McFarland & Company (series)

Charlie Barnet

Description by OLDIES.com:

Saxophonist Charlie Barnet (1913-1991) scrabbled for jobs both as a sideman and as a leader. Charlie was never in the very top tier of bands - Glenn Miller, Harry James, the Dorseys, Duke Ellington, Count Basie - but he did make a contribution to the big band era. His concern was not so much attracting a broad public or making a lot of money, but instead to form bands with a strong musical content that were somewhere between the out-and-out jazz bands and the commercially successful bands of his day.

Many photographs and illustrations (including some rare) accompany this full account of his life and career. The discography provides such information as the names of the songs, arrangers, musicians, and vocalists, record company and number, and brief commentary. Song title, name and program indexes and an album listing accompany the text.

The author, the late Dan Mather, was a librarian and avid record collector from Bellingham, Washington.