Where Swing is King!
“Interlude” Composed and arranged by Pete Rugolo. Recorded by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra for Capitol on December 22, 1947 in Hollywood. Stan Kenton, piano, directing: Milt Bernhart, first trombone; Harry Forbes, Eddie Bert and [..]
“My Reverie” Composed by Claude Debussy; lyric by Larry Clinton. Recorded by Larry Clinton and His Orchestra for Victor on July 16, 1938 in New York. Larry Clinton, directing: Walter Smith, Ricky Traettino and [..]
“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” [..]
“Why Don’t You Do Right?” Music and lyric by Joe McCoy; arranged by Mel Powell. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Columbia on July 27, 1942 in New York. Benny Goodman, clarinet, directing: [..]
“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 [..]
“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 [..]
“Manhattan Serenade” Composed by Louis Alter (music) and Harold Adamson (lyric); arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor in New York on July 2, 1942. Tommy Dorsey, first and [..]
“Any Old Time” Composed and arranged by Artie Shaw. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for RCA Bluebird on July 24, 1938 in New York. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: John Best, first trumpet; Chuck [..]
“A-Tisket, A-Tasket” Composed by Ella Fitzgerald and Al Feldman; arranged by Al Feldman.* Recorded by Chick Webb and His Orchestra for Decca on May 2, 1938 in New York. Chick Webb, drums, directing: Mario Bauza, [..]
“When the Sun Comes Out” Composed by Harold Arlen (music) Ted Koehler (lyric); arranged by Eddie Sauter. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Columbia on June 4, 1941 in New York. Benny Goodman, [..]
“It’s All Yours” Composed by Dorothy Fields and Arthur Schwartz; arranged by Paul Wetstein (Weston). Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor on January 19, 1939 in New York. Tommy Dorsey, first and [..]
“Yes Indeed!” Composed and arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor on February 17, 1941 in New York. Tommy Dorsey, first and solo trombone, directing: Ziggy Elman, first [..]
“It Never Entered My Mind” Composed by Richard Rodgers (music) and Lorenz Hart (lyric); vocal arrangement by Gene Puerling. Recorded by the Oscar Peterson Trio and the Singers Unlimited in July of 1971 for MPS [..]
“Happiness is a Thing Called Joe” Composed by Harold Arlen (music) and E.Y. Harburg (lyric); arranged by Ralph Burns. Recorded by Woody Herman and His Orchestra for Columbia on February 26, 1945 in New York. [..]
“Rocks in My Bed” Composed by Duke Ellington; arranged by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on September 29, 1941 in Hollywood, California. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: [..]
“Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” Composed by Harold Arlen (music) and Ted Koehler (lyric); arranged by Fletcher Henderson. Recorded on July 1, 1935 by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Victor in [..]
“Too Many Tears” Composed by Harry Warren (music), and Al Dubin (lyric). Â Recorded by Maxine Sullivan and Bob Wilber for Monmouth-Evergreen on June 11, 1969 in New York. Maxine Sullivan, singing, with: Bob Wilber, soprano [..]
“Don’t Take Your Love From Me” Composed by Henry Nemo; arranged by Artie Shaw. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra on June 26, 1941 in New York. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Henry “Red” Allen, [..]
Tenor saxophone great Bud Freeman solos with Tommy Dorsey’s band – 1937. Others pictured L-R: Bassist Gene Traxler; lead trumpeter Andy Ferretti; partially visible, trumpeter Joe Bauer; saxophonists Skeets Herfurt and Johnny Mince; TD. The [..]
(This is the second installment in the ongoing Rodgers and Hart celebration here at swingandbeyond.com. See links below for more posts featuring the music of Rodgers and Hart.) The story: Lee Wiley, born October 9, 1908 [..]
NOTE: With this post, swingandbeyond.com inaugurates a small celebration of the music of Rodgers and Hart. Subsequent posts will continue this joyous presentation of the music of one of the greatest song writing teams in [..]
“Is That Religion?” Composed by Maceo Pinkard (music) and Mitchell Parish (lyric); arranged by Glenn Miller. Mildred Bailey accompanied by the Dorsey Brothers with Bunny Berigan. Recorded for Brunswick on April 8, 1933 in New [..]
“White Christmas” Composed by Irving Berlin. Recorded by Barbra Streisand for Columbia in September 1967 in Los Angeles. The story – part one:Â There’s never been such a day… I have learned again and again throughout [..]
“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, [..]
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, [..]