

My favourite of Barnet's songs! Does anyone know the brand of silver clarinet he played on?

[@deralteu96dasboot]

on drums hal hahn (one of the best drummers of his age!)

[@duncankimball]

I beg to differ with you on two counts, jonbecker. (1) Louis Jordan was HUGE - one of the first true crossover artists to gain a big following with both 'black' and 'white' audiences and score hits on both charts (2) Charlie Barnet's Orchestra could eat Glenn Miller's group for breakfast and still have room for more pancakes. 'Skyliner' is IMHO one of *the* greatest of all swing recordings - the original Decca cut is one of the most thrilling sides I've ever heard. Who produced it?

[@annabevivino9327]

Stupenda.

[@rogeralsop3479]

Wonderful band.

[@slurpee27]

man... that is a toe-tapper!

[@владимирбражник-у8к]

Прекрасная мелодия.

[@thebigfist]

Great post, blazerwolfsmart!

[@deralteu96dasboot]

the guitarist is definetily Turk Van Lake. Don´t forget that charlie Barnet made movies in 1945, end of 1945 was drum-chair-change from hal hahn (on drums to see HH)! to george jenkins (from the Lionel Hampton Band)

[@donvito495]

Maravilhoso" Adoraria ter vivido nessa época, grandes musicos, grandes musicas.

[@vitorrenato984]

Quem diria, um camarada do Brasil! Realmente, a era do swing foi um período icônico na história da música, marcado pelo ritmo contagiante, as melodias cativantes e a energia vibrante. Um tempo que não volta mais...

[@juliourdinelizaga8763]

Es una música que transmite un optimismo un tanto kitsch y modo de vida americana

[@Thundermonkeyms]

@blazerwolfsmartt Just so you know, I think thats actually a soprano saxophone.

[@generationll]

Very nice.I also like Redskin Rhumba by him

[@blazerwolfsmartt]

Charlie Barnet on the clarinet of course, however Buddy DeFranco played for him for several years as the clarinetist!

[@davidreidenberg9941]

Soprano sax

[@khussein6409]

COOL!!!

[@neuzasantos2777]

Amei!!! e cadê "Early Autumn"

[@jimthompson7402]

We used to say: Swing and sweat with Charlie Barnett.

[@ApartmentKing66]

Barnet

[@armsaleenak3200]

Great Brand

[@Bob-Horse]

Finished too soon, left off the wonderful ending.

[@jimthompson7402]

Swing and sweat with Charlie Barnet.

[@motokid413]

I'm 17 and i hope to spread this great music on to my friends! any suggestions?

[@janvanzwieten7764]

Dodo Marmarosa on the intro, Buddy DeFranco on alto in the middle of the sax group

[@upphetsade]

I'm not sure that's Dodo on piano. He was thinner and had a hook nose. The bass player (whose name I don't know) appeared in a nightclub scene in the film "The Big Sleep" (1946).

[@karlruffing4237]

Is that Barney Kessel on guitar? It sure looks and sounds like him.

[@Suldog29]

Barnet is my favorite sax soloist. Hot band, although some of the arrangements seemed to peter out at the end, like the arranger was thinking, "OK, the solos are over, let's end it and move on to the next one."

[@jonbecker03]

@JiggyHo the people of the forties may have been "very tough." (in fact, i'm sure they were.) but the music they liked was, on the whole, sweet and sentimental (glenn miller, tommy dorsey, charlie barnett, etc.). there were tough, kickin' musical outfits out there (louis jordan, lionel hampton), but they didn't have huge audiences. this was especially true of white swing fans.

[@jas026able]

@MrMFHORN, Wayne Bergeron was born in 1958

[@247hdjazz]

Looked like him didn't it? Maybe his dad?

[@dogerecords5312]

I feel like this has lyrics and I've heard them, can't find one with lyrics though.

[@mikkirasmus]

Thanks! :-)

[@boink345]

I love how the arrangement begins with the counter melody and later layers the lead melody on top of it. Was Barnet the arranger or was it Billy May?

[@vladislovkyzinski3430]

Billy May has a version of Skyliner on an LP.

[@mmaybrown]

arranged by Billy Moore