Hoagy Carmichael remembers Bix Beiderbecke

In this interview, Hoagy Carmichael rejects the notion that lots of people knew Bix well. He also mentions a song he had just recorded called "Old Man Harlem", which features a trumpet passage arranged like Bix would play.
Thanks to Nick Dellow for graciously sending along this recording which plays after Hoagy's quotes!

[@thetriumphofthethrill2457]

Wonderful interview, I'm glad it was done and it survives. Fascinating, Beiderbecke is such a mythical figure it's great to hear something real described of him by someone who actually knew him.

[@bennyjazzful]

WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From a mad keen 76yo Aussie fan GOD--" Stardust " is my very favorite tune. Hoagy is a true genius.

[@lolawhite8174]

Me to also from 76 year old aussie

[@dydorchevit5932]

And also me

[@mrajczyk]

how unusual , honesty

[@KittraKittra]

Just wonderful!

[@loveoldmovies2249]

this recorded interview is wonderful... thanks so much for posting it

[@alexcarter8807]

Hoagy plays the character "Smoke" in the movie "Young Man With A Horn" which is a rare find these days, if you find it on DVD buy it.

[@colinball9032]

great film with some wonderful playing by Harry James

[@muffs55mercury61]

It was on TCM some years ago and I recorded it.

[@campocat]

I was thinking the same thing just now and saw your comment.

[@benzo4029]

True! I found it on VHS and bought it! Wonderful film, made better with the score written by Dana Suesse, who wrote "My Silent Love" many years before. Reminds me of Alfred Newman's style. Hoagy plays a wonderful Gershwin-esque improv on the piano too! Very soulful and nostalgic.

[@Mosey410]

I first new of Hoagie as “Cricket” from To Have and to Have Not . The beginning of a love affair with his music.

[@jeffcraven7376]

When I hear "Stardust" I hear Bix's influence on Hoagy.

[@transformingArt]

Hoagy is saying pretty much the same thing that he said throughout his life when asked about him. The 1981 documentary about Bix is a must-watch, as well as the Jean-Pierre Lion's definitive biography of Bix.

[@ChristopherBix]

Though there's some egregious errors in the documentary.

[@SwingBandHeaven]

Very interesting to hear this as I was just doing some research on HC and saw this. I recently picked up two 16" studio lacquer reference disks containing some recording sessions he did for V disk. Just him playing a piano and singing. Most of the songs are just the one take but there are a couple where he did two different takes. Trying things out I suppose. I have no idea whether or not they were released but the recording quality is amazing for the period which was written on both disks in wax marker as 13th August 1945.

[@marciajacobs1105]

I LOVED BIX, LOVED HOAGY!

[@BobRehab209]

The 4 trumpet passage arranged like Bix would play are at 5:08 to 5:27 and 5:36 to 5:44 on this video. Thanks Nick Dellow and J. Holmes.

[@titosobrinho2190]

Wonderful music by Hoagy Carmichael !

[@robertduis6730]

In a way sad words of Mr. Hoagy Carmichael: "Musicians ...They play together, but knowing each other is another story." Strange enough musicians not seldom have many complaints about each other and bands break up because of different opinions about many things.

[@luvmyrecords]

This may be true in working bands, but for us side people, who go from job to job, it's a little different. The overall comraderie is wonderful, and reallybis essential to a freelancer's life AND livelyhood. You don't get on with everyone, naturally, but then you tend not to work with too many of those folks. A good contractor puts like-minded people together.

[@alanwitton5039]

Great slice of musical history

[@adbarnes57]

wow, loved this!!!

[@nelsonlugo45]

Named his son Hoagy Bix Carmichael...says heaps😉

[@XDLVLXP]

He named his son bix

[@nelsonlugo45]

Hoagy Bix Carmichael 😉

[@michaelrutledge7048]

Legend

[@brucekuehn4031]

Interesting interview - sounds like a guy who didn't put up with a lot of bs

[@JonathanHolmesjazz]

Bruce Kuehn I've seen a tv show he did and he almost comes across as rather demanding on screen, asking for applause and all sorts!

[@wesm65]

Really interesting interview. Having listened to the recording of "Old Man Harlem" at the end, the beginning of the trumpet section soli, he says was in the style of Bix, (immediately after the vocal) is a direct quote from the beginning of Bix's solo on Riverboat Shuffle (later recording). So, is Carmichael quoting Bix directly, because he said he never used Bix's ideas note for note in this interview haha? Or had Carmichael written this arrangement of Riverboat Shuffle (he was the composer) and Bix was playing Carmichael's idea? I haven't heard those notes played in any other version of Riverboat Shuffle anyway. So, Carmichael is probably contradicting himself by playing this recording! Haha!

[@bessied.5694]

Adrian Kelly; I only heard Hoagy say that he never plagiarized Bix in any of his compositions. He admitted that he quoted some of Bix in a certain arrangement, and he's stated quite clearly that he was influenced by Bix and could imitate his style, but he never quoted Bix in any of his own compositions. Ha ha

[@lemokolyon]

Hoagy wrote Riverboat Shuffle.

[@KittraKittra]

Interpretive stylings.

[@user-oq3er1hg2y]

ホワイトマンは天才を見付けて育てる天才

[@LazlosPlane]

When did this interview take place????

[@osocool1too]

Hoagy died Dec 1981 but this was probably recorded sometime in the 1960s, as there was a similar interview with Louis Armstrong also talking about Bix, noting Louis died in 1971.

[@gusvespa]

any discographical info on the version of “old man harlem?”

[@denissutherland3653]

Great arrangement of Old man Harlem, great singing all beautifully played. Did Hoagy write "Old man Harlem."

[@hughmanatee7657]

Yes, he did-with Rudy Vallée!

[@MrRJDB1969]

Hoagy's talent was his own. The problem with music, is the involvement of the untalented & tone deaf, music critic or music commentator. Admiring someone is not the same thing in anyway, as copying them.

[@oldtimedrumcorps]

O Yea O yea . Imitated almost duplicated . Very nice

[@christopherwright7855]

Who is the interviewer? He sounds English.

[@JonathanHolmesjazz]

Christopher Wright John Billingham,

[@christopherwright7855]

@@JonathanHolmesjazz Thank you.