Si Zentner and Band Go 'Up a Lazy River'

I had a request from frequent commenter musicman1979 for music by Si Zentner's big band. That came after I mentioned that this LP - Big Band Plays the Big Hits - was a particular favorite of mine way back in 1961 when it was new and I was nearly new (12 years of age).

Zentner was a well-known studio trombonist, but was a very late arrival as a big band leader. He had started making records with "His Dance Band" for the small Bel Canto label in 1958, but had moved on to Liberty by 1960.

Zentner may have been late, but he certainly put together a spectacular band, presumably filled with his studio colleagues.

Big Band Plays the Big Hits is just what its name promises - a program of chart favorites of the time (1960-61) including the leader's own semi-hit, Bob Florence's rock 'n' roll version of "Up a Lazy River" (which, I will note for the finicky, Hoagy Carmichael and Sidney Ardoin called "Lazy River" when they wrote it back in 1931).

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The record swings (or rocks, as the case may be) from beginning to end, propelled by a terrific drummer whom I haven't been able to identify. Si himself is often heard solo or in section work.

The songs themselves are chosen from several sources: other bands still in business and putting out hits (Lawrence Welk, Johnny Dankworth, Bert Kaempfert); rock and R&B acts (Dee Clark, the Shirelles, the Drifters); and early guitar heroes (the Ventures, Duane Eddy, the Shadows). This heterogeny may seem disjointed, but in practice it works very well. It's an enjoyable album that I like just as much as I did 65 years ago.

Here's more information about the song sources, for those of you who haven't been around as long as I have.

"Asia Minor" was a hit for the mysterious Kokomo. He turned out to be jazz pianist Jimmy Wisner, who had decided to dress up the opening of Grieg's Piano Concerto in honky-tonk form, and name it for the Turkish peninsula for some reason. You can hear Wismer's version here. I think Zentner chose this because Grieg's main melody lends itself to legato trombone playing.

The first recording of "African Waltz" was by Johnny Dankworth in England (here), followed by Cannonball Adderley in the US (here). It was the first hit for songwriter Galt MacDermott, a Canadian who had studied music in South Africa and who was to have a huge success several years later with the musical Hair. Si takes the piece at a faster clip than either Dankworth or Adderley.

I don't think she could run in those heels

Jazz guitarist Johnny Smith wrote "Walk, Don't Run" in 1954 (here), but it didn't become a hit until the Ventures' kinetic rock version in 1960 (a huge favorite of mine back in the day). The Ventures actually were inspired by Chet Atkins' 1957 recording. Perhaps predictably, the guitar melody in the big-band version was handed over to Zentner.

Much different from the Ventures' proto-surf sound was Dee Clark's wistful "Raindrops" (here), the biggest success for the talented singer-songwriter. (Also of note is his excellent version of "Hey Little Girl.")

Zentner reached back to 1946 for Walter Gross' "Tenderly." Again, a good choice because it lends itself to a trombone lead. I don't think the song was on the charts in 1960-61, but there were versions by the Flamingos and Adam Wade back then (not to mention Ella Fitzgerald), so it's possible. (Here is Gross' version, which is impeded by his florid piano playing.)

"Calcutta" was a giant success in 1961 for Lawrence Welk (featuring Frank Scott on the harpsichord). German composer Heino Gaze had written the number as "Tivoli-Melodie" in 1958, recorded by Werner Müller, using the name Orchester Ricardo Santos. So how did it migrate from Copenhagen to Calcutta (Kolkata)? It's not clear, but the song did acquire lyrics and come out in Germany in 1960 as "Kalkutta liegt am Ganges" as sung by Vico Torriani. There also were English lyrics for "Calcutta," but Welk and Zentner didn't use them, so we'll ignore them. Welk's version is fairly close to Müller's; Zentner allots the harpsichord theme to (you guessed it) the trombone.

Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman's "Save the Last Dance for Me" is one of the most memorable songs of the day, as recorded by the Drifters with Ben E. King as the lead. It was a rhumba, but Si straightens out the rhythm in his brisk version.

"Wonderland by Night" was covered extensively on this blog several weeks ago - the entire Bert Kaempfert LP is available, along with his Christmas record. Si dispenses with Charly Tabor's virtuoso opening flourish as heard on the Kaempfert disc, then allocates the main trumpet melody to (you're right again) the trombone. It's a good version with some Milleresque wind voicings. The arrangement irons out the loping Kaempfert rhythm.

Jerry Lordon's composition "Apache" was inspired by the 1954 film of the same name. The first recording was by British guitarist Bert Weedon, but the UK hit was by the Shadows. Danish guitarist Jørgen Ingmann had the hit in the US. This is one of the best performances on Zentner's LP.

In which Duane Eddy plunks his magic twanger

Next, Si programmed a few tunes with a rock beat, presumably to get the young folks dancing. First is "Because They're Young," written by Aaron Schroeder, Don Costa, and Wally Gold for the film of the same name. James Darren warbled it on screen, but the hit was by guitarist Duane Eddy, who appeared in the movie, but (confusingly) did not perform the song therein. Eddy featured the song on his LP $1,000,000 Worth of Twang - one of the great album names, although not as good as the The Biggest Twang of Them All from a few years later.

The next item with a rock beat is "Up a Lazy River," as discussed above. It's worth noting that the song was so nice that Liberty released it twice on LP. The second appearance was on an album titled Up a Lazy River and subtitled Big Band Plays the Big Hits, Vol. 2. Hoagy Carmichael's original is much lazier than Si's.

The Zentner LP ends with "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," the heartfelt song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King in 1960 for the Shirelles' album Tonight's the Night (a song which would seem to have been the prequel to "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"). Si and band turn it into an up-tempo blazer led by their very impressive drummer. A winner for sure, even if Shirley Owens, Gerry Goffin and Carole King would not have recognized what happened to their great record.

Excellent sound on the Zentner LP. Later on, I'll also be posting a much different but equally fine record from him, featuring the music of film composer Jerry Goldsmith.

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