Where Swing is King!
“Tuesday at Ten” Composed and arranged by Lloyd “Skip” Martin. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Columbia on June 11, 1941 in New York.(*) (*) This is take one, which was not issued [..]
“Ad Lib on Nippon” Composed by Duke Ellington with input by Jimmy Hamilton; arranged by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for RCA Victor (Studio B) on December 20, [..]
“Lover’s Leap” Composed and arranged by Bob Higgins. Recorded by Les Brown and His Orchestra for Columbia on February 25, 1946 in New York. Les Brown, directing: Al Muller, Bob Higgins, Don Jacoby and Jimmy [..]
“Danza Lucumi” Composed by Ernesto Lecuona y Casado; arranged by William Grant Still. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for Victor on October 8, 1940 in Hollywood. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Charles William “Billy” [..]
“Bluesette” Composed by Jean-Baptiste “Toots” Thielemans. Recorded by Hank Jones on November 11, 1991 for Concord Jazz in performance at Maybeck Recital Hall in Berkeley, California. Hank Jones, solo piano. The story: Henry Jones Jr. [..]
“Blue Rhapsody” Composed by Bill Challis and Paul Rickey; arranged by Bill Challis. Recorded by Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra for Decca on February 14, 1946 in New York. Glen Gray directing: Ray [..]
Composed and arranged by Jerry Gray. Recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra for Bluebird on April 28, 1940 in New York. Glenn Miller, trombone, directing: John Best, first trumpet; Rubin “Zeke” Zarchy, Clyde Hurley, [..]
“Oh, Lady Be Good” Composed by George Gershwin; head arrangement. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Decca on February 4, 1939 in New York. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, directing: Ed Lewis, first [..]
“Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” Composed by Harold Arlen; arranged by Bob Haggart. Recorded by Bob Crosby and His Orchestra for Decca on February 8, 1937 in New York. Bob Haggart, bass, [..]
“The Peacocks” Composed by Jimmy Rowles. Recorded by Jimmy Rowles for Halcyon on April 7, 1974 in New York. Jimmy Rowles, piano and Rusty Gilder, bass. The story: I have spent many contemplative hours listening [..]
“After Hours” Composed and arranged by Avery Parrish. Recorded by Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra for Bluebird on June 10, 1940 in New York. Erskine Hawkins, trumpet, directing: Sammy Lowe, first trumpet; James Harris and [..]
“The C Jam Blues” Composed and arranged by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor in Chicago on January 21, 1942. Edward K. “Duke” Ellington, piano, directing: Wallace [..]
“Concerto to End All Concertos” Composed and arranged by Stan Kenton. Recorded by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra on July 26, 1946 for Capitol in Los Angeles. Stanley N. Kenton, piano, directing: Marion “Buddy” Childers, [..]
“Little White Lies” Composed by Walter Donaldson; arranged by Freddie Stulce. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor on December 6, 1937 in New York. Tommy Dorsey, first and solo trombone, directing: George [..]
“Rhapsody in Blue” Composed by George Gershwin; arranged by Bill Finegan. Recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra for Victor on July 16, 1942 in Chicago. Glenn Miller, first trombone, directing: John Best, first trumpet; [..]
“Cool and Groovy” Composed and arranged by Edgar Sampson. Recorded by Edgar Sampson and His Orchestra for Decca on April 4, 1956 in New York. Edgar Sampson directing: Charlie Shavers, first trumpet; Melvin “Red” Solomon [..]
“The Hour of Parting” Music composed by Mischa Spoliansky; arranged by Eddie Sauter. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Columbia on April 10, 1940 in Los Angeles. Benny Goodman, clarinet, directing: Ziggy Elman, [..]
“Gabriel’s Heater” Composed and arranged by Russ Case and Erskine Hawkins. Recorded by Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra for Victor on December 23, 1947 in New York. Erskine Hawkins, solo trumpet, directing: Sammy Lowe, first [..]
“Slip Horn Jive” Composed by and arranged Eddie Durham. Recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra for RCA Bluebird on June 2, 1939 in New York. Glenn Miller, first trombone, directing: R.D. McMickle, first trumpet; [..]
“Jive at Five” Composed and arranged by Harry Edison. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Decca on February 4, 1939 in New York. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, directing: Lester “Shad” Collins, [..]
“Limehouse Blues” Composed by: Philip Braham (music) and Douglas Furber (lyric)(*); arranged by Benny Carter. Recorded by Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra for Decca on September 11, 1934 in New York. Fletcher Henderson, piano, directing: [..]
“Uptown Blues” Composed by Jimmie Lunceford; “head” arrangement. Recorded by Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra for Vocalion on December 14, 1939 in New York. Jimmie Lunceford, directing: Eugene “Snooky” Young, first and solo trumpet; Gerald [..]
“The Minor Goes Muggin’” Composed and arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor on May 14, 1945 in New York. Thomas F. Dorsey, Jr., first and solo trombone, directing: [..]
“Misty” Composed by Erroll Garner; arranged by Henry Mancini. Recorded by Henry Mancini and His Orchestra for RCA Victor on February 22, 1959 in Hollywood. Henry Mancini, directing: Conrad Gozzo, first trumpet; Pete Candoli, Frank [..]
“Ingie Speaks” Composed and arranged by Dave Matthews. Recorded by Woody Herman and His Orchestra for Decca on March 29, 1944 in New York.(*) Woody Herman, clarinet, directing: Ray Wetzel, first trumpet; Neal Hefti, Bobby [..]
“Jack the Bear” Composed and arranged by Duke Ellington. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on March 6, 1940 in Chicago. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: Wallace Jones, first trumpet; Cootie Williams, trumpet; [..]
“Just a-Settin’ and a-Rockin’” Composed and arranged by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn . Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on June 5, 1941 in Hollywood. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: Wallace Jones, [..]
“Ambiance” Composed by Marian McPartland; arranged by Jerry Dodgion. Recorded by the Thad Jones – Mel Lewis Orchestra for Philadelphia International Records in June of 1974 in Philadelphia. Thad Jones, flugelhorn, directing: Jon Faddis, first [..]
“Disc Jockey Jump” Composed and arranged by Gerry Mulligan.(*) Recorded by Gene Krupa and His Orchestra for Columbia on January 22, 1947 in New York. Gene Krupa, drums, directing: Ray Triscari, first trumpet; Ed Badgley, [..]
“Jingle Bells” Composed by J.S. Pierpont; arranged by Lyle “Spud” Murphy. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Victor on July 1, 1935 in New York. Benny Goodman, clarinet, directing: Bunny Berigan, first and [..]