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Swing & Beyond

Where Swing is King!

Category: Swingscapes

Writings about swing by Michael P. Zirpolo and other experts that will provide a context for the music you will be hearing, and allow for a deeper understanding of the music and the people who made it.

Spotlight on Sidemen (and Women) Swingscapes
Mike Zirpolo April 1, 2017 7 COMMENTS

“Manhattan” (1950) Lee Wiley with Joe Bushkin and Bobby Hackett

(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 [..]

Spotlight on Sidemen (and Women) Swingscapes
Mike Zirpolo March 24, 2017 2 COMMENTS

“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 [..]

Swing and Swing Redux Swingscapes
Mike Zirpolo February 11, 2017 2 COMMENTS

“Chelsea Bridge” Billy and Billy – Strayhorn (1941) and May (1971)

They both grew up in Pittsburgh at the same time, the 1920s and 1930s, and knew each other. They were about the same age. But they were very different people. One was big and boisterous; [..]

Swingscapes
Mike Zirpolo January 27, 2017 3 COMMENTS

Swingin’ at the Brill Building–“Royal Garden Blues” (1938) Bunny Berigan–“Time’s a Wastin” (1945) Duke Ellington

MANHATTAN’S BRILL BUILDING A JAZZ SHOWCASE AND MUSICAL SHRINE I am constantly looking for historic buildings that are a part of the fabric of jazz history whenever I am in Manhattan. One building I have [..]

Swing and Swing Redux Swingscapes
Mike Zirpolo January 21, 2017 5 COMMENTS

“John Silver” grows up — Jimmy Dorsey 1938/1944

James Francis Dorsey was the older of the Dorsey brothers, and the smaller, in terms of both physical stature and ego. He was a master musician whose virtuosity on both clarinet and alto saxophone was [..]

Sleepers Swingscapes Too Good Not to Share
Mike Zirpolo January 10, 2017 4 COMMENTS

“Let’s Walk” (1945) Artie Shaw

The story: The summer and fall of 1945 were challenging times for Artie Shaw, the bandleader. After an extensive cross-country tour with his band that lasted from late 1944 until March 15, 1945, he and [..]

Swingscapes
Mike Zirpolo January 1, 2017 1 COMMENTS

Reads and Re-reads-Benny Goodman’s 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert

“Benny Goodman’s Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert” by Catherine Tackley I recently finished reading this wonderful book, which was published in 2012 as a part of Oxford University Press’s “Studies in Recorded Jazz” series. [..]

Masterpieces Movie music Swingscapes
Mike Zirpolo December 6, 2016 3 COMMENTS

“I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” (1946) Les Brown

“I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” Composed by Irving Berlin; arranged by Skip Martin. Recorded by Les Brown and His Orchestra for Columbia on September 16, 1946 in Hollywood. Les Brown, directing: Don Paladino, [..]

Swingscapes Too Good Not to Share
Mike Zirpolo December 1, 2016 1 COMMENTS

Repost Number 2: On the Air with the Great Bands (1940) Tommy Dorsey–“Hallelujah!” with Johnny Mince, Don Lodice, Buddy Rich and Bunny Berigan

“Hallelujah!” Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra from a radio broadcast live over the NBC radio network, June 1, 1940 Astor (Hotel) Roof, New York City. Composed by Vincent Youmans; Arranged by Sy Oliver. [..]

Swing and Swing Redux Swingscapes
Mike Zirpolo November 23, 2016 1 COMMENTS

Swing and Swing Redux…”Dawn on the Desert”

  “Dawn on the Desert” Composed and arranged by Charlie Shavers Recorded by the John Kirby Sextet for Vocalion on January 9, 1939 in New York. John Kirby, bass, directing: Charlie Shavers, trumpet; William “Buster” [..]

Swingscapes
Mike Zirpolo November 10, 2016 1 COMMENTS

Reads and re-reads…Clark Terry and Larry Elgart – Terry “So What Else is New”? (1965) with the Tonight Show Band; and Elgart “Soon” (1966)

Some Thoughts on the Autobiography of Clark Terry, and Recollections of Larry Elgart. I have recently read two books about notable musicians, an autobiography by the great jazz trumpeter Clark Terry (1920-2015), and the other, [..]

Seasons and Such Spotlight on Sidemen Swingscapes Too Good Not to Share
Mike Zirpolo October 28, 2016 2 COMMENTS

“Summer Sequence Part 4” (1947) and “Early Autumn” (1948) Woody Herman

“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,Stan Fishelson, Marky [..]

Masterpieces Seasons and Such Swingscapes
Mike Zirpolo October 11, 2016 3 COMMENTS

Repost Number One: “Summertime” (1945) Artie Shaw/Eddie Sauter

*************** I am taking this opportunity to celebrate the 150,000th visit to swingandbeyond.com. I am selecting one of my previous posts, which I have spruced-up a bit, to celebrate with. The music I included in [..]

Spotlight on Sidemen Swingscapes Too Good Not to Share
Mike Zirpolo September 28, 2016 0 COMMENTS

Bud, Benny and the High Holidays – “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (1937) with Tommy Dorsey and “Topsy” (1938) with Benny Goodman

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 [..]

Spotlight on Sidemen (and Women) Swingscapes
Mike Zirpolo September 19, 2016 0 COMMENTS

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, [..]

Swingscapes
Mike Zirpolo August 16, 2016 0 COMMENTS

Mosaic Classic 1936-1947 Count Basie and Lester Young Studio Sessions

Mosaic Classic 1936-1947 Count Basie and Lester Young Studio Sessions First Impressions: Yesterday I received the new Mosaic set of recordings featuring Count Basie and Lester Young. Whenever I receive any set of Mosaic recordings, [..]

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Featured Posts
Publicity portrait of American singer and actor Herb Jeffries (aka Herbert Jeffrey), 1948. (Photo by John D. Kisch/Separate Cinema Archive/Getty Images)

Flamingo (1940) Duke Ellington, Herb Jeffries, Billy Strayhorn / (1953) Duke Ellington, Ray Nance, Paul Gonsalves, Billy Strayhorn

"Flamingo" Composed by Ted Grouya (music) and Edmund Anderson (lyric); arranged by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for ...

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Lady Day (1944) Artie Shaw with Roy Eldridge/ (1987) Loren Schoenberg and His Jazz Orchestra

"Lady Day" Composed and arranged by Jimmy Mundy. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for Victor on November 23, 1944 in ...

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I'm in a Dancing Mood (1936) Tommy Dorsey with Jack Leonard /Dave Brubeck Quartet with Paul Desmond (1959)

"I'm in a Dancing Mood" Composed by Al Hoffman, Al Goodheart and Maurice Sigler; probably arranged by Paul Wetstein (Weston) or ...

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Jingle Bells (1935) Benny Goodman with Bunny Berigan

"Jingle Bells" Composed by J.S. Pierpont; arranged by Lyle "Spud" Murphy. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Victor on July ...

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Southern Scandal Stan Kenton (1945) /Billy May and the Swing Era Orchestra (1970)

"Southern Scandal" Composed and arranged by Stan Kenton. Recorded by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra for Capitol on May 4, 1945 in ...

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Archives

Recent Posts

  • “Flamingo” (1940) Duke Ellington, Herb Jeffries, Billy Strayhorn / (1953) Duke Ellington, Ray Nance, Paul Gonsalves, Billy Strayhorn
  • “Lady Day” (1944) Artie Shaw with Roy Eldridge/ (1987) Loren Schoenberg and His Jazz Orchestra
  • “I’m in a Dancing Mood” (1936) Tommy Dorsey with Jack Leonard /Dave Brubeck Quartet with Paul Desmond (1959)
  • “Southern Scandal” Stan Kenton (1945) /Billy May and the Swing Era Orchestra (1970)
  • “It’s Always You” Tommy Dorsey with Frank Sinatra (1941) / Frank Sinatra with Sy Oliver (1961)
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