Harry James - Concerto for Trumpet

[@JillaWebblive]

Harry James is definitely one of the legends of the Big Band era. He actually taught me trumpet lessons when I was a little girl and I owe him and my mother a lot for my gifts in music. I'm not a trumpet player, but I'm sure I'm not the only musician that Harry has inspired over the years regardless of their instrument.

[@VoodooDewey69]

Wow ,that's amazing !

[@theresacotton2319]

I am a trumpet player and would be much better had I had lessons from Harry James! I agree with you; he has inspired many musicians.

[@DRKSLS3333]

I am so jealous as a trumpet player myself. I did a whole project for school on the trumpet based around this song going very in depth. Man this song showcases a lot of techniques and variation

[@terrafirma91]

I've never heard anyone play a horn like James could, even to this day. When you consider that the recording equipment in '42 was crummy by today's standards, you realize just how good he could really play. 5 Stars!

[@alanfoster3940]

I would add that Allen Vizzutti is right up there. Wynton and Rodney Marsalis as well. But, I admit… Harry James may have been the best.

[@williamgregory1848]

My dad was a jazz trumpeter and Harry James was his hero. My dad had a photo of me as a baby that was actually signed by Harry James, wishing me a happy life. He had it in his wallet until the day he died. My mom gave it to me and I still have it to this day.

[@doitallman]

The best version of this for so long. He's amazing.

[@Funkadelic3]

For any trumpet that has attempted this piece you now just how amazing this recording actually is. 1942 and I've never heard anyone play it better.

[@VoodooDewey69]

You got that right ,but that was in the height of the big band era where trumpets ruled . Then came the 60's ushering in the era of guitar heros .Then came rap and music has been all downhill after .that .But King James was light years ahead of his time !

[@robinthebobin6537]

The vast majority of performances of this I've heard have been incredibly stiff classical musicians playing it with virtually no expression and zero sizzle in their sound! Shame really, because Harry James is clearly just as good technically as any classical player at this piece, yet adds so much individuality, spice and excitement. Wish I could hear it the other way round!

[@alanfoster3940]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnaso2moq5h9nKM

[@QuickLern818]

that's my papa on the piano--go gramps!

[@leelarson6534]

Al Lerner, from Palm Springs, you say? I spoke with him on the phone many years ago, and borrowed some photos to make copies for myself. He was very generous and patient about it. My condolences on his passing.

[@DineshC]

Wow That's cool :)

[@r.a.8861]

🤘🤘🤘

[@da11king]

The trumpet is like _The voice_ everyone has their own and becomes a master at it. No one compared to Harry James 🥸🎶🎼👏🏾👏🏾🎶⚘️🍲🤗👌🏾✨️🎺

[@lewstone1934]

I don't think it's possible to play trumpet better than HJ. Perfect in every sense.

[@bd1845]

Always thought he was a very underrated trumpet player.great sound great technique. I know Arturo Sandoval always said Harry was a hero of his.

[@Nabokov50]

Harry James is/was a wonderful virtuoso performer, but unlike some other technical greats, he had STYLE. He makes you want to listen to him. I'm not from his generation so I don't know, but I hope he got the attention he deserved.

[@Johnflugelhorn]

Wow! Harry James extremely underrated trumpet great. Harry could sing,swing and zing that horn and his band was grand.

[@GabrielMartinezValois]

The great Harry James! He was quite amazing and one of my very first influences while I started to learn how to play trumpet! Thanks a lot!

[@johnnyz7752]

Got to see him perform live at The Fountain in Belleville, NJ in 1977. It was a night I will never forget. I still have his autograph.

[@bachtobebop]

Totally cool. I know, I almost went myself.

[@robertadinolfi4217]

Dizzy Gillespie was once asked who was the best trumpet player he had heard. Dizzy replied "technically the best trumpet player I ever heard was Harry James."

[@ecaepevolhturt]

Miles Davis liked Harry James too as a kid!

[@michaelperri9627]

Unbelievable

[@waynewells3297]

Harry James was truly amazing, one of a kind. But with all due respect to Dizzy, ain’t no such thing as “the best” in music. Just too many ridiculously talented players out there (some of whom we no doubt haven’t even heard yet) and ultimately it’s somewhat subjective. Not like sports where someone is the last man (person) standing.

[@da11king]

​@@waynewells3297 💯 correct! So many gifted trumpet players in all genres! Chet Baker was never a technical player but his approach to music was a gift. I can name many other masterful horn players.

[@waynewells3297]

@@da11king I hear ya. I was a professional trombonist for many years, and I loved so many trumpet players, all for different reasons. The only one who ever made me feel like trumpet just had to be the most fun instrument ever was Freddie Hubbard. He pulled off a unique trick for me, making trumpet sound easy. I knew better, because NO brass instrument is easy, but he made it sound like just maybe it was actually easier than trombone.

[@retroneers]

How do you manage to play so well drunk? Harry: I practice drunk.

[@mamarremamarremamarremamar4092]

Retroneers That was Bunny Berigan

[@leelarson107]

Somebody should do their homework.

[@mercedesgarcia1704]

Harry james

[@Rayo_Rob_No.17]

Hello, I am a young guy with Big Band Blood. Both great uncles played in the bands from the late 30s to the 40s... Then again in the 80s to their last days in the late 90s and up to 3 or 4 years ago. My grandmother met Harry in '42 or '43, dated a trumpet player in high school that knew Harry. I have a signed photo of his she gave me! Love this clip, a fun movie with the Andrews Sisters! Harry had total control over the trumpet, a true master!

[@ruabetter]

no greater trumpet man has ever lived. rip Harry.

[@jazzblack666]

Miles, Dizzy?

[@leelarson6534]

Harry James is The King. All others are still students.

[@bkf8166]

@@jazzblack666 Different kinds of trumpet players. Both that you mention were incredible, but nowhere in the same class technically as Harry. Perhaps on par musically though, right?

[@ironmandave3000]

@@bkf8166 Rafael Mendez was pretty darn technical in that time period. Just sayin.

[@bkf8166]

@@ironmandave3000 Yes he was. Harry's double and triple tonguing is so effortless.

[@andrewperry605]

a god among mere trumpet players. that guy was the most

[@mikegilbert2500]

+andrew perry EXACTLY!! Harry James was THE MAN. Cannot argue otherwise. But it's like trying to compare Jordan to Bird. Both were fantastic,

[@lewstone1934]

yeah daddyo

[@brambelg]

he plays this piece like its SO EASY but when you see the sheetmusic what he actualy played its insane probably one of the hardest sheets to play in the world

[@marcopisellonio3657]

At 1:30 he starts to effortlessly play Grand Russian Fantasia, unbelieveable!

[@richardcavallo9850]

Complete package! Tone, range, technique!👏

[@WaterYaDune]

Imagine how amazing it would sound if it were recorded with today's technology...

[@newcat616]

Holy frickin mackerel. Incredible. If any other trumpet player has ever approached Mr. James level of proficiency I'd like to know who they were/are! I've known a lot of people that could play fast but not as cleanly or with the emotion and range Harry James had. RIP Harry!!!

[@АндрейВладимировичМтс]

Очень необычно в исполнении то, что при быстром исполнении шестнадцатых, слышится каждая нота. Она округлая, наполнена тембром и настроением. Исполнение , по уверенности звучания с очень огромным запасом. Музыка от сердца, от души. Музыка в каждой ноте. Фантастическая артикуляция. Считаю, что это культовое произведение, которое должно исполняться ( в классе) каждым трубачем солистом. Это как концерт Арутюняна с оркестром. Однозначно это исполнение не превзойдено современными исполнителями. (Если есть альтернатива , сбросте ссылку) Спасибо за выложенное видео и возможность стать счастливее от этой музыки!

[@dirkvantroyen9170]

Absolutely, I noticed as well that you can hear every attack very clearly. What a player.

[@nycboyforlife]

Good Lord in heaven, no wonder why he was always my favorite trumpet player. He makes it look so damn easy. Absolutely amazing.

[@1qaz2wsx3edc5753]

Thanks for posting this clip. In the past I had never been too impressed with Harry's talent, other than I liked some of his songs, but this vid shows what a great talent Harry really is. Some people may see this as him showing off, but I believe a musician should establish themselves by conquering hard to do music, which this song certainly is. No one can rightly deny that Harry is an excellent trumpet player..

[@superdriver777]

Holy....okay so let me get this out. I've played trumpet since I was 12 years old and I'm 21. I've always had my own style and taste as to how it should be played....and while I've listened to more jazz and blues and every other type of music that I can't list, and heard many incredible trumpeters live (including the late great Maynard Ferguson), this guy takes the cake. He plays exactly how I would if I were a virtuoso like him. Hands down, the best ever. At least my favorite....which makes him the best ;-)

[@jamesmarshall8836]

Agree. The greatest of all time.

[@nyterpfan]

My dad played music professionally for many years and was a HUGE Harry James fan! He always said Harry had the best technique AND tone of any trumpet player he had ever listened to. After watching this I have to ask---could Miles or Dizzy, as great as they were, play this piece the way Harry James plays it?!! I really don't know if they could!!

[@andytreto6119]

I agree

[@jamesedwards5748]

Since Harry James is a unique player and also from an entirely different era than Dizzy and Miles, its hard to say whether they could 'duplicate' his sound. Now did they have the ability to play absurdly well? Yes. Could they probably lead this big band piece and hold their own? Of course. Don't forget Dizzy was an innovator in his own right. He changed the game through playing alternate fingerings in order to get smoother runs or play the same note twice in a row and give listeners the feel that he was playing two different notes in a row. Miles was also an innovator in composition with how he was able to let the music drive the solo, something that's ridiculously underrated yet was innovative at the time. Don't be fooled, when Miles dropped his classics there were thousands of players rushing to transcribe every note he put down. These men are all amazing instrumentalists with their own styles and contributions to jazz, trumpeting and music as a whole. I think its unfair to pit one player against the other unless we're talking a specific aspect (i.e. Maynard probably had the most ridiculous register out of everyone - Arturo included).

[@mistercash1000]

James Edwards...you explained it well Matt NY

[@nyterpfan]

I agree---gave me much food for thought!!

[@JS-gn9rs]

Lord, Miles couldn't have played this. Of course, he wouldn't have wanted to. I'm a huge Miles fan, but Harry deserves credit for being a jazz player who could have had a career as a classical guy. Few in jazz could do so. Harry is basically doing this as well, and with much the same sound/approach, as the brilliant Rafael Mendez. It doesn't diminish Miles to say he couldn't have played this. Harry couldn't have done Kind of Blue, which in all honesty is a greater artistic achievement anyway.

[@Etnalleb]

The 1 and only Harry James> The Greatest that ever was and the Best that will ever be. Just Like Astaire was the greatest dancer and Buddy Rich the greatest drummer they are 1 of a kind. Awesome video thanks for posting 5*****

[@hildegardelefloch5088]

Le morceau de musique préféré de mon papa d ' Harry James merci .

[@hughn1]

Fantastic performance!!! There will never be anyone that will come close to HJ!

[@erichanson3961]

Unimaginable! -and the audience just sat, smiled and applauded. They should have been jumping up and down!

[@mike89128]

This was a studio scene. In real life they would have been.

[@69dejudge]

James was using a special gold plated Selmer at this time. Louis Armstrong used the same Selmer model all his career. James switched to King horns in the 50s. The Paraduba mouthpiece really makes no difference, he simply had a contract to endorse it. He was a true child prodigy, read the book Trumpet Blues.

[@j.gregory.c.5726]

Pedazo de Orquesta y la inconfundible interpretacion de Harry James!!!

[@katyornok63]

Wow, I am only ever stunned and constantly amazed by his playing - what talent and ability, and I wonder how ever he got to be so good.

[@christiswing9284]

I have the same birthday as this beast, feeling pretty proud right now.

[@theoboegoddess]

I love his style of trumpet playing. It is so unique. No one can beat Harry James. I truly admire his trumpet skills! He's the only trumpet player who I believe has the RIGHT to be conceited Haha

[@PhilippeRR1]

Virtuosity!!! BRAVO Maestro JAMES! An Artie Shaw approach for trumpet! Do that for two hours and your lips will bleed. Where has talent like this gone?

[@PhilippeRR1]

Joe Heasley I would tend to agree with you! Yes! Grand is the word alright! Pity the demand for this type of music is down. Speaking only for myself (and I am unanimous in this) I do not like what replaced that music. Well... I do love Elvis, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, the martyr who authored "What's Going On?" ... but what I would tend to qualify what we hear today as brain washing...

[@PhilippeRR1]

Joe Heasley Points well taken. "Generations present" have always had this tendency to fear the new. We do have to watch out for that generation inherited stiffness. Some rappers do turn out to be more than descent poets --OK, great poets!

[@Smannellites]

Wow, this is awseome playing and as well as the amazing technical playing, he has a superb tone. Sheer brilliance !

[@inkey2]

Harry James is by far my favorite big band trumpet player

[@Chappy83100]

@olliea123 Large bore King modified trumpet. He had the valve assembly moved closer to the bell to accomodate his long arms. He was and is still admired for his technical proficiency and a gorgeous tone. Bunny Berigan had just as gorgeous a tone playing "I can't get started," shame he drank himself to death so young.

[@michaelgraham99]

Undoubtedly one of the greatest trumpeters of all time, along with Raphael Mendez. . No modern trumpeter alive can best them!

[@AcidLifeform]

He was truly a master of trumpet period

[@DunkdaHunk]

I've been searching for ages for this.

[@grahamm5789]

i have it

[@nadiajaaf6343]

Quarantine got me a new idol :)

[@MustBMusic]

I'm rather baffled as to how this gets disliked.

[@lordfluxington]

I put it down to a certain percentage of the population being brain dead morons. So even the best clips will get some dislikes.

[@richardshotton5990]

yes

[@bkf8166]

Likewise. I saw the 79 down votes and was a bit puzzled. This was a superhuman performance. The ease that he played this was amazing. Even if I spent 1,000,000 in the Arban book, I would never be able to come close to this.

[@tkslowbrass]

lordfluxington: Just proves that there’s an imbecile born every minute.

[@lewstone1934]

they are fans of swedish europop

[@VoodooDewey69]

America's secret weapon during WW2 ,.King James ! At 1:34 he plays an arban type segment using chromatics and accents on particular notes ,I'm learning that today ! All I have to do is dissect it one piece at a time and I'll add it to my repertoire of licks for future engagements .

[@tizianocodoro]

simply fantastic...

[@thepeopleschamp562]

i think you're right..the end sounds like Grand Russian Fantasia and some parts of the 7th variation on Carnival of Venice.

[@j.gregory.c.5726]

Que belleza! Lastima que no había nacido en esa época, me hubiese gustado oír esta joya musical en vivo.

[@fernmann7]

@mariesalas1 I'm glad you found the great Harry James, one of the greatest and most influential trumpet players of all time. Hopefully you'll check out some other Harry James videos on KZbin, but also check out Freddie Hubbard, Clark Terry, Arturo Sandoval, Cat Anderson, Al Hirt, MAynard Ferguson, Wynton Marselles, Rafael Mendez and Alan Vizuitti and his version of Zig Zag. Jaw-dropping.

[@billbryant1288]

And Doc.

[@James9533]

1:07-1:11 I'm here 3 years later still trying to figure out how the hell he did that.

[@VictorPhonographs]

In the late 1950's, Harry was in Vegas having a drink with George T Simon, the musical reviewer for Downbeat magazine. Conrad Gozzo (who was playing in Harry's band off and on at that time) interrupted the conversation and asked Harry to loan him a sawbuck ($10.00) to cover part of a gambling loss (Gozzo was an addicted gambler). Harry gave it to him, and as he left, turned to Simon and said "there goes the best trumpeter in the world". Quite a compliment.

[@chaingr]

Best interpretation!!!!! Nobody can it play better

[@keisano540]

小気味の良い高速フィンガーリングとメリハリが利いたハイトーン。　若きハリー・ジェームスの超絶トランペットに魅了されます。聞いていて気持ちよくなります。

[@James9533]

When I saw him at 0:35 I was like...this is the coolest fucking trumpet player I've ever heard in my life. Soooooooo smooth and his tone is sexxxxxxxyyyyyyy as fuckkk. This guy was way ahead of his time the way he played.

[@dalewikfors9194]

Doc, Maynard, Al, Chuck. How am I just finding out this guy now...I'm so ashamed

[@pablophone4528]

Harry James !! Un genio !! Irrepetible......

[@johnmcilroy6874]

An incredible trombonist who besides having incredible technical ability, Bob Havens had a beautiful tone on the horn.

[@mariesalas1]

Thank you for the list of trumpet players! I play sax, and we just played Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay" in our university jazz band. That was sooo much fun. Since, I've bought just about every Freddie hubbard song. I will def be checking out the others. Arturo, and Maynard, and of course Wynton are high on my list. :)

[@prvk3]

half of the views are from me xD Superbe! Harry James is one of my favorite trumpet players!

[@inkey2]

hands down, my favorite trumpet player. I just love his style and tone

[@WillAdamsmusic]

i love it i have this on lp, and listen to it every day. i also have sheet music for the trumpet part which i have almost learned.

[@mrjohnphillips]

Man, I have always loved Harry! John.

[@vakaski]

Greatest trumpet player of all time

[@BoazKimMusic]

What a sense of style, range, technique, and tone in one person! He really was a natural.

[@BrookHollowStudios]

I played his published arrangement on KRFC Radio Amateur Budda Hour. Got to meet him at SFGoldenGate Thester ! Great Guy !! Yeah I’m old (96 Yrs)

[@Chappy83100]

@wilfred0203123 He was a trumpet Virtuoso who could play anything written (within reason, of course). His style was referred to as smaltz by stiff-knecks that hated anyone that didn't play mindless jazz! He will always be known and admired for his technical skill and gorgeous tone, matched only by Bunny Berigan of "I can't get started" fame.

[@scotnick59]

I remember in LIFEBOAT, Bill Bendix says to the guy playing a trumpet: "put some Harry James into it!"

[@allenhinc1991]

I listen to a lot of really good players some great play Harry's stuff. While I am listening I think they sound really great. Then I go back and listen to Harry' and realize that he is the best. There is just something about his tone and style its is really intangible, but they can't compare to him. All this before the advancements in equipment we have now. I think guys like Harry would get there sound and play as they did with anything they picked up, not so sure that is true of many players today.

[@jimmyseb2000]

At first I was like "hm maybe I'll play this" then "Ohh that sounds kinda hard" and then "Yeah ell no I ain't doin that"

[@bkf8166]

I kind of heard shades of Arban in that performance.

[@urutoramanleo]

It's been 29 years since he left this world today. RIP Harry James

[@falvegas511]

Harry James & Ziggy Elman - the way a trumpet is supposed to Sound.

[@davestonehill6177]

The greatest trumpet player ever!!! Hands down.

[@kaspafischer]

Better than Satchmo? ;)

[@davestonehill6177]

kaspafischer I personally think so. I am sure there are some that would disagree. Both are tremendous.

[@MrJazzologist1]

+Dave Stonehill After Arturo, chum. Hands and feet.

[@davestonehill6177]

John Perks Who is Arturo?

[@davestonehill6177]

***** Maybe but technically I think he was the best (at least for pop music). It is difficult for me to compare him to Maurice Andre who is a classical trumpet player.

[@dgoren121692]

Do you understand the meaning of underrated? It means better than most people believe, so it's a compliment.

[@smudge7756]

WOW

[@mariesalas1]

WOW!! I've never heard of him, but WOW.

[@MoxieCom]

What a monster trumpet player... Excellent 🎉

[@DumaDUmmster]

that last part is mind blowing where he plays very quickly playing both a supporting tune as well as the main part

[@gregoryplough6227]

Amazing!

[@agnusize]

Que beleza! Assisti uma apresentação de Harrry em 1978 São Paulo/Brasil

[@ricardomunoz9960]

Harry James 1 virtuoso trompetista genial en discos we otrora en CD yEn peliculas musicalesDeEpocasPasadas peroEternoEnQuienesLoRecuerdan IDOLO

[@alexcarter8807]

Private Buckaroo is actually a pretty good movie. Lots of H. James and the Andrews Sisters. It's slow in the beginning with a sub-plot where the one of the Three Stooges with the bowl cut is trying to take his girlfriend out to an expensive restaurant, but it picks up after that.

[@Grass-0]

essa musica soa tão bem! nem tenho palavras para descrevela

[@mikegilbert2500]

Underrated? He's one of the greatest blowers of all time. Hardly underrated

[@WRVC706]

OUT FREAKING STANDING...

[@tkslowbrass]

That's the mark of a world class musician.:)

[@inkey2]

for my money, harry james had the sweetest horn sound of all the big bands. I can recognize his style instantly. He was as "cool" or "cooler" than any modern big star today

[@jimmyjasbocardenas1043]

Excelente trompetista!!! Don Harry James y su Concert for Trumpet.... Versionado por muchos trompetistas en el mundo en diferentes formatos musicales, pero nada con él..... Inmortal en el universo de los trompetistas.

[@allanbirmantas1695]

Harry has to be the most iconic trumpet player ever.

[@brianets]

Harry James must be technically the greatest swing trumpet player ever,he plays anything and everything. Whether you like his style is another matter. These are my personal views

[@65strad]

Harry was a monster player

[@ecaepevolhturt]

I'm currently reading Miles Davis's autobiography and he was talking about how much he liked Harry James's playing when he was a kid. Now I know why.

[@Shmelo]

I cant stop watching

[@mhenrikse]

Great sound!

[@edwardconway27]

this man is fucking outstanding! I have his vinyl records, and It's hard to realize that I live in a wrong era.. :(

[@keiga4]

Harry James is most certainly my favorite trumpet player from the big band era and probably of all time. I mostly like how he doesnt play in the upper register. I am sure he could but that would have ruined is nice sound with the stuff n the staff.

[@gregorydsouza4776]

One of the handsomest, trumpet player, of all time, also has blue green eyes.

[@rebishaz]

If only I could've been there for this!

[@trumpetvids]

The reason it might have been sync'd would simply be that a movie sound stage might not be acoustically ideal to record audio. Back then audio editing was fairly crude, you couldn't make seamless edits like with tape or today with digital - you were actually expected to be able to play. Whether it was live or dubbed in it was Harry and his band playing.