Where Swing is King!
The story: In this, the second installment of our salute to arranger Bill Finegan, we present two different Finegan arrangements on two separate melodies, done at two different times for two different bandleaders. Nevertheless, there [..]
“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 in 1973), 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 [..]
“In a Persian Market” Composed by Albert W. Ketelbey; arranged by Larry Clinton. Recorded by Larry Clinton and His Orchestra for Victor on June 7, 1939 in New York. Larry Clinton,directing: Steve Lipkins, first trumpet; [..]
“Sent for You Yesterday” Composed by Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing and Eddie Durham; arranged by Eddie Durham. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra live on April 2, 1939 from the Columbia Dance Hour – [..]
“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 [..]
“Parker’s Mood” Composed by Charlie Parker; arranged by Buddy Clark. Recorded by Supersax for Capitol Records in Los Angeles in February 1972. Supersax on this recording consisted of the following musicians: Med Flory and Joe [..]
“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 [..]
“Caravan” Composed by Juan Tizol; arranged by Joe Lippman. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra on August 18, 1937 for Victor in New York. Bunny Berigan, trumpet, directing: Steve Lipkins, first trumpet; Irving Goodman, [..]
“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 Shaw, [..]
“Blue Champagne” Composed by Grady Watts and Frank Ryerson; arranged by Toots Camarata. Recorded by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Decca on April 29, 1941 in New York. Jimmy Dorsey, alto saxophone; directing: Jimmy [..]
“The Happy Stranger” Composed by John Benson Brooks; arranged by Gil Evans. Recorded by Claude Thornhill and His Orchestra on November 4, 1947 for Associated Transcription Service in New York. Claude Thornhill, piano, directing: Paul [..]
“Stairway to the Stars” Composed by Matty Malneck and Frank Signorelli (music), and Mitchell Parish (lyric). Arranged by Jerry Gray. Recorded by the New York All-Star Big Band on August 8-9, 2016 in New York. [..]
“Star Dust” Composed by Hoagy Carmichael; arranged by Bill Finegan and Glenn Miller. Recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra on January 29, 1940 for Bluebird in New York. Glenn Miller, trombone, directing: R.D. McMickle, [..]
“Lush Life” Composed by Billy Strayhorn; arranged by Harold Mooney. Recorded on April 1, 1956 by Sarah Vaughan for Mercury Records in New York. Billy Strayhorn met Duke Ellington backstage at the Stanley Theater in [..]
“Forty Days” Composed by Dave Brubeck. Head arrangement by Dave Brubeck Quartet. Recorded by the Dave Brubeck Quartet for Columbia Records in New York between September 20 and October 13, 1965. Dave Brubeck, piano; Paul [..]
“These Foolish Things” Composed by Eric Maschwitz (Holt Marvel), lyric; Jack Strachey and Harry Link, music. Arranged by Ray Conniff. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra on June 8, 1945 for RCA Victor in [..]
“Rattle and Roll” Composed and arranged by Wilbur “Buck” Clayton. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Columbia on December 19, 1945 in New York. Benny Goodman, clarinet, directing: Conrad Gozzo, first trumpet; John [..]
“Manha de Carnaval” Music composed by Luiz Bonfa’. Recorded by the Vince Guaraldi Trio in February, 1962 for Fantasy Records in San Francisco. Vince Guaraldi, piano; Monty Budwig, bass; Colin Bailey, drums. The story: As [..]
I have previously posted here at swingandbeyond.com Artie Shaw’s classic 1938 recording of Cole Porter’s “Begin the Beguine.” Since 1938, dozens, perhaps hundreds of artists have recorded “Begin the Beguine.” Few of those recordings [..]
“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, [..]
The story: In the mid and late 1970s, I was fortunate enough to make several trips to New York City with the specific purpose of trying to hear as much music and see as many [..]
“Portrait of a Guinea Farm” Composed and arranged by Claude Thornhill. Recorded by Claude Thornhill and His Orchestra for Okeh/Columbia in New York on April 16, 1941. Claude Thornhill, piano, directing: Conrad Gozzo, first trumpet; [..]
“U.M.M.G” Composed by Billy Strayhorn; arranged by Clare Fischer. Recorded by Dizzy Gillespie on April 27-28, 1960 for Verve in New York City. John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie, trumpet, directing: Ray Alonge, Richard Berg, Joe Singer, [..]
“It Never Entered My Mind” Composed by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. Recorded by George Shearing for Concord Jazz in San Francisco, California in May of 1985. George Shearing, solo piano. The story: Two of [..]
“Robbins’ Nest” Composed by Illinois Jacquet and Sir Charles Thompson; arranged by Henry Mancini. Recorded by Henry Mancini and His Orchestra for RCA Victor on August 11, 1959 in Hollywood, California. Henry Mancini, directing: Dick [..]
“Happy-Go-Lucky Local” Composed and arranged by Duke Ellington, with probable revisions in Duke’s original arrangement by Mercer Ellington. Recorded by Mercer Ellington with The Duke Ellington Orchestra for Fantasy on May 12, 1975 in New [..]
“Everything Happens to Me” Composed by Matt Dennis and Tom Adair; arranged by Axel Stordahl. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor on February 7, 1941 in New York. Thomas Francis Dorsey, Jr., [..]
“Big Noise From Winnetka” Composed by Bob Haggart and Ray Bauduc Recorded by Bob Haggart and Ray Bauduc for Decca on October 14, 1938 in Chicago. Bob Haggart, bass and whistling; Ray Bauduc, drums. The [..]
“Cherry Juice” Composed and arranged by Thad Jones. Recorded by the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra for Horizon on January 10, 1976. Thad Jones, flugelhorn, directing: Al Porcino, first trumpet; Sinclair Acey, Waymon Reed,Cecil Bridgewater, trumpets; [..]