[TPIN] Al Hirt - some recollections

[Vaxtrpts at aol.com]

Al Hirt was one of my favorite trumpet players - ever.  He was one of  those 
people who could do anything he wanted to with a trumpet.  I am proud  to have 
been able to call him my friend.  Especially in later years before  he died, 
we hung quite a few times and talked about trumpet playing and  life.
He mainly played New Orleans jazz in his club on Bourbon Street, but also  
lots of standards and Broadway show tunes.  One of the most amazing  examples of 
"chops" that I have ever seen, was when he would do the "request  set" at the 
club.  It was in the round, and the audience was all the way  around the 
bandstand.
Al would go out into the audience and take requests.   Many times  people 
would just yell out the names of tunes.  He would literally pretty  much keep the 
horn on his chops for the whole 50 or 60 minutes, going from one  tune to the 
next.  And what a rhythm section it was to hear where he was  going and not 
only know all those tunes, but follow everything that he  did.  (There was a 
thread a while ago about somebody having to play a job  with no fake book and 
how they didn't think that was possible ---- well I can  tell you that none of 
us used any fake books in New Orleans - ever!  They  weren't even allowed on 
the stand.  You were just expected to know all the  tunes.)
As far as the Haydn with the Boston Pops goes, that was something that Al  
DID NOT WANT to do.  Remember that he was classically trained and had  played 
that repertoire, but hadn't played it for many, many years, when that  recording 
was done.  It was part of his contract with RCA at the time, and  the 
producer thought it would be great for him to do the Haydn.  He tried  and tried to 
get out of it, but was forced into it by contractual stuff.   He said that when 
it was through, he was almost in tears.  I think that was  one of the low 
points in his life.  Now - please do remember the recording  of "Flight of the 
Bumble Bee" that was done for the theme of "The Green Hornet"  on TV.  There was 
some great trumpet playing.
The "pop" stuff was also part of his contract and he did make some "real"  
money off of it, which helped keep his club open in New Orleans.  He also,  at 
one time, put together a big band of great young players and paid them well  to 
play with him.
He used to affectionately call me "The Kid with the High Notes."  I  wish he 
was still around to do that!
Mike Vax
 



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