Ruby Braff Trio with Howard Alden (1991)

[grahambop]

Found this old video I recorded from the TV in 1991, features lots of nice playing by Howard Alden (and Ruby Braff sounds great on cornet), so I uploaded it, hope you enjoy.

[RLetson]

I buy any album with Ruby or Alden in the personnel. Some of Braff's last work was with the Pizzarellis--John's band plus Bucky. And the Braff-Barnes Quartet albums are real treasures. Come to think of it, Braff worked with a lot of good guitarists.

[nyc chaz]

Ruby is one of my all time favorites.I was just listening the other day to the album he made with Tony Bennett and George Barnes.The older i get the more i appreciate the old swing cats who just didn't solo an endless stream of 16th notes like so many guys today.

[jameslovestal]

I buy any album with Ruby or Alden in the personnel. Some of Braff's last work was with the Pizzarellis--John's band plus Bucky. And the Braff-Barnes Quartet albums are real treasures. Come to think of it, Braff worked with a lot of good guitarists.

I have all of those Braff-Barnes quartet albums. Wayne Wright also played the guitar and thus it was an interesting quartet with a bass and no drums.

[Aiq]

Sounds great, dig the Howard Roberts.

[jameslovestal]

Sounds great, dig the Howard Roberts.

Howard Roberts?

[Aiq]

Howard Roberts?

The guitar Alden is playing.

[RLetson]

Thinking about Ruby and Bucky sent me off to the Arbors Records website, where it appears just about everything in their CD catalogue is on sale for $5 each. Lots of stuff I'd not gotten around to getting, and even more that I wasn't aware of at all (for example, two CDs of violinist Aaron Weinstein with John Pizzarelli). Worth rummaging around in for those fond of the swing/jazz neck of the woods.

[mikeSF]

thanks for sharing this. I too had recorded it from a TV broadcast and used to watch it over and over. The tight ensemble playing and loquacious lines spewing from Howard is remarkable. Braff channels the Louis vibe respectably.

[sgosnell]

Sounds great, dig the Howard Roberts.

Alden played a Gibson Howard Roberts guitar until he fell in with George Van Eps and got a Benedetto 7-string, also with a round soundhole. Sounded about the same on either, and on later Benedetto f-hole guitars.

[grahambop]

We went to see Howard once many years ago when he played at Peter Ind’s club in London, and during the break Howard sat down with us and gave me his Benedetto to play(!). (He knew Stan Britt who was sitting with us, and Stan told him I played guitar.)

You can imagine I felt like an idiot trying to fumble my way through a tune with Howard next to me! I just played a few chords and mumbled ‘nice guitar!’ and gave it back to him as soon as I could.

[GuyBoden]

I attended a few Howard Alden Jazz Guitar masterclasses that Trefor Owen organises in Wales.

We got to play a guitar duo with Howard Alden, which was nice. A great player.

Have a listen to Howard Alden's "Live at the Smithsonian Jazz Cafe" video.

[Aiq]

I recently got a copy of that DVD, for HA and to see the venue. I attended a few performances there during my DC time: Anthony Wilson, Steve Halberman, Jimmy Bruno, and a couple of local DC people.

[grahambop]

Alden played a Gibson Howard Roberts guitar until he fell in with George Van Eps and got a Benedetto 7-string, also with a round soundhole. Sounded about the same on either, and on later Benedetto f-hole guitars.

As it happens I've got some video of Howard playing the Benedetto 7-string:

[jameslovestal]

[GuyBoden]

As it happens I've got some video of Howard playing the Benedetto 7-string:

A Seven String Masterclass.

I wish I had seen Howard play with George Van Eps.

[grahambop]

I wish I had seen Howard play with George Van Eps.

Fortunately I saw them when they did some dates together in the UK years ago. George was a bit frail but he played some classic solo stuff, as well as duets with Howard.

[Stringswinger]

We went to see Howard once many years ago when he played at Peter Ind’s club in London, and during the break Howard sat down with us and gave me his Benedetto to play(!). (He knew Stan Britt who was sitting with us, and Stan told him I played guitar.)

You can imagine I felt like an idiot trying to fumble my way through a tune with Howard next to me! I just played a few chords and mumbled ‘nice guitar!’ and gave it back to him as soon as I could.

Years ago, I met British guitarist Robin Nolan at a music festival and we jammed and exchanged contact info. One day, i was awakened by a phone call from Robin who told me that he was touring the States with Howard Alden and that they were in Santa Cruz. Robin asked if they could come over to relax before an upcoming gig in Felton, California. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and told them to come on by.

Robin showed up with his brother Kevin, bassist Simon Planting and Howard. Robin, Kevin and Simon all went to my backyard to relax in the sun. Howard asked if he could play a few tunes with me and Howard and I spent a few hours playing GAS tunes together. I got to play his oval hole Benedetto and I enjoyed our time together. Howard sat in on one of my concerts with Larry Coryell in 2007 and we got to play together at some private jam sessions at the home of Seattle area guitarist Troy Chapman over the years. He is a great player who has forgotten more tunes than most of us will ever play. I consider him a friend and I am honored to have shared a stage with him.

[grahambop]

Came across this interesting idea from Howard - play the melody on the upbeat (ahead of chords on the downbeats) to make it sound like 2 guitars.

Makes more sense when you hear him doing it:

Sound Like 2 Guitars- Howard Alden - YouTube

[jameslovestal]

Years ago, I met British guitarist Robin Nolan at a music festival and we jammed and exchanged contact info. One day, i was awakened by a phone call from Robin who told me that he was touring the States with Howard Alden and that they were in Santa Cruz. Robin asked if they could come over to relax before an upcoming gig in Felton, California. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and told them to come on by.

Robin showed up with his brother Kevin, bassist Simon Planting and Howard. Robin, Kevin and Simon all went to my backyard to relax in the sun. Howard asked if he could play a few tunes with me and Howard and I spent a few hours playing GAS tunes together. I got to play his oval hole Benedetto and I enjoyed our time together. Howard sat in on one of my concerts with Larry Coryell in 2007 and we got to play together at some private jam sessions at the home of Seattle area guitarist Troy Chapman over the years. He is a great player who has forgotten more tunes than most of us will ever play. I consider him a friend and I am honored to have shared a stage with him.

Both Robin Nolan and Howard Alden would play at my friend's Shawn's house in Lake Forest CA. These were monthly gypsy jazz jams with some exceptions, like Alden who would only do one song in the gypsy jazz style while discussing his involvement in the Woody Allen film Sweet and Lowdown.

One time Nolan and Alden played together. That was a treat since Nolan had to play standards and not just Django related tunes.

[Stringswinger]

Both Robin Nolan and Howard Alden would play at my friend's Shawn's house in Lake Forest CA. These were monthly gypsy jazz jams with some exceptions, like Alden who would only do one song in the gypsy jazz style while discussing his involvement in the Woody Allen film Sweet and Lowdown.

One time Nolan and Alden played together. That was a treat since Nolan had to play standards and not just Django related tunes.

Robin Nolan is a world class jazz guitarist who can play all genres of jazz guitar at a very high level.

[jameslovestal]

Robin Nolan is a world class jazz guitarist who can play all genres of jazz guitar at a very high level.

I agree and that is why I wanted to hear Nolan play standards. All the other times I had heard him was at a Django musical event.

[sgcim]

Found this old video I recorded from the TV in 1991, features lots of nice playing by Howard Alden (and Ruby Braff sounds great on cornet), so I uploaded it, hope you enjoy.

I didn't realize that was Frank Tate on bass until Ruby introduced him after the first song. I didn't recognize him cause he had a mustache back then. I didn't even know he was Howard's steady bass player at one time,until he had some type of cancer and had just gotten over it when I played my first gig with him
We played at a very ritzy place in Manhattan near Columbus Circle where they did a bomb search in the parking lot, and took your driver's license and kept it until the gig was over. It's located right next to Jazz at Lincoln Center, and during a break, I went in to some performing space to see what it was like.
Joe Stelluti, a great sax player who got me on the gig was in the band, with Johnny Morris who played piano. on the Buddy Rich Sextet album, "Blues Caravan" in 1962, and then became a big guy in the society bands in New York for years until "the business changed" and then spent the time playing solo piano in Palm Springs, CA. The drummer was Giamppaulo Biaggi, an Italian Swing player. who toured with Leon Redbone.
I must have had a good night for a change, cause as soon as the gig ended. they all threw their business cards at me! I still have Frank's card with me because it had a drawing of a nude woman on it.
I called him for another high paying gig (you only call guys like that for high paying gigs) playing for my sister's Mother-in-Law's retirement party, and we didn't miss the drums with him playing on a piano,guitar, bass gig.
The last time we played together was for a quartet jam session, where he played his ass off playing those classic bass solos like he did on the video.