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Charlie Barnet

A survey of saxophonist Charlie Barnet. His swing band was known for hits like Cherokee and for breaking the colour bar in jazz with such stars as Lena Horne and Roy Eldridge.

Independently wealthy, saxophonist Charlie Barnet (1913-91) played jazz for the love of it. His swing band was known for hits like “Cherokee”, and for breaking down the colour bar in jazz with such African-American stars as Lena Horne and Roy Eldridge. Geoffrey Smith salutes a free spirit whose popularity knew no racial bounds.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 23 Jun 2019 00:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    The Gal From Joe's

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • RETROSPECTIVE.
    • 2.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    Echoes Of Harlem

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • RETROSPECTIVE.
    • 3.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    Cherokee

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • RETROSPECTIVE.
    • 1.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    The Right Idea

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • RETROSPECTIVE.
    • 8.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    Pompton Turnpike

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • RETROSPECTIVE.
    • 17.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    The Sergeant Was Shy

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • RETROSPECTIVE.
    • 18.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    Wings Over Manhattan

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • Retrospective.
    • 21.

  • Lena Horne

    You're My Thrill (feat. Charlie Barnet)

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • RETROSPECTIVE.
    • 4.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    Charleston Alley

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • RETROSPECTIVE.
    • 5.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    Spanish Kick

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • RETROSPECTIVE.
    • 8.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    The Moose

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • RETROSPECTIVE.
    • 13.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    The Great Lie

    • Topaz TPZ 1041.
    • Topaz.
    • 19.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    Drop Me Off In Harlem

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • RETROSPECTIVE.
    • 16.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    Skyliner

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • RETROSPECTIVE.
    • 1.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    Lonely Street

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • Retrospective.
    • 19.

  • Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

    Really? (Bop City)

    • The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949).
    • Retrospective.
    • 26.

Charlie Barnet

TITLE               THE GAL FROM JOE’S

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     Duke Ellington / Irving Mills

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (sax); Johnny Hodges (alto sax);  Nat Jaffe (piano); Phil Stephens (bass); Wesley Dean (drums)

 

 

TITLE               ECHOES OF HARLEM  

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     Duke Ellington

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (soprano sax); Charlie Shavers (trumpet); Ben Miller (piano); Phil Stephens (bass); Wesley Dean (drums)

 

 

TITLE               CHEROKEE 

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     Ray Noble.  Arranger – Billy May

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (tenor sax);  Billy May (trumpet); Ben Miller (piano); Phil Stephens (bass); Ray Michaels (drums)

 

 

TITLE               THE RIGHT IDEA 

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     Charlie Barnet / Skip Martin

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (tenor sax); Bill Miller (piano); Bob Burnet (trumpet); Phil Stephens (bass); Ray Michaels (drums)

 

 

TITLE               POMPTON TURNPIKE  

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     William Matthew Osborne / Dick Rogers.  Arranger - Billy May

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (soprano sax); Billy May (trumpet); Bill Miller (piano); Phil Stephens (bass); Cliff Leeman (drums)

 

 

TITLE               THE SERGEANT WAS SHY  

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     Duke Ellington  arr. Billy May

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (tenor sax);  Bernie Privin (trumpet); Bill Miller (piano); Phil Stephens (bass); Cliff Leeman (drums)

 

 

TITLE               WINGS OVER MANHATTAN  

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     Billy May

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (tenor sax); Bill Miller (piano); Phil Stephens (bass); Cliff Leeman (drums)

 

 

TITLE               YOU’RE MY THRILL 

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra with Lena Horne

Composers:     Jay Gorney / Sidney Clare

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Lena Horne (vocal); Charlie Barnet (tenor sax); Bill Miller (piano); Phil Stephens (bass); Cliff Leeman (drums)

 

 

 

TITLE               CHARLESTON ALLEY  

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     Leroy Kirkland / Horace Henderson

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (tenor sax); Bill Miller (piano); Phil Stephens (bass); Cliff Leeman (drums)

 

 

 

TITLE               SPANISH KICK 

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     Georges Bizet / arr. Billy Moore

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (tenor sax); Bill Miller (piano); Phil Stephens (bass); Cliff Leeman (drums)

 

 

TITLE               THE MOOSE 

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     Ralph Burns

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (tenor sax); Dodo Marmarosa (piano); Russ Wagner (bass); Harold Hahn (drums)

 

 

TITLE               THE GREAT LIE 

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     Cab Calloway / Andy Gibson  arr. Billy May

Album Title:    Topaz Jazz – Charlie Barnet

Label:              Topaz TPZ 1041

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (tenor sax); Roy Eldridge (trumpet); Dodo Marmarosa (piano);

Howard Rumsey (bass); Harold Hahn (drums)

 

 

TITLE               DROP ME OFF IN HARLEM 

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     Duke Ellington  arr. Steve Gray

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (tenor sax); Roy Eldridge (trumpet); Dodo Marmarosa (piano); Andy Riccardi (bass); Harold Hahn (drums)

 

 

 

TITLE               SKYLINER 

Artists:             Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra

Composers:     Charlie Barnet  arr. Billy Moore

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (tenor sax); Maynard Ferguson (trumpet); Dodo Marmarosa (piano); Howard Rumsey (bass); Harold Hahn (drums)

 

 

 

TITLE               LONELY STREET

Artists:             Charlie Barnet  & his Orchestra

Composers:     Paul Villepigue

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (tenor sax); Claude Williamson (piano); Eddie Safranski (bass) Cliff Leeman (drums)

 

 

TITLE               REALLY?  (BOP CITY)

Artists:             Charlie Barnet  & his Orchestra

Composers:     Kai Winding  arr. Manny Albam

Album Title:    The Right Idea (A Centenary Tribute - His 50 Finest 1939-1949)

Label:              RETROSPECTIVE: RTS 4225

Performers:     Charlie Barnet (tenor sax); Claude Williamson (piano); Eddie Safranski (bass) Tiny Kahn (drums)

Broadcast

  • Sun 23 Jun 2019 00:00
    BBC Radio 3

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