Charlie Barnet was unusual in several ways. One of the few jazzmen to be born a millionaire, Barnet was a bit of a playboy throughout his life, ending up with a countless number of ex-wives and anecdotes. He was one of the few white big band leaders of the swing era to openly embrace the music of Duke Ellington (he also greatly admired Count Basie). Barnet was a pioneer in leading integrated bands (as early as 1935). And, although chiefly a tenor saxophonist (where he developed an original sound out of the style of Coleman Hawkins), Barnet was an effective emulator of Johnny Hodges on alto in addition to being virtually the only soprano player (other than Sidney Bechet) in the 1930s and '40s.
And yet Charlie Barnet was only significant in jazz for about a decade (1939-1949). Although his family wanted him to be a lawyer, he was a professional musician by the time he was 16 and ironically in his career made more money than he would have in business. Barnet arrived in New York in 1932 and started leading bands on records the following year, but his career was quite erratic until 1939. Many of Barnet's early records are worthy but some are quite commercial as he attempted to find a niche. Best is a sideman appearance on a 1934 Red Norvo date that also includes Artie Shaw and Teddy Wilson.
In 1939, with the hit recording of "Cherokee" and a very successful run at the Famous Door in New York, Charlie Barnet soon became a household name. In addition to the fine trumpeter Bobby Burnet (who soloed on many of Barnet's Bluebird records), such sidemen as guitarist Bus Etri; drummer Cliff Leeman; singers Lena Horne, Francis Wayne, and Kay Starr; pianist Dodo Marmarosa; clarinetist Buddy DeFranco; guitarist Barney Kessel; and even trumpeter Roy Eldridge spent time with Barnet's bands. Although at the height of his popularity during 1939-1942 (when his orchestra could often play a close imitation of Ellington's), Barnet's recordings for Decca during 1942-1946 were also of great interest with "Skyliner" being a best-seller.
By 1947 Barnet was starting to look toward bop. Clark Terry was his star trumpeter that year, and in 1949 his screaming trumpet section included Maynard Ferguson, Doc Severinsen, Rolf Ericson, and Ray Wetzel. Barnet, however, soon lost interest and near the end of 1949 he broke up his band. Semi-retired throughout the remainder of his life, Charlie Barnet occasionally led swing-oriented big bands during short tours and appearances, making his last recording in 1966.
Charlie Barnet - 1936-1937 {CC, 1159}
01- Long Ago And Far Away
02- When I'm With You
03- Where Is My Heart
04- Empty Saddles
05- Until The Real Thing Comes Along
06- Make-Believe Ballroom
07- Bye-Bye, Baby
08- A Star Fell Out Of Heaven
09- When Did You Leave Heaven
10- Always
11- The Milkman's Matinee
12- Rainbow On The River
13- Did You Mean It
14- You Do The Darndest Things, Baby
15- It's Love I'm After
16- Sing, Baby, Sing
17- Down South Camp Meeting
18- Swinging Down To Rio
19- Take My Word
20- Chris And His Gang
21- The First Time I Saw You
22- In Your Own Little Way
23- You're Looking For Romance
Charlie Barnet - 1937-1939 {CC, 1194}
01- Love Is A Merry-Go-Round
02- A Sailboat In The Moonlight
03- He Walked Right In
04- Shame On You
05- Emperer Jones
06- If You're Ever In My Arms Again
07- Admiration
08- Surrealism
09- Overhead In A Cocktail Lounge
10- Merry Widow On A Spree
11- I Get Along Without You Very Well
12- I'm Prayin' Humble
13- Tin Roof Blues
14- Knockin' At The Famous Door
15- The Gal From Joe's
16- Where Can She Be
17- Jump Session
18- I Wouln't Give That For Love
19- A New Moon And An Old Serenade
20- Swing Street Strut
21- In A Mizz
22- Night Song
23- Class Will Tell
24- Some Like It Hot
Charlie Barnet - 1939 {CC, 1226}
01- Strange Enchantment
02- Asleep Or Awake
03- Only A Rose
04- S'posin'
05- Echoes Of Harlem
06- Scotch And Soda
07- Miss Annabelle Lee
08- Lazy Bag
09- This Is No Dream
10- That's Right - I'm Wrong
11- Midweek Function
12- I Never Knew
13- Danger In The Dark
14- An Apple For The Teacher
15- It Must Have Been Two Other People
16- Still The Bluebird Sings
17- Ebony Rhapsody
18- Lament For A Lost Love
19- Cherokee
20- For Tonight
21- What's New
22- Love Grows On The White Oak Tree
23- The All-Night Record Man
24- The Last Jump
Charlie Barnet - 1939-1940 {CC, 1266}
01- The Duke's Idea
02- My Heart Keeps Crying
03- Lilacs In The Rain
04- Take A Tip From The Whip-Poor-Will
05- The Count's Idea
06- The Girl With The Pigtails In Her Hair
07- Ogoun Badagris
08- Cuban Boogie Woogie
09- Oh What You Said
10- A Lover Is Blue
11- The Wrong Idea
12- The Right Idea
13- Night Glow
14- Two Hearts Are Better Than One
15- Now You Know
16- I Kinda Like You
17- Night After Night After You
18- Between 18th and 19th On Chestnut Street
19- Somebody Told Me
20- Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie
21- Thank Your Stars
22- Tappin' At The Tappa
23- Comanche War Dance
24- Southland Shuffle
Charlie Barnet - 1940 Vol. 2 {CC, 1439}
01- Lament For Many
02- Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
03- Where Do You Keep Your Heart
04- No Name Jive - Part 1
05- No Name Jive - Part 2
06- All This And Heaven Too
07- And So I Do
08- It's The Last Time I'll Fall In Love
09- The Reverie Of A Moax
10- Tangleweed 'Round My Heart
11- Rockin' In Rhythm
12- Peaceful Valley
13- I Don't Want To Cry Anymore
14- Pompton Turnpike
15- At A Dixie Roadside Diner
16- That's For Me
17- The Sergeant Was Shy
18- Ring Dem Bells
19- The Moon Is Crying For Me
20- Wild Mab Of THe Fish Pond
21- Wings Over Manhattan - Part 1
22- Wings Over Manhattan - Part 2
23- Night And Day
24- Southern Fried
Charlie Barnet - 1940 {CC, 1318}
01- It's A Wonderful World
02- 720 In The Books
03- Busy As A Bee
04- So Far, So Good
05- Ev'ry Sunday Afternoon
06- From Another World
07- You've Got Me Out Of A Limb
08- Castle Of Dreams
09- A Lover's Lullaby
10- Where Was I
11- 'Deed I Do
12- You've Got Me Voodoo'd
13- Wanderin' Blues
14- Leapin' At The Lincoln
15- You're Lonely And I'm Lonely
16- Fools Fall In Love
17- Dark Avenue
18- The Breeze And I
19- Shake, Rattle And Roll (Afternoon Of A Moax)
20- The Fable Of The Rose
21- When The Spirit Moves Me
22- Reminiscing
23- You And Who Else
24- Flying Home
