Where Swing is King!
“Star Burst” Composed by Eddie Finckel and Gene Krupa; arranged by Eddie Finckel, with assistance from Dick Taylor. Recorded by Gene Krupa and His Orchestra for Columbia on February 8, 1947 in New York. Gene [..]
“The Grabtown Grapple” Composed by Artie Shaw and Buster Harding; head arrangement worked out by Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five for Victor on January 9-10, 1945 [..]
“‘Round Midnight” Composed by Thelonoius Monk; arranged by Gene Roland. Recorded by Gene Roland and His Swingin’ Friends for Brunswick on May 23-24, 1963 in New York. Gene Roland directing: Eugene “Snooky” Young, first trumpet; [..]
“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 [..]
“It Never Entered My Mind” Composed by Richard Rodgers (music) and Lorenz Hart (lyric); vocal arrangement by Gene Puerling. Recorded by the Oscar Peterson Trio and the Singers Unlimited in July of 1971 for MPS [..]
“The Pied Piper” Composed by Buddy Arnold and Jack Gould; arranged by Joe Lippman. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for Victor on June 8, 1938 in New York. Bunny Berigan, trumpet, directing: Steve [..]
“Ring Dem Bells” Composed by Duke Ellington; arranged by Johnny Watson. Recorded by Jan Savitt and HisTop Hatters live from a broadcast from the Blue Room of Hotel Lincoln in New York City on August [..]
“Norfolk Ferry” Composed by Erskine Hawkins; arranged by Sammy Lowe. Recorded by Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra on November 10, 1940 in New York. Erskine Hawkins, trumpet, directing: Sammy Lowe, first trumpet; Wilbur “Dud” Bascomb, [..]
“Hay Burner” Composed and arranged by Sammy Nestico. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Dot on September 3-4, 1968 in Hollywood, California. Sammy Nestico, piano, directing: Gene Coe, first trumpet; George “Sonny” Cohn, [..]
“Arab Dance” Composed by Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky; arranged by Gil Evans. Recorded by Claude Thornhill and His Orchestra for Columbia on July 17, 1946 in New York. Claude Thornhill, piano, directing: Louis Mucci, first trumpet; [..]
“Something to Live For” Composed and arranged by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Ella Fitzgerald with Duke Ellington and His Orchestra on December 20, 1965 in Hollywood, California. Ella Fitzgerald, vocal; with Duke Ellington, directing: William [..]
“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, [..]
“Gypsy Without a Song” Composed by Duke Ellington, Juan Tizol and Lou Singer; arranged by Lou Singer. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Master/Brunswick on June 20, 1938 in New York. Duke Ellington, [..]
“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 [..]
“Dancing Nitely” Composed and arranged by Bill Holman. Recorded by Maynard Ferguson and His Orchestra for EmArcy Records on November 10, 1955 in Los Angeles. Maynard Ferguson, first and solo trumpet, directing: Buddy Childers and [..]
“My Funny Valentine” Composed by Richard Rodgers (music) and Lorenz Hart (lyric). Privately recorded by the Artie Shaw Gramercy Five in Hollywood in June of 1954. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Hank Jones, piano; Joe Puma, [..]
“Easy Does It” Composed by Sy Oliver and James “Trummy” Young; arranged by Jimmy Mundy. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Columbia on March 20, 1940 in New York. William J. “Count” Basie, [..]
“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” [..]
“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 [..]
“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, [..]
“New Blues” Composed and arranged by Donall Piestrup. Recorded by the Buddy Rich Big Band on June 15, 1967 for Pacific Jazz/Liberty in Hollywood. Buddy Rich, drums, directing: Ollie Mitchell, Chuck Finley, John Scottile and [..]
“Invitation” Composed by Bronislaw Kaper; arranged by Walt Stuart. Recorded by Buddy Morrow and His Orchestra in New York in 1963. The Story: Bronislaw Kaper (shown at left in the 1950s) was born on February 5, 1902 [..]
“Malibu” Composed and arranged by Benny Carter. Recorded by Benny Carter and His Orchestra for Capitol on April 9, 1945 in Los Angeles. Benny Carter, alto saxophone, directing: Paul Cohen, first trumpet; Gerald Wilson, Emmett [..]
“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 [..]
“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 [..]
“Detour Ahead” Composed by Johnny Frigo, Lou Carter and Herb Ellis. (* see below). Recorded by Ella Fitzgerald with Herb Ellis, guitar, on March 25, 1959 for Verve in Hollywood. The story: By the time [..]
“Remember” Composed by Irving Berlin; arranged by Eddie Sauter. Recorded by Red Norvo and His Orchestra for Brunswick on March 22, 1937 in Chicago. Kenneth “Red” [..]
“Blues for Francine” Composed and arranged by Ralph Burns. Recorded by Ralph Burns at Group IV Recording, Hollywood, California in February of 1987. Ralph Burns, piano, conducting: Rick Baptist, first trumpet; Oscar Brashear, Gary Grant, [..]
“Rocks in My Bed” Composed by Duke Ellington; arranged by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on September 29, 1941 in Hollywood, California. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: [..]