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Four Brothers (jazz standard)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Four Brothers is a jazz standard in AABA format written by Jimmy Giuffre[1] in 1947,[2] based on the chord changes of 'Jeepers Creepers'.[3][4][5] The song was written for the "Four Brothers" saxophone section of Woody Herman's second band, and has since been covered by many groups.

Notable recordings

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Woody Herman recorded it on December 27, 1947, for Columbia records with his second Herd, which had been organized earlier that year. It features the "Four Brothers" saxophone section of Zoot Sims, Serge Chaloff, Herbie Steward, and Stan Getz, playing in that order.[6] All four played in the light, almost vibrato-less, style of their idol, Lester Young.[7] The song so typifies the sound of Woody Herman's second Herd that the band is also known as the Four Brothers Band.

Giuffre recorded it in 1955 when it was released on his debut album by Capitol. He again recorded it in 1958, an album released by Atlantic titled The Four Brothers Sound.

References

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  1. ^ HalLeonard.com. "Four Brothers". Hal Leonard Online. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  2. ^ "Jimmy Giuffre: Jazz clarinettist and composer". The Independent. 2008-04-29. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  3. ^ "Four Brothers". Play Jazz Piano. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  4. ^ Friedwald, Will (2017). The Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums. Pantheon Books. p. 247.
  5. ^ Gioia, Ted (1998). West Coast Jazz: Modern Jazz in California, 1945-1960. University of California Press. p. 229.
  6. ^ ""Four Brothers," Woody Herman, Form Diagram". people.virginia.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  7. ^ Jazz, All About (10 September 2009). "Jazz news: Four Brothers: Together Again!". All About Jazz News. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  8. ^ Wynn, Ron (1994), Ron Wynn (ed.), All Music Guide to Jazz, M. Erlewine, V. Bogdanov, San Francisco: Miller Freeman, ISBN 0-87930-308-5
  9. ^ Tanner, Paul O. W.; Maurice Gerow; David W. Megill (1988) [1964]. "Cool (1949-1955)". Jazz (6th ed.). Dubuque, IA: William C. Brown, College Division. pp. 103–111. ISBN 0-697-03663-4.

See also

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