Harry James "Ciribiribin" with Benny Goodman 1939

Diehard Harry James fans will no doubt have heard this. This is from Harry James' last performance with Benny Goodman on Jan 10, 1939. After Benny and Johnny Mercer announce Harry's farewell, James plays his "new" band's theme song, "Ciribiribin".

[@user-sm7dr9bk5u]

Ah, the old days of swing. And Harry James, the trumpet virtuouso. Loved it!

[@TrumpetDiva1]

I got to play this with Harry and his band from 1982-83, the best time of my life. Harry, Ziggy Elman and Chris Griffin....what a section! Thanks for sharing this Chuck!

[@glw5166]

How lucky!

[@albertbeer4809]

Harry dies 1981

[@ChuckParDueMusic]

​@@albertbeer4809Harry James died on July 5, 1983

[@vaxwiz]

I had the honor to meet Harry James in 1971 at the Dorian Manor in Sayreville, NJ. He had the whole band and brought down the house!...incredible!!!

[@whatintarnation426]

Thats great, Frank!!!! Luckyyy

[@susanowens6422]

I think this maybe was the greatest big band trumpet section of all time. The way they blended, they were like the trumpet section version of the Andrews Sisters. There is a live recording of Bumble Bee Stomp that really shows off how incredibly tight these 3 were. And according to an interview I read with James, they split the book into thirds. In other words, they all played, at one time or another, lead, solo and third part. That is amazing flexibility.

[@paulwand5391]

I am 66 years old and grew listening to big band, my Father played trumpet much like James, and we listened to him all the time, and did go to one live concert. This version is the best and what I consider the original version! I myself play valve trombone.

[@TrumpetDiva1]

And let's not forget that Harry was only 22 years old when this was recorded!

[@williamsgarrison8861]

Louise Baranger m

[@raphaelblackton876]

hj born in 1916 per wiki

[@demef758]

To be that fluid on the horn at that age ... a true prodigy!

[@alexcarter8807]

@@demef758 He started out at something like age 5 with the circus, and actually ran away *from* the circus in his teens.

[@eriknorlin8968]

@@demef758 his father was a slavedriver,and in turn made harry into a huge ass

[@clarktidd9807]

Yes Harry did start in a circus. He was my 4th cousin and influenced my brother and me to music. The circus was also family as in the Clark bros. Circus. Along with his wife Betty Grable. He will not be challenged by anyone as to his horn. Was the greatest

[@michaelbutler5865]

One word, magnificent!How can anyone dislike such a splendid recording?

[@andressilvaorq]

Hola amigos, Soy Andrés Silva, como peruano y músico profesional Baterista, les cuento del gran Honor de conocer al gran y famoso trompetista Mr. Harry James, el año 1970, en su concierto en Disneylandia de Anaheim, California, a pesar de su gran fama nos concedió muy humildemente y con su gran simpatía tomarnos una foto con mi hermano Lucho Silva, quien habló con el durante nuestro saludo y en recuerdo de mi linda Mamita Enriqueta "Quetita" quien siempre nos contaba de las grandes actuaciones y de su fabulosa técnica para tocar la trompeta, destacando como el mejor del mundo en aquellas épocas, un gran arreglista y creador de un estilo único, Gran recuerdo de su simpatía y de una estatura de cerca a 1.90 metro, Que DIOS lo tenga en el Cielo..Q.E.P.D.

[@michaeljayklein500]

Good gosh, I've been collecting all things big band since I was 12, but I've never heard this air check before---great stuff! I LOVE it when Harry busts out with the first swing chorus of what became his theme song. Thanks so very much for finding this and sharing it with the rest of us big band fans.

[@joybreeden366]

What style...love you Harry! RIP

[@jmrodas9]

Nice melody of those my late Dad liked to hear as it is from before my own time really. Timeless tune really and very nice to hear.

[@jeffdawson2786]

Harry’s control on this is astonishing. The 3/4-4/4 arrangement is wonderful. When the band breaks loose and he solos, it’s like the first time I heard Louis Armstrong on “Potato Head Blues.” Speechless.😮;’

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

If you are 77 like me, Harry James was one of your trumpet heroes.

[@alexcarter8807]

Miles Davis admired the hell out of him too.

[@demef758]

ONE of your trumpet heroes? Was there anyone better?

[@alnumann2584]

Live and absolutel perfection!!!

[@pauldefour3221]

Harry James : what a beautiful sound !.....and dexterity on trumpet !....

[@kenmastro7801]

I had the opportunity to meet this fine talent in 1979 in what used to be a nightclub in Norwalk, ca

[@NellieKAdaba]

Nice

[@speedyneutrino1729]

Harry James must have had lips of titanium.

[@joeym6680]

Harry was simply THE BEST.....NO MAN COULD COME CLOSE.

[@leelarson6534]

Harry James is God.

[@eriknorlin4287]

@@leelarson6534 no he abused his women,so no,N.O.

[@dixiegorham5818]

FANTASTIC!!! THE BEST

[@dixiegorham5818]

@@eriknorlin4287 it had nothing to do with his Ability to play trumpet

[@user-ud1nr7ek6g]

LOVE ❤❤❤❤

[@LHChristopher]

It's great how Warren Beatty adapted this on the sax in "Heaven Can Wait"

[@veronicavero9498]

MASTER OF TRUMPET

[@joeym6680]

THE GREATEST TRUMPET PLAYER OF ALL TIME !!!!! HARRY JAMES.

[@chloecmz]

wow that was actually amazing

[@da11king]

Sounds like one of those tom and Jerry old cartoons 😸🐭 ... For real though his tone is exquisite and not easy to imitate! Gorgeous!

[@geoffthomson1686]

What a n incredible trumpet sound:)

[@SteveWilsonSr.-rm9ek]

Your kids gonna love it ,

[@boris21350]

simplesmente fantastico.

[@aldoscialpi7368]

Harry James. Sempre il numero UNO !!!

[@joeym6680]

W O W - LIKE I SAID......THE GREATEST TRUMPET PLAYER OF ALL TIME ! HARRY JAMES......

[@eriknorlin4287]

that s louis armstrong,he couldblow any one off any stage

[@ProfFeinman]

I was impressed that when Downbeat voted him best trumpet player of the year, he said that that was ridiculous it was, as Erik says, Louis.

[@bismarquesilva6366]

Welll, Harry you gone but still in our memory

[@bergy-62]

this is a classic.

[@ArtDocHound]

Hello from April 2021!

[@phillipecook3227]

Fantastic.

[@KentuckyJet]

awesome

[@brownboy988]

thanks a million for this beautiful rendition by the Master!!!!! .1939 must have been a good year for Harry James

[@fatcatchet]

He Really could play. Thanks for posting. No Harry James maybe no Sinatra!

[@rosinamanfredi4593]

gramde< maestro.>

[@casonedwards5986]

It’s over my head

[@laurahart3539]

Johnny Mercer ❤ Harry James

[@earltrombley7646]

harry was great, started out in a circus band. Had a great band. One of the first to have a string section. Lot of speculation how he lost Sinatra.

[@alexcarter8807]

Yeah started out in a circuit band when he was FIVE YEARS OLD. His family was a circus family and his dad made him practice a ton. At age 15 or so, when most kids were threatening to run away to the circus, he ran away *from* the circus and went out on his own.

[@demef758]

All I heard was that when Frank told Harry he wanted to leave for the Dorsey gig, Harry graciously let him go. Which is why Frank insisted on being the MC, so to speak, at Harry's Vegas funeral. To his dying day, Frank was grateful to Harry.

[@charlesmiller7283]

this is better than the Columbia record, swings more.

[@sisleymichael]

All the great players knew it was not the lips that get you to the high notes, its the arch of the tongue and controlling the air pathway (higher the arch of the tongue restricts the air flow thus raising the pitch). Maynard Ferguson, Al Hirt, Doc Severnsen, and Harry James, they all did it naturally. They could not teach it, but man could they play it. I learned to play the Magio System...say the sounds TA, TAY, TEE, TIC then ICK for the super high notes. Press the air flow hard with the diaphragm and maintain as little pressure of the horn on the lips as possible. The lower jaw comes back as you go higher and the lips roll inward. It is not easy and it takes lots of work every single day. The great ones make it look like child's play.

[@ethancecil8755]

Im pretty sure they just practice

[@EdWatts]

Yup; "THE" trumpet section. Harry James was twenty-two years old when this was recorded.

[@wpl955g9]

Effing amaznig.

[@LevanchoRcxiladze23]

bravo :)

[@aarongranda7825]

Heaven.

[@nataliebundy7415]

Wow!

[@justiciero5604]

Esa hermosa música la escuchaba en las caricaturas 🤣🤣

[@alanwitton5039]

Fantastic listening

[@demef758]

Merv Griffin dedicated one of his shows to Mr. James and let him tear the house down. The video is on KZbin. Do a search for it.

[@ChuckParDueMusic]

I am the person who posted the Merv Griffin-Harry James.

[@ChuckParDueMusic]

Ziggy in the middle, Chris on the right.

[@joeym6680]

AND THE KING OF TRUMPET OUT IN FRONT ! HARRY JAMES

[@THEPETERC1]

Hey Chuck, youtube has a great vocal of this arranged by Harry himself. Look for 'Mario Lanza sings Ciribiribin; open the 'show more' button, and read the credits. I have the lp itself, which credits Harry as the sole arranger. You may may know that Lanza appeared on Shower of Stars hosted by Harry & Betty. This is real bravura style, no connection to the forgettable Sinatra track.

[@ChuckParDueMusic]

I'm familiar with that.

[@leelarson6534]

King James rules.

[@joeym6680]

HARRY>>>>> THE BEST THERE EVER WAS ! and ever will be.

[@jorgenrasmussen4897]

Ziggy Elman and Chris Griffin in the photo?

[@taylorfusion]

Is this really A concert or is the 78 running at a different speed? Thinking it's really Bb Concert

[@tobydickerson3671]

1:06

[@johnbyrd1280]

harry was my idea

[@wayneo61]

new band... wow good time to move on

[@amelianarvaez8261]

Fernando Vallejo

[@midlandsroylenfield]

Wow! Such virtuosity and swing!! he was still just as great 40 years later and on 3 bottles of vodka a day!! How have we ended up with the whingeing Gallagher brothers? Did we just get tired of great ability??

[@LOLINC2010]

really? it's pronounced cheerie birrie bin? dang, i've been pronoucing it way wrong

[@mikehenry2569]

Mr archer, im afraid I have to ask you to seize your insufferable, tooting