Happiness Was a Guy Called Joe
“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. [..]
Swing & Beyond
Where Swing is King!
Category: Spotlight on Sidemen (and Women)
“Rocks in My Bed” (1941) Duke Ellington and Ivie Anderson
“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” (1935) Benny Goodman, Helen Ward and Bunny Berigan
“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” (1969) Maxine Sullivan with Bob Wilber
“Too Many Tears” Composed by Harry Warren (music), and Al Dubin (lyric). 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” – Artie Shaw and Lena Horne (1941)
“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, [..]
“Rhythm Saved the World” (1936) Tommy Dorsey’s Clambake Seven with Edythe Wright
The story: Over the years, I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to talk with many great musicians who began long and successful careers during (and sometimes before) the swing era. Most of [..]
“Manhattan” (1950) Lee Wiley
(This is the second installment in the ongoing Rodgers and Hart celebration here at swingandbeyond.com.) The story: Lee Wiley, born October 9, 1908 in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, and died December 11, 1975 in New York City, was a [..]
“Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” (1956) Ella Fitzgerald and (1954) Artie Shaw
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?” (1933) Mildred Bailey and the Dorsey Brothers with Bunny Berigan
“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” (1967) Barbra Streisand
“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 [..]
“I Hear Music” (1940) Billie Holiday
“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, [..]
Mary Lou Williams…First Woman of Swing “Big Jim Blues” (1939) and “Roll ‘Em” (1937)
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, [..]