Where Swing is King!
“Countless Blues” Composed by Milt Gabler; arranged by Eddie Durham. Recorded by The Kansas City Six for Commodore Records on September 8,(*) 1938 in New York. Eddie Durham, electric guitar, directing: Lester Young, clarinet; Wilbur [..]
“Idiot’s Delight” Composed and arranged by Eddie Sauter. Recorded by Ray McKinley and His Orchestra for RCA Victor on December 29, 1947 in New York. Ray McKinley, drums, probably allowing Eddie Sauter to direct his [..]
“You Go to My Head” Music composed by J. Fred Coots; probably arranged by Earle Hagen or Herbert Spencer. The story: The ultimate sideman in the Hollywood recording, movie and television studios through the 1950s [..]
“Begin the Beguine” Composed by Cole Porter; arranged by Gerry Mulligan. Recorded for Verve on October 21, 1958 by Gene Krupa and His Orchestra in New York. Gene Krupa, drums, directing: Carl H. Severinsen, first [..]
“Pavanne” Composed by Morton Gould; arranged by Bill Finegan and Glenn Miller. Recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra for Bluebird on April 18, 1939 in New York. Glenn Miller, first and solo trombone, directing: [..]
“Swing Out”/”Baltimore Bounce” “Swing Out” was composed by Erskine Hawkins and Avery Parrish. Parrish wrote the arrangement. “Baltimore Bounce” was composed by Erskine Hawkins and Sammy Lowe. Lowe wrote the arrangement. Recorded by Erskine Hawkins [..]
“Puddle Wump” Composed and arranged by Charlie Shavers. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for RCA Victor on March 11,1949 in New York. Tommy Dorsey, first trombone; directing: Charlie Shavers, Jack Dougherty, Chris Griffin, [..]
“Smack-a-Mac” Composed and arranged by Tom McIntosh. Recorded by James Moody and the Brass Figures for Milestone during October-November 1966 in New York. Tom McIntosh, arranger/conductor, directing: James Moody, tenor saxophone; Eugene “Snooky” Young, first [..]
“Tango Blues” Composed by Harry James; arranged by Ray Conniff. Recorded by Harry James and His Orchestra for Columbia on April 11, 1951 in Hollywood, California. Harry James, trumpet, directing: Everett McDonald, first trumpet; Dominic [..]
“Walkin’ and Swingin’” Composed and arranged by Mary Lou Williams. Recorded by Andy Kirk and His Twelve Clouds of Joy for Decca on March 2, 1936 in New York. Andy Kirk, directing: Harry “Big Jim” [..]
“S’Posin’” Composed by Paul Denniker; head arrangement by Artie Shaw Gramercy Five. Privately recorded by Artie Shaw Gramercy Five in June of 1954 in Hollywood. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Hank Jones, piano; Joe Puma, guitar; [..]
“To a Wild Rose” Composed by Edward MacDowell; arranged by Paul Villepigue. Recorded by Johnny Bothwell and His Orchestra for Signature in May of 1946 in New York. Johnny Bothwell, alto saxophone, directing: Paul Leichter, [..]
“The Duke’s Idea” Composed by Charlie Barnet; head arrangement by Barnet and his band. Recorded by Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra for Bluebird on September 10, 1939 in Hollywood. Charlie Barnet, alto saxophone, directing: John [..]
“Belgrade Hangover” Composed and arranged by Frank Mantooth. Recorded by the Ashley Alexander Big Band for Pausa Records in Hollywood, California in 1985. Ashley Alexander, euphonium, directing: Jim Linahon, John Harbaugh, Tom Gause, John Thomas [..]
“What Am I Here For?” Composed and arranged by Duke Ellington. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on February 26,1942 in New York. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: Wallace Jones, first trumpet; Ray [..]
“You’re a Sweetheart” Composed by Jimmy McHugh (music) and Harold Adamson (lyric); Head arrangement by Tommy Dorsey. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Clambake Seven for Victor on October 14, 1937 in New York. Tommy [..]
“Moonlight Sonata” Composed by Ludwig von Beethoven; arranged by Bill Finegan. Recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra for RCA Bluebird on November 24,1941 in New York. Glenn Miller, first trombone; directing: R.D. McMickle, first [..]
“I’ll Be Around” Composed by Alec Wilder; arranged by Dick Hyman. Recorded by Tony Bennett for Columbia on November 6, 1963 in New York. An orchestra consisting of a string quartet and perhaps three trumpets [..]
“Theme from Exodus” Composed by Ernest Gold; arranged by Sid Feller. Recorded by Bernie Lowe and His Orchestra for Cameo in early 1962 in Bayside, Queens, New York. Personnel unknown. However, I will go out [..]
“Autumn in Washington Square” Composed by Dave Brubeck. Recorded by the Dave Brubeck Quartet for Columbia on July 15, 1964 in New York. Dave Brubeck, piano; Paul Desmond, alto saxophone; Eugene Wright, bass; Joe Morello, [..]
“Jivin’ with Jarvis” Composed by Lionel Hampton; informal “head” arrangement. Recorded by Lionel Hampton for Victor on July 17, 1940 in Hollywood. Lionel Hampton, vibraphone, directing: Nat “King” Cole, piano; Oscar Moore, electric guitar; Wesley [..]
“Dragonwyck” Composed and arranged by Gene Roland. Recorded by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra for Capitol on December 13, 1961 in Hollywood. Stan Kenton, piano, directing: Dalton Smith, first trumpet; Bob Behrendt, Bob Rolfe, Norman [..]
“One Sweet Letter from You” Composed by Harry Warren (music), Sidney Clare and Lew Brown (lyric); arranged by Fletcher Henderson. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Columbia on September 13, 1939 in New [..]
“Goin’ Home” Composed by Antonin Dvorak; arranged by Jerry Gray. Recorded live in performance by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra on a CBS Chesterfield broadcast on December 18, 1940 in New York. Glenn Miller, first [..]
“Then I’ll Be Happy” Composed by Cliff Friend; arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for RCA Victor in New York on April 8, 1946. Tommy Dorsey, first and solo trombone, [..]
“A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing” Composed and arranged by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Billy Strayhorn for United Artists Records in Paris, France in January of 1961. Billy Strayhorn, piano, directing: Michel Gaudry, bass; and [..]
“Big Beaver” Composed by Bob Wills; probably arranged by Billy Moore. Recorded by Jan Savitt and His Top Hatters for Decca on February 27, 1941 in New York. Jan Savitt, directing: Jack Hansen, first trumpet; [..]
“Blues” from Lenox Avenue Composed and arranged by William Grant Still. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for Victor on December 4, 1940 in Hollywood. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Billy Butterfield, George “Jumbo” Wendt and [..]
