Where Swing is King!
“Polka Dots and Moonbeams” Composed by Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Johnny Burke (lyric); arranged by Axel Stordahl. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for RCA- Bluebird on March 4, 1940 in New York. [..]
“Star Song” Composed by Vince Guaraldi Recorded by Vince Guaraldi for Fantasy in San Francisco, California in August, 1963. Vince Guaraldi, piano, directing: Bola Sete, guitar; Fred Marshall, bass; Jerry Granelli, drums. The story: Certain [..]
“Long Tall Mama” Composed and arranged by Billy May. Recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra on November 3, 1941 for RCA Victor in New York. Glenn Miller, first trombone, directing: R.D. “Mickey” McMickle, first [..]
“Well, Git It” Composed and arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor on March 9, 1942 in Hollywood, California. Tommy Dorsey, trombone, directing: Ziggy Elman, Chuck Peterson, Jimmy Blake, [..]
“Big John Special” Composed and arranged by Horace Henderson. Recorded on November 16,1937 by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra from a CBS Camel Caravan broadcast. Benny Goodman, clarinet, directing: Harry James, first trumpet; Ziggy Elman [..]
“Flat Foot Floogie” Composed by Slim Gaillard, Slam Stewart and Bud Green; probably arranged by Edgar Sampson. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Victor on May 31, 1938 in New York. Benny Goodman, [..]
“Milenberg Joys” Composed by Jelly Roll Morton(*); arranged by Deane Kincaide. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor on January 19, 1939 in New York. Tommy Dorsey, first and solo trombone, directing: Andy [..]
“Bijou” Composed and arranged by Ralph Burns. Recorded by Woody Herman and His Orchestra on August 20, 1945 in New York. Woody Herman, alto saxophone, directing: Walter “Pete” Candoli, first trumpet; Sonny Berman, Neal [..]
“Just Kiddin’ Around” Composed and arranged by Ray Conniff. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra on October 30, 1941 in Chicago for Victor Records. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Steve Lipkins, first trumpet; Aniello “Lee” [..]
“4:30 Blues” Composed and arranged by Duke Ellington. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra in concert on November 25-26, 1969 in Manchester, England. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: William “Cat” Anderson, Charles M. “Cootie” Williams, [..]
“Morning Glory” 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, Rex [..]
“The Folks Who Live on the Hill” Composed by Jerome Kern; arranged by Johnny Keating. Recorded by Ted Heath and His Music for Decca in London, England in 1956. Ted Heath, directing: Bobby Pratt, first [..]
“Harlem Nocturne” Composed and arranged by Earle Hagen. Recorded by Ray Noble and His Orchestra for Columbia on August 8, 1940 in Chicago. (*) Ray Noble, directing: Don Anderson, Bob Goodrich, Bert Harry, trumpets; Earle [..]
“The Chant” Composed and arranged by Artie Shaw. Recorded from a CBS Melody and Madness radio broadcast on March 12, 1939. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: John Best, first trumpet; Chuck Peterson and Bernie Privin, trumpets; George [..]
“Undecided” Composed by Charlie Shavers; arranged by Eddie Sauter. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Victor on December 15, 1938 in New York. Benny Goodman, clarinet, directing: Harry James, first trumpet; Ziggy Elman [..]
“Jeepers Creepers” Composed by Harry Warren (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyric); arranged by Jerry Gray. Recorded from an NBC network radio broadcast by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra emanating from the Blue Room of Hotel [..]
Trumpeter Mannie Klein (pictured above), was born in New York City on February 4, 1908. The silent film presented below was shot at his 25th birthday party on February 4, 1933. As you will see, it [..]
“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 [..]
“Blues in the Night” Composed by Harold Arlen (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyric); arranged by Lennie Hayton (*). Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for Victor on September 2, 1941 in New York. Artie [..]
Very recently, swingandbeyond.com has hosted its 20,000th viewer! That is very good news for me and for everyone who likes this thing called swing. This blog has been up and running since March of 2016. [..]
“Red Top” Head arrangement on the blues worked out by Woody Herman and his band. Recorded by Woody Herman and His Orchestra live at the Meadowbrook Ballroom in Cedar Grove, New Jersey on February 18, [..]
“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, first trumpet; [..]
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 [..]