Bobby Hackett
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Bobby Hackett | |
---|---|
Paramount Theatre in New York City in August 1946. | |
Background information | |
Born | Providence, Rhode Island | January 31, 1915
Died | June 7, 1976 Chatham, Massachusetts | (aged 61)
Genres | Jazz, swing |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Cornet, Trumpet |
Years active | 1920s–1976 |
Robert Leo Hackett (January 31, 1915
Biography
Bobby Hackett was born in
Although he always said he was a follower of Armstrong, he made his name as a follower of cornet player Bix Beiderbecke.[7] In 1938 Benny Goodman hired the talented 23 year old to recreate Bix's "I'm Coming Virginia" solo at his (Goodman's) 1938 Carnegie Hall concert.[2]
In the late 1930s, Hackett played lead trumpet in the
In the 1940 Fred Astaire movie, Second Chorus. Hackett can be heard on the soundtrack. He dubbed the trumpet playing of Fred Astaire in two numbers. In the movie, Astaire is a trumpet player in Artie Shaw's orchestra.[8]
In 1939, the talent agency
Despite lip problems, Hackett could play occasional short solos, and he can be heard playing with the Glenn Miller Orchestra on the 1942 "A String of Pearls". Hackett referred to this solo as 'just a little exercise'.[2][10] Balliett says the twelve-bar solo "remains in its design (scale), tone (moonlike), and lyricism (Bach) one of the recorded improvisational wonders." [11]
In the mid-40s he was in Glen Gray's orchestra for two years.[12] In 1946 he joined the music staff at ABC where he remained for 15 years.[13] Feather points out this gave Hackett a steady income.[14] He continued his live performances and recordings while there. He was playing regularly at Eddie Condon's and other clubs. [15]
A dream come true for Hackett was his inclusion in Louis Armstrong's 1947 Town Hall Jazz Concert.[3] He was music director for the concert and second cornet.[16] Baillett says of the concert, "Hackett's background figures made Louis Armstrong sound like a nightingale."[17]
In November 1947, he recorded two sides with Frank Sinatra. The first, on November 5, was "I've Got a Crush on You," arranged and conducted by George Siravo with a small group. Released the same year, it reached number 21 on the pop charts. On November 9, he recorded "Body and Soul" with Sinatra and a large orchestra arranged and conducted by Alex Stordahl. This recording was held back until June 1949, when it was one of the eight recordings on Sinatra's fourth Columbia album, Frankly Sentimental. Since then, two other takes have been released by Columbia.[18]
Hackett took a leave of absence from ABC from 1951 to 1952 to organize a septet that played in several night clubs, including New York's The Embers. Five years later he organized another sextet that played at the Henry Hudson Hotel and several jazz festivals.[19]
His profile increased after he was hired by
In 1954, he appeared as a regular on the ABC variety show The Martha Wright Show, also known as The Packard Showroom.[21]
In 1965, he toured with the singer Tony Bennett. In 1966 and 1967, he accompanied Bennett on two European tours.[2] In the early 1970s, he performed separately with Dizzy Gillespie[22] and Teresa Brewer.[2]
In 2012, Hackett was selected to be inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame.[23]
Personal life
Bobby Hackett married Edna Lillian Lee Hackett (d. 2000) in 1937. The Hacketts lived primarily in New York City and spent summers on
Hackett was a
Hackett died in 1976 of a heart attack at the age of 61.[26]
Discography
As leader
- Soft Lights and Bobby Hackett (Capitol, 1954)
- In a Mellow Mood (Capitol, 1955)
- Coast Concert (Capitol, 1956)
- Gotham Jazz Scene (Capitol, 1957)
- Rendezvous (Capitol, 1957)
- Bobby Hackett At The Embers (Capitol, 1958)
- Don't Take Your Love from Me (Capitol, 1958)
- Jazz Ultimate with Jack Teagarden (Capitol, 1958)
- The Bobby Hackett Quartet (Capitol, 1959)
- Blues with a Kick (Capitol, 1959)
- Hawaii Swings (Capitol, 1960)
- Dream Awhile (Columbia, 1960)
- The Most Beautiful Horn in the World (Columbia, 1962)
- Night Love (Columbia, 1962)
- Bobby Hackett Plays Henry Mancini (Epic, 1962)
- Plays the Music of Bert Kaempfert (Epic, 1964)
- Hello Louis!: Plays the Music of Louis Armstrong (Epic, 1964)
- Trumpets' Greatest Hits (Epic, 1965)
- A String of Pearls (Epic, 1965)
- Trumpet de Luxe with Billy Butterfield (CBS [Japan], 1966)
- Creole Cookin (Verve, 1967)
- That Midnight Touch (Project 3, 1967)
- A Time for Love (Project 3, 1967)
- Bobby/Billy/Brazil (Verve, 1968)
- This Is My Bag (Project 3, 1969)
- Live at the Roosevelt Grill (Chiaroscuro, 1970)
- The Bobby Hackett 4 (Hyannisport, 1972)
- Bobby Hackett and Vic Dickenson at the Royal Box (Hyannisport, 1972)
- What a Wonderful World (Flying Dutchman, 1973)
- Strike Up the Band (Flying Dutchman, 1975)
- Live in New Orleans (Riff, 1976)
- Featuring Vic Dickenson at the Roosevelt Grill (Chiaroscuro, 1977)
- Tin Roof Blues (Honey Dew, 1977)
- Butterfly Airs Vol. 1 (Honey Dew, 1977)
- Jazz Session (CBS, 1980)
As sideman
With Jackie Gleason
- Music for Lovers Only (Capitol, 1952)
- Music to Make You Misty (Capitol, 1953)
- Music, Martinis, and Memories (Capitol, 1954)
- Jackie Gleason Presents Autumn Leaves (Capitol, 1955)
- Music to Remember Her (Capitol, 1955)
- Music to Change Her Mind (Capitol, 1956)
- Jackie Gleason Presents Music for the Love Hours (Capitol, 1957)
- Jackie Gleason Presents Lush Musical Interludes for That Moment (Capitol, 1959)
- The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (Pickwick/33, 1967)
With others ( Frankie Laine 1955 'Te Amo')
- Louis Armstrong, Town Hall (RCA Victor, 1957)
- Tony Bennett, The Very Thought of You (Columbia, 1965)
- Tony Bennett, A Time for Love (Columbia, 1966)
- Teresa Brewer, Good News (Signature, 1974)
- Ruth Brown, Ruth Brown (Atlantic, 1957)
- Jim Cullum Jr., Goose Pimples (Audiophile, 1967)
- Eddie Condon, Bixieland (credited as Pete Pesci, Columbia, 1955)
- Eddie Condon, Midnight in Moscow (Epic, 1962)
- Eddie Condon, Eddie Condon On Stage (Saga, 1973)
- Dizzy Gillespie, Giants (Perception, 1971)
- Benny Goodman, The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert (Columbia, 1950)
- Bill Kenny, I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You (Decca, 1951)
- Glenn Miller, A String of Pearls (Bluebird, 1941)
- Glenn Miller, Rhapsody in Blue (Victor, 1942)
- Frank Sinatra, I've Got a Crush on You (Columbia, 1947)
- Frank Sinatra, Body and Soul(Columbia, 1947)
- Jack Teagarden, Jack Teagarden!!! (Verve, 1962)
- Lee Wiley, Night in Manhattan (Columbia, 1955)
References
- ISBN 978-0-19-536161-2.
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-580-8.
- ^ a b c d Ciccolo, John (October 18, 2000). "Bobby Hackett: Accomplished musician with a beautiful sound". Libertyhall.com. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
- ^ Whitney Balliett, "Maestro," Ecstasy at the Onion, The Bobbs-Merrill Co, Indianapolis and New York, 1971, p. 104
- ^ Leonard Feather, "Hackett, Robert Leo (Bobby)", The Encyclopedia of Jazz, De Capo, New York, nd, p. 237. Originally published by Horizon Press, 1960
- ^ Balliett, p. 105
- ^ Weinstock, Len. "The Birth of the Cool 1927". Redhotjazz.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
- ^ "Second Chorus: Did You Know: Trivia" IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033029/trivia/?ref_=tt_trv_trv accessed 7/20/2023
- ISBN 978-0-306-80129-7. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
- ^ "Hackett refers to this solo as 'just a little exercise'" – Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, 269.
- ^ Balliett, p. 104
- ^ Balliett, p. 104
- ^ Balliett, p. 104
- ^ Feather, p. 237
- ^ D[igby] F[Fairweather], Bobby Hackett", in Ian Carr, Digby Fairweather, and Brian Priestly, Jazz: The Rough Guide, The Rough Guides, London, 1995, p. 259
- ^ D[igby] F[Fairweather], p. 259
- ^ Balliett, p. 106
- ^ Songs by Sinatra: A Reference Guide, [New York], [1996], pp. 265, 267
- ^ Feather, p. 237
- ^ "Complete Capitol Bobby Hackett Solo Sessions - Bobby Hackett | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
- ISBN 978-0140049114.
- ^ "Bobby Hackett", Space Age Music Maker, Retrieved on July 29, 2011.
- ^ "Hackett, Bobby". Rhodeislandmusichalloffame.com. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
- ^ Refsnes, Hege. "St. Cecile Lodge #568: the Lodge of the Arts". Stcecile.com. Archived from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
- ^ ""Craft Masonry in Manhattan, New York County, New York"" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 18, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
- ^ Wilson, John S. (June 8, 1976). "Bobby Hackett, the Cornetist, Dies at 61". The New York Times. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
External links
Further reading
- Hulme, George and Whyatt, Bert. Bobby Hackett: His Life in Music, Hardinge Simpole, 2015. ISBN 9781843822226. 2016