Howard Alden?

[mr. beaumont]

The "arrangement" of Lady Be Good is tenor sax icon Lester Young's solo from a 1936 Count Basie small group recording; one of those classic improvised solos that several generations have learned and absorbed into their playing. It's said that Charlie Parker digested a bunch of Lester's solos when he was young and that certainly contributed to his melodic and rhythmic conception. I learned it years ago when I was getting started, and somewhere along the way I was on a bandstand with Dan Barrett and found out he had learned it too, so we looked at each other and decided to play it together. Over the years I've run into other sax players who had learned it, including Harry Allen and most recently Enric Piedro, so it's always fun to throw in our memory of and tribute to Lester Young (and makes it sound like we have an arrangement...)

Hey, welcome aboard!

Lester's stuff is just like that, ain't it?

[Christian Miller]

I disconcerted a sax player by singing along with the solo when he played it the other day. bit of a dick move tbf, but I was comping!

[Aiq]

I am watching a Howard Alden DVD I found used.

I wanted to see the venue, Smithsonian Jazz Cafe where I heard a few performances, and to hear his take on “The Peacocks”.

Very good playing as you might imagine.

[MiniMerckx.22]

There are a lot of guys out there who dress in a very masculine, HE MAN fashion....most of um can't play for shit.

[Stevebol]

Never heard of him until around 2012 when I saw the movie Sweet and Lowdown.
It's never too late to release your inner 1980's fashionista.

[GuyBoden]

Howard Alden is a great player, a truly great accompanist, I remember each student having the opportunity to play a few tunes with him during Jazz guitar Masterclass workshops I attended 15+ years ago in Wrexham, Wales.

[Fusionshred]

Absolutely brilliant musician and encyclopedic knowledge.

HVA, Jimmy Bruno, Jack Wilkins, Frank Vignola, Gerry Beaudoin, Frank DiBussolo all Benedetto players I discovered around the same time. What a great time getting to know these monster players and genuinely nice guys, some of whom I met personally and even played with. So cool… and really makes me miss the guitar shows on Long Island.

[jameslovestal]

Howard Alden is a great player, a truly great accompanist, I remember each student having the opportunity to play a few tunes with him during Jazz guitar Masterclass workshops I attended 15+ years ago in Wrexham, Wales.

Alden grew up in Southern California, and often came back to perform. A friend got to know him and Alden would play at his house the night before he had a performance in Los Angeles. The show was in the living room which around 30 - 35 seats. Typically, Alden would have another local guitar player join him. For one show Bruce Forman was the other guitarist. The best part for me was when Alden would comp for Forman. Alden usage of chords was masterful, and really enhanced Forman's furry of bebop lines.