 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2017-02-20 02:13
LOL....pretty cheesy. In his autobiography, Pete said he'd have gone back to NOLA to play strip clubs if he had to...but even blowing through all that cheese he sounded awesome....
Eric
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The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2017-02-20 05:09
It's a case of authentic local culture versus contrived show business. Miles Davis said of Pete's friend Al Hirt, he was a good trumpet player that the show moguls were, in comic book fashion, "trying to turn into the Jolly Green Giant." Pete told everybody he knew in New Orleans that he was homesick in Los Angeles, and if the only choice had been between strip malls and strip clubs, he would have chosen the latter. Mercifully, he didn't have to choose between the horns of that dilemma, because entering America's living rooms on TV each Saturday night made him famous and financially secure. So he could say good- bye to both strip malls and strip joints.
The recording system on that cornball TV clip does do justice to the smooth, round, creamy sound that Fountain got in his prime--a leaner more centered version of the old Irving Fazola sound, but instantly recognizable as Pete.
Post Edited (2017-02-20 23:19)
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2017-02-21 11:57
It's amazing to me that Pete could make something out of a situation like the one shared in the link. I'm thankful that Lawrence hired him (and I enjoy many of his performances on Welk's show - especially the few with George Thow)...I always wonder if someone like me would know about Pete if it hadn't been for those few short years with Welk. I know Pete credited the exposure for his continued success. (..but I know Pete was always gracious with praise for others too.)
As a side note: Pete went on to do a lot of "pop" albums that (in my mind) equal or are similar in nature to what you've labeled as "cornball" /"cheesy"...yet they, too, played a roll in his continuing popularity. It took a while to grow on me, but Candy Clarinet is now a favorite Christmas album of mine. Pete's tone/sound/and "take" on tunes is always there - regardless of the style he was playing at any given time.
I think Pete deserves a lot of credit for always choosing the "right" path in order to keep the clarinet in the public eye throughout his life, while always placing the "Pete" stamp on whichever style he was playing. We might look back and scoff at some of the situations - but business-wise, it seems that he was pretty astute (even though he ridiculed his own business acumen in his autobiography).
(Talking about amazing business men...the Lawrence Welk biography is a whole other story. I can't imagine having to figure out the business plan of playing accordion in direct competition with folks like the Dorsey Brothers!...but that's another story for another forum.)
Cheers.
Fuzzy
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Author: Ed
Date: 2017-02-21 18:14
I think that it certainly looks dated, but that was the entertainment of the time. Those variety shows all had that type of staged performance. It was a way to create a little musical vignette rather than present a performer sitting on stage and playing/singing.
It was really right in the lineage of vaudeville, musical theater and movie musicals. You can find plenty of examples of similar "corny" performances in many musicals of the 40's, movie shorts or early TV.
National exposure was certainly a key to Fountain's success. I have been told that Welk was a decent guy to work for and was generous to his players, providing decent working conditions.
No matter what, making money with your instrument is better than digging ditches.
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2017-02-21 18:32
Agreed with all of the above (except, perhaps, the ditch digging comment from Ed...I've turned down gigs that sounded more like musical prostitution than anything I wanted to be involved with, and an honest day digging ditches can do wonders for a man...)
Welk pretty much made Pete's career, and Pete always delivered great clarinet playing that no one should be ashamed of---the vaudeville legacy is right on target. I'm a fan of several of his easy listening albums too, especially "I Love Paris"---one of the greatest albums in the genre, IMO. Even wrote a defense and review of it here:
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-pete-fountain-i-love-paris-1963.html
I wouldn't miss a moment of Pete's playing. There are albums of his I can't really stand listening to, but not many...and I think I have all of them, including all the vinyl that has never been reissues. His playing was a gift, whatever genre.
Eric
******************************
The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2017-02-21 21:42
I know Pete credits a particular rendering of "Silver Bells" as being the "...beginning of the end..." of his stay with Welk. I've never been able to find the recording he references. However, I've always found this version of "Jingle Bells" with Pete & Warren Luening to be a lot of fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_C-HfeixbU (Fairly short and worth even-an-out-of-season listen).
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2017-02-21 22:22
I suspect there are few big names in music who always had things their way musically- or who would have become big if always given full control.
I've been a lifelong Elvis fan, but man- some of those movie songs... blech. And he thought so too, but as long as the Colonel said sing, Elvis sang. And it did work out well for both of them, at least financially. Artistically and satisfying in life is another whole question.
I'm also something of a Welk fan (maybe about 1/4 of what was on the show). But I cringed trying to listen to Pete playing along with the Lennon sisters, couldn't make it all the way through. Even though I thought it had good production value, was a cute idea, and Pete seemed to give it all he had and was being a good sport. Hard to criticize it for the times.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2017-02-22 03:48
Peanuts Hucko was another Welk clarinetist who hated that gig. I remember reading Hucko would solo in a be bop style in order to confound Welk...alas he was fired but Hucko was none the worse.
the Follow up Harry Questa is a clarinetist who I cannot stand because it all sounds so contrived. Of course he fit in perfectly.
David Dow
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2017-02-22 06:49
The Welk band harbored many players who were never allowed to really open up and play freely in their own style. One was the late Dave Edwards, then one of the best lead and solo alto sax players in the business--a great sight reader, interesting improvisor, and "quality control" person in the sax section. In solo spots, Welk kept him reined in and confined to minimally-embellished ballads and Jimmy Dorsey nostalgia. Dave was quite capable of playing the way Charlie Parker played on his recordings with strings, but if he had ever done that, it would have sent out fatal shock waves. Dave never took any nonsense from Welk though, which you could see from the look on Dave's face when Welk ventured to introduce him in an over-familiar, nonsensical way.
Dave did better than just "grin and bear it." He took the pay checks but never grinned.
Post Edited (2017-02-22 07:36)
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2017-02-22 08:03
I understand the same was said of Paul Whiteman. (That people were "held back" from playing to their strengths.)
Yet, both Whiteman and Welk were so widely accepted, that the exposure of being in one of their bands seems to have reflected positively on those who were members (thinking of Bing Crosby, Bix Beiderbeck, Jack Teagarden, etc. in Whiteman's band)
Likewise, while it is easy to find fault with both Welk and Whiteman when viewed through the lens of retrospection...it is hard to argue with the great success they had, and the amount of talent they supported and helped launch (even if bridled for a time.) I admire each leader's ability to find a way to take top talent, mold it into something they knew would be marketable to the population at that time...pay the musicians well, and then release the talent when it couldn't be restrained any longer. It sounds like a tough job, and a fine wire to walk.
Fuzzy
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2017-02-22 21:32
a great example of Peanuts Hucko really letting loose..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgforD9mEow
and of course on the Welk format
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtm1-S0KS0o
David Dow
Post Edited (2017-02-22 21:34)
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2017-02-22 22:05
David,
Thanks for those links! I don't listen to a lot of Peanuts Hucko, but I really enjoyed the two clips you shared.
Fuzzy
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