Where Swing is King!
“The Duke’s Idea” Composed by Charlie Barnet; head arrangement by Barnet and his band. Recorded by Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra for Bluebird on September 10, 1939 in Hollywood. Charlie Barnet, alto saxophone, directing: John [..]
“Belgrade Hangover” Composed and arranged by Frank Mantooth. Recorded by the Ashley Alexander Big Band for Pausa Records in Hollywood, California in 1985. Ashley Alexander, euphonium, directing: Jim Linahon, John Harbaugh, Tom Gause, John Thomas [..]
“What Am I Here For” Composed and arranged by Duke Ellington. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for Victor on February 26,1942 in New York. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: Wallace Jones, first trumpet; Ray [..]
“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 [..]
“Christmas Time is Here” Composed by Vince Guaraldi. Recorded in 1965 by the Vince Guaraldi Trio for Fantasy Records in San Francisco, California. Vince Guaraldi, piano; Fred Marshall, bass; Jerry Granelli, drums. The story: Elsewhere [..]
“Moonlight Sonata” Composed by Ludwig von Beethoven; arranged by Bill Finegan. Recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra for RCA Bluebird on November 24,1941 in New York. Glenn Miller, first trombone; directing: R.D. McMickle, first [..]
“Taxi War Dance” Composed by Count Basie and Lester Young; head arrangement organized by Count Basie. Recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra for Columbia-Vocalion on March 19, 1939 in New York. William J. “Count” [..]
“I’ll Be Around” Composed by Alec Wilder; arranged by Dick Hyman. Recorded by Tony Bennett for Columbia on November 6, 1963 in New York. An orchestra consisting of a string quartet and perhaps three trumpets [..]
“Theme from Exodus” Composed by Ernest Gold; arranged by Sid Feller. Recorded by Bernie Lowe and His Orchestra for Cameo in early 1962 in Bayside, Queens, New York. Personnel unknown. However, I will go out [..]
“Blue Prelude” Composed and arranged by Joe Bishop. Recorded by Isham Jones and His Orchestra for Victor on April 6,1933 in New York. Isham Jones, directing: Johnny Carlson, first trumpet; George Thow and Joe Hostetler, [..]
“Blood Count” Composed and arranged by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra for RCA Victor on August 28, 1967 in New York. Duke Ellington, piano, directing: Herbie Jones, William “Cat” Anderson, Mercer [..]
“La Fiesta” Composed by Armando “Chick” Corea; arranged by Tony Klatka. Recorded by Woody Herman and His Thundering Herd for Prestige on April 9, 1973 in New York. Woody Herman, soprano saxophone, directing: Larry Pyatt, [..]
“Jivin’ with Jarvis” Composed by Lionel Hampton; informal “head” arrangement. Recorded by Lionel Hampton for Victor on July 17, 1940 in Hollywood. Lionel Hampton, vibraphone, directing: Nat “King” Cole, piano; Oscar Moore, electric guitar; Wesley [..]
“Dragonwyck” Composed and arranged by Gene Roland. Recorded by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra for Capitol on December 13, 1961 in Hollywood. Stan Kenton, piano, directing: Dalton Smith, first trumpet; Bob Behrendt, Bob Rolfe, Norman [..]
“One Sweet Letter from You” Composed by Harry Warren (music), Sidney Clare and Lew Brown (lyric); arranged by Fletcher Henderson. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Columbia on September 13, 1939 in New [..]
“Night and Day” Composed by Cole Porter; informal head arrangement by Charlie Barnet and his band. Recorded by Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra for RCA Bluebird on September 17,1940 in New York. Charlie Barnet, tenor [..]
“Goin’ Home” Composed by Antonin Dvorak; arranged by Jerry Gray. Recorded live in performance by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra on a CBS Chesterfield broadcast on December 18, 1940 in New York. Glenn Miller, first [..]
“Then I’ll Be Happy” Composed by Cliff Friend; arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for RCA Victor in New York on April 8, 1946. Tommy Dorsey, first and solo trombone, [..]
“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 [..]