The Smooth Jazz of Claude Thornhill

Claude Thornhill

Source: Bill Crow

Born on 10 August 1908 in Terre Haute, Indiana, bandleader, composer and pianist, Claude Thornhill's heydays stretched through the forties. His most best-selling titles were 'Snowfall', 'Autumn Nocturne' and 'Johnson Rag'. Though his was a popular dance band he made space for jazz and is considered a progenitor of the "cool" style. Claude was sixteen when he and Artie Shaw began their careers together in Cleveland with Austin Wiley. Six years later, in 1931, they went to New York City together.

It was September 22, 1933 when Thornhill recorded his first piano tracks with the Meyer Davis Orchestra: 'Lonely Heart' and 'Heat Wave' (Columbia 2821-D). He joined Benny Goodman's Music Hall Orchestra for recordings in latter 1934, two takes of 'Bugle Call Rag' among titles from his first session on August 16, 'I'm Getting Sentimental Over You' (Melotone 13159) among others from a second session on September 11. Six days later he was recording with Louis Prima's New Orleans Gang, 'Stardust' among titles issued from that first session with Prima. Personnel rosters on this page list known personnel only per sessionographer, Tom Lord. Instruments with no identified performer are left out.

'Lonely Heart'   Claude Thornhill (piano) w the Meyer Davis Orchestra

Thornhill's first-known recording to issue

22 Sep 1933 in NYC   Matrix 152509-1   Columbia 2821-D

Trumpet: Mannie Weinstock   Reeds (clarinet / sax): Arthur Brooks

Violin / vocal: Lou Conrad   Bass / tuba: William C. Woods

Composition: Irving Berlin

'Heat Wave'   Claude Thornhill (piano) w the Meyer Davis Orchestra

Thornhill's second-known recording to issue

22 Sep 1933 in NYC   Matrix 1525010   Columbia 2821-D

Trumpet: Mannie Weinstock   Reeds (clarinet / sax): Arthur Brooks

Violin: Lou Conrad   Bass / tuba: William C. Woods   Vocal: Charlotte Murray

Composition: Irving Berlin   1933 for the musical 'As Thousands Cheer'

As a major name in jazz Thornhill bumped shoulders with a number of luminaries. Among them was Glenn Miller with whom he first recorded with the Ray Noble Orchestra on February 9, 1935: 'Down By the River' (Victor 24879). Guitarist, George Van Eps, was in on that, as he would be in Thornhill's next session with Al Bowlly's operation on March 15, to release 'Basin Street Blues'. On April 25 Thornhill backed Miller's first name recordings with His Orchestra: 'A Blues Serenade' / 'Moonlight on the Ganges' (Columbia 3051-D), 'In a Little Spanish Town' and 'Solo Hop' (Columbia 3058-D). .

'Solo Hop'   Claude Thornhill (piano) w the Glenn Miller (trombone) Orchestra

25 April 1935 in NYC   Matrix 17382-1   Columbia 3058-D

Trumpet: Bunny Berigan / Charlie Spivak   Clarinet / alto sax: Johnny Mince

Tenor sax: Eddie Miller   Guitar: Larry Hall

Bass: Delmar Kaplan   Drums: Ray Bauduc

Composition and arrangement: Glenn Miller

Thornhill's first session with Chick Bullock arrived on May 15, 1935: 'Life Is a Song' and 'Way Back Home' (Melotone M13418). His initial recordings with his early companion, Shaw, went down on June 23, 1936, with Dick McDonough's orchestra: 'Summer Holiday', 'I'm Grateful to You', 'Dear Old South hand' and 'Way Down Yonder in New Orleans'. He first recorded with his own orchestra for a 'Saturday Night Swing Club' radio broadcast on June 12, 1937: 'Flight of the Bumble Bee' and 'Classics in Jazz', et al. Lord has all tracks eventually issued in a combination of Soundcraft LP1013 and Jazz Unlimited JUCD 2056/57. Two days later on the 14th Maxine Sullivan made her first recordings with Thornhill's orchestra: 'Stop, You're Breaking My Heart' (Vocalion 3616) and 'Gone with the Wind' (Vocalion 3595).

'Harbor Lights'   Claude Thornhill (piano) and His Orchestra

14 June 1937 in NYC   Matrix B21242-1   Vocalion 3595

Trumpet: Manny Klein / Charlie Spivak   Trombone: Jack Lacey

Alto sax: Toots Mondello / Jess Caranell   Tenor sax: Babe Russin

Tenor sax: Eddie Miller    Baritone sax / flute: Eddie Powell

Bass: Artie Bernstein   Drums: Chauncey Morehouse

Composition: Hugh Williams / Jimmy Kennedy

Thornhiill first recorded what became his theme song, 'Snowfall' (Columbia 36268), at Liederkrantz Hall in New York City on 21 May 1941. He was earning about $40,000 per month at the Paramount Theater in New York City when he gave it up to join the Navy during World War II, becoming a bandleader in the Pacific. His last recordings before military service were on July 24, 1942.

'Snowfall'   Claude Thornhill (piano) and His Orchestra

21 May 1941 in NYC   Matrix CO30532-1   Columbia 36268

Composition / arrangement: Thornhill

'Autumn Nocturne'   Claude Thornhill (piano) and His Orchestra

6 Oct 1941 in NYC   Matrix CO31414-1   Columbia 36435

Trumpet: Rusty Dedrick / Conrad Gozzo / Bob Sprentall

Trombone: Tasso Harris / Bob Jenney   Clarinet: Irving Fazola

Reeds: (clarinet / sax): Dale Brown / Jack Ferrier / Lester Merkin

Reeds: (clarinet / sax): John Nelson / Hammond Russum / Jimmy Abato

French horn: Richard Hall / Vincent Jacobs    Guitar: Barry Galbraith

Bass: Harvey Cell   Drums: Nick Fatool

Composition: Josef Myrow / Kim Gannon   Arrangement: Thornhill

'Count Me In'   Claude Thornhill (piano) and His Orchestra   Film

Short 16 mm jukebox film released March 1942

Vocals: Buddy Stewart & Martha Wayne

Composition / arrangement: Thornhill

'Buster's Last Stand'   Claude Thornhill (piano) and His Orchestra

19 June 1942   Matrix CO32936-1   Columbia 36858

Vocals: Buddy Stewart & Martha Wayne

Composition: Thornhill / Gil Evans

'There's a Small Hotel'   Claude Thornhill (piano) and His Orchestra

24 July 1942 in NYC   Matrix CO33037-1   Columbia 36725

Vocals: The Snowflakes: Terry Allen / Lillian Lane / Buddy Stewart / Martha Wayne

Composition: Rodgers & Hart    Arrangement: Gil Evans

On January 30, 1943 Thornhill recorded 'Nightmare' and 'Begin the Beguine' with CBS radio in Honolulu with Artie Shaw and his U.S. Navy Rangers on 'America Salutes the President'. Those saw issue on Big Band Gems BBG 092. Thornhill recorded nothing in 1944 or 1945, but was released from the Navy in 1946 toward his first title as a civilian again from a June 9 session in New York City for 'Twilight Song'. That saw later release in 1971 on the Thornhill compilation, 'On Stage 1946-1947' (Monmouth Evergreen MES 7025). He experimented a little with bebop after the War but smooth "cool" jazz remained his brand. He and his Orchestra recorded several albums in the fifties. He became Tony Bennett's musical director for a brief period in 1957. Tom Lord traces him to as late as sometime 1963 in Memphis with a small band to put away tracks toward side B of the album 'Snowfall: A Memory of Claude' on Monmouth Evergreen MES6606.

'Twilight Song'   Claude Thornhill (piano) and His Orchestra

9 June 1946 in NYC   Matrix C036409-1   Columbia 37065

Trumpet: Rusty Dedrick / Jake Koven / Louis Mucci / Clarence Willard

Trombone: Tasso Harris / Bob Jenney / Ray Schmidt

French horn: Fred Schmidt / Sandy Siegelstein   Clarinet: Bob Walters

Alto sax: Jack Ferrier   Tenor sax: John Nelson

Clarinet / sax: Ted Goddard / Carl Swift / Chet Pardee

Guitar: Barry Galbraith   Bass: Iggy Shevak   Drums: Billy Exiner

Vocal: Buddy Hughes

Composition: Irving Drutman / Jack Lawrence     Arrangement: Thornhill

'I Get The Blues When It Rains'   Claude Thornhill (piano) and His Orchestra

11 Nov 1946 in NYC   Matrix C037073-1   Columbia 37498

Trumpet: Bernie Savid / Jake Koven / Louis Mucci / Clarence Willard

Trombone: Jerry Rosa / Bob Jenney / Tak Takvorian

French horn: Harold Yelten / Sandy Siegelstein   Clarinet: Bob Walters

Clarinet / sax: Jack Ferrier / Ted Goddard / Chet Pardee

Tenor sax: Joe Aglora / Jack Dulong

Guitar: Barry Galbraith   Bass: Barney Spieler   Drums: Billy Exiner

Vocal: Fran Warren

Composition: Maidie Weaver / Ford Rush / Glenn Rowell   Arrangement: Gil Evans

'Johnson Rag'   Claude Thornhill (piano) and His Orchestra

1 Nov 1949 in NYC   Matrix D9VB2458   Victor 20-3604 / Ajaz 284

Trumpet: Tom Patton / Sonny Rich / Chuck Speights

Trombone: Allan Langstaff / Obie Massingill   French horn: Al Antonucci

Clarinet / sax: Tippy Morgan / Hal McKusick / John Andrews / Jeff Massingill / Gene Allen

Guitar: Danny Perri   Bass: Russ Saunders   Drums: Billy Exiner

Vocal: Joe Derise & The Snowflakes

Composition: Guy Hall / Henry Kleinkauf / Jack Lawrence   Arrangement: Denise

'The Things We Did Last Summer'   Claude Thornhill (piano) and His Orchestra

Sometime Aug 1954 in NYC   Matrix CO52465   Columbia 4-41058

See also the album 'On the Sunny Side' on Columbia CL 912

Vocals: The Four Lads

Composition: Guy Hall / Henry Kleinkauf / Jack Lawrence   Arrangement: Denise

Thornhill died of heart attack in Caldwell, New Jersey, on July 1, 1965.

Sources & References for Claude Thornhill:

Downbeat   Last.fm   Christopher Popa (Big Band Library)