Last week, I heard from Peter Coppock, who came across a newly posted concert by Woody Herman and His Thundering Herd in 1977. As Peter rightly noted, "The late '70s Herds get overlooked. Woody is in a groovy mood here and using a cane because he had just survived a near fatal car accident. [Photo above of Woody Herman in 1977]
"I met him when I was 15 and studying trumpet. I told him it was my goal to someday play for him. Woody said, 'You better hurry up kid, I’m not getting any younger!' ” [Image above of a 1977 concert tour poster]
Bill Kirchner notes that the personnel includes Jeff Hamilton on drums, Pat Coil on piano and Marc Johnson on bass, with Frank Tiberi, Gary Anderson and Joe Lovano on tenor saxophones, Bruce Johnstone on baritone saxophone and vocal, and guest soloist, on baritone saxophone, Gerry Mulligan. Brett Gold says Birch Johnson is in the middle of the trombone section.
Here's Woody in concert in Europe in 1977...
