Woody Herman Band: Live At Antibes (1965)

For over 40 years the legendary "Jazz à Juan" jazz festival has brought the stars to Antibes. From Bechet, Armstrong to Coltrane, or Miles and the sublime Ella ... they've all been there. And it still goes on as the pine trees are still the rendezvous for the headlining Jazz musicians and the stars of tomorrow. Antibes-Juan les Pins is one of the most well-known resorts on the Côte d'Azur, located between Nice (20 km) and Cannes (12km). Antibes is to jazz what Cannes is to film and Paris is to fashion. The ten-day festival – the longest-running jazz fest this side of the Atlantic – has had an all-star line-up from the very first concert in 1960. It's certainly well represented on record with classic performances from the likes of Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and this one from the Woody Herman Thundering Herd.

Woody took this band to the festival in July, 1965. While opinions vary, this performance is considered by some critics to be this Herd's finest. Reference is often made to the great trumpet lineup.

On this gig personnel were: Bill Chase, Don Rader, Gerald Lamy, Dusko Goykovich, Robert Shew (trumpets); Ron Myers, Don Doane, Henry Southall (trombones); Woody Herman (clarinet, alto sax); Sal Nistico, Andy Mc Ghee, Gary Klein (tenor sax); Tom Anastas (baritone); Nat Pierce (piano); Antony Leonardi (bass) and Ronnie Zito (drums).

Tracks:

01) Blue Flame Theme

02) The Preacher

03) Wailing In The Wood

04) The Four Brothers

05) Early Autumn

06) North West Passage

07) Watermelon Man

08) Somewhere

09) Hallelujah Time

10) Satin Doll

11) I Remember Clifford

12) Medley

13) 23 Red

14) Caldonia

15) Blue Flame Theme

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