Where Swing is King!
An introduction to the music, musicians and singers of the swing era.
Big bands were the major purveyors of swing music, but by no means the only ones. Many small groups also played great swing. For this introduction to swing music, I am going to concentrate on big bands, with a few exceptions. I will explain what instruments make up a classic big band, and also how the instrumentation and music of big bands evolved from approximately the mid-1920s into the 1950s, and beyond. And of course I will post examples of great music performed by big bands, and small groups.
“Basin Street Blues” Composed by Spencer Williams; arranged by Glenn Miller. Recorded by Benny Goodman (as “The Charleston Chasers” under direction of Bennie Goodman) for Columbia on February 9, 1931 in New York. Benny Goodman, [..]
“Every Tub” Composed by Count Basie and Eddie Durham; “Head” arrangement worked out by Count Basie, Eddie Durham and the members of the Basie band. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Decca [..]
“Jersey Bounce” Composed by Tiny Bradshaw, Eddie Johnson and Bobby Plater; arranged by Mel Powell. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Columbia on January 15,1942 in New York. Benny Goodman, clarinet, directing: James [..]
“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, [..]
“9:20 Special” Composed by Earle Warren; arranged by Buster Harding. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Okeh/Columbia on April 10, 1941 in Chicago. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, directing: Edward Lewis, first trumpet; [..]
“Down by the Old Mill Stream” Composed by Tell Taylor and Arthur Clough; unknown arranger. Recorded live on October 31, 1936 from a broadcast of the Saturday Night Swing Club over the CBS radio network. Bunny [..]
“The Lonesome Road” Composed by Gene Austin (words) and Nat Shilkret (music); arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra for Vocalion(*) on January 31, 1939 in New York. Jimmie Lunceford, directing: [..]
“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 [..]
“Breakfast Feud” Composed by Benny Goodman; head arrangement worked out by Benny Goodman and the members of his Sextet. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Sextet(*) for Columbia on January 15, 1941(**) in New [..]
“Yesterdays” Composed by Jerome Kern; arranged by Jerry Gray. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for RCA/Bluebird on September 27, 1938 in New York. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: John Best, first trumpet; Chuck Peterson [..]
“Concerto for Cootie” Composed and arranged by Duke Ellington. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on March 15,1940 in Chicago. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: Wallace Jones, first trumpet; Rex Stewart, cornet; Cootie [..]
“Flying Home” Composed by Lionel Hampton and Benny Goodman. Head arrangement organized by Lionel Hampton. Recorded by Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra for Decca on May 26, 1942 in New York. Lionel Hampton, vibraphone, directing: [..]
“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, [..]
“No Name Jive” Composed and arranged by Larry Wagner. Recorded by Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra for Decca on March 18, 1940 in New York. Glen Gray, directing: Frank Ryerson, first trumpet; H. [..]
“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 [..]
“Yard Dog Mazurka” Composed and arranged by Gerald Wilson. Recorded by Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra for Decca on August 26, 1941 in New York. Jimmie Lunceford, directing: Eugene E. “Snooky” Young, first trumpet; Paul [..]
“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 [..]
Victor’s 24th Street New York Recording Studio The Story: What do Benny Goodman’s “King Porter Stomp,” Artie Shaw’s “Begin the Beguine,” Bunny Berigan’s “I Can’t Get Started,” Glenn Miller’s “Moonlight Serenade,” Tommy Dorsey’s “I’m [..]
This is the first time I have given over the swingandbeyond.com forum to someone else, at least in part. The reason why I am doing this is that on occasion, I run across the work [..]
“G.T. Stomp” Composed by Walter Hirsch and Gerald Marks; “head” arrangement later formalized by Earl Hines and Budd Johnson. Recorded by Earl Hines and His Orchestra for RCA Bluebird on July 12, 1939 in New [..]
“For Dancers Only” Composed and arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra on June 15, 1937 for Decca in New York. Jimmie Lunceford, directing: Eddie Tompkins, Paul Webster, Sy Oliver, trumpets; [..]
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. [..]
“Tuxedo Junction” Composed by Erskine Hawkins, William Johnson and Julian Dash; head arrangement organized by William Johnson. Recorded by Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra for RCA-Bluebird on July 18, 1939 in New York. Erskine Hawkins, [..]
“Pompton Turnpike” Composed by Will Osborne and Dick Rogers; arranged by Billy May. Recorded by Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra for Bluebird on July 19, 1940 in New York. Charlie Barnet, soprano saxophone, directing: Sam [..]
“I Got Rhythm” Composed by George Gershwin; arranged by Fletcher Henderson. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra live from the NBC “Let’s Dance” radio show of May 4, 1935. Benny Goodman, clarinet, directing: George [..]
“Swingmatism” Composed by Jay McShann; probable “head” arrangement. Recorded by Jay McShann and His Orchestra for Decca on April 30, 1941 in Dallas,Texas.(*) Jay McShann, piano, directing: Harold Bruce,Orville Minor and Bernard Anderson, trumpets; Joe [..]
“Happy as the Day is Long” Composed by Harold Arlen; arranged by Benny Carter. Recorded by Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra for Decca on September 11, 1934. Fletcher Henderson directing: Russell Smith, first trumpet; Irving [..]
“Smoke Rings” Composed and arranged by H. Eugene Gifford. Recorded by Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra for Decca on July 23, 1937 in New York. Glen Gray, saxophone and B-flat clarinet, directing: Walter [..]