Where Swing is King!
“Lover’s Leap” Composed and arranged by Bob Higgins. Recorded by Les Brown and His Orchestra for Columbia on February 25, 1946 in New York. Les Brown, directing: Al Muller, Bob Higgins, Don Jacoby and Jimmy [..]
“Skyliner” Composed by Charlie Barnet; arranged by Billy Moore. Recorded by Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra for Decca on August 3, 1944 in Los Angeles. Charlie Barnet, soprano and tenor saxophones; directing: Jack Mootz, first [..]
“Honeysuckle Rose” Composed by Thomas “Fats” Waller; arranged by Fletcher Henderson. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Columbia on November 22, 1939 in New York. Benny Goodman, clarinet, directing: Ziggy Elman, first and [..]
“Boogie Blues” Composed and arranged by Gene Krupa and Remo “Ray” Biondi. The lyric is a traditional blues. Recorded by Gene Krupa and His Orchestra for Columbia on August 21, 1945 in New York. Gene [..]
“Boogie Woogie Maxixe” Composed by Gil Rodin; arranged by Julian “Matty” Matlock. Recorded by Bob Crosby and His Orchestra for Decca on August 29, 1939 in New York. Matty Matlock, clarinet, directing: Billy Butterfield, first [..]
“I’ve Heard That Song Before” Composed by Jule Styne (music) and Sammy Cahn (lyric); arranged by Dave Matthews. Recorded by Harry James and His Orchestra for Columbia on July 31, 1942 in Hollywood. Harry James, [..]
“Happy-Go-Lucky Local” Composed and arranged by Duke Ellington. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Musicraft on November 25, 1946 in New York. Edward K. “Duke” Ellington, piano, directing: Shelton “Scad” Hemphill and Francis [..]
“Concerto to End All Concertos” Composed and arranged by Stan Kenton. Recorded by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra on July 26, 1946 for Capitol in Los Angeles. Stanley N. Kenton, piano, directing: Marion “Buddy” Childers, [..]
“It’s Sand, Man” Composed by Edward A. Lewis; arranged by Wilbur “Buck” Clayton. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Columbia on July 27, 1942 in Los Angeles. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, directing: [..]
“Steppin’ Pretty” Composed and arranged by Mary Lou Williams. Recorded by Andy Kirk and His Twelve Clouds of Joy for Decca on March 2, 1936 in New York. Andy Kirk, directing: Harry Lawson, first trumpet; [..]
“Twilight Time” Composed by Buck Ram (lyric), Morty and Al Nevins and Artie Dunn (music); arranged by Frank Comstock. Recorded by Les Brown and His Orchestra for Columbia on November 20, 1944 in New York. [..]
“Four Brothers” Composed and arranged by Jimmy Giuffre. Recorded by Woody Herman and His Orchestra for Columbia on December 27, 1947 in Hollywood. Woody Herman, clarinet, directing: Stan Fishelson or Bernie Glow (Glotzer), first trumpet; [..]
“In the Mood” Composed by Joe Garland; arranged by Glenn Miller, with input from Eddie Durham and Chummy MacGregor. Recorded live in performance from a CBS Chesterfield radio show by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra [..]
“Annie Laurie” Composed by Lady John Scott; arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra for Decca on November 5, 1937 in New York. Jimmie Lunceford, directing: Eddie Tompkins, first trumpet; Paul [..]
“Ingie Speaks” Composed and arranged by Dave Matthews. Recorded by Woody Herman and His Orchestra for Decca on March 29, 1944 in New York.(*) Woody Herman, clarinet, directing: Ray Wetzel, first trumpet; Neal Hefti, Bobby [..]
“Luck Be a Lady” Composed by Frank Loesser; arranged by Billy May. Recorded by Frank Sinatra for Reprise on July 25, 1963 in Los Angeles. Frank Sinatra, singing; with Billy May, directing the orchestra (approximate [..]
“Southern Scandal” Composed and arranged by Stan Kenton. Recorded by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra for Capitol on May 4, 1945 in Chicago. Stan Kenton, piano, directing: Buddy Childers, John Carroll, Mel Green, Gene Roland [..]
“Pavanne” Composed by Morton Gould; arranged by Bill Finegan and Glenn Miller. Recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra for Bluebird on April 18, 1939 in New York. Glenn Miller, first and solo trombone, directing: [..]
“My Reverie” Composed by Claude Debussy; lyric by Larry Clinton. Recorded by Larry Clinton and His Orchestra for Victor on July 16, 1938 in New York. Larry Clinton, directing: Walter Smith, Ricky Traettino and [..]
“Over the Rainbow” Composed by Harold Arlen, music; and E.Y. Harburg, lyric. Arranged by Billy May. Recorded by Ella Fitzgerald on January 15, 1961 for Verve in Hollywood. Billy May, arranger, directing: Don Fagerquist, trumpet; [..]
“Walkin’ and Swingin’” Composed and arranged by Mary Lou Williams. Recorded by Andy Kirk and His Twelve Clouds of Joy for Decca on March 2, 1936 in New York. Andy Kirk, directing: Harry “Big Jim” [..]
“You’re a Sweetheart” Composed by Jimmy McHugh (music) and Harold Adamson (lyric); Head arrangement by Tommy Dorsey. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Clambake Seven for Victor on October 14, 1937 in New York. Tommy [..]
“Margie” Composed by Con Conrad and J. Russell Robinson (music), Benny Davis (lyric); arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra for Decca on January 6, 1938 in New York. Jimmie Lunceford, [..]
“Autumn Serenade” Composed by Peter De Rose; arranged by Billy May. Recorded by Harry James and His Orchestra for Columbia on July 24,1945 in Hollywood. Harry James, trumpet, directing: Jimmy Campbell, Irwin Berken, Al Ramsey, [..]
“Poinciana” Composed by Nat Simon (music) and Buddy Bernier (lyric); arranged by Frank Comstock. Recorded by Benny Carter and His Orchestra for Capitol on October 25, 1943 in San Francisco, California. Bennett Lester “Benny” Carter, [..]
“Bakiff” Composed by Juan Tizol; arranged by Duke Ellington. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra on June 5, 1941 for Victor in Hollywood. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: Wallace Jones trumpet; Rex Stewart, cornet; Juan [..]
“Anitra’s Dance” Composed by Edvard Grieg; arranged by Charlie Shavers. Recorded by the John Kirby Sextet for Vocalion/Columbia on May 19, 1939 in New York. John Kirby, bass, directing: Charlie Shavers, trumpet; William “Buster” Bailey, [..]
“Plymouth Rock” Composed and arranged (*) by Neal Hefti. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Clef on August 13, 1953 in Los Angeles. William J. “Count” Basie, piano, directing: Reunald Jones, Wendell Culley, [..]
“Boulder Buff” Composed Eugene Novello; arranged by Fred Norman. Recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra for RCA/Bluebird on May 7,1941 in Hollywood. Glenn Miller, trombone, directing: John Best first trumpet; R.D. McMickle, Ray Anthony [..]
“The Sergeant Was Shy” Composed and arranged by Duke Ellington. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra on August 28, 1939 for Columbia in New York. (# See note below.) Duke Ellington, piano, directing: Wallace [..]