Too Good Not to Share – Swing & Beyond

“Too Many Tears” (1969) Maxine Sullivan with Bob Wilber

June 9, 2018

“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 saxophone; Bernie Leighton, piano; George Duvivier, bass; Gus Johnson, drums. The story: Maxine Sullivan (May 13, 1911–April 7, 1987), born Marietta Williams in Homestead, Pennsylvania, […]

“Parker’s Mood” (1948) Charlie Parker; and Supersax with Conte Candoli (1972)

June 2, 2018

“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 Lopes, alto saxophones; Warne Marsh and Jay Migliori, tenor saxophones; Jack Nimitz, baritone saxophone; Ronnell Bright, piano; Buddy Clark, bass; […]

“G.T. Stomp” (1939) Earl “Fatha” Hines

May 18, 2018

“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 York. Earl “Fatha” Hines, piano, directing: Edward Simms, Walter Fuller, Milton Fletcher, George Dixon(*), trumpets; Edward Burke, John “Streamline” Ewing, […]

“Caravan” Bunny Berigan (1937)

May 13, 2018

“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, trumpet; Sonny Lee, first trombone; Al George, trombone; Mike Doty, first alto saxophone and bass clarinet; Joe Dixon, alto saxophone […]

“Blues in the Night” (1941) Artie Shaw and Hot Lips Page

May 5, 2018

“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, clarinet, directing: Steve Lipkins, first trumpet; Aniello “Lee” Castaldo (later Castle), Max Kaminsky, Oran “Hot Lips” Page, trumpets; Jack Jenney, […]

“Blue Champagne” (1941) Jimmy Dorsey and Bob Eberly

April 21, 2018

“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 Campbell, first trumpet; Shorty Solomson, Nate Kazebier, trumpets; Sonny Lee, first trombone; Nat Lobovsky, Phil Washburne, trombones; Milt Yaner, first […]

“The Happy Stranger” (1947) Claude Thornhill / Dutch Jazz Orchestra (2006)

April 6, 2018

“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 Cohen, Louis Mucci and Eddie Zandy, trumpets; Vahey “Tak” Takvorian and Allan Langstaff, trombones; Walt Wechsler and Sandy Siegelstein, French […]

Swing Redux – The Unheard Artie Shaw – “Stairway to the Stars” (2016) – the New York All-Star Big Band

March 30, 2018

“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. James Langton, tenor saxophone, directing: Dan Levinson, solo clarinet; Brian Pareschi, first trumpet; Joe Boga and Jon-Erik Kellso, trumpets; Jim […]

“Star Dust” (1940) Glenn Miller

March 21, 2018

“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, first trumpet; John Best, Clyde Hurley, Legh Knowles, trumpets; Paul Tanner, Frank D’Annolfo, Howard Gibeling, trombones; Hal McIntyre, first alto […]

“Lush Life” (1956) Sarah Vaughan

March 10, 2018

“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 Pittsburgh on December 2, 1938, while the Ellington band was appearing there for a week-long engagement. At the time of […]