Doc Severinsen on Steve Allen's Music Room

The segments from Steve Allen's Music Room featuring Doc.

[@9386265]

Doc was from tiny Arlington, Oregon. In 1966 or so, he visited my equally tiny town of Milton-Freewater, Oregon and was a guest of our Swing Band. I was a lowly freshman trumpet player and sat next to a really good trumpet player named, Denny Royse. Doc sat right in between us and listened to us play several songs, one of which had a trumpet solo by my friend, Denny. The song was called "Midnight in Moscow," and he knocked it out of the park. But, Doc asked that we play the song again, and this time he played a solo of his rendition of the same song and it was so good that half the band quit playing just to listen to Doc play. When it was over, he told Denny that he was good enough to go places in the world and eventually he did just that. Then, he looked at me and said, kid, you ever think about just playing baseball? We all laughed together and I shook his hand. Great memories.

[@kdm71291]

Awesome memory....I'm jealous, haha!

[@chuckdadisman2382]

I was a new band director in Kansas in 1966-68, and I was always excited to bring my stage band to K St. Univ. in Manhattan, KS. He was always the charmer and held the attention of the students literally in his hand. He was never hard to talk with, and his concerts with the band members from high schools all over Kansas were complete knockouts! I'll never forget those days!

[@GH-oi2jf]

Dennis Gleason - In the early days he must have visited a lot of Oregon schools. He came to my junior high school to play in about 1960.

[@chillbuddy4178]

Doc really takes me places with his music. Can't say exactly where it is but I love it there ❤️

[@1200sbeemer]

One of the best for sure. I think he and James have the same tone which I think is the best.

[@gstockwell5315]

Doc was super blessed, right place, right time, strong Mother. Men support men, women, not so much. I LOVE DOC !

[@daplace902]

Thanks SO much - did not know about this show ... wow - what a treat !

[@mrbuddyi]

My wife worked on this show...it was a series on The Disney Channel..thanks for the full clip.

[@mrbuddyi]

mrbuddyi Well Docs full performance!

[@assignmentearth2899]

I was just thinking of this the other day. I caught it on an old version of the Disney Channel in the late 80's or early 90's. Steve Allen playing trumpet with Doc. Fun to find it.

[@assignmentearth2899]

And Doc playing one of those New York or Mount Vernon Bachs he was seizing up back in the day.

[@davidii3895]

A M A Z I N G. PERFORMANCE BY DOC EVEN BY TODAY'S HIGH STANDARDS. ALWAYS WILL LOVE GENIUS/PRODIGY--- ALLEN!! WOW

[@BobInKC1]

I played trumpet for 15 years.I still have my silver Getzen. I was lucky enough to see Doc about a dozen years ago or so. I've give anything to see him one more time.

[@perryparsons9960]

The first time I've seen him playing the Mt. Vernon Bach that didn't exist.....no matter, as whatever brand, whatever mouthpiece, he is and will always be one of the greatest trumpet players ever. There always seemed to be just a hint of insecurity to his self deprecating humor, which I've never understood. Some players make it look easy, Doc was always my hero because he worked his butt off to get it right. Half the thrill of watching a performance was like watching a tightrope walker, as anyone who has played trumpet knows he took so many risks and always seemed to pull it off just in the nick of time.

[@joensab]

Perry...That was a Bach?

[@perryparsons9960]

At minimum, a Bach bell.

[@eric_in_florida]

He could make a beat up marching band Bundy with a 3C sound good.

[@MrKingsley16]

This is a great archive of fantastic American entertainment!!!!

[@williamharris1131]

Wow! This is a gem of musical find! Doc at his finest! Exciting group (Zebra) behind him! Trumpet Quartet with Steve Allen on Trumpet!! Surprise! Doc playing the Steve Allen tune "Goodnight" which ended the Steve Allen show each night. Steve was a very talented musician who had a truly funny show with awesome music! How I miss those memorable nights compared with what's happening nightly today!

[@jimbizness3864]

Xebron

[@TheInvincibleViolet]

Ive loved DOC as long as Ive known he existed.. A school girl crush back in the day, has lasted now, many years, and forever will be so....... I love you, Doc, musician, handsome , precious , dear heart xxxx

[@assignmentearth2899]

Adn tht "Tonight" that Seve Allen wrote - - wow! What a great song. And hearing Doc play it. Man, that's a great era of great song writing. They say Steve Allen had hundreds of songs he'd written just sitting in his house when he died. Wonder if someone's documented and preserved all that.

[@anteeek11]

As an old trumphet player I always thought Doc was greatest in the 50,60,70,80

[@1200sbeemer]

I agree and I think Harry James and he are the best.

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

This show should have gone on for many seasons.

[@DarkeningSkies1]

Great music- Doc is always killin’. Wish his small fusion band had gotten more exposure. Never knew a young Maher did the announcer/M.C. gig on a show like this.

[@jimflys2]

Good heavens, Doc, Jack Sheldon, Snooky Young, Pete Condoli and ? What a trumpet section. Tops.

[@professortrumpet]

As usual, fantastic live playing by Doc! He never ceases to amaze me in his ability to produce such a wonderful sound all the time so easily. Thanks Doc!

[@dfusselman]

I don't think there's a trumpet player alive that could play that so cleanly. It has speed, range, articulation, etc. One thing about Doc, he makes very few mistakes and everything is organized so well. He brings classical perfection to everything he does. I don't think we'll see another one like him for a long time.

[@MaynardFreek]

David Fusselman all these "abilities" can be developed!

[@janetremsing6988]

‼️👍🙂 FANTASTIC BAND!!!! Kickin' ARSE!!!

[@coolbreeze161]

I met doc at the nbc studio in Burbank back in the 80s,he was very cool for his age.

[@AFBugleboy]

I got to back up Patti Page at the Vapors Supper Club in Hot Springs, Arkansas in the late 70's when I was in college. Patti was great to work for and perform with.

[@GeneTrujillo]

I got to see Doc in his Xebron era. I will never forget how he ended his show. He was playing into a mic that was rigged with effects, apparently including a repeater. He played his final notes and while the final notes echoed again and again due to the repeater he walked off stage. I had never seen anything like that. It was so badass.

[@1200sbeemer]

Wish I could have seen him play. I saw Harry James and his orchestra back in the 70’s and man, was that great!! Got to meet him, got some photos with him and he signed a few albums of his that we bought in hopes that he would, still have them.

[@Funkadelic3]

Doc is so great here. What a talent

[@BillSmith-rx9rm]

I noticed that Bobby Hackett had such a different tone from the rest of the trumpet players. Then I went back and played it again to listen to why it was different and saw that he was playing a cornet. The trumpet solo on Glenn Miller's String of Pearls made Bobby a star.

[@mitchcornacchia968]

FANTASTIC

[@davidcarson1959]

What a Showman. Ann Jillian loves Doc.

[@gprosser11]

Doc Severinson rippin it up...

[@BuckshotLaFunke1]

Good Lord! Never heard the man before. There's a story that Doc played in a US jazzclub and someone told him: 'There's Dizzy at the bar.' Severinsen: 'Oh boy, that's all I need, Dizzy listening to me!' But what pyrotechnics!

[@jttrumpet55]

Great vintage video. I'm guessing mid to early 80's. Doc still sounds great today, at nearly 87 years of age!

[@BBT609]

1984

[@maddogmcrae]

Too bad this show was never broadcast in Canada. I hope more episodes start showing up.

[@davidpoppenhagen4278]

Wow docs got fast everything. And range his nervous system is fireing at supper human speed

[@AFBugleboy]

The first tune was written by Allen Vizzutti. Vizzutti and Jeff Tyzik wrote and co-wrote many of the tunes Doc performed during this era.

[@assignmentearth2899]

I was gonna say....

[@douglaswdelaney]

Fairmont Hotel Venetian Room Patti sings 8 measures of "How Much...." then went on to sing so good. Cool, smooth, hip, the some what "jaded" band was blown away! Also Anne Jillian was wonderful later.

[@RichieGonzalezSalsaM]

the best trumpet sound ever!!!!

[@1200sbeemer]

He and Harry James both have that tone, no one else.

[@pdqmusic3873]

A transcription of Doc's version of "Tonight" (15:12) is now available at Sheet Music Plus: www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/tonight-digital-sheet-music/21795802

[@vayabro1]

Amazing!

[@figgybass]

Soooo damn good!!!❤

[@Rob_Kates]

Wow, good stuff from Doc and his band. It is odd to hear him play music that is much more avant garde and modern than his Tonight Show music. He does an excellent job with it of course. Was this taped in the 1980s?

[@Pilot545]

Was on 1984-1986

[@AFBugleboy]

Someone may correct me on this, but I think Xebron consisted of Biff Hanon, keyboards - Tom Rizzo, Guitar - Gordon Johnson, Bass and Steve Gadd, Drums. All former MF band members. I have the Xebron album, but it's been years since I even looked at it.

[@crtune]

David Laubach No wonder these guys cook so much; Hannon and Gadd are known to everybody, and the guys totally nailed this tune; and Doc has a platform here to really show both his technical prowess and his all around chops and sound.

[@eriksmithdrummer]

That is not Steve Gadd..

[@daveburns4043]

Hey Look!! Bill Maher NOT being a total A-hole!! How refreshing.

[@1225KPH]

99.9% of young liberal progressive assholes outgrow their liberalness. Bill Maher became a bigger asshole.

[@rogerdavis1275]

That comment is hilarious.

[@raymondfallon7429]

@@rogerdavis1275 to some… and moronic to others. However, I think we can all agree on Bill Maher, and asshole's asshole.

[@mariatortiz6036]

I love it!!!!!!

[@danleudanski5606]

IMHO While the band xebron was top notch and Doc gave it his usual brilliant virtuoso flare and I totally admire and appreciate it as much as anyone, it was of that what do call “modern jazz” style where much of it is pre planned, chordal wise and even down to each note. (Too commercial) I much prefer and appreciate the old school way of true ad lib style as he and Steve did at the piano. That was Great!

[@Ed3737]

The announcer at the beginning and sidekick seen briefly at the piano....Bill Maher.

[@jamesfeldman4234]

Wow, Steve's announcer is Bill Maher and he appears with Steve at 0:46. I didn't know that. Bill learned from one of the best in the business.

[@BH21206]

What T playing ! Wow !

[@supra-physiologicalandroge6354]

he is too good with that trumpet!

[@royharris7299]

So, having watched (and enjoyed) this, when did this air? '70's?

[@trumpetvids]

1983.

[@royharris7299]

Thank you.

[@EdWeibe]

a horn players horn player. He can account for every note that comes out of that horn

[@1200sbeemer]

It’s amazing and jet many think it’s just random.

[@radeum1010]

Wow, could not believe Docs playing..

[@trumpet71]

The song they played reminds me a lot of "Zig-Zag" by Allen Vizzuti

[@catfishsteve]

That's exactly what I was thinking!!

[@junkyman2]

@@catfishsteve you guys are making me want to go find my xebron lp of severinson in a dusting box in my closet

[@NotMiles]

Same here. Which was first? Vizzutti?

[@assignmentearth2899]

About 24:40 - Doc mopping up the, what he perceived as bad notes....can't tell you how many times I've thought about this and referenced it.

[@МихаилМеренков-у8х]

Dok -- super!!!🎺🎺🎺

[@richardespinor9576]

Is the movie director Martin Scorsese playing the drums in Doc Severinsen's jazz group?

[@Johnflugelhorn]

omg! Bill Maher doing mc duty. Great show with all the great trumpet player. Doc is just a great trumpet player.

[@joensab]

and mop up the remainder of Trump Tower's owner.

[@Johnflugelhorn]

Good one !

[@BillWarfieldJazz]

Is that Bill Marr ????????

[@TheChianello]

What year was this program broadcast?

[@ajn465]

What a find!!!! Xebron , big band, small group, Steve Allen.. and 'young whippersnapper' #Bill Maher !!! Great job by the audio crew too!! I never abuse exclamation points like this... (Xebron tunes both from the album Xebron, originally on Passport Records)

[@ajn465]

#BillMaher

[@ajn465]

The music here is great. As for Mr. Douche above... 🎱

[@eric_in_florida]

I dunno, Doc fronting a quintet doesn't quite work for me but that flugel song was very nice.

[@eric_in_florida]

great comment Eric!

[@dhaley8847]

WOW that's Bill Maher!!!!

[@57dogsbody]

LOOK at Charlie Shavers` neck at 12.33. Thats some pressure there.

[@louspagnola6293]

Mamma Mia! LIVE, no less!

[@jnadle1]

Where was this taped at?

[@davidjenkins4364]

Are you sure that's Steve Gadd on drums?

[@alanhaggart6971]

It's Peter Erskine.

[@PURPLE.REIGN.1999]

WTF? Bill Maher's Steven Allen's assistant? LOL that's funny!

[@essessessesq]

in the old clip, Doc looks a lot like Gary Moore!

[@Dan57Thom]

Best of the best. Bravo indeed. (And I agree with Mr Burns about Bill)

[@normal_media]

he still wears that horseshoe ring

[@waynebritton1436]

I bought one and had a diamond mounted in the middle so it would look like Docs.

[@waynebritton1436]

I don’t think he ever removes it because the new Doc Severinsen movie shows him wearing it in the hospital.

[@leroyosmon1840]

Ballad for Trumpet & Strings by Leroy Osmon

[@tiagotrompelinobandaclarin1888]

flugelhorn loses all its sonic beauty with this trumpet sound

[@Funkadelic3]

Anyone know what kind of mouthpiece Doc might be playing here? Bob Reeves maybe?

[@Kurteously]

Does anyone recognize the last tune?

[@trumpetvids]

You Go To My Head.

[@1200sbeemer]

@@trumpetvids and Sinatra sang it the best imo.

[@joensab]

Steve Allen was a tremendously intelligent and talented man...but humility and trumpet playing were not his strong points.

[@eric_in_florida]

Sounded like he had a range of 5 or 6 solid notes lol

[@ShintaikidoFounder]

He probably picked one from out of his bathtub, where he kept thousands of mouthpieces... Truth.

[@eric_in_florida]

huh?

[@coolbreeze161]

where is doc now and what is he doing?

[@eric_in_florida]

He's 97 and still getting around and looking good. There's a recent video of him on here at a factory that makes signature mutes for him. He still has his sense of humor. I doubt he plays much, he's freaking 97!