Jim Wilke alerts us that his Jazz Northwest  broadcast this weekend features two drummers who at different times drove Woody Herman’s Herd.  Jeff Hamilton and Joe LaBarbera will co-lead an all-star big band that includes another Herman alumnus, baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan. Herman was known as “The Road Father†because he mentored countless young musicians who later became stars in their own right. The concert was recorded at this summer’s Jazz Port Townsend on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula. In the Jim Levitt photo we see (left to right) pianist John Hansen, Hamilton, bassist John Hamar, LaBarbera and trumpeter Terrell Stafford.
From Mr. Wilke’s note about the program:
Jazz Northwest airs Sundays at 2 PM PDT and is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for KPLU-FM, 88.5. The program also streams at kplu.org and is available anytime after broadcast at jazznw.org. Next week’s show will feature the opening concert from this year’s festival, with tenor saxophonist JD Allen and trumpeter Sean Jones (September 4).
While we’re Hermanizing, here he is as encourager-in-chief with the 1977 edition of the Herd. 24-year-old Jeff Hamilton is the drummer. The tenor saxophone soloists on “Giant Steps” are Frank Tiberi and Joe Lovano. You’ll catch a glimpse or two of Pat Coil at the piano.