AL HIBBLER & HARRY CARNEY BAND – S’POSIN’
Al Hibbler (August 16, 1915[1] – April 24, 2001[2]) was an American vocalist with several pop hits. He is best known for his million selling recording of “Unchained Melody” (1955). Once described by Duke Ellington as “our major asset”, the bandleader was referring to Hibbler’s deep-toned, dramatic vocal style, with its heavy vibrato… “You could drive a truck through that vibrato,” said one musician… which brought Hibbler and the band considerable popular acclaim.[2] He achieved national prominence in the United States with the Ellington orchestra in the mid 1940s, and went on to build a substantial career, which included continuing involvement with jazz musicians. Harry Howell Carney (April 1, 1910 – October 8, 1974) was a swing baritone saxophonist, clarinetist, and bass clarinetist best known for his 45-year tenure in Duke Ellington’s band. Carney started off in Ellington’s band playing alto, but soon switched to the baritone. His strong, steady saxophone often serves as the anchor of Duke’s music. He also played clarinet and bass clarinet on occasion.Harry Howell Carney was born in 1910 in Boston, Massachusetts. At seventeen he ran off to join Duke Ellington’s orchestra starting first on clarinet and eventually moving on to baritone saxophone.Carney was the longest lasting player in Duke Ellington’s band. He was always there and on occasions when Ellington was missing he took over as conductor, particularly when Ellington wished to make a stage entrance after the band had begun playing the first piece of a performance. Ellington and Carney were close friends. The majority of their careers they rode together in Carney’s car to concerts, allowing Ellington to come up with new ideas. Fictionalised accounts of these road trips are documented in Geoff Dyer’s But Beautiful.Born Albert George Hibbler in Tyro, Mississippi, he was blind from birth. Hibbler attended a school for the blind in Little Rock, Arkansas where he joined the school choir.He won an amateur talent contest in Memphis, Tennessee, where he first worked with local bands and started his own band. In 1942 he joined a band led by the Kansas City based bandleader, Jay McShann. “I could tell Hibbler had it, so I wired him to join us in Kansas City,” McShann said. By the time the band, including bebop pioneer Charlie Parker, arrived in New York, Hibbler had displaced McShann’s other vocalists, and was to tour with him for the next two years. Ellington wrote a number of ’show-piece’ features for Carney throughout their time together, such as “Frustration” (c1944-45). This was typical of Ellington’s ability to exploit the voices of his most treasured soloists by creating works that were tailored specifically to the individual rather than being for a generic baritone saxophonist. In addition, Ellington would sometimes feature Carney’s robust renditions of the melodies of such hits as “Sophisticated Lady” and “In a Mellow Tone.” In 1973 Ellington built the Third Sacred Concert around Carney’s soulful baritone saxophone.
Duration : 0:2:31
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