Jack Teagarden "Body and Soul"

Some songs grab you only at the fifth or tenth listen and then captivate you, as this version of "Body and Soul" by Jack Teagarden did for me. Compare this version with others, and then Teagarden's relaxed phrasing on the trombone just seems right, if not perfect.

[@glynsmith4590]

Saw him in Liverpool, when in my teens, along with Ella Fitzgerald, Peanuts Huckow, Cozy Cole, and the Oscar Peterson Trio. What a bill!!!!!!

[@BmakinFilm]

thats amazing!

[@arlenecerf8833]

May I ask what year was this ?

[@elis6299]

One of the greatest musicians of all time!! Along with Louis, of course.

[@2sing4u2]

I had the extreme good fortune to see Mr. Teagarden play live 6 months before his passing. Although he was well past his prime as a musician, it was like watching Michalangelo paint. Something to brag about!

[@sofiztykat]

One of the undoubted giants of jazz trombone.

[@roberthoffhines5419]

the first phrase brought tears. this was my Dad's music

[@bobboscarato1313]

I met Jack Teagarden back in October of 1963 when he was playing with a sextet at the Metropole Cafe in NYC. He had a substitute trumpet player Frank Assunto of the Dukes of Dixieland fame. Jack came during his break and spoke with us and signed a book about his biography printed in England. Lucile Armstrong was also in the audience. Jack's sound was richer and mellower but he never lost his incisive attack and sureness. A real beauty. He was my idol and I always tried to imitate him. Proud to do so.

[@edwardcodysnr7658]

bob boscarat

[@jimthompson471]

edward cody snr h

[@ducciocastelli7560]

Jack unique and..One of best musician ever.

[@geraldnichols2722]

Of thousands of Jack's recordings I have heard, I think he is most relaxed and exquisite on this!

[@bluzzman2011]

This man was my father's favorite. As a blues guitarist I can see how the riffs I learned to love from my inspirations came directly from men like this. Amazing.

[@marilynstevenson865]

Thank you, Mr Jackson..Indeed...

[@zenchord]

Jack is stellar! what a legend!

[@JonBlondell]

This is exquisite. The best $10 word I can come up with. I never met Jack, but I knew both ex wives, who lived in San Antonio when I was coming up. Lovely ladies, but no love lost between them. This has to be the most melodic solo I've ever heard. Sheer beauty. Forgive me, I'm wondering why I've never heard this. Wow.

[@jazzguy2k]

I met the sister Nora? And tried to tell her about meeting Jack when I was a boy, I was a young man then. (it was important to me.) She treated me like one would swat a fly. I won't talk about her playing.

[@davidbento9459]

jazzguy2k Sad your experience with Norma, maybe a bad day.. My family knew the whole family even Jacks Mom.. Never heard bad.. Charlie had a great Trumpet style of his own! Jack remains King of the T-bone! Any young players players need to listen to him!

[@bobboscarato1313]

@@davidbento9459 Agree 100%.-

[@bobboscarato1313]

@@jazzguy2k You meant Norma.

[@johndowson7929]

Jack was "KING" he showed everyone how a trombone could really sound. Playing beautiful notes that musicians and the general public alike had never in their lifes heard from a trombone and never thought was possible. Jack is my hero and even if you play a few licks that jack teagarden used to play the public and other musicians give you the highest respect , he was just wonderful 👏

[@bobboscarato1313]

He was my hero too!

[@johndowson7929]

Without any doubt what so ever he was the 1st to bring this beautiful instrument into the future , I've studied him most of my life , he was dad's hero also and my dad played a good trombone

[@MrNickbento]

Big T was the best T-bone player of all time! I had the pleasure of meeting him several times as a child and Pops also!

[@rogerphillips2063]

I don't think I had heard of Jack Teagarden until Ken Burns jazz. Love both his trombone and singing voice. Louis and he were great friends and performed together. I read Jack was asked if he was black--that was a high compliment.

[@bobboscarato1313]

Yes I read that too; maybe Louis Armstrong mentioned it.

[@bbcisrubbish]

Beautiful phrasing. There are and have been some super trombonists, but I think Jack's style has the edge over the others.

[@TheBlueThird]

His style was definitely his own and very unique.

[@aronpierce2623]

This man alone shaped trombone jazz into what it is today

[@ducciocastelli7560]

Indeed!!!!!!!

[@valeriekelly315]

Could listen to this through eternity X

[@paulbrady8888]

I've searched through the various comments on this clip and am surprised that no one seems to share my opinion that one of my favourite slide trombonists, Frank Rosolino, was greatly influenced by Teagarden. Both musicians displayed a technique that gave the impression they were playing valve trombone, such was the complexity of their style. Wonderful stuff. Thank you filmstocker. And KZbin.

[@wiet43]

I agree

[@mgconlan]

If you get a chance, watch the 1952 MGM movie "The Strip," which stars Mickey Rooney and features Louis Armstrong's original All-Stars. Jack Teagarden is in the band and he plays a solo on "Shadrach" without moving the slide at all. His lip control was that good!

[@johndowson7929]

Hi , I would confidently say that jack was the most influensive trombone player for all great trombonists , he was simply amazing

[@roberthoffhines5419]

Rosolino would be they guy to really know how good Teagarden was. Both can make me tear up like no other.

[@BmakinFilm]

Rosolino was one of the true effortless masters - his playing on the Oscar Brown Jr tv show (Jazz Scene USA) is amazing!

[@SoulMarriage]

To SAY THE LEAST!!! Not to mention a brilliant, exceptional melodic soloist, ARTIST, improviser and Human Being... ONE OF THE VERY BEST JAZZ HAS PRODUCED!

[@davidbento9459]

AMEN!

[@helenthompson5217]

to me jack teagarden was the greatest trombone player i have heard and i have heard quite a few helen thompson

[@davidbento9459]

No one can copy his style! He got his 1st trombone at the age of 7 and his arms were to short at that age so Jack developed the armature to use the upper portion of the slide to develop his technique, No one ever played like this!

[@tamazpatarkalashvili2811]

Right you are Helen

[@bobboscarato1313]

@@davidbento9459 I had a fellow bone player in old Buenos Aires back in 1960 who could play just like Jack. Incredible but true.

[@lorenjenkinson4729]

The best Slide Trombone Player Ever.

[@marilynstevenson865]

Rich..mesmerising..soulful...Thank you, Big T..

[@marilynstevenson865]

Beautiful..so very beautiful..

[@davidbento9459]

It is perfect!

[@lolloPelz]

That's really good!!!

[@marilynstevenson865]

Perfection....

[@wiet43]

That's true, greetings Louis Bink from the netherlands

[@rtubeyou2010]

As Good As It Gets, with the justly renowned "It" extolled in a famous passage in Jack Kerouac's On the Road, impeccable timing, never a wrong note, not too little, not too much, just right on, Bebe!!!

[@jorgealbertopitari6351]

Maravillosos...!!!

[@15emac]

doesn't get better than this-coleman hawkins had a great maybe 'definitive' version of the tune as well as the bg trio with benny & teddy wilson...this is just pure jazz=thanks for posting.....

[@alanwitton5039]

Sublime

[@JonBlondell]

About as good as it gets!

[@rogerphillips2063]

I had not heard of him until history of jazz. If Louis liked him and they performed together that meant he was really good.

[@hairnsap]

He was solid all the way around !

[@15emac]

btw i was fortunate enough to work at a restaurant where a later incarnation of " louis armstrong & his allstars " played: louis armstrong (t,v) ; tyree glenn (tb) , buster bailey(c) , marty napoleon(p), danny barcelona (d), buddy cattlet (b), jewell brown(v) THEY WERE TERRIFIC & to see and hear louis every night was wonderful. btw guy lombardo & his royal canadians were ALSO there-

[@davidbento9459]

As a kid I met Louis Armstrong at the Lambertville music circus and Danny Barcelona, What an experience. Pops was all with his huge bigger then life smile and I was interested in Danny being from Hawaii, I have moved to Hawaii in the 80's and 1st went to a music store in Kapahulu on Oahu "Harry's Music store, I met Harold Chang who was the drummer with Arthur Lyman in the day and told him I just blew into town and needed some leads for gigs,, We have been great friends ever since, Harold is now still around, 88 or so and we both rode Harleys until recently! Another living legend and one of the nicest humble guys I have met!

[@bobboscarato1313]

Teagarden was in part from Cherokee and in part from German ancestry. He never denied it. He was rather proud of his heritage and why not? He and his family were pure genius.

[@davidbento9459]

Yes I met Jack when I was about 12 he was bigger then life, and I was at the time more excited that he was American Indian to me as I had such an interest in Indians, Then I got serious in playing Dixieland, Jack was a friend of my Mom and Aunt. He showed me some licks on the trombone and I felt dizzy and said sorry I am into the drums (stupid right) Jack said I needed a real set of drums, he gave Barrett Deems some money bought his White pearl Premier traps and gave them to me I used them all through the Jersey shore through the 70's and went on the road ended up in Fla and moved to Hawaii and still here today! I get emotional hearing these great songs and clips on the net. Thank God for the net as these legends live on forever!

[@bobboscarato1313]

@@davidbento9459 That's a great story David! Sorry it took me so long to catch up but as they say "Its' better late than never". !!!

[@davidbento9459]

@@bobboscarato1313 Ha ha I been everyday for 3 years waiting for a reply haha NAW,, I just saw the notice! Thanks Bob! Ya know Louis Armstrongs drummer Danny Baracelona was from Hawaii young Filipino kid when he started playing with Pops.... trivia!

[@bobboscarato1313]

@@davidbento9459 Yes Danny was a great drummer!

[@davidbento9459]

@@bobboscarato1313 I have a mutual friend here in Hawaii that knew Danny! Harold Chang was the percussions with Arthur Lyman show and recordings remember all the jungle sounds and exotic bird calls, island tropic music that was real big back in the day! Harold is still alive here in has 80s and riding a Harley One of the nicest most respectful people I've ever met! My 1st friend here when I moved to Hawaii!

[@accage2131]

nice

[@plafkinfarms]

This is a good time to compare Jack Teagarden to the playing of Tommy Dorsey; it is as if Jack Teagarden could speak through his trombone and communicate his feelings and emotions; when he sang, especially with Louis Armstrong, it was as if they were one. Jack Teagarden was his music, and his music reflected everything that Jack Teagarden wanted to be. Roger Plafkin-Plafkin Farms, Ada, Michigan

[@richmateyko9803]

Frank Sinatra based his singing style on the way Tommy Dorsey played his trombone.

[@Scrayfish0]

This is the most spot-on comment on the page; musicians are so strangely reluctant to mention feelings/emotions, the ultimate achievement and here a farmer comes along and nails it.

[@mgconlan]

Tommy Dorsey was in such awe of Jack Teagarden as a jazz player that he wouldn't take a jazz solo at all if Teagarden were also on the date. Both played beautifully and with feeling, Dorsey on his sentimental ballads and Teagarden on jazz songs at all tempi. The world is a better place because both of them lived and left behind so many great records.

[@Habitableworld]

Jon Blondell--Same here--I play t-bone, never heard this. Maybe bec no video footage?

[@lesterwyoung]

Perfect indeed! And completely Jack's own interpretation, uninfluenced by Coleman Hawkins or anyone else.

[@antoniocarlosnovelli3016]

Jack Teagarden. foi o maior trombonista que o jazz já conheceu!! Curiosidade: Ele era descendente de índios americanos!

[@davidbento9459]

Eu gosto de pensar que sim, mas não tenho certeza! Sua família não parece American Indian em tudo ser Jack certeza fez!

[@evlgenius09]

intro'd by Satchmo..?

[@Django44]

Does anyone know the date of this recording and the line-up of the sidemen? What a treasure!

[@jimandangiegeorge2392]

Urbino237 I think it was about 1951. Earl Fatha Hines on Piano, Edmund Hall on clarinet, maybe Cozy Cole on drums. I heard this group live!

[@Scrayfish0]

@@jimandangiegeorge2392 If the poster (Jazz on a Summer's Day) is any indication, it would have been in the late 50s. That's some crazy piano solo.

[@ducciocastelli7560]

:-)

[@15emac]

great stuff-if i had 2 guess (& it is a guess) i'd go with the line-up 'louis armstrong & his all stars" from the famous 1947 'satchmo at symphony hall' concert=louis armstrong(t),jack teagarden(tb) barney bigard(c) dick carey(p) sid cattlett(d) arvell shaw (b)

[@umbrellashotgunman]

Actually, judging from the piano solo, I'd say this is the 1951 All-Stars outfit with Earl Hines on piano and Cozy Cole on drums (and also because I've read that a 1951 concert at Pasadena was apparently one of the few times "Body and Soul" was given to Teagarden instead of Bigard).

[@mrjimmienoone2130]

+umbrellashotgunman This is clearly Hines on piano. No doubt about it.

[@umbrellashotgunman]

***** Hines was one of the great originals; nobody sounded like him, because almost no one had the chops or imagination to sound like him.

[@arodjazz]

Não é realmente verdade que ele descende de índios americanos. Mas muitas pessoas têm dito isso mesmo que ele é branco. (It is actually not true that he descended from american indians. But many people have said so even though he is white.)

[@davidbento9459]

I have heard that also But as a kid I thought he was an Indian as he sure looks like one, Momma T Norma, Charlie etc. don't look Indian but Jack sure did! Part of my inspiration to continue my research of Native Americans and also follow my music ambitions, I ended up in Hawaii opened a Native American trading post and continued my music also! Funny how we are molded from our childhood experiences.

[@bobboscarato1313]

Jack Teagarden was married four times!