Where Swing is King!
“A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing” Composed and arranged by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Billy Strayhorn for United Artists Records in Paris, France in January of 1961. Billy Strayhorn, piano, directing: Michel Gaudry, bass; and [..]
“Slaughter on Tenth Avenue” Composed by Richard Rodgers; probably arranged by Charlie Albertine. Recorded by Les Elgart and His Orchestra for Columbia on August 30, 1960 in New York. Personnel unknown. Les Elgart on trumpet. [..]
“Big Beaver” Composed by Bob Wills; probably arranged by Billy Moore. Recorded by Jan Savitt and His Top Hatters for Decca on February 27, 1941 in New York. Jan Savitt, directing: Jack Hanson, first trumpet; [..]
“Blues” from Lenox Avenue Composed and arranged by William Grant Still. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for Victor on December 4, 1940 in Hollywood. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Billy Butterfield, George “Jumbo” Wendt and [..]
“High on a Windy Trumpet” Composed and arranged by Bob Higgins. Recorded by Les Brown and His Orchestra for Columbia on March 27, 1946 in New York. Les Brown, conducting: Al Muller, Jimmy Zito, [..]
“Guess I’ll Go Back Home (This Summer)” Composed by Willard Robison (music) and Ray Mayer (lyric); arranged by Bill Challis. Recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra for RCA Bluebird on June 2, 1939 in [..]
“The Blues I Like to Hear” Music composed by Henry “Buster” Smith, lyric by Jimmy Rushing; arranged by Buster Smith. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Decca on November 16, 1938 in New [..]
“I’ll Never Be the Same” Composed by Matty Malneck and Frank Signorelli; arranged by Johnny Keating. Recorded by Ted Heath and His Music in London for Decca on April 26, 1957. Ted Heath, directing: Bobby [..]
“April” Composed and arranged by Al Cohn. Recorded by Larry Elgart and His Orchestra for RCA Victor Records in April of 1959 in New York. Larry Elgart, alto saxophone; other musicians unknown. (*) The story: [..]
“Rose Room” Composed by Art Hickman; arranged by Artie Shaw. Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for Bluebird on January 31, 1939 in New York. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: John Best, first trumpet; Chuck [..]
“Manhattan Serenade” Composed by Louis Alter (music) and Harold Adamson (lyric); arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor in New York on July 2, 1942. Tommy Dorsey, first and [..]
“The House of the Rising Sun” Composed by Alan Price; arranged by Henry Mancini. Recorded by Henry Mancini and His Orchestra for RCA Victor on February 28, 1966 in Hollywood. Henry Mancini, directing: Al [..]
“I’m Just a Lucky So-and-So” Composed by Duke Ellington (music) and Mack David (lyric); arranged by Duke Ellington. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on November 26, 1945 in New York. Duke [..]
“Tippin’ In” Composed and arranged by Bobby Smith. Recorded by Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra for Victor on January 10, 1945 in Chicago. Erskine Hawkins, trumpet, directing: Sammy Lowe, first trumpet; Bobby Johnson, Chuck Jones, [..]
“Opus in Pastels” Composed and arranged by Stan Kenton. Recorded by Stanley Kenton and His Orchestra for C.P. MacGregor Transcription Service, Hollywood, CA, October 10, 1941. Stanley Kenton, piano, directing: Jack Ordean, first alto [..]
“Clementine” Composed and arranged by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on July 2, 1941 in Hollywood. Duke Ellington, piano; directing: Wallace Jones and Ray Nance, trumpets; Rex Stewart, cornet; [..]
“Mahogany Hall Stomp” Composed by Spencer Williams. Recorded by Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra for Okeh on March 5, 1929 in New York. Louis Armstrong, trumpet, directing: J.C.Higginbotham, trombone; Albert Nicholas and Charlie Holmes, alto [..]
“And the Angels Sing” Composed by Ziggy Elman (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyric); arranged by Abe Osser. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Victor on February 1, 1939 in New York. Benny Goodman, [..]
“Happy Days Are Here Again” Composed by Milton Ager (music) and Jack Yellin (lyric); arranged by George “The Fox” Williams. Recorded by Barbra Streisand for Columbia Records in October of 1962 in New York. The [..]
“St. James Infirmary” Composed by Joe Primrose; arranger unknown (*) Recorded by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra for Victor on November 12, 1941 in New York. Artie Shaw, clarinet, directing: Steve Lipkins, first trumpet; [..]
“Green Goon Jive” Composed by Jan Savitt; arranged by Billy Moore. Recorded by Jan Savitt and His Top Hatters for Decca on January 3, 1941 in New York. Jan Savitt, directing: Jack Hansen, first trumpet; [..]
“‘T’Aint So Honey, ‘T’Aint So” Composed by Willard Robison; arranger unknown, possibly Dick Rose. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for Thesaurus Transcription Service on August 8-9, 1938 in New York. Bunny Berigan, first [..]
“Naked City” Composed by Raymond Scott; arranged by Wayne Barker and Will Holshouser. Recorded by the Raymond Scott Orchestrette for Evolver in April 2002 in New York. Wayne Barker, piano, melodica and Farfisa; Brian Dewan, [..]
“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, [..]
“The Commando’s Serenade” Composed and arranged by Dave Matthews. Recorded by Hal McIntyre and His Orchestra for World Transcriptions on or about April 1, 1942 in New York. Hal McIntrye, first alto saxophone, directing: Louis [..]
“(How I’ll Miss You) When Summer is Gone” Composed by Hal Kemp; arranged by Billy Maxted. Recorded by Billy Maxted and His Manhattan Jazz Band for Liberty in 1967. Billy Maxted, piano, directing: Bob [..]
“Basin Street Blues” Composed by Spencer Williams; arranged by Glenn Miller. Recorded by Benny Goodman (as “The Charleston Chasers” under direction of Bennie Goodman) for Columbia on February 9, 1931 in New York. Benny Goodman, [..]
“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, [..]
“Cheek to Cheek” Composed by Irving Berlin; arranged by Bill Finegan. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Decca on August 14, 1953 in Hollywood, California. Tommy Dorsey, first trombone, directing: Paul Cohen, first [..]
“The Earl” Composed and arranged by Mel Powell. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Columbia-Okeh on September 25, 1941 in New York. Benjamin D. “Benny” Goodman, clarinet, directing: Billy Butterfield, first trumpet; Cootie [..]