Jazz Me Blues – 1958
Al Hirt and Pete Fountain
Two New Orleans greats are featured on an especially stirring performance
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Clarinetist Pete Fountain (1930-2016) and trumpeter Al Hirt (1922-99) were two of the biggest names in New Orleans jazz from the late 1950s into the 1990s.
While one might not associate Lawrence Welk with hot jazz, he always loved Dixieland and had Fountain as a member of his television band for several years, usually featuring the clarinetist on one song during each program.
Al Hirt, who was not well known yet, was a special guest during this program from 1958 which certainly helped his fame at the time.
While each of the horn players (which include trombonist Jimmy Henderson and tenor-saxophonist Russ Klein) have their spots, Hirt is the obvious star of what was probably the most exciting performance ever on the Lawrence Welk Show.
Welk so enjoyed the music that he had Hirt and the band play a three-chorus reprise to end the show.
-Scott Yanow
Stan Getz