Woody Herman
Woody Herman (May 16, 1913 - October 29, 1987) was an American jazz composer, clarinetist, saxophonist and singer. He performed throughout the 1930s until his death in 1987. His band scored hits with Woodchopper's Ball (1939) and Blues in the Night (1942).
Igor Stravinsky composed his Ebony Concerto (1946) for Woody Herman's band to perform.
Ronnie Cuber and Bruce Fowler played in Herman's band on the album Somewhere (1969).[1] In the 1970s, Allan Zavod also played with Herman.
Frank Zappa and Woody Herman
Woody Herman and The Mothers played on the same bill at the National Academy of Recording Art and Science dinner in New York (1968), where Duke Ellington was in the audience too. Zappa was somewhat insulted that the program read: Music by Woody Herman; Entertainment by The Mothers of Invention and deliberately played ugly music to offend those in attendance (See also the article Mothers’ Lament: "They Called Us Entertainment" and They're Doing the Interview of the Century, Part 2). According to Zappa, Herman told him: "When you get tired of that dip shit label you’re on, why don’t you come and make a deal with Columbia Masterworks." Zappa:"I thought that was kind of nice of him."
In 1974, Woody Herman covered Zappa's America Drinks & Goes Home on his album Thundering Herd.
