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Brass, Reeds, and Percussion: May 20, 2023

The tune that virtually defines a decade in American history known as the Roaring Twenties is “The Charleston.” The words for “The Charleston” are seldom heard in recordings even though the African-American lyricist Cecil Mack has been compared to Irving Berlin in both output and quality. Instead, the music of James P. Johnson is almost always used to introduce and define this decade of American history. Today’s edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion opens with a 1994 wind-band recording of this jazz standard. The recording is by Enoch Light and His Light Brigade band. Indeed, the recording you will hear today was used in the 2011 Woody Allen film “Midnight in Paris.” Although the composer James P. Johnson died in 1955, he is still getting film credits.

  1. Charleston (1923)
    Composer:  Cecil Mack (lyrics, 1873-1944) & James P. Johnson (music, 1894-1955)
    Performer:  Enoch Light & the Light Brigade
    Album:  Big Hits of the 20s
      
  2. Somebody Loves Me (1924)
    Composer:  George Gershwin (music, 1898-1937), Ballard MacDonald (lyrics, 1882-1935) & Buddy DeSylva (lyrics, 1895-1950)
    Performer:  Enoch Light & the Light Brigade
    Album:  Big Hits of the 20s
      
  3. Ecce Sacerdos (Behold the Priest, 1885)
    Composer:  Anton Bruckner (1824-1896), arranged by Thomas Doss
    Performer:  Concert Band of German Armed Forces
    Album:  Cape Horn
  4. Cape Horn
    Composer:  Thomas Doss (1966- )
    Performer:  Concert Band of German Armed Forces
    Album:  Cape Horn
  5. Golden Secret
    Composer:  Otto Schwarz (1967- )
    Performer:  Concert Band of German Armed Forces
    Album:  Cape Horn
  6. Mr. Ghost Goes to Town (1936 recording)
    Composer:  Will Hudson (1908-1981), Mitchell Parish (lyrics, 1900-1993) & Irving Mills (1894-1985)
    Performer:  Hudson de Lange Orchestra
    Album:  Swing Time, Vol. 2
  7. Jimtown Blues
    Composer:  Charles Davis (1899-1991) & Fred Rose (1897-1954)
    Performer:  Ben Pollack & His Orchestra
    Album:  Swing Time, Vol. 2
  8. Largo from “Caravans
    Composer:  Mike Batt (1949- )
    Performer:  Austrian Army Band Tirol
    Album:  Trauer-Trost-Hoffnung
  9. Adagio
    Composer:  Valery Khalilov (1952-2016)
    Performer:  Austrian Army Band Tirol
    Album:  Trauer-Trost-Hoffnung
  10. Trauer, Trost, Hoffnung (Sadness, Comfort, Hope)
    Composer:  Hannes Apfolterer (1962- )
    Performer:  Austrian Army Band Tirol
    Album:  Trauer-Trost-Hoffnung
Born in Natchez, Mississippi, in 1951, John moved to Huntsville in 1975, where he worked for a communications training firm. From 1997 to 2022, John worked for the Lanier Ford law firm. During his tenure, He served as Lanier Ford's law librarian, marketing specialist, trainer, and professional recruiter. While in college and law school, John worked in professional radio in Starkville and Oxford, Mississippi.