Song:Pompton Turnpike
Album:Legendary Big Bands Series
Sax player Charlie Barnet was a popular bandleader in the 40s. He retired by the end of the decade so he isn't as well known as others who remained active. One of the interesting things about Barnet is that unlike many jazz musicians, he was born to a very wealthy family. He was born Oct. 26, 1913 in New York City. His grandfather Charles Frederick Daly was vice president of the New York Central Railroad. His parents divorced when he was two years old and he was raised by his mom and grandparents. Though his family wanted him to be a lawyer, Barnet was a professional musician by age 16. His music was very commercial when he started leading bands in 1933. But by 1939 he went in a more jazz oriented direction and the his years recording for Bluebird from 1939-42 are considered his peak years. Count Basie was a major influence and helped Barnet with his music when a fire at the Palomar Hotel in Los Angeles destroyed Barnet's charts. Cherokee was probably his biggest hit but Pompton Turnpike and Redskin Rhumba were also very popular. Skyliner was a big hit later in the 40s when he recorded for Decca. Some of the musicians who worked for Barnet included lead trumpeter Bobby Burnet, guitarist Barney Kessell, clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, pianist Dodo Marmarosa and singers Lena Horne, Kay Starr and Peggy Lee. Barnet was trying to adapt to bebop in the late 40s. But he went into semi-retirement in 1949 and worked sporadically until his death on Sept. 4, 1991 at age 77. This comp has his Bluebird recordings. There is a video of Barnet performing Pompton Turnpike. But as a classic animation fan, I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to stop motion animation pioneer George Pal. So this is the 1946 George Pal Puppetoon Jasper In A Jam featuring Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra performing Pompton Turnpike and Redskin Rhumba and with Peggy Lee performing Old Man Mose.
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