Once upon a time I was working in Disneyland in Bear Country (as it was called back then) and Doc and his band were performing on the River Stage. He had an RV parked in the back and being a young trumpet player, I didn't know from courtesy over the chance to meet Doc, so on one of my breaks I went over and knocked on the door of the RV. Someone opened the door, I asked if Doc was there and smiling ear to ear he came to the door. I told him I was a trumpet player and he asked me how long, and do I practice daily, I told him I did as I studied with Walter Larsen. I also told him that my father told me a story about Doc. Doc asked to hear it, so I shared it with him. Then he asked what kind of horn I had. I proudly told him I have a Bach Stradivarius Bb and a second identical horn which had been rebuilt by Dominick Calicchio (purchased only a few years before Dominick died), and Doc lit up...he could tell I knew a bit about playing as those are two VERY serious horns. We had a brief but wonderful conversation about music, styles, performing...not fan to artist, but musician to musician. I'm 61 now, Doc is 95...but I'll never forget that meeting. I'm so glad I was "stupid enough" to not know you don't go knocking on a star's dressing room (or RV) door. Otherwise, it only would have been "I wish I had".
wow, great story. I'm 68 now, played Trumpet from the mid 60's until after college. Saw Doc in concert for the first time at Kent State U with a small group from the tonight show. Johnny was the headliner. 1970 I thinkl. I'll never forget when my Dad gave me my first artist-grade horn. A Getzen 900S Eterna Severinsen model. I wasn't bad at my peak. For the most part, attempted to emulate Doc's rich tone. Never could. He is one of a kind. This piece from Cats really showcases the man's talent. Mike, thanks for your post. it prompted me to look back.
@@neenster1000 Doc was the best among U.S high school aged trumpet players at 9 years old. He's got the right combination of amazing genetics and a relentless drive to improve.
In Milwaukee with the MSO he played this and introduced it from when he heard it when it was on Broadway and enjoyed the melody of it.. this was in 91-92 ish and is on a CD recording . So this date on Johnny's had to be near the end. Anyway Doc and the Milwaukee Symphony was GREAT and that melody is haunting...ya just hear it now for 30 years now...has been hardly a day just like his "I will Survive" from Merv's show that Monte Carlo show performances from 40 years ago that I hear DOC's SOUND and the melodies...and Memories is a great warm up tune ... THANKS DAVE for well..... ringing back the Memories!!!!!!!!!!
The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be. With all due respect to other great trumpet players... for which there have been many... no one mastered the instrument quite like "the good doctor," as Johnny frequently called him.
I believe it's a Bel Canto made by Dick Akright. He and Doc had the Severinsen Akright company together and Dick made his horns. I have one I bought from Dick that was one of Doc's horns made in 1992. I have a letter of authenticity with it a well. It's extremely precious to me❤🎺
Back in the 80s I went to the Kanstul shop with Charley Davis to try some horns. Well, there was Doc trying a whole row of instruments, small bore, large bore, this bell, that bell, standard lead pipe, prototype leadpipe, etc. And you know what? On every single horn he sounded like . . . Doc.
The fact that they had the studio mics open in anticipation of Doc's solo seems to indicate that there was a known problem with his stand mic, not that someone forgot to turn it on.
You can tell by the look on Doc's face that he wasn't happy with what happened on that Bb before the F at the end, but that's Doc, ever the perfectionist. Great performance nevertheless. Sometimes, I wonder if Doc ever found the perfect mouthpiece/gap combination back when he was playing those Getzen horns because his high notes sometimes came out a little flat and he would be lipping it up to adjust and then would accidentally slip up to the next partial. That's what I think happened on that Bb.
You play for sure, i'm a drummer and can't understand you but can tell you play. When i mess up a part of a song i try to slide back in the groove without anyone noticing. Mates would hear it but not non musicians
Too bad they made him cut sections out of the arrangement to fit such a short time slice, which made for the most awkward modulation I've ever heard at 2:49. Tommy Newsome must have been cringing over that one. How many times was Doc and the band featured? 30 years, 7,800 shows. I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen him featured. What a shame.
I agree. The worst thing about it was there were plenty of nights the band was supposed to play, Johnny would announce the band would be playing, so no matter who was on I'd watch to see the band. But more often than not, they would carry on talking about some crap, and run out of time. Johnny announcing "Sorry folks, we ran out of time for the band to play". Or, even worse, we'll send you off with a few notes and the band would start to play the song and BANG, all gone! It got to where he'd announce the band was playing and Doc would be saying "Sure, if we don't run out of time.......again."
Still one of the best bands ever around. It was great when they featured another musician and they played with the band. Loved when Buddy Rich would come by.
Very surprising that Carson/Cordova didn't showcase this phenomenal band much more frequently. Doc is/was arguably the best trumpet player in the world, backed up by other world-class players in their respective instruments. Now we have rap. As they say entropy involves reducing to a lower state.
I remember watching this when it originally aired, such a great rendition of this song. Doc and the Tonight Show band were truly great.
There are people that come along in this world that are irreplaceable.Doc Severinsen and Johnny Carson are two of them.
I heard Doc play in Minneapolis when he was 87 and again when he was 90.Magnificent! Many great trumpeters but Doc truly is the greatest.
He puts 100% and more into every note and you can just feel it. The greatest ever.
Once upon a time I was working in Disneyland in Bear Country (as it was called back then) and Doc and his band were performing on the River Stage. He had an RV parked in the back and being a young trumpet player, I didn't know from courtesy over the chance to meet Doc, so on one of my breaks I went over and knocked on the door of the RV. Someone opened the door, I asked if Doc was there and smiling ear to ear he came to the door. I told him I was a trumpet player and he asked me how long, and do I practice daily, I told him I did as I studied with Walter Larsen. I also told him that my father told me a story about Doc. Doc asked to hear it, so I shared it with him. Then he asked what kind of horn I had. I proudly told him I have a Bach Stradivarius Bb and a second identical horn which had been rebuilt by Dominick Calicchio (purchased only a few years before Dominick died), and Doc lit up...he could tell I knew a bit about playing as those are two VERY serious horns.
We had a brief but wonderful conversation about music, styles, performing...not fan to artist, but musician to musician. I'm 61 now, Doc is 95...but I'll never forget that meeting. I'm so glad I was "stupid enough" to not know you don't go knocking on a star's dressing room (or RV) door. Otherwise, it only would have been "I wish I had".
Awesome story.
wow, great story. I'm 68 now, played Trumpet from the mid 60's until after college. Saw Doc in concert for the first time at Kent State U with a small group from the tonight show. Johnny was the headliner. 1970 I thinkl. I'll never forget when my Dad gave me my first artist-grade horn. A Getzen 900S Eterna Severinsen model. I wasn't bad at my peak. For the most part, attempted to emulate Doc's rich tone. Never could. He is one of a kind. This piece from Cats really showcases the man's talent. Mike, thanks for your post. it prompted me to look back.
I'm 67 and played soprano in drum corps 66 through 70. Doc was one of my favorite. What a memory you have. 🎺👍
Stupendous trumpet player. One of the best!
Magnífico! Esplêndido! O Doc toca com a alma...
You can see how much his band mates admire him.
Wow. What brilliant sparkly sound. Amazing
His tone is incredible throughout the whole range of his horn.
The best trumpet player ever lived. Chuck
That was my goal as a young person to be able to play like Doc (studied for 12 years) needless to say I didn't follow through 😢😢😢
@@neenster1000 Doc was the best among U.S high school aged trumpet players at 9 years old. He's got the right combination of amazing genetics and a relentless drive to improve.
The Doc of trumpet 🎺!!! Marvelous beautiful ❤️ rendition of memory. Great arrangements!
Got to see him do a clinic in Cresco Iowa back in ‘69 I think. Great experience.
Not only was a master of comedy, Doc was a master of music⚘
Wonderful trumpet sound!
Such a tremendous full sound from such a small instrument in skilled hands
A true master of the craft. Bel Canto!
Thank you for posting so many wonderful videos of Doc!
My pleasure! Keep watching - a fun one is coming in the next day or two!
I can’t stop watching docs videos. God I love him!! Thank you for posting.
Love this! Absolutely amazing!
Thank you so much for this Dave!!!
This bass sound! Nice.
Stunning.
Fantastic! The best!
In Milwaukee with the MSO he played this and introduced it from when he heard it when it was on Broadway and enjoyed the melody of it.. this was in 91-92 ish and is on a CD recording . So this date on Johnny's had to be near the end. Anyway Doc and the Milwaukee Symphony was GREAT and that melody is haunting...ya just hear it now for 30 years now...has been hardly a day just like his "I will Survive" from Merv's show that Monte Carlo show performances from 40 years ago that I hear DOC's SOUND and the melodies...and Memories is a great warm up tune ... THANKS DAVE for well..... ringing back the Memories!!!!!!!!!!
This is from 92 why's the recording so terrible?
Beautiful! Thank you, Dave!
Beautiful!!!!
Fabulous.
Incredible!!
Love this song
The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be. With all due respect to other great trumpet players... for which there have been many... no one mastered the instrument quite like "the good doctor," as Johnny frequently called him.
One of the GREATEST closers by the Madison Scouts drum & bugle corps (side-by-side w/"Through the Eyes of Love (Theme From 'Ice Castles')"
Bravo
The good Doctor ❤
Doc 👏👍👍👍👍👍
The Doctor making his house call!
1:32
He sounds pretty good on that Bach Strad
Agree. a more rich sound than the Getzen Med. bore.
I believe it's a Bel Canto made by Dick Akright. He and Doc had the Severinsen Akright company together and Dick made his horns. I have one I bought from Dick that was one of Doc's horns made in 1992. I have a letter of authenticity with it a well. It's extremely precious to me❤🎺
Back in the 80s I went to the Kanstul shop with Charley Davis to try some horns. Well, there was Doc trying a whole row of instruments, small bore, large bore, this bell, that bell, standard lead pipe, prototype leadpipe, etc. And you know what? On every single horn he sounded like . . . Doc.
I don't think Strads have Amado water keys.
@@scottbernard8824 mine does, but they were added later, not from the factory. But I'm pretty sure that's a Bel Canto.
:49 the guy running sound finally wakes up from his nap.
The fact that they had the studio mics open in anticipation of Doc's solo seems to indicate that there was a known problem with his stand mic, not that someone forgot to turn it on.
You can tell by the look on Doc's face that he wasn't happy with what happened on that Bb before the F at the end, but that's Doc, ever the perfectionist. Great performance nevertheless. Sometimes, I wonder if Doc ever found the perfect mouthpiece/gap combination back when he was playing those Getzen horns because his high notes sometimes came out a little flat and he would be lipping it up to adjust and then would accidentally slip up to the next partial. That's what I think happened on that Bb.
You play for sure, i'm a drummer and can't understand you but can tell you play. When i mess up a part of a song i try to slide back in the groove without anyone noticing. Mates would hear it but not non musicians
Too bad they made him cut sections out of the arrangement to fit such a short time slice, which made for the most awkward modulation I've ever heard at 2:49. Tommy Newsome must have been cringing over that one. How many times was Doc and the band featured? 30 years, 7,800 shows. I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen him featured. What a shame.
I agree. The worst thing about it was there were plenty of nights the band was supposed to play, Johnny would announce the band would be playing, so no matter who was on I'd watch to see the band. But more often than not, they would carry on talking about some crap, and run out of time. Johnny announcing "Sorry folks, we ran out of time for the band to play". Or, even worse, we'll send you off with a few notes and the band would start to play the song and BANG, all gone! It got to where he'd announce the band was playing and Doc would be saying "Sure, if we don't run out of time.......again."
Agreed. They should have gave him a spot at least once a week.
Still one of the best bands ever around. It was great when they featured another musician and they played with the band. Loved when Buddy Rich would come by.
Kids need to listen to pros to get a concept of sound and tone.
Very surprising that Carson/Cordova didn't showcase this phenomenal band much more frequently. Doc is/was arguably the best trumpet player in the world, backed up by other world-class players in their respective instruments. Now we have rap. As they say entropy involves reducing to a lower state.
Terrific! Please post the Phil Donahue interview if you have it. He was starting to become a charicature of himself around this time. LOL.