Live from the Blue Gardens

Discography Browser

  • Red Norvo Trio [Prestige]
  • Move!
  • Midnight on Cloud 69
  • Norvo...Naturally
  • The Forward Look
  • Music to Listen to Red Norvo By
  • The Red Norvo Quintet
  • Vibes a La Red
  • The Second Time Around
  • Red in New York
  • The Red Norvo Trios
  • Too Marvelous for Words

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Release Date

November 10, 1992

Duration

56:43

Genre

Styles

Recording Date

January 4, 1942
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Album Moods

Red Norvo

Live from the Blue Gardens

  • AllMusic Rating
    8
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AllMusic Review by

Red Norvo's 1942 big band only recorded two songs and was otherwise completely undocumented. However, a tape of a radio broadcast was saved by trombonist Eddie Bert through the years and released on CD in 1992 by Music Masters. Although, other than Bert and singer Helen Ward, Norvo's sidemen are quite obscure, he had a very interesting band throughout this period; the largest he ever led. Norvo (who plays xylophone here but would switch permanently to vibraphone the next year) leads an orchestra comprised of three trumpets, three trombones, five reeds (including Sam Spumberg who tripled on tenor, oboe and English horn), a standard rhythm section and up to four vocalists. With colorful arrangements provided by Johnny Thompson, Norvo and his quietly powerful crew perform a variety of standards from the era plus five originals by the leader. This appealing and rather historical set is easily recommended to swing collectors.

Track Listing

Sample Title/Composer Performer Time
1
Red Norvo
Red Norvo
0:17
2
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / Gus Kahn
Red Norvo
2:56
3
Hoagy Carmichael / Mitchell Parish
Red Norvo
3:54
4
Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg
Red Norvo
3:37
5
Jack Chapman
Red Norvo
3:13
6
Red Norvo
Red Norvo
2:17
7
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
Red Norvo
3:10
8
Red Norvo
Red Norvo
3:15
9
Cole Porter
Red Norvo
3:48
10
Walter Donaldson / Leon FLatow / Billy Frisch / Bernie Grossman / Bobby Jones / Leonard Ware
Red Norvo
2:46
11
Red Norvo
Red Norvo
2:37
12
Henry Nemo
Red Norvo
4:25
13
Vernon Duke / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
Red Norvo
3:30
14
Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
Red Norvo
2:07
15
Gus Kahn / Matty Malneck / Frank Signorelli
Red Norvo
3:11
16
Public Domain / Clifford Grey / Leo Robin / Vincent Youmans
Red Norvo
2:32
17
Lorenz Hart / Cole Porter / Richard Rodgers
Red Norvo
3:50
18
Anne Caldwell / Vincent Youmans
Red Norvo
3:40
19
Red Norvo
Red Norvo
1:38
blue highlight denotes track pick