Woody Herman And His Orchestra
A: Vocal by Woody Herman
Composer credits for "Northwest Passage" on later issues: Herman, Jackson, Burns
Recorded Feb 26, 1945, mx: CO 34356-2 (A), Mar 1, 1945, mx: CO 34371-1 (B).
BB Jul 21, 1945, p. 25 (Advance Record Releases)
BB Sep 8, 1945, p. 29 (Review)
BB #13 Pop - Northwest Passage
Images
Number:812921 THUMBNAIL Uploaded By:fixbutte Description: A Side Label
Number:812923 Uploaded By:fixbutte Description: B Side Label - 2nd Issue
To round up the picture, it has to be added that both Chubby Jackson and Ralph Burns (who would become a highly successful arranger and film score composer) were also members of Woody Herman's orchestra when this version of "Northwest Passage" was recorded.
WOODY HERMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA:
Sonny Berman, Charlie Frankhauser, Ray Wetzel, Pete Candoli, Carl Warwick (tp), Bill Harris, Ralph Pfeffner, Ed Kiefer (tb), Woody Herman (cl, as, vcl), Sam Marowitz, John LaPorta (as), Flip Phillips, Pete Mondello (ts), Skippy DeSair (bari), Marjorie Hyams (vib), Ralph Burns (p, arr), Billy Bauer (g), Chubby Jackson (b), Dave Tough (d), Neal Hefti (arr), Frances Wayne (vcl).
NYC, February 26, 1945
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34356-2 June Comes Around Every Year (WH-vcl) Col 36835
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NYC, March 1, 1945
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34371-4 (test) Northwest Passage previously unissued
34371-3 Northwest Passage Col CGK 45340 (CD)
34371-1 Northwest Passage Col 36835
34371-2 Northwest Passage Col B2098 (EP)
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When this record came out in early August 1945, "Northwest Passage" (recorded on March 1, 1945) was credited to Woody Herman alone. Some weeks later, however, Keynote released a record of Chubby Jackson's Septet with "Northwest Passage" on the A-side, which was recorded some weeks earlier (on Jan 10, 1945) and credited to Jackson and pianist Ralph Burns (Keynote K-616). As the Billboard magazine in the review of Jackson's record suspected ("it's the same riff that Woody Herman called his own ... this Passage was cut back in January"), "Northwest Passage" was indeed lifted by Herman. It was developed by Jackson on bass and Burns on piano from the chords of "I Got Rhythm" during a warming up on stage, as Burns later recalled. It seems that a settlement was subsequently reached which added Jackson and Burns to the credits and allowed Herman's name to remain there. Woody Herman's record had become a moderate hit then, listed as Coming Up in Billboard's Radio charts of Sep 29, 1945 (an unofficial #13 in Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories).