Where Swing is King!
“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 [..]
“Tin Roof Blues” Composed by Paul Mares, Ben Pollack, Mel Stitzel, George Brunies and Leon Roppolo; arranged by Deane Kincaide. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor on October 31, 1938 in New [..]
“It’s All Yours” Composed by Dorothy Fields and Arthur Schwartz; arranged by Paul Wetstein (Weston). Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor on January 19, 1939 in New York. Tommy Dorsey, first and [..]
“Yes Indeed!” Composed and arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor on February 17, 1941 in New York. Tommy Dorsey, first and solo trombone, directing: Ziggy Elman, first [..]
“Polka Dots and Moonbeams” Composed by Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Johnny Burke (lyric); arranged by Axel Stordahl. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for RCA- Bluebird on March 4, 1940 in New York. [..]
“Well, Git It” Composed and arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor on March 9, 1942 in Hollywood, California. Tommy Dorsey, trombone, directing: Ziggy Elman, Chuck Peterson, Jimmy Blake, [..]
“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 [..]
“Swanee River” Composed by Stephen Foster; arranged by Sy Oliver. Recorded by Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra for Decca on September 23, 1935 in New York. Jimmie Lunceford, directing: Eddie Tompkins, Paul Webster and Sy [..]
The story: In this, the second installment of our salute to arranger Bill Finegan, we present two different Finegan arrangements on two separate melodies, done at two different times for two different bandleaders. Nevertheless, there [..]
The story: This post is not about James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake. Rather, it is a look back at the musical heritage that master swing era (and later) arranger Bill Finegan has left us. William James Finegan [..]
This is the third and final part of swingandbeyond’s centenary tribute to drum legend Buddy Rich, who was born on September 30, 1917. The story: Buddy Rich reached the acme of his career as a [..]
“Everything Happens to Me” Composed by Matt Dennis and Tom Adair; arranged by Axel Stordahl. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra for Victor on February 7, 1941 in New York. Thomas Francis Dorsey, Jr., [..]
“Hallelujah!” Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra from a radio broadcast live over the NBC radio network, June 1, 1940 Astor (Hotel) Roof, New York City. Composed by Vincent Youmans; Arranged by Sy Oliver. [..]
With the approach the High Holidays of the Jewish faith each year, I think of the pioneering jazz tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman. Although Bud was Jewish, I think it accurate to describe him as a [..]