Rarely do I leave multiple comments on a song. But man I just can't get enough of this one! Rogers is essentially our best understanding of what would've likely happened if Osborne stayed on on the East coast in the 40s. Sure we likely wouldn't have what we know of him now in the way of his filmography, but man would I love to hear what his orch would've sounded like if he continued how he was. He sort of did on the West, but we'll really never know. Hope we'll get more of Dick Rogers in the future!
It's implied by the folks over at Down Beat, who at the time really enjoyed the Rogers orchestra, that Dick wrote the song, but he just titled it "Gotcha". Haven't found copyright crediting for this one, as was often the case for many songs made by a leader, they wrote and composed songs that they neither recorded nor published. I'm hearing more and more, that Rogers took the Osborne sidemen and stayed true to the security of Slide Music. As George T. Simon would later say "he kept the band in good musical shape." But Dick also "modernized" it, and went through several phases musically. But along with that and what Down Beat would review them with in November 1942, it's more apparent that: "...it hasn't a set purpose. You have the feeling listening to it that not all of the men are sure that they know what is coming next. It's that little element of seeming insecurity that just prevents the musical outfit from doing as well as it could." Jerry Bittick is still likely the chief arranger at this time, but Dick himself is arranging now too sometimes. My guess on things less slide oriented (or having NO slide music in it) Rogers arranges. Some other sidemen such as sax & tram player Paul Cerbris also arranges some too. I wonder though, who decided for this fabulous piece to be an extra minute longer than most songs? Piano solos, trombone solos, and the band taking the vocals? This is truly unique in this case!
Rarely do I leave multiple comments on a song. But man I just can't get enough of this one! Rogers is essentially our best understanding of what would've likely happened if Osborne stayed on on the East coast in the 40s. Sure we likely wouldn't have what we know of him now in the way of his filmography, but man would I love to hear what his orch would've sounded like if he continued how he was. He sort of did on the West, but we'll really never know.
Hope we'll get more of Dick Rogers in the future!
Thanks for unearthing this one, great tune!
It's implied by the folks over at Down Beat, who at the time really enjoyed the Rogers orchestra, that Dick wrote the song, but he just titled it "Gotcha". Haven't found copyright crediting for this one, as was often the case for many songs made by a leader, they wrote and composed songs that they neither recorded nor published.
I'm hearing more and more, that Rogers took the Osborne sidemen and stayed true to the security of Slide Music. As George T. Simon would later say "he kept the band in good musical shape." But Dick also "modernized" it, and went through several phases musically. But along with that and what Down Beat would review them with in November 1942, it's more apparent that: "...it hasn't a set purpose. You have the feeling listening to it that not all of the men are sure that they know what is coming next. It's that little element of seeming insecurity that just prevents the musical outfit from doing as well as it could."
Jerry Bittick is still likely the chief arranger at this time, but Dick himself is arranging now too sometimes. My guess on things less slide oriented (or having NO slide music in it) Rogers arranges. Some other sidemen such as sax & tram player Paul Cerbris also arranges some too. I wonder though, who decided for this fabulous piece to be an extra minute longer than most songs? Piano solos, trombone solos, and the band taking the vocals? This is truly unique in this case!
Thanks for the info on this one.