Where Swing is King!
MANHATTAN’S BRILL BUILDING A JAZZ SHOWCASE AND MUSICAL SHRINE I am constantly looking for historic buildings that are a part of the fabric of jazz history whenever I am in Manhattan. One building I have [..]
James Francis Dorsey was the older of the Dorsey brothers, and the smaller, in terms of both physical stature and ego. He was a master musician whose virtuosity on both clarinet and alto saxophone was [..]
“Song of the Wanderer” Words and music by Neil Moret; arrangement by William Johnson. Recorded for RCA Bluebird on April 26, 1940 in New York. Erskine Hawkins, trumpet, directing: Sammy Lowe, first trumpet; Wilbur “Dud” [..]
The story: The summer and fall of 1945 were challenging times for Artie Shaw, the bandleader. After an extensive cross-country tour with his band that lasted from late 1944 until March 15, 1945, he and [..]
“Benny Goodman’s Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert” by Catherine Tackley I recently finished reading this wonderful book, which was published in 2012 as a part of Oxford University Press’s “Studies in Recorded Jazz” series. [..]
“Snowfall” Composed and arranged by Claude Thornhill. Recorded for Columbia by Claude Thornhill and His Orchestra on May 21, 1941 in New York. Claude Thornhill, piano, directing: Conrad Gozzo, first trumpet; Lyle F. “Rusty” Dedrick, [..]
“White Christmas” Composed by Irving Berlin. Recorded by Barbra Streisand for Columbia in September 1967 in Los Angeles. The story: Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” was used in the 1942 Paramount film, Holiday Inn, starring Bing Crosby [..]
“Jingle Bells” Composed by J.S. Pierpont; arranged by Bill Finegan and Glenn Miller. Additional lyrics by Hal Dickinson and Bill Conway. Recorded live on the CBS “Moonlight Serenade Chesterfield Time with Glenn Miller” radio show [..]
“Let It Snow” Composed by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne; arranged by Neal Hefti. Recorded by Woody Herman and His Orchestra for Columbia on December 10, 1945 in New York City. Woody Herman, vocal, directing: [..]
“I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” Composed by Irving Berlin; arranged by Skip Martin. Recorded by Les Brown and His Orchestra for Columbia on September 16, 1946 in Hollywood. Les Brown, directing: Don Paladino, [..]
“Hallelujah!” Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra from a radio broadcast live over the NBC radio network, June 1, 1940 Astor (Hotel) Roof, New York City. Composed by Vincent Youmans; Arranged by Sy Oliver. [..]
“Dawn on the Desert” Composed and arranged by Charlie Shavers Recorded by the John Kirby Sextet for Vocalion on January 9, 1939 in New York. John Kirby, bass, directing: Charlie Shavers, trumpet; William “Buster” [..]
“High Society” Composed by Porter Steele and Walter Melrose; arranged by Joe Lippman. Recorded on September 13, 1938 by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for Victor in New York City. Roland B. “Bunny” Berigan, first [..]
Some Thoughts on the Autobiography of Clark Terry, and Recollections of Larry Elgart. I have recently read two books about notable musicians, an autobiography by the great jazz trumpeter Clark Terry (1920-2015), and the other, [..]
“I Hear Music” Composed by Frank Loesser (lyric) and Burton Lane (music). Recorded by Billie Holiday and Her Orchestra for Okeh Records in New York on September 12, 1940. Billie Holiday, vocal, with: Roy Eldridge, [..]
“Body and Soul” Composed by Johnny Green; “Head” arrangement. Recorded by Coleman Hawkins and His Orchestra for RCA Bluebird on October 11, 1939. Coleman Hawkins, tenor saxophone, directing: Tommy Lindsey and Joe Guy, trumpets; Earl [..]
“Summer Sequence Part 4” Composed and Arranged by Ralph Burns. Recorded by Woody Herman and His Orchestra for Columbia on December 27, 1947 in Hollywood, California. Woody Herman, alto saxophone, directing: Bernie Glow,Stan Fishelson, Marky [..]
“Spinnin’ the Webb” Composed by Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald. Arranged by Wayman Carver. Recorded by Chick Webb and His Orchestra on May 3, 1938 for Decca in New York City. Chick Webb, drums, [..]
Recently, I was fortunate enough to listen to a concert of big band music here in my home town of Canton, Ohio with a gentleman whom I have known for many years. He is 91 [..]
“Dream of You” Composer, lyricist and arranger, Sy Oliver. Recorded by Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra for Decca on October 29, 1934. Jimmie Lunceford, directing: Eddie Tompkins, Sy Oliver and Tommy Stevenson, trumpets; Henry Wells [..]
More Music by Gershwin I continue my tribute to the music of George Gershwin by presenting a superb 1964 performance of his Piano Prelude 2 in a magnificent arrangement by John Woehrmann, for trombone virtuoso Buddy [..]
*************** I am taking this opportunity to celebrate the 150,000th visit to swingandbeyond.com. I am selecting one of my previous posts, which I have spruced-up a bit, to celebrate with. The music I included in [..]
“I Can’t Get Started” Music composed by Vernon Duke, lyric by Ira Gershwin. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for Victor on August 7, 1937 in New York. Bunny Berigan, trumpet, directing: Steve Lipkins, [..]
With the approach the High Holidays of the Jewish faith each year, I think of the pioneering jazz tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman. Although Bud was Jewish, I think it accurate to describe him as a [..]
I have recently been re-reading the wonderful biography of pianist/arranger/composer Mary Lou Williams entitled “Morning Glory,” by Linda Dahl, (1999) University of California Press. I have long been beguiled by Ms. Williams’s compositions and arrangements, [..]
Composed by Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton, arranged by Fletcher Henderson. Recorded on July 1, 1935 by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Victor Records in New York. Benny Goodman, clarinet, directing: Roland B.”Bunny” Berigan, first [..]
“Begin the Beguine” Composed by Cole Porter; arranged by Jerry Gray Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for RCA Bluebird on July 24, 1938 in New York. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: John Best, [..]
“It Don’t Mean a Thing…If It Ain’t Got That Swing” Music, lyric and arrangement by Duke Ellington. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra on February 2, 1932 for Brunswick Records in New York. [..]
“Soft Winds” Composed by Benny Goodman? Fletcher Henderson? Charlie Christian?, arranged by Sammy Lowe. Recorded by Erskine Hawkins (The Twentieth Century Gabriel) and His Orchestra for RCA-Bluebird, November 6, 1940, New York City. Erskine [..]
Mosaic Classic 1936-1947 Count Basie and Lester Young Studio Sessions First Impressions: Yesterday I received the new Mosaic set of recordings featuring Count Basie and Lester Young. Whenever I receive any set of Mosaic recordings, [..]