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A Birth of Jazz

A VF History of Music & Recording

Swing Era 1

Big Bands

Group & Last Name Index to Full History:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

 

Tracks are listed in chronological order by year, then alphabetically.

Listings do not reflect proper order by month or day: later oft precedes earlier.

Find on Page = F3. Not on this page? See history tree below.

Alphabetical

Bert Ambrose    Ray Anthony    Georgie Auld
 
Charlie Barnet    Count Basie    Tex Beneke     Bunny Berigan    Chu Berry    Barney Bigard    Jimmy Blanton    Will Bradley    Les Brown
 
Blanche Calloway    Cab Calloway    Frankie Carle    Casa Loma Orchestra    Charlie Christian    Buck Clayton    Cozy Cole    Bob Crosby    Xavier Cugat
 
Putney Dandridge    Vic Dickenson    Jimmy Dorsey    Tommy Dorsey
Billy Eckstine    Roy Eldridge    Duke Ellington
 
Don Fagerquist    Roy Fox    Bud Freeman
 
Carroll Gibbons    Nat Gonella    Benny Goodman    Glen Gray    Freddie Green   Sonny Greer
 
Edmond Hall    Lionel Hampton    Phil Harris    Clyde Hart    Erskine Hawkins    Ted Heath    Horace Heidt    Woody Herman    Earl Hines    Johnny Hodges    Claude Hopkins
 
Harry James    Louis Jordan
 
Gene Krupa    Kay Kyser
 
Jimmie Lunceford
 
Joe Marsala    Billy May    Ray McKinley    Jay McShann    Glenn Miller    Lucky Millinder
 
Ray Nance    Ray Noble    Red Norvo
 
Hot Lips Page    Remo Palmier    Ben Pollack    Louis Prima
 
Allan Reuss    Buddy Rich
 
Artie Shaw    Charlie Spivak    The Squadronaires    Lew Stone
 
Art Tatum    Claude Thornhill
 
Chick Webb    Cootie Williams    Teddy Wilson
 
Lester Young

 

Chronological

Featured on this page loosely in order of first recording if not record release (as possible).

Names are alphabetical, not chronological, per year:

 

1920 Jimmie Lunceford
   
1923

Jimmy Dorsey    Tommy Dorsey    Earl Hines    Ben Pollack

1924 Duke Ellington    Roy Fox    Carroll Gibbons   Sonny Greer    Phil Harris
1925 Frankie Carle    Xavier Cugat    Lionel Hampton    Ted Heath
1926 Barney Bigard    Charlie Spivak    Blanche Calloway    Lew Stone
   
1927 Bud Freeman    Benny Goodman    Edmond Hall    Horace Heidt    Johnny Hodges    Claude Hopkins    Glenn Miller
1928 Bert Ambrose    Vic Dickenson    Gene Krupa    Kay Kyser    Ray Noble    Cootie Williams
1929 Count Basie     Les Brown    Casa Loma Orchestra    Glen Gray    Louis Jordan    Hot Lips Page    Chick Webb
1930 Bunny Berigan    Cab Calloway    Cozy Cole    Nat Gonella    Woody Herman    Buddy Rich    Artie Shaw
1931 Will Bradley    Phil Harris    Clyde Hart    Ray McKinley
   
1932 Chu Berry    Roy Eldridge    Red Norvo    Art Tatum    Teddy Wilson
1933 Charlie Barnet    Bob Crosby    Louis Prima    Claude Thornhill
1934 Lucky Millinder
1935 Putney Dandridge    Joe Marsala    Allan Reuss
1936 Erskine Hawkins    Harry James    Lester Young
1937 Georgie Auld   Buck Clayton   Freddie Green   Ray Nance
1938 Tex Beneke    Billy May
1939 Jimmy Blanton    Charlie Christian
1940 Ray Anthony    Billy Eckstine    The Squadronaires
1941 Jay McShann
1944 Don Fagerquist    Remo Palmier

 

  Caveats in the employment of this page: 1. It descends in chronological order by the year the artist or band is first found on a commercial record issue (ideally) by year only, alphabetical thereat. One musician above another doesn't necessarily translate to earlier issue unless the year changed. 2. Though release dates are the aim with links to YouTube, some are recording dates and may not be everywhere clearly distinguished. 3. Reissues are used to represent originals without much discussion.
 
  Nice online sources for early jazz including swing are history and theory at Jazz Standards, and the Great American Songbook at 1, 2, 3. Timelines at Jazz In America and All About Jazz. If what you're seeking isn't on this page it might be found on any of the other jazz pages. Early jazz musicians preceding but extending into swing such as Andy Kirk, Ben Moten, Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong, etc., are listed in Early Jazz 1. Other swing musicians such as Big Sid Catlett, Papa Jo Jones, Coleman Hawkins, Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli, Sweets Edison, Julian Dash, etc., are found on other jazz pages. Other early jazz musicians who led large bands and/or performed swing jazz include Louis Armstrong, Gus Arnheim, Benny Carter, Jan Garber, Roger Wolfe Kahn, Hal Kemp, Stan Kenton, Guy Lombardo, Abe Lyman, Wingy Manone, Don Redman, Muggsy Spanier, Jack Teagarden, Fred Waring and Anson Weeks. This page includes dance (sweet jazz) orchestras. Sessions this page are largely Lord's Disco. References to the Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR 1, 2) and Red Hot Jazz (RHJ 1, 2, 3) also point to sessions. See also Walter Bruyninckx' [1, 2, 3] '85 Years of Recorded Jazz 1917-2002 A-Z Complete' compared to Lord in 2011, Jørgen Grunnet Jepson, and Brian Rust 'Jazz and Ragtime Records 1897 – 1942' and 'Jazz Records 1917–1934'. Composers for this period at Songbook. A good source for lyrics for this period in jazz is Lyrics Playground. Ditto songwriting credits at Cafe Songbook, Jazz Standards, Songfacts and Second Hand Songs. Other big bands in Boogie Woogie.

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Jimmie Lunceford

Jimmie Lunceford

Source: Preston Lauterbach

Born in 1902 in Fulton, Mississippi, bandleader Jimmie Lunceford, alto sax, grew up in Denver where he studied music under Paul Whiteman's father, Wilberforce J. Whiteman. Upon graduating from high school he attended Fisk University in Nashville. He had already been working professionally with the George Morrison Orchestra, recording several unissued tracks in spring of 1920 for Columbia, one which was released (A2945): 'I Know Why' [Lord's]. Lunceford was an athletic instructor at Manassas High School in Memphis, Tennessee, when he put together an orchestra of students called the Chickasaw Syncopators in 1927. That band is said to have made one solitary recording, Lunceford out, in December 1927, but not until 1930 did it record to issue, those for Victor in Memphis, Tennessee, on June 6: 'In Dat Mornin'' and 'Sweet Rhythm'. With the Syncopators grown from a high school band into a professional operation, Lunceford changed its name to His Orchestra, though he would call it the Syncopators on future occasions. It was with His Orchestra that he next laid tracks on May 5, 1933, in NYC: 'Flaming Reeds and Screaming Brass' and 'While Love Lasts'. It was 1934 when Lunceford and his Orchestra began recording en force up to the time of Lunceford's death in '47. Among Lunceford's most important associations was arranger, Sy Oliver [1, 2], with whom he worked in the thirties. In 1937 Lunceford took his band to Europe. He died of cardiac arrest on 12 July 1947 in Seaside, Oregon, while signing autographs. It's thought, though not proven, that he was poisoned by a restaurant owner for having to serve a black person, as other members of his band became ill as well. Every recording Lunceford's band made from 1930 to 1949 (the last directed by Eddie Wilcox and Joe Thomas after Lunceford's death) is available in ten volumes as 'The Chronological Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra'. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Discographies: Chickasaw Syncopators: 1, 2, 3; Lunceford: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: 'The Jimmie Lunceford Collection 1930-47' by Fabulous 2014; Decca Jazz Heritage Series 1934-42: 1, 2, 3; Select Chronological Classics 1934-47: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Lunceford in visual media. Further reading: New York Times 1996. Other profiles: 1, 2. 'Ain't Gonna Study War No More' 1940 below is a black spiritual of unknown authorship preceding the Civil War, also known as 'Down by the Riverside' or 'Gonna Lay Down My Burden'. It didn't get published until 1918 in 'Plantation Melodies' [1, 2].

Jimmie Lunceford   1920

   I Know Why

      With the George Morrison Orchestra

      Composition:

      Benny Davis/Frank Warshauer/Jimmy Morgan

Jimmie Lunceford   1930

   Sweet Rhythm

      Composition: Edwin Wilcox

Jimmie Lunceford   1934

   Avalon

      Composition: Al Jolson/Vincent Rose

   Because You're You

      Composition:

      Jimmie Lunceford/Sy Oliver/Will Hudson

   Breakfast Ball

      Composition: Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler

   Here Goes

      Composition: Henry Wells

   Jazznocracy

      Composition: Will Hudson

   Leaving Me

      Composition:

      Fats Waller/Andy Razaf/Irving Mills

   Rain

      Composition:

      Arthur Swanstrom/Carey Morgan/Eugene Ford

   Star Dust

      Composition:

      Hoagy Carmichael/Mitchell Parish

   Rhythm Is Our Business

      Composition:

      Jimmie Lunceford/Sammy Cahn/Saul Chaplin

   Trummy Young

       Composition:

       Benny Davis/Con Conrad/Joseph Russel Robinson

   Unsophisticated Sue

       Composition:

       Andy Razaf/Harold Raymond/Nat Simon

Jimmie Lunceford   1936

   On the Beach at Bali-Bali

      Composition:

      Abner Silver/Al Sherman/Jack Meskill

Jimmie Lunceford   1937

   Annie Laurie

      Composition: Lady John Scott

Jimmie Lunceford   1939

   Baby Won't You Please Come Home

      Composition: Charles Warfield

      Possibly Clarence Williams

   Blue Blazes

      Composition: Sam Nowlin/Sy Oliver

   I Want the Waiter

      Composition: Kay & Sue Werner

   The Lonesome Road

      Composition: Gene Austin/Nathaniel Shilkret

   Sassin' the Boss

      Composition: Chick Adams/Larry Wagner

   Shoemakers Holiday

      Composition: Hugh MacKay

   White Heat

      Composition: Will Hudson

   You're Just a Dream

      Composition:

      Bulee Slim Gaillard/Green/Block

Jimmie Lunceford   1940

   I Ain't Gonna Study War No More

      With the Dandridge Sisters

      Composition: Traditional black spiritual

Jimmie Lunceford   1941

   Blues in the Night

      Composition: Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer

   Hi Spook

      Composition: Gerald Wilson

Jimmie Lunceford   1946

   Jay Gee

      Composition: Jimmie Lunceford

   Sit Back and Ree-Lax

      Composition: Edwin Wilcox

Jimmie Lunceford   1947

   Call the Police!

      Composition: Nat King Cole

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Jimmy Dorsey

Jimmy Dorsey

Source: Wikipedia

Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey were brothers who didn't always get along, but played together off and on over the years. Jimmy was almost two years older than Tommy, they born in February 1904 and November 1905 respectively. Jimmy (largely a clarinetist) and Tommy (mostly trombone) began their recordings careers in the Scranton Sirens Orchestra in May of 1923 in NYC: 'Three O'Clock in the Morning' and 'Fate' [Lord]. Those were for the Sirens label before they grooved tunes for Victor with the Jean Goldkette Orchestra, their first session on March 27, 1924: 'In the Evening', 'Where the Lazy Daises Grow', 'My Sweetheart' and 'It's the Blues'. Continuing with Goldkette, the Dorseys began recording apart from one another in latter 1924. They both began laying tracks with the Varsity Eight and the California Ramblers. Jimmy, having performed in the California Ramblers with Red Nichols, moved on to the Goofus Five with the same. (Goofus was bass saxophonist, Adrian Rollini, also a member of the Varsity Eight and the California Ramblers) Tommy recorded with Bix Beiderbecke and his Rhythm Jugglers in January of 1925. He would also join Nichols and Rollini in the Little Ramblers. The Dorseys began recording with the Sam Lanin Dance Orchestra together in June of 1925. They would both record with the Fred Rich Hotel Astor Orchestra, though on separate occasions, before Jimmy moved onward with Goldkette and Fred Rich, finding himself with Nichols again, now with the Red Heads, in latter 1926. Tommy would perform in the Vagabonds in latter '26, moving on to Ted Wallace and his Orchestra in January of '27, both with Rollini. Jimmy and Tommy would record with Lanin again before Jimmy would lay tracks with Frank Trumbauer, Red And Miff's Stompers, the Charleston Chasers (Red Nichols and Miff Mole), Red Nichios' Five Pennies, Miff Mole. the Six Hottentots (Red Nichols and Miff Mole) and Sophie Tucker. They would perform together in Paul Whiteman's orchestra as well, among others. 1928 found Jimmy continuing with Trumbauer and Whiteman as Tommy continued with the California Ramblers, the Varsity Eight, the Vagabonds and Lanin. The date was February 14, 1928 when the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra recorded their first releases for Okeh in NYC: 'Mary Ann' and 'Persian Rug'. Their second session on March 14, also for Okeh, wrought 'Coquette' with 'The Yale Blues'. Tommy's first issues as a leader apart from Jimmy were also in 1928 in NYC, yielding 'It's Right Here for You' and 'Tiger Rag' on November 8. Guitarist, Eddie Lang, was part of that ensemble. Jimmy's first session as a leader included Tommy on 13 May or June of 1929: 'Beebe' and 'Prayin' the Blues'. The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra was meanwhile becoming a pretty big deal in jazz, issuing a load of recordings into 1935. Their last session together with that band was in NYC on August 1, 1935, with Bobby Byrne on trombone [Lord]. A final session with Tommy out was held on September 11. The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra became Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra which held its initial session on 19 September 1935 with Kay Weber and Bob Eberly sharing vocals on 'A Picture of Me Without You'. Jimmy recorded prolifically with his orchestras until his death of throat cancer on June 12, 1957, having given his final show in Joplin, Missouri on 12 March 1957. He had employed vocalists such as Helen O'Connell and Kitty Kallen along his way to a highly prolific recording career of 1013 sessions as counted by Lord. Tommy held even more sessions than Jimmy overall at 1185 until his earlier death, choking while eating or sleeping, on November 26, 1956. For all the industry he'd put into his work, minus the expenses of touring w an orchestra he reportedly left his wife only $15,000. He had employed singers such as Frank Sinatra and Connee Boswell. After their falling out in 1935 Jimmy and Tommy met again in 1939 for an NBC radio broadcast of the 'Raleigh Kool Show' to perform 'Honeysucke Rose' with their combined orchestras [Lord]. Jimmy played trumpet in Tommy's band for 'Trumpet Contest' during a CBS radio broadcast from the Meadowbrook in Cedar Grove, NJ, on 14 February 1941 [Lord]. Lord has Tommy contributing trombone to 'Grand Central Getaway' during an AFRS radio broadcast from the Palladium in Hollywood on June 13, 1944. Tommy joined Jimmy again on June 21 for another AFRS broadcast from the Palladium. They both backed Eddie Condon at a radio broadcast from the Ritz Theatre in NYC on 24 Feb 1945. It was their combined orchestras again for 'Saturday Night' on a 'Spotlight Bands' radio broadcast from La Guardia Air Field in New York on 12 March 1945. They reunited in 1946 for the filming of 'The Fabulous Dorseys' [1, 2] premiering on 21 Feb 1947. They reunited again in 1954 for their television program produced by Jackie Gleason, 'Stage Show'. Elvis Presley made his first television appearance on 'Stage Show' on 28 Jan 1956 [1, 2, 3], an important date in the annals of the old meeting the new. Presley returned consecutively for five more shows. Upon Tommy's death his ghost band was led by Jimmy until his own death half a year later, whence trombonist/vocalist, Warren Covington, took over. Another ghost band was created in 1961 by Tino Barzie, Tommy's manager. In 1977 trombonist, Buddy Morrow, assumed leadership. The current Tommy Dorsey Orchestra directed by Terry Myers. The current Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra directed By David Pruyn: *. References for Jimmy Dorsey: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Sessions: DAHR, RHJ, Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: Jimmy on V-Disc. Jimmy in visual media. Further reading: Steven Cerra. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3 References for Tommy Dorsey: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Sessions: DAHR; Lord; RHJ; w Frank Sinatra: Albin; 1940: U of CO. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: Chronological Classics 1928-1935; 'The Complete Tommy Dorsey' 1935-1939 by Bluebird: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII; Tommy on V-Disc. Lyrics. Tommy in visual media. Further reading: John Cooper on Tommy's big bands; Peter Levinson on Tommy w Frank Sinatra; Joe Mosbrook on the Dance Caravan Tour of 1941; George Simon; Scott Yanow. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 The Dorsey Brothers: 1, 2, 3, 4. The briefly existing Dorsey Brothers Orchestra: sessions: DAHR, RHJ; discos: 1, 2. See also 'American Big Bands' by William Lee.

Jimmy & Tommy Dorsey   1923

  Fate

      Scranton Sirens Orchestra

      Composition: Byron Cage

      Thought the Dorsey's 2nd recording issued

 Three O'Clock in the Morning

      Scranton Sirens Orchestra

      Composition: Julián Robledo

      Thought the Dorsey's 1st recording issued

Jimmy & Tommy Dorsey   1924

  Where the Lazy Daises Grow

      Composition: Cliff Friend

     2nd track issued w the Jean Goldkette Orchestra

Jimmy Dorsey   1927

 Washboard Blues

      W the Arkansas Travellers

      Alto sax: Fred Morrow

      Trumpet: Red Nichols

      Trombone: Miff Mole

      Clarinet: Jimmy Dorsey

      Piano: Arthur Schutt

      Drums: Vic Berton

      Composition: Hoagy Carmichael/Irving Mills

Dorsey Brothers Orchestra   1928

  Mary Ann

       The Dorsey Orchestra's 1st recording issued

      Music: Abner Silver

      Lyrics: Benny Davis

  Persian Rug

       The Dorsey Orchestra's 2nd recording issued

      Composition: Cliff Friend

Tommy Dorsey   1928

  It's Right Here for You

      1st recording issued as a leader

      Composition: Perry Bradford

  Tiger Rag

      2nd recording issued as a leader

      Composition: ODJP:

      Nick LaRocca/Eddie Edwards

      Tony Sbarbaro/Henry Ragas

      Credited: Larry Shields

      Lyrics: Harry DeCosta

Jimmy & Tommy Dorsey   1929

  Beebe

       Jimmy's 1st recording issued as a leader

      Composition: Jimmy Dorsey

  Prayin' the Blues

       Jimmy's 2nd recording issued as a leader

      Composition: Jimmy Dorsey

Jimmy Dorsey   1935

  You Let Me Down

      Composition: Harry Warren/Al Dubin

Tommy Dorsey   1938

  Boogie Woogie

      Composition: Pinetop Smith

  Song of India

      Arrangement: Tommy Dorsey

Note: Dorsey arranged 'Song of India' from Rimsky-Korsakov's aria, 'Pesni︠a︡ indiĭskogo gosti︠a︡', in the 1898 opera, 'Sadko'.

  You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby

      With Edith Wright

      Music: Harry Warren   1938

      Lyrics: Johnny Mercer

Jimmy Dorsey   1940

  The Nearness of You

       Music: Hoagy Carmichael   1938

      Lyrics: Ned Washington

Tommy Dorsey   1944

  I Should Care

      Vocal: Bonnie Lou Williams

      Composition:

      Axel Stordahl

      Paul Weston

      Sammy Cahn

  On the Sunny Side of the Street

         Music: Jimmy McHugh   1930

      Lyrics: Dorothy Fields

 Opus One

      For the film 'Broadway Rhythm'

      Recorded June 1943

      premiere: 13 April 1944

Tommy Dorsey   1949

  Dry Bones

      Composition:

      James Weldon Johnson

Jimmy & Tommy Dorsey   1954

  You're My Everything

      Composition:

      Mort Dixon/Joe Young/Harry Warren

Jimmy Dorsey   1957

  So Rare

         Music: Jerry Herst   1937

      Lyrics: Jack Sharpe

 Sophisticated Swing

      Composition: Will Hudson/Mitchell Parish

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Tommy Dorsey

Tommy Dorsey

Source: Wikiwand

 

Born in 1903 in Pennsylvania, extraordinary pianist Earl "Fatha" Hines, first recorded per 'Falling' and 'Congaine' on October 23, 1923, with Lois Deppe's Serenaders at the Gennett studio in Richmond, IN. Hines had left home at age seventeen to play piano in Philadelphia at a nightclub called the Liederhaus with a band named the Symphonian Serenaders led by Lois Deppe. He was paid board, two meals a day and $15 per week. In 1925 he moved to Chicago to play at the Elite No. 2 Club and tour to Los Angeles with Carroll Dickerson's band. Upon his return he laid a couple unissued tracks with Kathryn Perry ('Mandy' and 'Sadie Green') in July of 1926 before recording with Johnny Dodds' Black Bottom Stompers in April of '27. That was fortuitous because Johnny was the brother of Baby Dodds, both of whom were partners of Louis Armstrong and Bud Scott, all of whom had first recorded together with Lil Armstrong and King Oliver in 1923. Also in Dodds's Black Bottom Stompers were Roy Palmer on trombone and Barney Bigard on trombone. Hines and Armstrong had met in 1926 in the pool room at the musician's union local #208, with whom he began playing at the Sunset Cafe. Following Dodds's Stompers came a session with Armstrong's Stompers on May 9 of '27. Hines found himself with Jimmie Noone and his Apex Club Orchestra in 1928, with whom he recorded 14 tracks that year, along with additional sides by Louis Armstrong adding up to 38 with the latter that year. Hines capped 1928 in December with a string of debut piano solo recordings in Long Island City for QRS and Okeh. Among fifteen from multiple sessions Red McKenzie is vocalist on four of them (Okeh). It was also 1928 that Hines began leading his own orchestra, at the Grand Terrace Cafe owned by Al Capone. His first issues as a bandleader are thought to have been from a session on February 13, 1929, yielding two takes of 'Sweet Ella May' and three of 'Everybody Loves My Baby'. With his orchestra to employ as many as 28 members, Hines began broadcasting nationally on radio from the Grand Terrace. Touring in the summers, the Grand Terrace closed in 1940, after which Hines took his band traveling year round. In 1943 the draft for World War II made it difficult for Hines to keep a band together, so he formed an all female orchestra. It was during that time in the early forties that Hines began seeding bebop, the first period of modern jazz often associated with sax man Charlie Parker and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, both of whom passed through Hines' orchestra. Between 1948 and 1951 Hines played with Louis Armstrong's All-Stars, after which he began touring again in 1954 with the Harlem Globetrotters (an exhibition basketball team). Things slowed down for Hines in the sixties, when he opened a tobacco shop, though he did tour much internationally. But the list of prominent musicians with whom Hines played and recorded in the seventies is nigh endless. Among Hines' notable performances were solos for Duke Ellington's funeral, the White House (twice) and the Pope. It is thought Hines last recorded in 1981 in São Paulo, Brazil: 'One O'clock Jump' among 13 titles on 'Fatha's Birthday' with Marva Josie and the 150 Band. He died on 22 April 1983 in Oakland, California. References encyclopedia: 1, 2, 3; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessions: DAHR, Lord, RHJ, RHJ. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: 'Louis Armstrong Vol IV: Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines' 1927-28 by CBS 1989; 'Classic Earl Hines Sessions: 1928-1945' by Mosaic 2012: 1, 2, 3; 'Chronological Classics' 1932-1954 in eleven volumes #514 to #1440; 'The Indispensable Earl Hines' Vol 1-6 1939-1966: 1, 2, 3. Criticism: 'Rosetta' composed by Hines in 1933. Biblio: 'The World of Earl Hines' by Stanley Dance (Charles Scribner's Sons 1977). Other profiles: *.

Earl Hines   1923

  Congaine

      With Lois Deppe

      Composition: Hines

Earl Hines   1928

  I Ain't Got Nobody

      Composition:

      Roger Graham/Spencer Williams

Earl Hines   1929

  Glad Rag Doll

      Composition:

      Dan Dougherty/Jack Yellen/Milton Ager

Earl Hines   1932

  Blue Drag

      Composition: Josef Myrow

Earl Hines   1934

  Angry

      Composition:

      Dudley Mecum/Jules Cassard

      Composition: Josef Myrow

  Rock and Rye

      Composition: Hines

  That's a Plenty

      Composition: Lew Pollack   1914

      (No relation to Ben Pollack)

Earl Hines   1938

  Please Be Kind

      Vocals: Ida James

      Music: Saul Chaplin   1938

      Lyrics: Sammy Cahn

Earl Hines   1939

  Rosetta

      Music: Hines

      Lyrics: Henri Woode

  XYZ

      Composition: Albert Johnson/Hines

Earl Hines   1940

  Boogie Woogie on St. Louis Blues

      Composition: WC Handy

Earl Hines   1942

  Stormy Monday Blues

      Composition:

      Hines/Billy Eckstine/Bob Crowder

Earl Hines   1963

  Squeeze Me

      Composition:

      Clarence Williams/Fats Waller

Earl Hines   1964

  Louise

      Composition: Richard Whiting

Earl Hines   1965

  All of Me

      Duet with Teddy Wilson

      Composition:

      Gerald Marks/Seymour Simons 1931

  Blues in Thirds

      Composition: Hines

  Lover Come Back to Me

      Composition:

      Sigmund Romberg/Oscar Hammerstein II

  Memories of You

      Composition: Eubie Blake/Andy Razaf

Earl Hines   1976

  Boogie Woogie on St. Louis Blues

      Filmed live   Wolf Trap Park Jazz Festival

      Composition: WC Handy

  Deed I Do

      Filmed live   Wolf Trap Park Jazz Festival

      Composition: Fred Rose/Walter Hirsch

  La Grande Parade du Jazz

      Concert filmed live

  Live in Bercelona

      Concert filmed live

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Earl Hines

Earl Hines

Source: Draai om je oren

 

Born in Chicago in 1903, drummer Ben Pollack began his career large with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, his first recordings with that outfit on March 21, 1923, in Richmond, IN, 'Weary Blues'/'Wolverine Blues' (Gennett 5102) among them. Three more full sessions with NORK followed to July before Pollack formed his own band called the Californians and made a test recording, probably for Golden Records in Los Angeles, in the summer of 1924. His next recordings with the Californians went unissued as well, on September 14, 1926, in Chicago. Pollack's first releases as a leader were recorded December 9, 1926, yielding 'When I first Met Mary' on Victor 20394 (vocal: Joey Ray) and 'Deed I Do' on Victor 20408 (vocal: Pollack). Those were also the first issues for Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller who were in Pollack's band. Popular during the period when jazz bands were expanding into swing orchestras, Pollack is regarded by some as the Father of Swing for his early hiring of names that became big to the period including Jimmy McPartland and Jack Teagarden. He took his band from Chicago to New York in 1928, but the Depression years found him touring the Midwest and Canada, albeit still in business and recording prolifically throughout throughout those years. Of note in 1937 were titles released with both the Rhythm Wreckers and Connie Boswell. In 1943 he performed in the Bob Crosby Orchestra in the film, 'Presenting Lily Mars'. In addition to music Pollack was a businessman. He had his own record label called Jewel (not to be confused with the ARC label) from 1945 to 1947. He worked in several other films from 1951 to 1956. From the latter fifties into the early sixties Pollack ran the Pick-a-Rib restaurant at 8250 Sunset Blvd (Sunset Strip) where he led a Dixieland band. This became the Body Shop strip club when Pollack sold the place to ramrod a Dixieland band at the Knickerbocker Hotel at 1714 N. Ivar Ave in Hollywood in 1963. In 1965 he and his sister, Esther, opened the Easy North Street bar at 2777 N. Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. Six years later he hung himself by belt from a shower curtain rod in Palm Springs on 7 June 1971. Leaving a note mentioning financial and personal troubles, his death certificate listed his occupation as owner of the Easy North Street. References 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessionographies: Lord's, RHJ. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4. Pollack in visual media. Further reading: 1 2, 3. Each 1923 title below is from Pollack's first session with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings.

Ben Pollack   1923

   Sweet Lovin' Man

      Composition: Lil Hardin/Walter Melrose

   That's a Plenty

      Music: Lew Pollack   1914

      Lyrics: Ray Gilbert

   Weary Blues

      Composition: Artie Matthews

Ben Pollack   1927

   Deed I Do

      Clarinet: Benny Goodman

      2nd recording issued as a leader

      Composition: Walter Hirsch/Fred Rose

   It's Tight Like That

      Clarinet: Benny Goodman

Memphis Blues

      Composition: WC Handy

   Waitin' for Katie

      Composition: Ted Shapiro/Gus Kahn

Ben Pollack   1928

   Sweet Sue-Just You

      Composition: Victor Young/Will J. Harris

   Whoopee Stomp

      Composition: Terry/Mills

Ben Pollack   1929

   Bashful Baby

      Composition: Cliff Friend/Abner Silver

   California Echoes

      Live

   Louise

      With Smith Ballew

      Music: Richard Whiting

      Lyrics: Leo Robin

   My Kind of Love

       Live

      Composition: Louis Alter/Jo Trent   1929

   On with the Dance!

   Song of the Islands

       Live

      Composition: Charles Kin

   Sweetheart We Need Each Other

      Composition: Joseph McCarthy/Harry Tierney

   True Blue Lou

      Composition:

      Leo Robin/Sam Coslow/Richard Whiting

Ben Pollack   1931

   Sing Song Girl

      Music: James Hanley (James Frederick)

      Lyrics: Joseph McCarthy

      Published 1930

Ben Pollack   1934

   The Beat of My Heart

      Composition: Harry Revel/Mack Gordon

Ben Pollack   1936

   Deep Elm

      Composition: William Clay/Willard Robison

Ben Pollack   1937

   Alice Blue Gown

      Composition:

      Joseph McCarthy/Harry Tierney

      First performance: Edith Day   1919

Ben Pollack   1951

   Gonna Stomp Mr. Henry Lee

      Composition:

      Eddie Condon/Pete Kelly

      George Rubens/Jack Teagarden

 

Birth of Jazz: Ben Pollack

Ben Pollack

Photo: 1955 film 'The Benny Goodman Story'

Source: Harlem National Jazz Museum

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington

Source: Pre-Party

Born in 1899 in Washington D.C., seriously talented pianist and big band leader Duke Ellington is another early example of a major swing musician thought good enough to entertain white America, but not to eat in its dining rooms or sleep in its hotels. Ellington was father to trumpeter and bandleader, Mercer Ellington [1919-1996/ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. He married a girl named Edna in 1918 who remained with him until his death. The Duke had been a sign painter before beginning his recording career in 1924 in NYC with Wilbur Sweatman and his Acme Syncopators, two unissued titles of 'Battleship Kate' and 'She Loves Me'. Ellington's first to go to issue may have been the same year, same titles recorded a month later. Ellington more certainly backed vocalist, Florence Bristol, before his debut recordings as a leader with his Washingtonians in November of '24. That operation was composed of Bubber Miley (trumpet), Charlie Irvis (trombone), Otto Hardwick (alto sax), George Francis (banjo) and Sonny Greer (drums) recording two tracks each of 'Choo Choo' and 'Rainy Nights'. Those were followed by sessions with Greer, Alberta Pryme ('Parlor Social De Luxe') and Jo Trent ('Deacon Jazz'), all for the Blu-Disc label. Irving Mills, also a music publisher, became Ellington's agent from 1925 to 1939, replaced by the William Morris Agency. Ellington had taken up residency at the Cotton Club in latter 1927. He would run all manner of bands by various names throughout his career, maintaining his flagship Washingtonians only to 1929, their last session before their retirement yielding 'Doin' the Voom Voom', 'Flaming Youth' and 'Saturday Night Function'. Ellington followed that with another session with his Jungle Band with which he'd already recorded on a few prior occasions in '29. Ellington appeared in his first film, 'Black and Tan', in 1929. Among his major credits is the hiring of pianist, Billy Strayhorn [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8], in 1939 (whom he had met the year before) to arrange, compose and otherwise collaborate until Strayhorn's death of cancer in 1967. Strayhorn's first composition for Ellington was 'Something to Live For' in 1939. A few of the tracks below were either composed by Strayhorn (including 'Take the 'A' Train', first recorded in 1939) or in collaboration with Ellington. A few of the more important musicians to pass through Ellington's numerous orchestras were bassist Jimmy Blanton, sax men Johnny Hodges and Ben Webster, Cootie Williams, Ray Nance and pianist Mary Lou Williams (as an arranger). A few of the vocalists he employed were Herb Jeffries, Al Hibbler and Ivie Anderson. In the sixties Ellington scratched vinyl with Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and Max Roach. Ellington himself considered his most important works to be the three Sacred Concerts he composed in 1965, 1968 and 1973. Upon a remarkably full career Ellington is thought to have given his final concert in March 1974 at Northern Illinois University, the year he died that May on the 24th of lung cancer and pneumonia. His last words were reportedly, "Music is how I live, why I live and how I will be remembered." His son, Mercer, assumed leadership of Ellington's band until his own death in 1996. Among countless honors, such as multiple doctorates, Ellington won a Pulitzer Special Award in 1999. 2009 saw the issue of the Duke Ellington coin by the U.S. Mint. More Ellington under Johnny Hodges. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Orchestra members. Compositions by Ellington and/or Strayhorn at SHS: 1, 2. Sessionographies: Ellingtonia, Lord's. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Compilations at Discogs 1924 to World War II by label: 1924-26 Masters of Jazz; 1924-30 Chronological Classics (8 volumes); 1926-27 Masters of Jazz; 1927-41 History of Jazz; 1928-30 History of Jazz; 1928-33 Archive of Jazz; 1936-40 Mosaic; 1940-41 Nostalgia Series; World War II History of Jazz. See also 1953-55 Mosaic. Among 'Best Of' releases was 'At His Very Best' in 1959. Ellington on Broadway. Ellington in visual media. Reviews. Interviews: Les Tomkins 1964-74. Further reading : 'Duke Ellington's America' by Harvey Cohen; Jazz Rhythm: 1, 2; PBS; Popa; Riverwalk; Scaruffi; 'A Life of Duke Ellington' by Terry Teachout. See also Mercer Ellington's 1978 'Duke Ellington in Person: An Intimate Memoir' by Houghton Mifflin. Per 1924 below, banjo is played by George Francis on all tracks. Per 'It Don't Mean a Thing' below, the full title is 'It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing'.

Duke Ellington   1924

  Choo Choo

      The Washingtonians

      Composition:

      Bob Schafer/Dave Ringle/Ellington

  Deacon Jazz

      Jo Trent & The D C'ns

      Composition: Jo Trent/Ellington

  How Come You Do Me Like You Do?

      Vocal: Florence Bristol

      Thought Ellington's 3rd recording issued

      Composition: Gene Austin/Roy Bergere

  Oh How I Love My Darling

      Sunny & The D C'ns

      Composition: Ellington/Jo Trent

  Rainy Nights

      The Washingtonians

      Composition:

      Jo Trent/Vincent Lopez/Will Donaldson

Duke Ellington   1927

  East St. Louis Toodle-Oo

      Composition: Bubber Miley/Ellington

  What Can a Poor Fellow Do?

      Composition: Billy Meyers/Elmer Schoebel

Duke Ellington   1928  

  The Black Beauty

      Composition: Ellington

  I Must Have That Man

      Composition: Dorothy Fields/Jimmy McHugh

  Jubilee Stomp

      Composition: Ellington

  The Mooche

      Composition: Ellington/Irving Mills

Duke Ellington   1929

  Black and Tan Fantasie

      Composition: Ellington/Bubber Miley

  The Duke Steps Out

      Composition:

      Cootie Williams/Ellington/Johnny Hodges

  High Life

      Composition: Ellington

Duke Ellington   1930

  Double Check Stomp

      Composition:

      Barney Bigard/Johnny Hodges/Wellman Braud

  Mood Indigo

      Music: Ellington/Barney Bigard

      Lyrics: Irving Mills

  Old Man Blues

      Composition: Ellington

  Ring Dem Bells

      Composition: Ellington/Irving Mills

  Shout 'Em Aunt Tillie

      Composition: Ellington/Irving Mills

Duke Ellington   1931

  Keep a Song in your Soul

      Music: Fats Waller

      Lyrics: Alexander Hill

Duke Ellington   1932

  It Don't Mean a Thing

      Composition: Ellington/Irving Mills

Duke Ellington   1940

  Don't Get Around Much Anymore

      Music: Ellington

      Lyrics: Bob Russell

Duke Ellington   1941

  Take the A Train

      Composition: Billy Strayhorn

Duke Ellington   1943

  It Don't Mean a Thing

      Composition: Ellington/Irving Mills

Duke Ellington   1944

  Live at the Hurricane Club

      Radio transcription

Duke Ellington   1947

  Don't Get Around Much Anymore

      Vocal: Al Hibbler

      Music: Ellington

      Lyrics: Bob Russell

Duke Ellington   1953

  Satin Doll

      Music: Ellington/Billy Strayhorn

      Lyrics: Johnny Mercer

Duke Ellington   1957

  All of Me

      Composition: Seymour Simons/Gerald Marks

  Such Sweet Thunder

      Live at Ravinia Festival

      Composition: Ellington/Billy Strayhorn

Duke Ellington   1965

  Isfahan

      Composition: Billy Strayhorn/Ellington

  Sacred Concert

      Concert

Duke Ellington   1970

  Portrait of Wellman Braud

      Bass: Joe Benjamin

      Composition: Ellington

 

 
  Born in 1901 in Denver, cornetist and trumpeter, Roy Fox [1, 2], was raised in Hollywood in a Salvation Army family together with his sister. He first performed in public at age thirteen, playing cornet in a newsboy band with the 'Los Angeles Examiner'. He next worked as a studio musician playing bugle for Cecille B DeMille. At age sixteen he joined the Abe Lyman Orchestra. In 1920 he formed his first band. Sources have Hickman recording radio transcriptions for Columbia at the Biltmore Hotel in New York City from 1919-1921. He was with the Art Hickman Orchestra at the Biltmore for Columbia in 1924. His initial issued recordings were with Hickman in June of 1924 for Victor in Los Angeles, 'Patsy' among those titles. Hickman was on a national tour at the time which would take him to Miami, then NYC, where he would lead his own band at the Avalon and Beaux Arts nightclubs before returning to California in 1927 to work with Gus Arnheim at the Ambassador Hotel in Hollywood. It was in Los Angeles that Fox formed his Montmartre (Cafe) Orchestra to record three titles for Brunswick in two sessions in the summer of 1929: 'Painting the Clouds with Sunshine', 'Tip-Toe Through the Tulips' and 'I've Waited a Lifetime for You'. He thereafter called his orchestra simply His Band, which he took on the first of multiple trips to London, first to perform at the Café de Paris in latter 1930, his ballroom style to become popular via BBC radio broadcasts. Fox recorded 'A Peach of a Pair' in January of 1931 back in Los Angeles before another trip to London where he assumed a half-year residency at the Monseigneur Restaurant. Most of Fox' recordings as a leader would take place in London, first for Decca (1931-35), then HMV (1936-38), then VJM (1938). He traveled to Australia in 1938, there to lead the Jay Whidden Orchestra. Returning to the U.S. to wait out World II, he made his way back to London after that conflict, there to domicile. In 1952 he opened a booking agency, less performing music. Fox died on 20 March of 1982 in London. Discographies: 45Worlds, DAHR, Discogs, Lord, RYM. Compilations: Vocalion. Fox in visual media. Archives.

Roy Fox   1924

  G'wan with It

      With the Art Hickman Orchestra

      Music: Hickman/Earl Burtnett

      Lyrics: Harry Kerr

  Patsy

      With the Art Hickman Orchestra

      Composition:

      Richard Winfree/Earl Burtnett

Roy Fox   1929

  Painting the Clouds with Sunshine

      Music: Joe Burke   1929

      Lyrics: Al Dubin

      For the musical film 'Gold Diggers of Broadway'

  Tip Toe Through the Tulips with Me

      Music: Joe Burke   1929

      Lyrics: Al Dubin

      For the musical film 'Gold Diggers of Broadway'

Roy Fox   1931

  Reaching for the Moon

      Composition: Irving Berlin   1930

      For the musical film 'Reaching for the Moon'

  Sweet and Hot

      Composition: Harold Arlen/Jack Yellen

Roy Fox   1932

  I Got Rhythm

      Composition: Gershwin Brothers

      For the musical 'Reaching for the Moon'

  Jig Time

      Composition: Joe Washburne/Ted Weems

  Put That Sun Back in the Sky

      Composition: Joseph Meyer

Roy Fox   1933

  Nobody's Sweetheart

      Composition:

      Billy Meyers/Elmer Schoebel

      Ernie Erdman/Gus Kahn

  Whispering

      Composition:

      John Schonberger

      Richard Coburn

      Vincent Rose

Roy Fox   1934

  Dinner at Eight

      Music: Jimmy McHugh   1933

      Lyrics: Dorothy Fields

  Midnight, the Stars and You

      Composition: 1934:

      Harry Woods/Jimmy Campbell/Reg Connelly

  What a Difference a Day Made

      'Cuando Vuelva a Tu Lado'

      ('When I Return to Your Side')

      Composition: María Grever   1934

      Lyrics English: Stanley Adams

  You Oughta Be in Pictures

      Music: Dana Suesse   1934

      Lyrics: Edward Heyman

Roy Fox   1935

  1935 Compilation

Roy Fox   1936

  Let's Face the Music and Dance

      Vocal: Denny Dennis

      Composition: Irving Berlin   1936

      For the film 'Follow the Fleet'

      Sung by Fred Astaire

  Miracles Sometimes Happen

      Composition: Ray Noble/Alan Murray

Roy Fox   1937

  Harbor Lights

      Composition:

      Hugh Williams/Jimmy Kennedy   1937

  Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

      Composition: Gershwin Brothers   1937

      For the film 'Shall We Dance'

      Sung by Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Roy Fox

Roy Fox

Source: R2OK

Birth of Swing Jazz: Carroll Gibbons

Carroll Gibbons

Source: Songbook

Born in 1903 in Clinton, Massachusetts, pianist Carroll Gibbons [1, 2, 3, 4] studied at the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) with Rudy Vallee. He also studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London while yet a teenager [Wikipedia]. Vallee played saxophone before his crooning days and while at NEC he and Gibbons formed a band together. Chet Williamson has them in London together playing at the Savoy Hotel in 1923, taken to England by banjo and guitar player, Joe Branelley [Bhamra]. Gibbons may have recorded unidentified titles as early as 1923. Another questionable date arrived in August 1924 in London with the Savoy (Hotel) Orpheans for Columbia per 'Oh! Eva' and 'Any Way the Wind Blows'. Tom Lord suggests Billy Thorburn, Gibbons if not. Gibbons more definitely recorded with the Savoy Orpheans as the Boston Orchestra in Hayes on 31 January 1925 toward 'Unfortunate Blues', 'Nola' and 'Mamma's Gone' for HMV. Carroll is thought to have first recorded as a leader for the HMV label during a performance in November of '28 at Small Queen's Hall in London with the New Mayfair Orchestra studio band: 'I Can't Give You Anything But Love'. The New Mayfair Orchestra of '29 released 'I'm Crazy Over You', 'What a Wonderful Wedding That Will Be' and 'Deep Hollow'. In 1931 Gibbons assumed sole leadership of the Savoy Orpheans. Pulling members from that orchestra to form his smaller ensemble called the Boyfriends, his debut tracks with that group went down on 17 Dec 1931 toward 'Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries' (CA12287) and 'Sleepy Time Down South' (CA12287) [see Brown]. Gibbons began backing vocalist, Anne Lenner, in 1934, they to record more than 150 titles until her departure from the Savoy Hotel in 1941. Gibbons died in London on 10 May 1954 only age fifty-one. Sessions: DAHR (w composing credits), Lord. Discos: Gibbons: 1, 2, 3; Gibbons and his Boyfriends: 1, 2; featuring piano. Gibbons in visual media. Archives: 1, 2. HMR Project. Per below, Gibbons did not perform in the soundtracks of films mentioned below. Rather, he recorded versions selected from the original soundtracks.

Carroll Gibbons   1924

  Any Way the Wind Blows

      Poss w the Savoy Orpheans

Carroll Gibbons   1925

  Charleston

      With Arthur Young

      Composition:

      James P. Johnson/Cecil Mack

  Everybody Stomp

     Savoy Havana Band

      Composition: Elmer Schoebel

Carroll Gibbons   1926

  Waitin' for the Moon

      Composition: Joe Brown/Sam Lerner

Carroll Gibbons   1927

  Vladivostok

Carroll Gibbons   1928

  Encore

      Vocal: Whispering Jack Smith

Carroll Gibbons   1931

  You Are My Heart's Delight

      Music: Franz Lehár   1929

      Lyrics English: Harry Graham

Carroll Gibbons   1932

  Isn't It Romantic

      Music: Richard Rodgers 1932

      Lyrics: Lorenz Hart

  Let Me Give My Happiness to You

      Composition: George Posford

  On the Air

      Composition:

      Gibbons/Jimmy Campbell/Reg Connelly

Carroll Gibbons   1933

  Dinner at Eight

      Vocal: Harry Bentley

      Music: Jimmy McHugh   1933

      Lyrics: Dorothy Fields

Carroll Gibbons   1934

  For All We Know

      Music: John Fred Coots   1934

      Lyrics: Sam M. Lewis

  Better Think Twice

Carroll Gibbons   1935

  My Kid's a Crooner

      Vocals: Frances Day & Sybil Jason

      Composition:

      Marion Harris/Reg Montgomery

  Top Hat, White Tie and Tails

      Composition: Irving Berlin   1935

      For the film 'Top Hat'

Carroll Gibbons   1936

  You

      Music: Walter Donaldson

      Lyrics: Harold Adamson

Carroll Gibbons   1937

  Gershwin - King of Rhythm

  On the Avenue

      Composition: Irving Berlin

  Shall We Dance

      Selections from the film 'Shall We Dance'

Carroll Gibbons   1938

  Double or Nothing

      Selections from the film 'Double or Nothing'

  Two Sleepy People

      Composition:

      Hoagy Carmichael/Frank Loesser

Carroll Gibbons   1939

From the film 'Gold Diggers in Paris':

  I Want to Go Back to Bali

      Composition: Harry Warren/Al Dubin

  Day Dreaming

      Composition: Harry Warren/Johnny Mercer

 The Latin Quarter

      Composition: Harry Warren/Al Dubin

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Sonny Greer

Sonny Greer

Source: Rock e Martello

Born in 1895 in Long Branch, New Jersey, drummer Sonny Greer's star doesn't shine as bright these days as some of his contemporaries, but a quarter century of daily steady consistency with Duke Ellington made him a major contributor to swing jazz with an extensive scroll of sessions (589 counted by Lord). He began his career playing with both banjoist, Elmer Snowden, and the Howard Theatre Orchestra. In 1919 he met Duke Ellington, the two becoming close friends. He would be a member of Ellington's operation from 1924 to 1951. It was with Ellington's Washingtonians that Greer made his first recording in Ellington's employ in November of 1924 for the Blu-Disc label: 'Choo Choo' and 'Rainy Nights' (Blu-Disc T1002). That same month they switched roles, Ellington to back Greer's first session (of not a lot) as a leader, that with his Deacons on 'Oh! How I Love My Darling' also for Blu-Disc. Greer's discography is a very long one, both as a duplicate of much of Ellington's own catalogue and with others. It was a dispute that permanently ended their relationship, said to concern Greer's heavy drinking and increasing undependability. Ellington had hired drummer, Butch Ballard, to take Greer's place when Greer was indisposed, which Greer found to be a disagreeable threat. Tom Lord's discography shows Greer's last session with Ellington as January 21, 1951 at the Metropolitan Opera House in NYC, though they would find themselves recording together on occasions in the future. Greer had already joined Johnny Hodges on 15 Jan on titles toward the latter's 'Castle Rock' issued later in 1955. Norman Granz also produced Hodges' 'Creamy' supported by Greer. Greer and Hodges went back to 1928 and the Washingtonians. Lord finds them recording together as early as 1 Oct that year for 'The Mooche' (Okeh 8623), 'Move Over' (Okeh 8638) and 'Hot and Bothered' (Okeh 8623). As Hodges was a major member of Ellington's operation over the years, he and Greer were strong compatriots found together on hundreds of recordings. Greer freelanced after Ellington, also appearing in films, and briefly led his own band. He died on 23 March 1982 [obit]. References: 1, 2, 3. Sessions: DAHR (w songwriting credits), Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Greer in visual media. Documentaries: 'Portrait of Sonny Greer' at Ellington Reflections. Further reading: Whitney Balliett. Other profiles: DrummerWorld; HMR Project. As Greer is on nigh every recording made by Ellington from 1924 to 1951 he is thereunder found. Below are listed only his first two titles w the Washingtonians and the Deacons, followed by a couple tracks he recorded with Ellington as Sonny Greer and his Memphis Men, and a later track supporting Hodges.

Sonny Greer   1924

  Choo Choo

      The Washingtonians

      Composition:

      Duke Ellington/Dave Ringle/Bob Schafer

  Deacon Jazz

      Joe Trent & the Deacons

      Composition: Joe Trent

  Oh How I Love My Darling

      Sunny & the Deacons

      Composition:

      Harry Woods/Edgar Leslie

  Rainy Nights

      The Washingtonians

      Composition:

      Will Donaldson/Vincent Lopez/Jo Trent

Sonny Greer   1929

  Beggars Blues

      Memphis Men

      Composition:

      Barney Bigard/Johnny Hodges

  Saturday Night Function

      Memphis Men

      Composition:

      Barney Bigard/Duke Ellington

Sonny Greer   1951

  Sophisticated Lady

      Johnny Hodges Septet

      Composition: Duke Ellington   1932

 

 
  Bandleader, vocalist and actor, Phil Harris, was born in 1904 in Linton, Indiana, to be raised in Nashville, Tennessee. He began his career as a drummer in a circus band, his parents both circus performers. Harris was a popular entertainer of diverse capacity concerning which recording was a small portion, his not an especially huge or long-lasting fame as popular recording artists go. As for jazz, Lord is reluctant to list him in more than 12 sessions. Either way, Harris' greater fame arrived as a radio star, first as musical director for the 'Jack Benny Program' from 1936 to 1946, then the 'Phil Harris -Alice Faye Show' from '47 to '54. DAHR finds Harris playing drums in the Henry Halstead Orchestra on four tracks including 'Panama' (Victor 19514) and 'Frantic' (Victor 19513) on 20 June of 1924 in Oakland, California. Harris hung w Halstead's outfit into 1927. It was September of 1927 that he married Australian actress, Marcia Ralston, in Sydney, he there on tour with an unidentified band. Upon returning to the States he and Carol Lofner formed an orchestra in San Francisco in which he performed as both a drummer and singer in residence at the St. Francis Hotel. The next year in 1929 he performed at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles. First recording with Lofner in 1931, upon the dissolution of their partnership in 1932 Harris put together his own orchestra with which he released his first records as a bandleader in 1933. He won an Academy Award that same year for the film, 'So This Is Harris!' (The Academy Awards or, Oscars, were conceived in 1929.) In 1941 Harris married actress and singer, Alice Faye. In 1946 he became musical director for the radio program, 'The Jell-O Show Starring Jack Benny', with which he remained until '52. It was also 1946 when he and Alice Faye began 'The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show' which aired until 1954. In the latter sixties Harris began working as a voice actor on a number of Disney animated films, which he continued into the latter eighties. His last movie role was in 1991 for 'Rock-a-Doodle'. Harris died in California on 11 August 1995 of heart attack [obits: 1, 2]. References encyclopedic: 1, 2; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4. Harris in radio. Harris in visual media: 1, 2. Sessionographies: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1 (strike Bill Harris), 2. Compilations: 'The Thing About Phil Harris' 1931-50 swing to popular by ASV 1996. Interviews: NAMM 1985; Chuck Schaden 1988. The broader spectrum of Harris' early recording is represented below.

Phil Harris   1924

  Panama

       Henry Halstead Orchestra

       Drums: Phil Harris [DAHR]

      Composition: William H. Tyers

Phil Harris   1931

  I Got the Ritz from the One I Love

       Phil Harris-Carol Lofner Orchestra

      Composition: Harry Barris/JC Lewis

Phil Harris   1933

  What Have We Got to Lose?

      Composition:

      Louis Alter

      Charlotte Kent

      Gus Kahn

  It's Gonna Be You

      Vocal: Leah Ray

      Composition:

      Joe Young

      Ira Schuster

      Little Jack Little

Phil Harris   1935

  Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

      Music: Harold Arlen   1931

      Lyrics: Ted Koehler

      For the Cotton Club show 'Rhythmania'

      First recording: Cab Calloway

  Riddle Me This

Phil Harris   1947

  The Preacher and the Bear

      Composition:

      Joe Arzonia (Arthur Longbrake)

      Published 1904

      First recording:

      Arthur Francis Collins   1905

  Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)

      Composition:

      Merle Travis/Tex Williams

  That's What I Like About the South

      Composition: Andy Razaf

Phil Harris   1948

  Minnie and the Mermaid

      Composition: Buddy DeSylva

Phil Harris   1950

  The Old Master Painter

      Composition:

      Beasley Smith/Haven Gillespie

  The Thing

      Composition:

      Charles Randolph Grean

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Phil Harris

Phil Harris

Source: Famous Fix

Birth of Swing Jazz: Frankie Carle

Frankie Carle

Source: Vintage Music

Born Francis Nunzio Carlone in 1903 in Providence, Rhode Island, composer Frankie Carle played a lot of beautiful piano, beginning to work professionally in his latter teens. He early changed his name to Carle because Carlone sounded too Italian. In 1921 he joined Edwin J. McEnelley's band, with whom he made his debut recording [Lord] on 2 November 1925 in NYC: 'Spanish Shawl' (Victor 19851). His composition, 'Best Black', had been recorded by the Mound City Blues Blowers earlier that year on 26 January. In 1936 Carle began working with Mal Hallett's orchestra, his first session with Hallett on May 9, 1936: 'Mary Lou' and 'Swing Fever' (Vocalion 3236). He joined Horace Heidt in 1939, which brought him to national attention via radio. His first session with Heidt's Musical Knights was on September 20, 1939: 'Good Morning' and 'Are You Having Any Fun?'. From a kid earning a dollar a week to play gigs, Carle was now pocketing a thousand dollars a week plus 5% of gross. He left Heidt to form his own orchestra in 1944, recording for Circle from '44 to '47. He had also recorded with the Casa Loma Orchestra ('39) and Bobby Hackett ('40). Having been elected into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1989, Carle died in Mesa, Arizona, on March 7 2001, his career spanning seventy years. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessions: DAHR w songwriting credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. NAMM interview 1994. HMR Project.

Frankie Carle   1925

  Spanish Shawl

      Edwin J. McEnelly Orchestra

      Composition: Elmer Schoebel

Note: Recorded 2 Nov 1925. Issued on Vocalion 19851. Vocalion 19852 is George Olsen also in 1925.

Frankie Carle   1937

  Humoresque

      Mal Hallett Orchestra

      Composition:

      Antonín Dvořák (Op 101)   1894

  Ridin' High

      Mal Hallett Orchestra

      Composition: Cole Porter

Frankie Carle   1939

  Sunrise Serenade

      Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

      Music: Frankie Carle

      Lyrics: Jack Lawrence

Frankie Carle   1940

  Estelle

      Composition: Frankie Carle

  Twelflth Street Rag

      Composition: Euday Bowman

      First recorded and issued 1917:

      Earl Fuller's Rector Novelty Orch *

Frankie Carle   1942

  Josephine

      Composition:

      Burke Bivens/Wayne King

  Louise

      Composition:

      Richard Whiting/Leo Robin

Frankie Carle   1944

  A Little on the Lonely Side

      Composition:

      Dick Robertson

      Frank Weldon

      James Cavanaugh

Frankie Carle   1945

  Oh! What It Seemed to Be

      Composition:

      Bennie Benjamin

      George Weiss

      Frankie Carle

Frankie Carle   1946

  It's All Over Now

      Composition: Sunny Skylar/Don Marcotte

  One More Tomorrow

      Composition:

      Eddie DeLange

      Ernesto Lecuona

      Josef Myrow

  Rumors Are Flying

      Composition:

      Bennie Benjamin/George David Weiss

Frankie Carle   1947

  Beg Your Pardon

      Composition:

      Francis Craig/Beasley Smith

  Carle Boogie

      Composition: Frankie Carle

      Recorded 1944

  Midnight Masquerade

      Composition:

      Arthur Berman

      Bernard Bierman

      Jack Manus

Frankie Carle   1948

  Variety Time

      Film

Frankie Carle   1950

  I'm Afraid to Love You

      Vocal: Joan House

      Composition:

      Harry Stride/Bert Douglas/McCarthy

  Powder Blue

      Composition:

      Gladys Shelley/Paul McGrane/Harry Moss

Frankie Carle   1954

  Sunrise Serenade

      Music: Frankie Carle

      Lyrics: Jack Lawrence

Frankie Carle   1968

  Meditation

      Composition:

      Antônio Carlos Jobim

Frankie Carle   1973

  Sunrise Serenade

      Television performance

      Music: Frankie Carle

      Lyrics: Jack Lawrence

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Xavier Cugat

Xavier Cugat

Source: Big Band Library

Born in 1900 in Girona, Spain, violinist, Xavier Cugat, was relocated to Cuba by his family at age five. Trained in classical violin, in the photo to the left he is caught just as he harkens to one of many calls to reality. Cugat was twelve when he began playing with the Orchestra of the Teatro Nacional in Havana. In 1915 he immigrated to New York with his family, where he performed recitals with opera singer, Enrico Caruso. He toured both Europe and the States. The 'New York Times' has him on a radio broadcast with WDY in New Jersey from the Victor Talking Machine Company in Camden as early as 1917. IMDb has him in the role of a violinist, uncredited, in the film, 'The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse', as early as 1921. He had performed twice at Carnegie Hall in NYC before there joining Vincent Lopez' dance orchestra at the Casa Lopez in 1924. Both Tom Lord's discography and Brian Rust's 'The American Dance Band Discography 1917-1942' have Cugat recording with Vincent Lopez for Okeh from February 13, 1925 to May 2, 1930 for Perfect in more than thirty sessions, all in NYC. Which is difficult to figure since, for all those recordings, multiple biographies of violinist, Xavier Cugat, don't mention Lopez at all. Be as may, one source has him leaving the East Coast for Los Angeles a year after having joined Lopez' band, where he formed his Gigolos, a tango band which played intermissions, thought in 1928, at the Coconut Grove between performances by Bing Crosby and the Gus Arnheim Orchestra. Cugat's Gigolos were also featured in the short film by Vitaphone, 'Cugat and His Gigolos'. Cugat was featured in another with Carmen Castillo titled, 'By a Camp Fire'. IMDb wants his first soundtrack titles in 1930 for 'In Gay Madrid', uncredited, for 'Santiago' and 'Dark Night'. Cugat also performed on KFWB Radio and drew cartoons for the 'Los Angeles Times' while in California. In 1931 Cugat returned to NYC with his Gigolos where they found a spot at the new Waldorf Astoria Hotel. It was Cugat's trademark to conduct while holding a Chihuahua underarm. Cugat recorded from the thirties for several decades to come. He is found on transcription discs from radio broadcasts for Western Electric in 1932. Among his early titles were 'Silencio', 'Ombo - My Shawl', 'Gypsy Air Tango' and 'Rancho Grande' in 1933 for Victor. Cugat hired Dinah Shore in 1939, whence she made her debut recordings. Beyond the tango, Cugat also recorded the mambo, the cha-cha-cha, the rumba, the twist and music especially for the conga. Cugat's fifth and last wife had been actress, singer and Spanish guitarist, Charo, from 1966 to 1978. He died of heart failure on 27 October 1990 in Barcelona. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discographies: 1, 2, 3. Cugat in visual media. Tribute sites: 1, 2, 3. Collections.

Xavier Cugat   1926

   Always

      Vincent Lopez and his Casa Lopez Orchestra

      Composition: Irving Berlin

      First recording Irving Kaufman 1926

   Rhythm of the Day

      Vincent Lopez and his Casa Lopez Orchestra

      Composition: Donald Lindley/Owen Murphy

Xavier Cugat  1927

   A Lane in Spain

      Vincent Lopez and his Casa Lopez Orchestra

      Composition: Al Lewis/Carmen Lombardo

   I'll Just Go Along

      Vincent Lopez and his Casa Lopez Orchestra

      Composition: Ted Fiorito/Gus Kahn

Xavier Cugat   1933

   Caminito

      Composition:

      Carmen Lombardo

      Charles O'Flynn

      Ernesto Lecuona

Xavier Cugat   1935

   Para Vigo me voy

      'Say Si Si'

      Music: Ernesto Lecuona

      Lyrics Spanish: Francia Luban

      Lyrics English: Al Stillman

Xavier Cugat   1939

   Perfidia

      Composition: Alberto Domínguez

Xavier Cugat   1942 or 1944

   Amor

      Composition:

      Ricardo López Méndez/Gabriel Ruiz

Xavier Cugat   1943

   She's a Bombshell from Brooklyn

      Film: 'Stage Door Canteen'

      Composition:

      Al Dubin/Jack Mason/James Monaco

Xavier Cugat   1947

   Miami Beach Rhumba

      Composition:

      Irving Fields/Albert Gamse

Xavier Cugat   1959

   Eso es el amor

      Television program with Abbe Lane

      Music:

      Ricardo Lopez Mendez

      Gabriel Ruiz Galindo

      Lyrics: Sunny Skylar

Xavier Cugat   1962

   Medley

      With Abbe Lane

      'Il signore delle 21' television show

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Lionel Hampton

Lionel Hampton

Source: El Mirador Nocturno

Born in 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky, Lionel Hampton was a no-joke drummer though he more distinguished himself with the vibraphone. Born to a single mother who raised him largely in Chicago, he was nineteen or twenty years old when he left Chicago for California to drum for the Dixieland Blues-Blowers. Hampton's earliest issues are estimated to have been in 1925 from a session circa November 1924 in Hollywood with Reb's Legion Club Forty Fives: 'Steppin' High' ('Mammy's Blues') and 'Shefield Blues'. Those likely weren't released until far later on Arcadia 2001 and VJM VLP6. He entered the studio again in April of 1929 with Paul Howard's Quality Serenaders in Culver City, California. The first session that month for Victor went unissued: 'Overnight Blues' and 'Quality Shout'. The next two, however, yielded 'The Ramble', 'Midnight Blues, 'Charlie's Idea', two takes of 'Overnight Blues', 'Quality Shout' and 'Stuff'. Hampton continued with Howard until another big name came his way in Los Angeles, his first session with Louis Armstrong on July 31, 1930. That was with Armstrong's Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra yielding 'I'm a Ding Dong Daddy' and 'I'm in the Market for You'. Hampton hung with Armstrong's bands until the latter's Polynesians in 1936 ('To You Sweetheart Aloha' and 'On a Coconut Island') when he held his first session with Benny Goodman on August 21 (three days after the Polynesians' session): 'St. Louis Blues', Love Me or Leave Me', Bugle Call' and 'Moonglow'. He also recorded with Teddy Wilson and Helen Ward as Vera Lane that month. Hampton stuck with Goodman into 1940, by which time his own orchestra was in full swing. Hampton is thought to have laid his first tracks as a leader on February 8, 1937 in NYC, yielding 'My Last Affair' (two takes), 'Jivin' the Vibes', 'The Mood That I'm In' and 'Stomp'. He issued his composition, 'Central Avenue Breakdown', in 1940. Come his most popular issue, 'Flyin' Home', in 1942, and 'Ridin' on the L&N' in 1946, also authored by him. Hampton manufactured an extensive catalogue with every who's who in jazz passing through his band at one time or another. Among vocalists with whom he'd worked were Dinah Washington (1943-45/46) and Annie Ross (European tour of 1953 *). The all-star group backing his 1964 album, 'You Better Know It!!!', consisted of Ben Webster (tenor sax), Clark Terry (trumpet), Hank Jones (piano), Milt Hinton (bass) and Osie Johnson at drums. Hampton had married his business manager, Gladys Riddle, back in 1936. Upon her death in 1971 he never remarried. Hampton was a Republican and had worked to raise money for Israel. He also became involved in philanthropic housing projects in New York and New Jersey during the sixties. In 1987 the University of Idaho named its music department the Lionel Hampton School of Music [1, 2]. Ironically per his efforts in housing, in 1997 his own apartment caught fire and his possessions destroyed. Hampton died of heart failure in NYC in 2002. He was a 33rd degree Mason, thus associated for above fifty years. He had later become involved w Christian Science. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessions all: Lord; name: 1929-1963, 1966-78. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: 'Hot Mallets' 1937-39 Vol 1 1992 and 1937-40 Vol 21997; 'The Complete Lionel Hampton Victor Sessions 1937-1941' on Mosaic Records MD5-238 per 2007: 1, 2; 'Air Mail Special' 1953-55 by Verve 1987. Hampton in visual media. Interviews: Les Tomkins 1974/83, BBC 1983, NAMM 1989. Further reading: 'Lionel Hampton in Action' by Gene Tuttle 1959. Internet Archives. U of Idaho Collection. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Lionel Hampton 1929

  The Ramble

      With Paul Howard's Serenaders

      Composition: Charlie Lawrence

  Stuff

      With Paul Howard's Serenaders

      Composition: Harvey O. Brooks

Lionel Hampton 1930

  Cuttin' Up

      With Paul Howard's Serenaders

      Composition: Charlie Lawrence

Lionel Hampton   1937

 My Last Affair

      Composition: Haven Johnson

  On the Sunny Side of the Street

      Music: Jimmy McHugh   1930

      Lyrics: Dorothy Fields

Lionel Hampton   1939

  Early Session Hop

      Composition: Buster Harding/Teddy Wilson

  AC-DC Current

      With Charlie Christian and Benny Goodman

      Composition: Christian/Goodman/Hampton

  Hot Mallets

      Composition: Hampton

  It Don't Mean a Thing

      Composition: Duke Ellington/Irving Mills

  The Jumpin Jive

      Composition: Duke Ellington/Irving Mills

      Cab Calloway/Frank Froeba/Jack Palmer

  Memories of You

      Music: Eubie Blake   1930

      Lyrics: Andy Razaf

Lionel Hampton   1940

  Bogo Jo

      Guitar: Irving Ashby

      Composition: Hampton

  Flying Home

      Composition: Goodman/Hampton

  Fiddle-Dee-Dee

      Guitar: Irving Ashby

      Composition: Hampton

  Save It Pretty Mama

      Composition: Don Redman

Lionel Hampton   1949

  Benson Boogie

      Composition: Hampton

  The Hucklebuck

      With Betty Carter

      Composition: Roy Alfred/Andy Gibson

Lionel Hampton   1951

  Kingfish

      Composition: Quincy Jones

Lionel Hampton   1958

  Live in Belgium

     Filmed concert

Lionel Hampton   1962

  Vibe Boogie

      Composition: Hampton

Lionel Hampton   1978

  Sea Breeze

      With Chick Corea

      Composition: Chick Corea

      Album: 'Sea Breeze'   With Chick Corea

Lionel Hampton   1982

  Air Mail Special

      Live performance

      Composition: Chick Corea

      Charlie Christian

      Benny Goodman

      Jimmy Mundy

 

 
 

British trombonist, Ted Heath [1, 2, 3, 4], was the UK's major version of a swing bandleader. Born in 1902 in South London, Heath is thought to have first recorded trombone on February 20, 1922, in Middlesex with Rector's Paramount Six, those titles unissued: 'After a While' and 'Everybody Step' [Lord's]. His first recordings to see issue are thought per 1925 with the Hannan Dance Band: 'No One Knows What It's All About' (Columbia 3598), 'Suite 16' (Columbia 3653), et al. Heath also put down tracks in '25 with the Corona Dance Band and the Kit-Cat Band. Among one the more nonstop acts in jazz, Heath's career isn't going to fit in this small space but for a few major names. Among the more significant was the orchestra of Bert Ambrose, which he joined in time for 'Singapore Sorrows' on April 2, 1928. Heath sat in Ambrose' band to as late as 1936. In 1942 he reunited with Ambrose directing the Melody Maker Band for 'I Didn't Want to Walk Without You'. The Melody Maker Band was a revolving outfit per the 'Melody Maker' music industry trade paper. Heath's first tracks with the band of Philip Lewis were laid on October 1, 1929, his last on August 19, 1930, resulting in 'Livin' In the Sunlight' etc.. Heath's first titles with Joe Brannelly's Blue Mountaineers were on February 29, 1932: 'In the Jailhouse Now' and 'Open Up Dem Pearly Gates'. His last were March 27, 1933: 'Won't You Stay to Tea?' and 'There's a Tiny Little Hair on Your Shoulder'. Among Heath's frequent partners, both supporting each other's projects and other bands, was clarinetist/saxophonist, Freddy Gardner. Heath and Gardner first recorded together on October 17, 1932, with Phil Allen's Merrymakers: 'Since I Fell In Love With Emmalina'. Gardner last supported Heath's orchestra on January 28, 1946, for 'Wotcher!' and 'Bakerloo Nonstop'. Another frequent partner was clarinetist/saxophonist, Sid Phillips. First recording with Phillips in the Bert Ambrose Orchestra on October 5, 1933 ('Dinner at Eight'), Heath and Phillips partnered on multiple occasions, both backing other operations and each other. Their last session was in December of '39, Heath siding Phillips on such as 'Music For You' and 'Plain Jane'. On April 15, 1936, he laid tracks with Benny Carter in London when the latter was touring Europe, among them: 'Swingin' at the Maida Vale', 'Night Fall' and 'Big Ben Blues'. Heath put together his first band in 1944 to broadcast for the BBC. His first session as a leader that year bore such as 'South of the Border' and 'Caravan'. He first appeared in film, 'London Town', in 1945. It was 1950 that he hired vocalist, Lita Roza, to his orchestra, for which he is perhaps best known. His first Royal Command Performance was for King George VI in 1951. His second arrived in 1954 for Queen Elizabeth II. In 1956 he visited America, touring with June Christy and Nat King Cole. Heath toured the States, Australia and Europe a number of times over the years. In 1958 he managed to record nine albums. Heath collapsed on stage on his 62nd birthday in 1964 of cerebral thrombosis. He continued to perform and record, though toured less, eventually dying in 1969 in Surrey, England. By the end of his career spanning more than five decades Heath had recorded more than a hundred albums and sold 20 million of them. His band's library of commissioned original arrangements exceeded eight hundred. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessions: henrybebop (select), Lord (417 sessions). Heath in visual media. HMR Project. More of Ted Heath's orchestra in Modern Jazz Song under Lita Roza. Per 'Hawaiian War Chant' in 1956, that was originally composed broadly circa 1865 by Prince Leleiohoku, Kingdom of Hawaii. Originally a love song titled 'Kāua I Ka Huahuaʻi' ('We Two in the Spray'). That saw issue in June 1911 by the Crowel Glee Club on Columbia Records. The song received English lyrics in 1936 by Ralph Freed, Ray Noble altering the melody a bit about that time as well. Tommy Dorsey released a version in Nov 1938 on Victor. The song was also featured in the 1942 film, 'Ships Ahoy'.

Ted Heath   1926

   Camel Walk

      With the Kit-Cat Band

      Vocal: Al Starita

   Headin' for Louisville

      With Bert Firman

Ted Heath   1942

   Soft Shoe Shuffle

      With the Geraldo Orchestra

      Composition: Maurice Burman

Ted Heath   1950

   Birmingham Bounce

      With Jack Parnell

      Composition: Ray Noble

Ted Heath   1952

   Blacksmiths Blues

      With Lita Roza

      Composition: Jack Holmes

Ted Heath   1953

   Hot Toddy

      Composition: Herb Hendler/Ralph Flanagan

Ted Heath   1954

   Skin Deep

      Composition: Louis Belson

Ted Heath   1956

   Hawaiian War Chant

      Carnegie Hall   Drums: Ronnie Verrell

       Composition: See above

Ted Heath   1958

   Swingin` Shepherd Blues

      Composition: Moe Koffman

Ted Heath   1959

   Amor

      Composition:

      Ricardo López Méndez/Gabriel Ruiz

Ted Heath   1962

   Drum Crazy

       Drums: Ronnie Verrell and Kenny Clare

      Composition: Irving Berlin

 

Birth of Modern Jazz: Ted Heath

Ted Heath

Source: Jazz Wax

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Blanche Calloway

Blanche Calloway

Source: Jazz Music Archives

Born in 1902 in Rochester, New York, singer, Blanche Calloway, sister of Cab Calloway who was five years younger, made her professional debut in Baltimore in 1921 with Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle's musical 'Shuffle Along'. After touring for a few years she made her first recordings on November 9, 1925, in Chicago with Louis Armstrong at cornet and Richard Jones on piano: 'Lazy Woman's Blues' and 'Lonesome Lovesick' (Okeh 8279). Touring as a dancer and singer w NYC on her itinerary, 1929 found Calloway on a number of titles with trumpeter, Reuben Reeves, their first recording in Chicago on August 13: 'Black and Blue' (Vocalion 1407). Blanche performed w her brother, Cab, before touring w Andy Kirk's Clouds of Joy, meeting w Kirk at the Pearl Theater in Philadelphia in 1931. Her first recordings with her Joy Boys spanned five sessions in 1931. Their first on March 2 yielded 'Casey Jones Blues' (Vocalion 22640), 'There's Rhythm in the River' and 'I Need Lovin'' (Victor 22641). Much of her band was borrowed from Kirk's Clouds of Joy, such as Harry Lawson and Edgar Battle on trumpet, John Harrington at alto sax and clarinet, Lawrence Freeman on tenor, William Dirvin on banjo and Billy Massey at vocals. Montgomery at Old Time Blues draws attention to 'Growling Dan' and 'I Got What It Takes' recorded on 18 Nov of '31 toward Victor 22866. With the exception of Battle that was a totally different configuration. Blanche grooved more titles with her Orchestra in '34 before her last with her Band in '35. Now well into the Great Depression, Blanche disbanded her orchestra in 1938 to declare bankruptcy. Blanche was, of course, unique in being a female bandleader in a patriarchal society where women more commonly kept house and raised children. She wasn't, however, particularly unique in facing a segregationist America when she toured, this the experience of all black bandleaders at her time. Wikipedia mentions an unhappy incident involving Calloway when she was jailed and fined $7.50 in 1936 for using the women's bathroom at a gas station in Yazoo, Mississippi. One member of her band who reportedly took a pistol whipping was arrested with her. While in jail another musician in her ensemble stole the band's funds, forcing Blanche to sell her bright yellow Cadillac for money, that tour gone sour. The forties had been a lean time for Calloway, she moving to Philadelphia. In the fifties she headed for Washington D.C. to run the Crystal Caverns nightclub, then moved to Miami Beach where she spent the next couple decades as a disc jockey for WMBM Radio. It's said Calloway was the first black woman to vote in Florida in 1958. She also became an active member of the NAACP, the Congress of Racial Equality and the National Urban League. Calloway died in Baltimore on 16 Dec 1978. References: 1, 2, 3. Sessions: DAHR (w composing credits), Lord. Catalogs: Discogs, Discogs, RYM. Compilations: 'The Essential Blanche Calloway 1925-1935' issued by Le Jazz in 1990; 'Chronological Classics 1925-1935' issued in 1996: 1, 2. Other profiles: 1, 2.

Blanche Calloway   1926

  Lazy Woman's Blues

      Cornet: Louis Armstrong

      Piano: Richard M. Jones

      Composition: Richard M. Jones

Blanche Calloway   1931

  Misery

      Music: James P. Johnson

      Lyrics: Andy Razaf

  I'm Gettin' Myself Ready for You

      Composition: Cole Porter

  I Got What It Takes

      Music: Hezekiah Jenkins

      Lyrics: Clarence Williams

  It's Right Here for You

      Composition: Perry Bradford

  It Looks Like Susie

      Composition: Cliff Friend

      Arrangement: Frank Skinner

  Last Dollar

      Composition: Red Nichols

  Make Me Know It

      Composition: Fess Williams

Blanche Calloway   1934

  Catch On

      Composition: Blanche Calloway

  I Need Lovin'

      Music: James P. Johnson

      Lyrics: Henry Creamer

  What's a Poor Girl Gonna Do

      Composition: Blanche Calloway

Blanche Calloway   1935

  I Gotta Swing

      Composition: Eli Robinson/Blanche Calloway

  Line-a-Jive

      Composition: Herman Stein/Blanche Calloway

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Lew Stone

Lew Stone

Source: Vintage Jazz & Dance Band

Born in 1898 in London, Lew Stone [1, 2, 3] would grow up to rival British bandleaders like violinist, Bert Ambrose [1, 2] and Ted Heath. He began recording in London with Bert Ralton and his Havana Band in January of 1926, the first of three sessions yielding 'Lillian', 'Memory's Melody', 'I Would Like to Know Why' and 'Goodbye'. 'Maritana' followed from the next session estimated in February. Stone began arranging in 1927 for the Savoy Orpheans, Ray Starita and Ambrose, the last for whom he arranged 'Without You, Sweetheart', on February 14, 1928. Stone arranged for Ambrose into 1931. Meanwhile he put away 'Breakaway' with his own band on September 27, 1929, after which he did time with Roy Fox from '31 to '32. He arranged and played cello on his first track with Fox on January 28, 1931: 'A Peach of a Pair'. Al Bowlly sang vocals on that, a crooner with whom Stone would have multiple occasions to record in the next few years. IMDb has Stone directing music for his first film, 'The Chance of a Night Time', to premiere in Ireland on 4 Dec 1931. He would arrange or direct music for above twenty more films during his career. Stone assumed leadership of the Roy Fox Orchestra at the Monseigneur Restaurant in Piccadilly while Fox was convalescing from illness in Switzerland in the spring of '32. When Fox returned seven months later his band was the most popular in London. When Fox's contract expired in 1932, Stone became leader of the band as radio broadcasts from the Monseigneur made his fame. His first recordings with the Monseigneur Band were October 31, 1932, yielding 'Nightfall', 'Rain, Rain, Go Away, 'In the Still of the Night' and 'Why Waste Your Tears?'. Stone worked largely in ballrooms and restaurants while broadcasting. In 1940 he configured his Stonecrackers, followed by shifting formations of that in '41. Stone had also contributed to musical productions for stage. He died on 12 January 1969 in London. Sessionographies: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: 'Al Bowlly with Lew Stone and His Band' 1932-38 by Ace of Clubs 1964. HMR Project.

Lew Stone   1928

  Without You, Sweetheart

      Arrangement for Bert Ambrose

Lew Stone   1929

  Breakaway

      Composition: Conrad/Mitchell/Gottler

Lew Stone   1932

  My Woman

      Vocal: Al Bowlly

      Composition:

      Bing Crosby/Irving Wallman/Max Wartell

Lew Stone   1933

  How Could We Be Wrong

      Composition: Cole Porter

  Keep Young and Beautiful

      Music: Harry Warren

      Lyrics: Al Dubin

Lew Stone   1934

  As Long As I Live

      Music: Harold Arlen

      Lyrics: Ted Koehler

  The Continental

      Music: Herbert Magidson

      Lyrics: Con Conrad

  Fare Thee Well

      Composition: Sam Coslow

  I've Had My Moments

      Vocal: Al Bowlly

      Composition:

      Walter Donaldson/Gus Kahn

  Milenburg Joys

      Composition:

      Leon Roppolo

      Paul Mares

      Jelly Roll Morton

      Arrengement: Fred Rose

  That's a Plenty

      Music: Lew Pollack   1914

      Lyrics: Ray Gilbert

Lew Stone   1935

  Anything Goes

      Composition: Cole Porter

  Cheek to Cheek

      Vocal: Sam Browne

      Composition: Irving Berlin

  The Girl With the Dreamy Eyes

      Vocal: Tiny Winters

      Composition: Eddie Pola/Michael Carr

Lew Stone   1938

  You Couldn't Be Cuter

      Music: Jerome Kern   1938

      Lyrics: Dorothy Fields

Lew Stone   1939

  1939 Medley

Lew Stone   1941

  Wednesday Night Hop

      Composition: Andy Kirk/Leslie Johnakins

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Bud Freeman

Bud Freeman

Born Lawrence Freeman in 1906 in Chicago, bandleader, Bud Freeman, also played tenor sax and clarinet. Freeman was an original member of the Austin High School Gang. In 1927 he moved to NYC and became a session player. Freeman is thought to have first recorded with Red McKenzie and Eddie Condon's Chicagoans on December 8, 1927 for Okeh: 'Sugar' and 'China Boy'. Freeman would record heavily in Condon's bands into the sixties. Another huge figure entered Freeman's space when in April 1928 he first recorded next to Benny Goodman in the Californians, a band led by Ben Pollack: two takes of 'Singapore Sorrows' and 'Sweet Sue, Just You' unissued. Freeman would record numerously with Goodman into the forties, including with Goodman's orchestra. Freeman led his first session as a leader later that year in Chicago on December 3, 1928, bearing 'Crazeology' and 'Can't Help Lovin' That Man' for Okeh. His would be a strong career as a bandleader into the eighties. As a session player Freeman backed all number of prominent names, to list but several: Joe Haymes, Ray Noble, George Wettilng, Stan Rubin, Jimmy McPartland, Art Hodes and Pee Wee Russell. With so much to highlight in Freeman's career it somehow sifts out to a session with Hoagy Carmichael on May 21, 1930 in NYC: 'Rockin' Chair' and 'Barnacle Bill the Sailor'. Contributing to that session something illustrates the heady climate in which Freeman bumped shoulders: Bix Beiderbecke (cornet), Bubber Miley (trumpet), Tommy Dorsey (trombone), Benny Goodman (clarinet), Arnold Brilhart (alto sax), Joe Venuti (violin), Irving Brodsky (piano), Eddie Lang (guitar), Harry Goodman (tuba), Gene Krupa (drums) and Carson Robison with Carmichael on vocals. Freeman led groups from trios to bands of more than ten members. Among his various orchestras was his Summa Cum Laude active from 1939 as an octet to 1958 as a trio with Bob Hammer (piano) and Mousie Alexander (drums). Freeman had appeared w his Summa Cum Laude in the Broadway production of 'Swingin' the Dream' in latter 1939. During World War II Freeman led an Army band, stationed in the Aleutian Islands. Returning to NYC after the war, Freeman freelanced with various orchestras. Notable work in his later career with the World's Greatest Jazz Band. He published his first memoir in 1974, followed by a second in 1976. Freeman moved to England in 1974, then returned to Chicago in 1980, where he died on 15 March 1991 [obit]. He was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1992. References: 1, 2, 3. Sessionographies: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: 'All Star Swing Sessions' 1935/60/62 by Prestige 2003; Chronological Classics: 781 1928-38, 811 1939-40, 942 1945-46, 975 1946. Further reading: John Litweiler, Margaret Pick. See also: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Bud Freeman   1927

   China Boy

      With the Chicagoans

      Composition: Phil Boutelje/Dick Winfree

   Nobody's Sweetheart

      With the Chicagoans

      Composition:

      Gus Kahn/Ernie Erdman

      Elmer Schoebel/Billy Meyers

Bud Freeman   1928

   Craze-O-Logy

      Composition: Freeman

Bud Freeman   1929

   After a While

      With Benny Goodman and His Boys

      Composition: Freeman/Benny Goodman

   Basin Street Blues

      With the Louisiana Rhythm Kings

      Composition: Spencer Williams

      First issue Louis Armstrong   1928

   That Da-Da Strain

      With the Louisiana Rhythm Kings

      Composition: Edgar Dowell/Mamie Medina

Bud Freeman   1938

   Exactly Like You

      Music: Jimmy McHugh

      Lyrics: Dorothy Fields

   I Got Rhythm

      Composition: Gershwin Brothers

Bud Freeman   1939

   I've Found a New Baby

      Composition: Jack Palmer/Spencer Williams

      First issue:

     Clarence Williams' Blue Five   1926

   The Eel

      Composition: Freeman

Bud Freeman   1940

   Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble

       With the Chicagoans

      Composition: Spencer Williams

Bud Freeman   1945

   Inside on the Southside

      Composition:

      Freeman/Jack Palmer/Jay Livingston

Bud Freeman   1947

   Coquette

      Composition:

      Johnny Green/Gus Kahn/Carmen Lombardo

Bud Freeman   1960

   S'posin'

      Composition: Paul Denniker/Andy Razaf

Bud Freeman   1978

   Tea for Two

      Live performance

      Music: Vincent Youmans 1924

      Lyrics: Irving Caesar

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Benny Goodman

Benny Goodman

Source: Radionomy

A good example of swing in full bloom is bandleader and clarinetist Benny Goodman, generally designated the King of Swing. Born in 1909 in Chicago, Goodman's first recordings were at age 16 as a session clarinetist with both Ben Pollack's Californians and his White Tops in Chicago. Those went unissued: 'I'd Love to Call You M Sweetheart', 'Sunday' and 'Hot Stuff' [Lord]. Goodman is also listed on the 1979 issue of 'The Legendary Earl Baker Cylinders 1926', a collection of cylinders performed in 1926 on a record shared with radio transcriptions by Red Nichols. Goodman first saw release in 1927 from a session with Pollack on December 9, 1926: 'When I First Met Mary' and 'Deed I Do'. Goodman's first recordings with Pollack were also Glenn Miller's. Goodman's first name recordings were released in 1928 as Bennie Goodman's Boys with Jim and Glenn (Jimmy McPartland and Glenn Miller) from a session on January 23: 'A Jazz Holiday' and 'Wolverine Blues' [*]. Among Goodman's major credits are the hiring of pianist Ted Wilson and vibraphonist Lionel Hampton early in their careers when it wasn't proper for black and white musicians to play in the same band. Among recordings accounted essential in the Penguin Guide to Jazz [1, 2] was Goodman's delivery of the first jazz concert to be held at Carnegie Hall in NYC on 16 Jan 1938, that not released until 1950 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Goodman's is also the orchestra with which Charlie Christian came to fame. Among the vocalists Goodman employed were Helen Forrest, Peggy Lee and Anita O'Day. Though Goodman experimented with bebop in the forties it wasn't his bag, and he returned to the swing of his major arranger, Fletcher Henderson. Goodman was also a classical musician, releasing his first classical recordings in 1938 with the Budapest Quartet. He died of heart attack on 13 June 1986 in New York City leaving a legacy of one of the largest catalogues in jazz. More Benny Goodman under Peggy Lee in Swing Jazz 3. References academic: CMS; encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; musical: 1 (cached), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Compositions. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4; albums. Compilations: 'Benny Goodman Sextet Featuring Charlie Christian': *. Collections: New York Public Library, Rutgers, Yale. Goodman in visual media. Interviews w Goodman: 1955 audio, 1962-70 text, 1980 audio, 1981 video, 1982 text. Other profiles at HMR Project and Riverwalk Jazz.

Benny Goodman   1927

   Deed I Do

      Bandleader: Ben Pollack

      Music: Fred Rose   1926

      Lyrics: Walter Hirsch

Benny Goodman   1928

   Clarinetitis

      Composition: Goodman

   Jungle Blues

      Composition: Ferd (Jelly Roll) Morton

   That's A Plenty

      Music: Lew Pollack   1914

   Whoopee Stomp

      Composition: Terry/Mills

   Wolverine Blues

      Composition:

      Benjamin Sikes/John Spikes/Jelly Roll Morton

Benny Goodman   1933

   Tappin' the Barrel

      Composition:

      Victor Young/Ned Washington/Joe Young

Benny Goodman   1935

   I Wished on the Moon

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition: Ralph Rainger/Dorothy Parker

   Miss Brown to You

      With Billie Holiday

      Music: Richard Whiting/Ralph Rainger

      Lyrics: Leo Robin

Benny Goodman   1936

   Breakin' in a Pair of Shoes

      Composition:

      Dave Franklin/Ned Washington/Sam Stept

   It's Been So Long

      With Helen Ward

      Composition:

      Harold Adamson/Walter Donaldson

   Pennies from Heaven

      With Billie Holiday

      Music: Arthur Johnston

      Lyrics: Johnny Burke

   Stompin' at the Savoy

      Composition: Edgar Sampson 1934

Benny Goodman   1937

   Chloe

      Composition: Neil Moret/Gus Kahn

   These Foolish Things

      Vocals: Helen Ward

     Music: Harry Link/Jack Strachey

      Lyrics: Eric Maschwitz/Holt Marvell

Benny Goodman   1938

   Clarinet Quintet in A Major K. 581

      With the Budapest String Quartet

      Composition: Wolfgang Mozart

   Contrasts for Violin, Clarinet and Pianoforte

      Composition: Béla Bartok

   Sing, Sing, Sing

      Composition: Louis Prima

Benny Goodman   1941

   On the Sunny Side of the Street

      Vocals: Peggy Lee

      Composition: Jimmy McHugh/Dorothy Fields

   Soft as Spring

      Vocals: Helen Forrest

      Composition: Alec Wilder

   'Tis Autumn

      Vocals: Tommy Taylor

      Composition: Henry Nemo

Benny Goodman   1943

   I've Found a New Baby

      Composition: Jack Palmer/Spencer Williams

      First issue:

      Clarence Williams' Blue Five   1926

   Sugar Foot Stomp

      Composition: King Oliver/Louis Armstrong

Benny Goodman   1945

   Rattle and Roll

      Composition:

       Benny Goodman/Buck Clayton/Count Basie

   Slipped Disc

      Composition: Benny Goodman

Benny Goodman   1948

   Stealin' Apples

      Tenor Sax: Wardell Gray

      Trumpet: Fats Navarro

      Composition: Fats Waller/Andy Razaf

   Lullaby of the Leaves

      Composition: Bernice Petkere/Joe Young

Benny Goodman   1959

   Bugle Call Rag

      Filmed live in Holland

      Composition:

       Jack Pettis/Billy Meyers/Elmer Schoebel

   St. Louis Blues

      Filmed live in Holland

      Composition: WC Handy

Benny Goodman   1967

   Clarinet Concerto

      Composition: Carl Weberr

Benny Goodman   1973

   After You've Gone

      Composition: Henry Creamer/Turner Layton

      Henry Creamer/Turner Layton   1918

Benny Goodman   1985

   Let's Dance

      Filmed live at the New York Marriott Marquis

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Edmond Hall

Edmond Hall

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Born in 1901 in Reserve, Louisiana, clarinet player Edmond Hall [1, 2, 3] had been a farmhand until beginning his professional career in New Orleans in 1920. He is thought to have first recorded in August of 1927 in Savannah, Georgia, with Alonzo Ross and the Deluxe Syncopators, Margaret Miller at vocals (Victor Records). In 1930 he boarded Claude Hopkins' train to until 1935. Playing at the Savoy Ballroom in 1930, Hall would record with Hopkins in May of 1932, 'Mad Moments' and 'Mush Mouth' among several. His last tracks with Hopkins were for the soundtrack to 'By Request' three years later. In the latter thirties Hall played with Lucky Millinder, Zutty Singleton, Joe Sullivan and Henry Red Allen before forming the Celeste Quartet to record his first tiles as a leader on February 5, 1941. That group with Meade Lux Lewis (celeste), Charlie Christian (guitar) and Israel Crosby (bass) was good for five titles including two takes of 'Profoundly Blue'. Hall led a number of orchestras during his career, though his catalogue is not so extensive as a leader. The same year he debuted as a leader he joined Teddy Wilson's orchestra (1941). In 1950 he joined Eddie Condon's band, in 1955 Louis Armstrong's All Stars. Hall saw California with the All Stars in 1956, to shoot the film, 'High Society'. He had already toured Canada, the States, Europe and Ghana, and would make a failed attempt to live in Ghana in 1959 as a music instructor. Hall is thought to have made his last studio recordings in Copenhagen in 1966. All Music has Hall recording as late as February 3, 1967, contributing to tracks on the album, 'Edmond Hall's Last Concert' (tracks from 1964 included). That '67 performance was Hall's last at the Governor Dummer Academy with George Poor. He died nine days later on 11 February of heart attack. Hall was overall a steady, clean-living, non-drinking (preferring lemonade), wife-faithful (twice) musician. Sessionographies: DAHR w comp credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: 'Profoundly Blue' 1941/44 by Blue Note 1998: 1, 2; 'Flyin' High 1949-1959' by IAJRC 2006: 1, 2. Hall in visual media. HMR Project. 'Blue Interval', below, is an excellent example of early "smooth" jazz.

Edmond Hall   1927

  Believe Me, Dear

      With Alonzo Ross

      Composition:

      Robert H. Cloud

      Robert Cookie Mason

Edmond Hall   1932

  Hopkins Scream

      With Claude Hopkins

      Composition: Hopkins

  Mush Mouth

       With Claude Hopkins

      Composition: Jimmy Mundy

Edmond Hall   1941

  Last Mile Blues

      With Ida Cox

      Composition:

      Ida Cox/Jesse Crump (married)

  Ol' Man River

      Trumpet: Henry Red Allen

      Piano: Ken Kersey

      Music: Jerome Kern   1927

      Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

      For the musical 'Show Boat'

  Profoundly Blue

      Guitar: Charlie Christian

      Composition: Meade Lux Lewis

Edmond Hall   1944

  Blue Interval

      Piano: Teddy Wilson

      Vibes: Red Norvo

      Composition: Edmond Hall

  Night and Day

       Piano: Teddy Wilson

      Composition: Cole Porter

  Where or When

      Music: Richard Rodgers

      Lyrics: Lorenz Hart

Edmond Hall   1955

  Dardanella

      Music: Felix Bernard/Johnny Black

      Lyrics: Fred Fisher

      Published 1919

Edmond Hall   1958

  Muskrat Ramble

       Film   Trumpet: Louis Armstrong

      Music: Kid Ory   1926

      Lyrics: Ray Gilbert

Edmond Hall   1959

  Flyin' High

      Composition: Benny Goodman/Lionel Hampton

 

 
  Born in 1901 in Alameda, California, Horace Heidt [1, 2, 3] was a popular bandleader who performed a type of jazz called schmaltz [1, 2, 3], his now more famous rival in that being Guy Lombardo ('Auld Lang Syne'). Heidt put together his first band, the Californians, in 1923 while in college. His first recordings are thought to have been a couple tracks for Victor in April of 1927: 'Mine' and 'Hello cutie' [DAHR]. Heidt would also direct the Brigadiers with which he first appeared on radio station WJZ in New York City in 1931 [*]. Radio being one of Heidt's major avenues to stardom, he later hosted programs including 'Pot o' Gold' ('39), 'Tums Treasure Chest', 'The American Way' and 'The Horace Heidt Youth Opportunity Program' throughout the forties, the last becoming a television show in 1950. Heidt and his Musical Knights had first issued for Columbia in 1939 per 'Good Morning' and 'Are You Havin' Any Fun?'. He scored nearly thirty Top Ten titles from 1937 to 1945. TsorT figures his most popular overall to be 'I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire', reaching Billboard's #1 in 1941 to hang around for 13 weeks. From 1945 to 1948 Heidt turned his attention to real estate, building a resort apartment complex of 180 units, with a golf course, on ten acres of land in the San Fernando Valley (CA). Heidt is said to have been the first to put a band on a vaudeville stage, give away money on radio ('Pot o' Gold'), host a television talent show and perform with a big band on television. He passed away on 1 December 1986 [obit]. Sessions: DAHR, Lord, Rust ('The American Dance Band Discography 1917-1942'). Discos (Californians, Brigadiers, Musical Knights, Heidt and His Orchestra): 45Worlds; Discogs; RYM: 1, 2, 3. Heidt in visual media. Archives: 'Capital Journal' 1955. See also: 1; 2, 3, 4, 5.

Horace Heidt   1927

  Hello Cutie

      Composition: Cliff Friend

Horace Heidt   1928

  Golden Gate

      Composition:

      Dave Dreyer/Joseph Meyer

      Al Jolson/Billy Rose

  What a Wonderful Wedding That Will Be

      Composition: Kahal/Wheele/Fain

Horace Heidt   1929

  I'm Ka-Razy for You

      Composition:

      Dave Dreyer/Al Jolson/Billy Rose

  Melancholy

      Music: Lou Handman

      Lyrics: Ben Ryan

  Turn On the Heat

      Composition: Nacio Brown

  The Wedding of the Painted Doll

      Composition:

      Nacio Herb Brown/Arthur Freed

Horace Heidt   1937

  Gone with the Wind

      Music: Allie Wrubel   1937

      Lyrics: Herb Magidson

  Rosalie

      Composition: Cole Porter

  There's a Gold Mine in the Sky

      Composition: Larry Cotton

Horace Heidt   1938

  Building a Band

      'The Bells of St. Mary's'

      Composition:

      Larry Cotton/Jean Farney

  Sing for Your Supper

      Music: Richard Rodgers

      Lyrics: Lorenz Hart

Horace Heidt   1939

  Parade of the Wooden Soldiers

      Composition: Léon Jessel

  Tomorrow Night

      Composition:

      Hugh Williams/Sam Coslow

Horace Heidt   1941

  G´bye Now

      Composition:

      Ole Olsen/Chic Johnson

      Jay Levison (Livingston)/Ray Evans

  I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire

      Composition:

      Bennie Benjamin/Eddie Durham

      Sol Marcus/Eddie Seiler

Horace Heidt   1942

   Deep in the Heart of Texas

      Music: Don Swander   1941

      Lyrics: June Hershey

Horace Heidt   1944

  Don't Fence Me In

      Music: Cole Porter   1934

      Lyrics: Cole Porter/Robert Fletcher

Horace Heidt   1950

  Medley

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Horace Heidt

Horace Heidt

Source: Horace Heidt

 

Born in 1906 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Johnny Hodges, clarinet and sax, is largely associated with Duke Ellington, both as a composer and musician. Hodges first played professionally as a kid, performing piano for eight dollars an evening. He was playing soprano sax by the time he was teenager and was making a local name for himself around Boston when he moved to New York City in 1924. After an unissued track with Chick Webb in 1926 he joined Ellington's orchestra in 1928. He is thought to have first recorded with Ellington with the latter's Washingtonians on June 25 that year per two tracks each of 'What a Life' (unissued), 'Yellow Dog Blues' and 'Tishomingo Blues' (Brunswick 3987). Hodges attended above a thousand sessions during his career, most of them with Ellington, excepting 1951-55 when he led his own orchestra, up to 'New Orleans Suite' in 1970 (Ellington's eighth studio album, Hodges' final). Hodges had returned to Ellington's operation in time for the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival that summer. He had first recorded as a band leader in NYC on May 20, 1937, 'Peckin' with vocal by Buddy Clark among them. Ellington contributed piano, backing Hodges' bands numerously throughout the decades to come. Hodges first recorded 'Passion Flower' in 1941, a title rendered numerously for the next thirty years. His last performance was at the Imperial Room in Toronto, Ontario, in 1970. He died of heart attack at the dentist several days later on 11 May while working on his eighth studio album, 'New Orleans Suite', per above. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessions: J-Disc, JDP, Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: 'Passion Flower 1940-46' by Bluebird 1995; 'The Stanley Dance Sessions' 1959/61 by Lone Hill Jazz 2005. Hodges in visual media. Hodges' saxophone: 1, 2. Further reading: Balliett, Clarke, HMR Project, Myers, Reney. All tracks for 1928 below are with Ellington.

Johnny Hodges   1928

   Diga Diga Doo

      Music: Jimmy McHugh   1928

      Lyrics: Dorothy Fields

   Hot and Bothered

      Composition: Duke Ellington

   I Must Have That Man

      Music: Jimmy McHugh   1928

      Lyrics: Dorothy Fields

   Just a Memory

      Composition:

      Ray Henderson/Lew Brown/Buddy DeSylva

   The Mooche

      Composition: 1928:

      Duke Ellington/Irving Mills

  Tishomingo Blues

  Yellow Dog Blues

      How it sounded in 1928

      Composition: WC Handy   1928

Johnny Hodges   1936

   It's Like Reaching for the Moon

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition:

      Al Lewis/Gerald Marqusee/Al Sherman

Johnny Hodges   1938

   Jeep's Blues

      Composition: Duke Ellington/Hodges

Johnny Hodges   1941

   Passion Flower

      Composition: Billy Strayhorn

Johnny Hodges   1946

   Cherry

      Composition: Don Redman/Ray Gilbert

Johnny Hodges   1956

   Passion Flower

      With Duke Ellington

      Composition: Billy Strayhorn

       Album: 'Blue Rose'

Johnny Hodges   1965

   Take the 'A' Train

      With Wild Bill Davis

      Music: Billy Strayhorn   1939

      Lyrics: Joya Sherrill   1944

       Album: 'Wings and Things'

Johnny Hodges   1969

   Don't Get Around Much Anymore

      Live performance

      Music: Duke Ellington   1940

      Lyrics: Bob Russell

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Johnny Hodges

Johnny Hodges

Source: Michihisa Ishikawa

  Born in in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1903, pianist, Claude Hopkins (aka Hop Hopkins), is said to have not left home until age 21. Even so he is documented by Lord to have made a couple unissued recordings for Columbia in New York City in 1922 with blues singer, Sara Martin: 'I Loved You Once but You Stayed Away Too Long' and 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do'. His first professional employment is generally given per leaving home with the Wilbur Sweatman Band in 1924. The major break in his career occurred in 1925 when he became director of The Review Negre, touring Europe with Josephine Baker and Sidney Bechet. Upon returning to the United States in 1927 he toured the vaudeville circuit, performing piano on recordings with Ma Rainey in Chicago in August of that year: 'Misery Blues' w 'Dead Drunk Blues' toward Paramount 12508 and 'Slow Driving Moan' toward Paramount 12526. Lord has him next recording with Clarence Williams in September 1928: 'Walk That Broad' and 'Have You Ever Felt That Way?'. In 1932 Hopkins formed his own orchestra with which he first recorded on 24 May: 'I Would Do Anything for You' and 'Mad Moments' released on Columbia 2665-D. 'Mush Mouth' and 'How'm I Doin'?' saw issue on Columbia 2674-D. In addition to touring with that band Hopkins held residencies at the Savoy in Harlem, the Roseland in Manhattan and the Cotton Club in Harlem. Among sessions he held along the way were those likely held sometime in 1934 to result in the later release of 'The Golden Swing Years: 1935' by Polydor in the UK in 1968, same as 'Harlem 1934' but the latter w additional tracks issued by Swing Classics in Sweden in 1977. In 1940 he broke up his band to begin arranging for CBS for several years, afterward filling out his career as a sideman in countless groups. He later formed his All Stars w which he backed Juanita Hall [1, 2, 3] in 1958 on 'The Original Bloody Mary Sings the Blues' (various issues w various titles like 'Juanita Hall Sings the Blues', 'Sings Bessie Smith', et al). His All Stars consisted of Coleman Hawkins, Buster Bailey, Doc Cheatham, George Duvivier and Jimmy Crawford. Bailey played clarinet again on Hopkins' release of 'Music of the Early Jazz Dances' the same year. Filling Hopkins' band on that were Lyle Smith, Charlie Shavers, Henry Red Allen, Tyree Glenn, Vic Dickenson, Milt Hinton, Panama Francis and Julia Steel at vocals. Lord has Hopkins' 'Golden Era of Dixieland Jazz' going down on 23 Oct 1958, citing liner notes to Gala GLP 347 which Discogs has recorded in '57. He recorded in the quartets of Bailey and Dickenson in '59. Backing various others in 1960, such as 'Blues by Lonnie Johnson' that March, Hopkins' 'Yes Indeed!' went down on 25 March (same month) that year w his All Stars consisting of Buddy Tate, Emmett Berry, Wendell Marshall and Osie Johnson. Piano solos by Hopkins were later strung along in the early seventies: 'Soliloquy' (Sackville) and 'Crazy Fingers' (Chiaroscuro). On 17 July of 1974 Hopkins was in Valaurisis, France, to lay out 'Safari Stomp' w his trio filled by Arvell Shaw at bass and Papa Jo Jones on drums [arwulf/All Music]. Lord traces sessions as a leader to as far as the Manassas Jazz Fest on 8 December 1974 issued on 'Sophisticated Swing' Fat Cat's Jazz FCJ 197. On 29 March of '75 Hopkins joined the Dixieland Rhythm Kings on 'Squeeze Me' and 'After You've Gone', those issued that year on 'Jazz of the Connecticut Traditional Jazz Club 11'. He remained busy in New York until his death in NYC on 19 Feb 1984. Chronological Classics has issued three volumes covering Hopkins from 1932-34, 1934-35 to 1937-40. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Hopkins in visual media since 1932. Further reading at Keep Swinging: 1, 2. Biblio: 'Crazy Fingers: Claude Hopkins' Life in Jazz' by Warren Vache Sr. (Smithsonian Institution Press 1992). Other profiles: 1, 2.

Claude Hopkins   1927

  Dead Drunk Blues

      With Ma Rainey

      Composition: Ma Rainey

      Hopkins' 2nd recording issued

  Misery Blues

      With Ma Rainey

      Composition: Ma Rainey

      Hopkins' 1st recording issued

  Slow Driving Moan

      With Ma Rainey

      Composition: Ma Rainey

      Hopkins' 3rd recording issued

Claude Hopkins   1932

  I Would Do Anything for You

      1st recording issued by Hopkin's orchestra

      Composition: Alex Hill/Claude Hopkins

  Mush Mouth

      Composition: Jimmy Mundy

Claude Hopkins   1934

  Just You, Just Me

      Composition:

      Jesse Greer/Raymond Klages

Claude Hopkins   1935

  Untitled

      Featuring Tip Tap and Toe

      From the film 'By Request'

      Date per 1, 2

Claude Hopkins   1937

  My Kinda Love

      With Betty White

      Music: Jo Trent

      Lyrics: Bob Russell

Claude Hopkins   1958

  Baby Won't You Please Come Home

       Backing Juanita Hall

      Composition:

      Charles Warfield/Clarence Williams

 

Birth of Jazz: Claude Hopkins

Claude Hopkins

 

Born in 1904 in Clarinda, Iowa, trombonist/arranger Glenn Miller remains one of the most enduring figures in big bands despite his death at an early age. He'd left high school for college in Boulder, Colorado. As a student he played in the band of Boyd Senter in Denver, then dropped out of school to tour with bands that eventually took him to Los Angeles where he found spots with Ben Pollack and Victor Young. Miller first recorded with Pollack and his Californians on September 14, 1926, those unissued by Victor. Miller is also listed on the 1979 issue of 'The Legendary Earl Baker Cylinders 1926'. Miller's initial recordings were also Benny Goodman's, as would be his first issues, recorded on December 9: 'When I first met Mary' and 'Deed I Do'. While with Pollack Miller issued a couple titles with Red Nichols' Stompers in latter '27: 'Sugar' and 'Make My Cot Where the Cot-Cot-Cotton Grows'. 1928 saw the release of 'A Jazz Holiday' and 'Wolverine Blues' by Bennie Goodman's Boys With Jim And Glenn (Jimmy McPartland). Miller began setting tracks with the Sam Lanin Orchestra in January of '28: 'Everywhere You Go'. In March of '28 he was with Goodman and McPartland to record 'I'm More Than Satisfied' and two takes of 'Oh Baby' with Nat Shilkret's All Star Orchestra. Miller issued strongly in those early days with such as Red Nichols, the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, Benny Goodman, the Boswell Sisters, Lee Wiley, Mildred Bailey and Clark Randall before releasing his first issues as a bandleader with vocalist, Smith Ballew, in 1935: 'A Blues Serenade' and 'Moonlight on the Ganges'. By 1939 Miller's band was such a success that he performed at Carnegie Hall that year. Miller then began broadcasting on CBS for Chesterfield cigarettes on December 27, 1939, with the Andrews Sisters, a series that would run nearly three years with 'Moonlight Serenade' it's theme excepting the use of 'Slumber Song' during the ASCAP boycott of 1941. Miller released his most popular title over all, 'In the Mood', in 1939, that reaching Billboard's #1 spot to hang around for thirty weeks [TsorT]. Among vocalists with whom Miller worked were Gordon Tex Beneke, the Modernaires, Marion Hutton, Kay Starr and Dinah Shore. In 1941 Miller's dance band appeared in the film, 'Sun Valley Serenade', followed by 'Orchestra Wives' the next year. Miller gave his last 'Chesterfield Show' on 24 September of 1942. He gave his last concert in the United States on November 27, 1942, in Passaic, New Jersey. He then joined the Army for patriotic causes, sacrificing an income in the vicinity of $70,000 per month to lead an Army band. He was soon promoted to captain, then major, then was even more swiftly downed over the English Channel in a plane with a faulty carburetor [*], disappearing on 15 December 1944. Miller's last recording had been in England only 3 days prior on 12 December at the Queensbury Club in London where Tom Lord has him putting away 'Red Cavalry March' ('Russian Patrol') with his Army Air Forces Band with which he'd given some 800 performances. ''Little Brown Jug' and Parachute' had preceded that on 1 Dec of '44. Ten years after Miller's death Anthony Mann directed the 1954 film tribute to Miller titled 'The Glenn Miller Story' starring James Stewart and June Allyson. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Sessions: DAHR; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: Miller's Army Air Force Band: 'The Lost Recordings' by Happy Days 1995/96; 'Missing Chapters' Vol 1 through 9 by Avid; 'Secret Broadcasts' by RCA Victor 1996. Miller's disappearance and death in 1944: books : 'Glenn Miller Declassified' by Dennis Spragg (Potomac 2017); articles based on research by Spragg: 1, 2, 3, 4; documentaries based on research by Spragg: PBS 'History Detectives'. Members of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Further reading on Miller: 'The Glenn Miller Years' by Gene Lees for 'Jazzletter' 2007: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Christopher Popa on Miller's Army Air Force Band. The current Glenn Miller Orchestra. See also Glenn's Swing Orchestra. Glenn Miller licensing. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. All tracks below are chronological by year only. All for year 1944 are with the Army Air Force Band. More Miller under Marion Hutton in Swing Jazz Song.

Glenn Miller   1927

  Deed I Do

      Bandleader: Ben Pollack

      Music: Fred Rose   1926

      Lyrics: Walter Hirsch

Glenn Miller   1934

  Annie's Cousin Fannie

      With the Dorseys

      Composition: Glenn Miller

Glenn Miller   1935

  Dese Dem Dose

      With the Dorseys

      Composition: Glenn Miller

  Solo Hop

      Composition: Glenn Miller

Glenn Miller   1938

  Live at the Paradise Restaurant

      Vocals: Ray Eberle & Marion Hutton

      Radio broadcast

Glenn Miller   1939

  In the Mood

      Composition: Joe Garland

  Little Brown Jug

      Composition:

      Joseph Eastburn Winner   1869

  Moonlight Serenade

      Music: Glenn Miller

      Lyrics: Mitchell Parish

  Sunrise Serenade

       Music: Frankie Carle

       Lyrics: Jack Lawrence

Glenn Miller   1940

  Tuxedo Junction

       Music: Frankie Carle

      Erskine Hawkins/Bill Johnson/Julian Dash

      Lyrics: Buddy Feyne

Glenn Miller   1941

  Chattanooga Choo Choo

       Music: Harry Warren

      Lyrics: Mack Gordon

      Film: 'Sun Valley Serenade'

Glenn Miller   1942

  At Last

      Vocals: Lynn Bari and Ray Eberle

      Composition: Harry Warren/Mack Gordon

      Film: 'Orchestra Wives'

  A String of Pearls

        Music: Jerry Gray

      Lyrics: Eddie DeLange

Glenn Miller   1943

  St Louis Blues March

       War Bond Parade

       From 'St Louis Blues' by WC Handy

Glenn Miller   1944

With the Army Air Force Band:

  All the Things You Are

      Vocal: Johnny Desmond

       Music: Jerome Kern

      Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

  Moonlight Serenade

     Music: Glenn Miller

      Lyrics: Mitchell Parish

  Smoke Get's in Your Eyes

       Music: Jerome Kern

      Lyrics: Otto Harbach

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Glenn Miller

Glenn Miller

Photo: Chesterfield (cigarettes)

Source: Glenn Miller Orchestra

Birth of Swing Jazz: Vic Dickenson

Vic Dickenson

Photo: 'Life' magazine

Source: Jazz Lives

Born in 1906 in Xeniz, Ohio, trombonist Vic Dickenson's career spanned early to modern jazz. He first played professionally in 1921 with the Elite Syncopators. Discogs and Tom Lord have him possibly recording as early as Nov 1927 with Willie Jones and his Orchestra for Gennett at its studios in Richmond, Indiana, per 'Ragmuffin Stomp' (6370), 'Michigan Stomp' (6326) and 'Bugs' (6326). Brian Rust and the writer at 45 Worlds, however, prefer trombonist, Sam Searce. Lord doesn't state why he adds the possibility of Dickenson, so the 1928 release date in the menu above is tentative. Dickenson more certainly recorded with Luis Russell in Dec of 1930 as a vocalist on 'Honey, That Reminds Me'. See the CD 'Vic Dickenson: Nice Work: 1930-1961' on Retrospective RTR4294. Dickenson's next issues were in 1934 with Blanche Calloway from a session in August in Chicago, leading to another in NYC, which town Dickenson made his neighborhood as a studio musician, he coming to a national stature. In 1936 Dickenson began three years with Claude Hopkins. He started working with Benny Carter in 1939 and Count Basie in 1940. After another brief time with Carter Dickenson gave up big bands for smaller ensembles. Together with leading his own bands Dickenson worked largely as a freelancer, performing with pianist, Eddie Heywood, Henry Red Allen, the Saints and the Sinners. Trumpeter, Bobby Hackett, would be a frequent session partner during his career, he first recording with Hackett with Peggy Lee and the Jubilee Allstars in 1945: 'You Was Right, Baby'. Dickenson's first issues as a leader were recorded in late 1947 in Los Angeles with his Sextet consisting of Jack Trainor (trumpet), Jewell Grant (alto sax), JD King (tenor sax), Skip Johnson (piano/arrangement), Billy Hadnott (bass), Chico Hamilton (drums as Forrest Hamilton). Dickenson issued as ramrod of various ensembles throughout his career, though not so extensively as were his backing engagements. In 1957 he participated in the CBS broadcast of 'The Sound of Jazz'. He and Eddie Condon toured Asia in 1964. Dickenson began working with Bobby Hackett in 1968. The early seventies brought The World's Greatest Jazz Band [1, 2, 3], 'Live at the Roosevelt Grill' gone down on April 17 and 18 of 1970 [*]. Dickenson died of cancer on 16 November 1984 in New York City [obit]. References: 1, 2, 3. Sessionographies: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discographies: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: 'The Essential Vic Dickenson' 1953/54 by Vanguard 1995 (nigh the same w 11 tracks as 'Vic Dickenson Septet' in 1972 with twelve): 1, 2; 'Five Classic Albums Plus' by Avid 2012 containing 'Vic Dickenson Septet' Vol 1-4 ('53/'54) and 'Mainstream' ('58). Dickenson in visual media. Further reading at Jazz Profiles. HMR Project.

Vic Dickenson   1928

   Michigan Stomp

      Willie Jones and his Orchestra

       Tentative: Brian Rust credits Sam Searce at trombone

      Composition: Grier

Vic Dickenson   1931

   Honey, That Reminds Me

      Luis Russell and his Orchestra

      Vocal: Dickenson

      Trombone: J.C. Higginbotham

      Composition: John Nesbitt

Vic Dickenson   1940

   Five O'Clock Whistle

      Good example of jump jazz

      Count Basie Orchestra

      Music: Josef Myrow/Gene Irwin

      Lyrics: Kim Gannon

      Arrangement: Don Redman

Vic Dickenson   1946

   It's Only a Paper Moon

      With Lester Young

      Music: Harold Arlen

      Lyrics: Billy Rose/EY Harburg

   Love Me or Leave Me

      Vocal: Kay Starr

      Composition:

      Walter Donaldson/Gus Kahn

   Sweet Lorraine

      Vocal: Kay Starr

      Composition:

      Clifford Burwell/Mitchell Parish

Vic Dickenson   1953

   I Cover the Waterfront

      Composition:

      Sir Charles Thompson

   Russian Lullaby

      Composition: Irving Berlin

Vic Dickenson   1958

   Basin Street Blues

      Composition: Spencer Williams

   Rosetta

      Filmed live at Cannes

      Composition: Earl Hines/Henri Woode

   Undecided

      Filmed live at Cannes

      Composition: Charlie Shavers/Sid Robin

   Yellow Dog Blues

      Originally 'Yellow Dog Rag'

      Composition: WC Handy   1915

Vic Dickenson   1970

   My Honey's Lovin' Arms

     World's Greatest Jazz Band

      Composition: Joseph Meyer/Herman Ruby   1922

Vic Dickenson   1976

   Trombone Cholly

      Album

Vic Dickenson   1983

   If I Could Be with You

      Filmed live

      Music: James Price Johnson

      Lyrics: Henry Creamer

 

 
 

Born in 1909 in Chicago, drummer Gene Krupa, expanded the drums ensemble beyond the usual bass, cymbals and snare. Famous for his work with Benny Goodman, he recorded as early as 1927 with Eddie Condon and Red McKenzie. His first session with their Chicagoans was held in Chicago on December 8, yielding 'Sugar' and 'China Boy'. Another on the 16th wrought 'Nobody's Sweetheart' and 'Liza'. Several more unissued tracks with Condon followed in '28 until Thelma Terry and her Play Boys recorded 'Lady of Havana', among others, on March 29. From spring to summer that year Krupa found himself recording with Condon in various groups from the Chicago Rhythm Kings, the Jungle Kings, Frank Teschemacher's Chicagoans and a band run by Miff Mole to the Eddie Condon Quartet before recording with Wingy Manone's Club Royal Orchestra in September: 'Downright Disgusted' and ''Fare Thee Well'. Tracks were also recorded in September with the Wabash Dance Orchestra, partnering with Red Nichols and, again, Wingy Manone. Krupa finished 1928 with Red McKenzie in December, recording 'Crazeology' and 'Can't Help Lovin' That Man' with the Bud Freeman Orchestra. 1929 found Krupa backing Red Nichols' Five Pennies before more tracks with Condon and McKenzie, now with the Mound City Blue Blowers. He also performed with Emmett Miller, Red Nichols' Midnight Airedales and Fats Waller in '29, to begin 1930 with Irving Mills and further configurations run by Nichols such as the Louisiana Rhythm Kings. A load of recordings with Nichols, among others, followed into 1931. In latter 1934 Krupa joined the Benny Goodman operation, having first worked with Goodman on recordings with Nichols' Five Pennies in April of '29. Krupa remained with Goodman into 1938. Krupa had begun recording with his own orchestras in 1935, a session with his Chicagoans on November 19 that year yielding 'The Last Round-Up', 'Jazz Me Blues', 'Three Little Words' and 'Blues of Israel'. Goodman was also a member of his Swing Band in '36. Krupa and Goodman would record numerously together in various configurations throughout their careers. Krupa's last recordings were with the Benny Goodman Quartet at Carnegie Hall in NYC on June 29, 1973. Also in that ensemble were Lionel Hampton on vibes, Teddy Wilson on piano and Slam Stewart on bass. Krupa had first worked with Hampton with Benny Goodman in 1936 and would record with Hampton often, both with Goodman and in Hampton's orchestras. Teddy Wilson would drift in and out of his path on various occasions, including Krupa's bands. Krupa's film debut was in 1939 in Hollywood in the film, 'Some Like It Hot'. He was such a skilled drummer that it was inevitable the drum solo be introduced to jazz by him, drum battles to ensue (such as the example below for 1952). In 1943 he was arrested for possession of two joints of cannabis and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He'd spent nearly three months in jail when it was decided that he'd been framed and was cleared of charges. Krupa recorded extensively both with other musicians and his own ensembles, often quartets. Highlights of his career include several occasions with Norman Granz' Jazz at the Philharmonic, the first on February 12, 1945 in Los Angeles. (The initial Jazz at the Philharmonic was held on July 2, 1944 in Los Angeles.) Krupa performed in the 'Timex All Star Jazz Show' for NBC in '57, '58 and '59. More than thirty years into his profession, Krupa was hardly history, but a happy drummer long acquainted with people making a fuss of him when a movie was made about his career in 1959 called 'The Gene Krupa Story' w screenplay by Orin Jannings, direction by Don Weis and Sal Mineo as Krupa. Krupa worked with Condon again in 1961 per 'Chicago and All That Jazz' for NBC. His last performance as a leader listed in Tom Lord's discography was a quartet with Eddie Shu on tenor sax, John Bunch at piano and Nobil Totah on bass in April, 1973 at the New School in New York. Krupa died of leukemia and heart failure in Yonkers, New York, in October 1973. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Sessions: 1, 2, Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Krupa in visual media: 1, 2. Compilations: 'Drummin' Man' 1938-49 by Columbia 1963. Archives. Interview w Buddy Rich by Willis Conover 1956. Equipment. Facebook tribute page. Biblio: articles: Owen Edwards; Bobby Scott; books: 'World of Gene Krupa' by Bruce Klauber (Pathfinder 1990). Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. More Krupa under Eddie Condon in Early Jazz.

Gene Krupa   1927

  China Boy

      With the Chicagoans

      Composition: Phil Boutelje/Dick Winfree

  I'm Nobody's Sweetheart

      With the Chicagoans

      Composition:

      Ernie Erdman/Gus Kahn

      Billy Meyers/Elmer Schoebel

Gene Krupa   1928

  Starlight and Tulips

      Composition: Alfred Bryan/Pete Wendling

Gene Krupa   1929

  China Boy

      Film   With the Chicagoans

      Composition: Phil Boutelje/Dick Winfree

Gene Krupa   1935

  Blues of Israel

      With the Chicagoans

      Composition: Gene Krupa

  Jazz Me Blues

      With the Chicagoans

      Composition: Tom Delaney

  Three Little Words

       With the Chicagoans

      Composition: Bert Kalmar/Harry Ruby

Gene Krupa   1937

  Sing, Sing, Sing

      Film: 'Hollywood Hotel'

      With Benny Goodman

      Composition: Louis Prima

Gene Krupa   1939

  Wire Brush Stomp

      Film: 'Some Like It Hot'

Gene Krupa   1941

  After You've Gone

      Composition: Henry Creamer/Turner Layton

  Drum Boogie

      Film: 'Ball of Fire'

      Actress: Barbara Stanwyck

      Voice dubb: Martha Tilton

     Composition: Gene Krupa/Roy Eldridge

Gene Krupa   1946

  Follow That Music

      Film   Vocal: Judy Carroll

Gene Krupa   1948

  Bop Boogie

      Film: 'Thrills of Music'

      Vocal: Dolores Hawkins

Gene Krupa   1949

  Let Me Off Uptown

      Album

Gene Krupa   1952

  Drum Battle

       JATP live at Carnegie Hall

      With Buddy Rich

  Flying Home

      Live at Carnegie Hall   With Buddy Rich

       Composition: Goodman/Hampton

Gene Krupa   1954

  Sing, Sing, Sing

      Composition: Louis Prima

Gene Krupa   1967

  Chicago

       Film w Benny Goodman

      Composition: Fred Fisher

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Gene Krupa

Gene Krupa

Source: Quotation Of

  Born James Kern Kyser in 1905 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Kay Kyser ran a popular dance band which played but little jazz unless one consider his humor through lyric or performance a sort of jazzing things up. Kyser grooved his first records for Victor on 26 November 1928 as a bandleader: 'Broken Dreams Of Yesterday'/'Tell Her' (V-40028) among other tracks. He had already led a band at the University of North Carolina, taking over the Carolina Club Orchestra in 1927 upon Hal Kemp, its prior leader, leaving for NYC to lead his first professional orchestra. Choosing the middle initial of his name to call himself Kay, Kyser was best known for his 'Kollege of Musical Knowledge' radio broadcasts beginning in 1938 for Mutual Radio, then NBC from 1939 to 1949 [1, 2]. Albeit Kyser was a comedian he was also recognized as a top notch musician. He first appeared in film in 'That's Right You're Wrong' premiering 24 Nov 1939. Among the vocalists with whom Kyser recorded after World War II were the actress Jane Russell, Frank Sinatra and Dinah Shore. About 1955 Kyser became a Christian Scientist. He died in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on 23 July 1985. References: 1, 2, 3. Kay Kyser Orchestra major personnel. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Filmographies: 1, 2. Archives. Biblio: 'Kay Kyser: The Ol' Professor of Swing!: America's Forgotten Superstar' by Steven Beasley (Richland Creek 2009). Collections. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Kay Kyser   1928

  Broken Dreams of Yesterday

      Composition: Kyser

  Tell Her

      Composition:

      Saxie Dowell/Kyser/Hal James

Kay Kyser   1932

  Medley

      Radio broadcast

Kay Kyser   1938

 The Umbrella Man

      Composition:

      James Cavanaugh

      Larry Stock

      Vincent Rose

Kay Kyser   1939

  Three Little Fishies

     Music: Saxie Dowell

      Lyrics: Josephine Carringer

Kay Kyser   1940

  She's Making Eyes at Me

      Vocal: Sully Mason

      Composition: Sidney Clare/Con Conrad

  You'll Find Out

      Live

Kay Kyser   1941

  Romeo Smith and Juliet Jones

      Vocals: Harry Babbitt & Ginny Simms

      Composition:

      Johnny Burke/Jimmy Van Heusen

Kay Kyser   1942

  Fuddy Duddy Watchmaker

      Vocal: Julie Conway

      Composition:

      Jimmy McHugh/Frank Loesser

  Jingle Jangle Jingle

      Composition:

      Joseph Lilley/Frank Loesser

Kay Kyser   1943

  Praise the Lord & Pass the Ammunition

      Composition: Frank Loesser   1942

Kay Kyser   1946

  Ole Buttermilk Sky

      Vocal: Mike Douglas

      Composition:

      Hoagy Carmichael/Jack Brooks

Kay Kyser   1947

  Managua Nicaragua

      Vocal: Gloria Wood

      Composition:

      Albert Gamse/Irving Fields

Kay Kyser   1948

  On a Slow Boat to China

      Vocals: Harry Babbitt & Gloria Wood

      Composition: Frank Loesser

  Woody Wood-Pecker

      Vocals: Harry Babbitt & Gloria Wood

      Composition:

      George Tibbles/Ramey Idriss

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Kay Kyser

Kay Kyser

Source: Pretty & Vacant

  Born in 1903 in Brighton, England, British bandleader and composer, Ray Noble [1, 2, 3], studied at the Royal Academy of Music in 1926. DAHR has him directing the Ben Selvin Orchestra as early as 13 May 1925 in New York City per 'Steppin' in Society' issued on Vocalion 15038. But that's probably incorrect. There is no mention anywhere of Noble visiting New York City so early as 1925. Nor is there anywhere mention that he ever worked w Selvin, an American bandleader, at anytime anywhere. Nor does Discogs mention Noble on Vocalion 15038. Incidentally, though Noble had nothing to do with it, Selvin recorded 'Steppin' in Society' in NYC again on 26 May w his Knickerbockers toward Columbia 391. Lord's disco traces Noble to no earlier than 22 October 1928 as an arranger with Jack Payne and his BBC Dance Orchestra for 'Out of the Dawn' and 'Sweet Sue, Just You' (Columbia 5074), which seems the more likely year of Noble's debut participation on a commercial record release. Noble arranged more titles for Payne, also directing 'Am I Blue?' (HMV B3174) for Anona Winn in September, when the next month he began playing cello with the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, a studio band for HMV Records. A session with Noble in that capacity was recorded at Small Queen's Hall on October 7, yielding 'Teardrops' with a couple of medleys. Noble was made leader of that orchestra, meanwhile continuing to work with Payne. The combination of vocalist, Al Bowlly, supported by Noble's New Mayfair Orchestra in London brought each to shared acclaim in the early thirties. Noble backed Bowlly as early as 14 July 1930 in Hayes toward 'The Prisoner's Song' on HMV FJ-133. Lord has Noble backing Bowlly as early as 17 July of 1930 in Hayes, Middlesex, directing the Night Club Kings w Norman Payne at trumpet and Jock Fleming on trombone, et al, for unissued tracks: 'Allah's Holiday', 'Whispering' and 'Give Me Back My Heart'. Noble arranged and contributed cello. Bowlly saw backing by Noble's New Mayfair Orchestra at Small Queen's Hall in London on 19 February 1931 for 'Makin' Wicki-Wacki Down in Waikiki' (HMV B5989) and 'Shout for Happiness' (HMV B5984). They topped Billboard's chart in the States in 1933 w 'Love Is the Sweetest Thing'. Come 'The Very Thought of You' in 1934 prior to 'Isle of Capri', the latter topping Billboard in December. Noble had moved to New York City in October of 1934, Bowlly joining him for a time as well as drummer and manager, Bill Harty. In 1935 Noble recruited Glenn Miller to both play trombone and help find members for his new orchestra. His first issue in the United States per Lord was 'Down By the River' with Bowlly at vocals in early 1935. Come 'Top Hat' the same year followed by numerous Top Ten titles in 1936. As indicated below, Bowlly was a major element in Noble's early renown. Numerous compilations of their recordings together have been issued. Despite the early fuss they made, TsorT has Noble's most successful title arriving years later w Buddy Clark at vocals on 'Linda' issued in 1946. Noble's continuing career included radio and television until he retired to Santa Barbara, CA, after his last performance for 'The Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show' on 26 December 1954, a radio program on which he'd appeared numerously since 21 September 1941 [OldTimeRadio]. Wikipedia has Noble leaving the United States in the latter sixties to live his remaining years in Bailiwick of Jersey off the coast of Normandy. He died in London of cancer on 3 April 1978 [obit], later to be inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in '87 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in '96. Sessionographies: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Noble in visual media. Further reading: John Wilson 'NYTimes'. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Ben Selvin   1925

  Steppin' in Society

      Ben Selvin Orchestra recorded in NYC

      Issued on Vocalion 15038

      Composition: Alex Gerber/Harry Akst

Note: Noble very likely had nothing to do with the above recording made too early and too far away for him to be involved. I list it as a peculiarity in the DAHR sessionography largely because Selvin was a well-known bandleader whom I've neglected in this history.

Ray Noble   1930

  Happy Days Are Here Again

      Ray Noble Orchestra

      Vocal: Harry Shalson

      Music: Milton Ager   1929

      Lyrics: Jack Yellen

  Happy Days Are Here Again

      Jack Payne and his BBC Dance Orchestra

      Arrangement: Ray Noble

  Harmony Heaven

      New Mayfair Orchestra

      Vocal: W. Vernon

      Composition:

      Eddie Brandt/Eddie Pola/Ray Vincent

  King of Jazz Medley

      New Mayfair Orchestra

Note: Medley above from the 1930 film 'King of Jazz' w score performed by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra.

  The Prisoner's Song

      Vocal: Al Bowlly

  Song of the West Medley

      Music: Vincent Youmans

Ray Noble   1931

  Goodnight Sweetheart

      Vocal: Al Bowlly

      Composition:

      Ray Noble/Jimmy Campbell/Reg Connelly

  Goodnight Sweetheart

      Vocal: George Metaxa

  There's Something in Your Eyes

      New Mayfair Orchestra

      Vocal: Al Bowlly

      Composition: Franz Grothe

  Time on My Hands

      New Mayfair Orchestra

      Vocal: Al Bowlly

      Music: Vincent Youmans   1930

      Lyrics: Harold Adamson/Mack Gordon

Ray Noble   1932

Vocals all Al Bowlly:

  Love Is the Sweetest Thing

      Composition: Ray Noble

  Pagan Moon

      Composition:

      Joe Burke/Al Bryan/Al Dubin

      For the film 'Safe in Hell'   1931

Ray Noble   1933

Vocals all Al Bowlly:

   Good Night Sweetheart

      Composition:

      Ray Noble/Jimmy Campbell/Reg Connelly

  Three Wishes

     Composition: Simon Posford

Ray Noble   1934

Vocals all Al Bowlly:

  I Love You Truly

      Composition:

      Carrie Jacobs-Bond   1901

  It's All Forgotten Now

      Composition: Ray Noble

  Midnight, the Stars and You

      Composition:

      Jimmy Campbell/Brown Woods

  The Very Thought of You

      Composition: Ray Noble

Ray Noble   1935

  Top Hat

      Vocal: Al Bowlly

      Recorded in NYC June 1935 [Discogs]

      Composition: Irving Berlin

Ray Noble   1936

   The Touch of Your Lips

      Vocal: Al Bowlly

      Composition: Ray Noble

Ray Noble   1946

   Linda

      Vocal: Buddy Clark

      Composition: Jack Lawrence

Note: Named after musician, Linda McCartney, one year old at the time [*].

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Ray Noble

Ray Noble

Source: Archive Org

 

After saxophone, trumpet is the main horn via which modern jazz advanced. Born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1911, swing trumpeter Cootie Williams began his career at age fourteen with the Young Family Band, of which saxophonist, Lester Young, was also a member. Williams first recorded at age eighteen with pianist James Johnson in 1928 in NYC: 'Chicago Blues' and 'Mournful Tho'ts'. His next session on March 1, 1929, was with Duke Ellington's Jungle Band, putting down 'Rent Party Blues', 'Paducah' and 'Harlem Flat Blues'. It was Ellington's Cotton Club Orchestra on March 7, his Washingtonians on March 15, his Memphis Men on April 4. Ellington's orchestras would be Williams' main hammer into 1940, those eleven or so years constituting his first of two long periods with Ellington. His last session with Ellington's band in '40 was on October 28 in Chicago for such as 'Across the Tracks Blues' and 'Chloe'. His last recordings with Ellington were per the latter contributing piano to titles by Johnny Hodges on November 2: 'Day Dream', 'Good Queen Bess', etc.. Among Williams' frequent longtime partners with Ellington was cornetist, Rex Stewart, who first joined Ellington's orchestra on January 9, 1935, in Chicago for such as 'Admiration' and 'Farewell Blues'. Stewart recorded with Ellington's orchestra to October 2 of 1940, just prior to William's last on the 28th per above. They would reunite, however, in 1957-58 to co-lead 'The Big Challenge', perform at the '58 Newport Jazz Festival and co-lead 'Porgy & Bess Revisited'. Williams had recorded with Benny Goodman as early as January 16, 1938, at Carnegie Hall, next to Hodges on 'Blue Reverie'. A week after William's last session with Ellington in October, 1940, he joined the Benny Goodman Sextet in NYC on November 7 for multiple takes of 'Wholly Cats' and 'Royal Garden Blues'. Williams hung with Goodman into 1942. They would reunite twenty years later on August 12, 1962, for a Goodman radio broadcast from WNEW in NYC: 'Love For Sale', 'I've Got a Lot of Living to Do', etc.. Marking the commencement of Williams' second period with the Duke Ellington's orchestra was a session held one month later on September 12 for multiple takes of 'Tootie for Cootie', 'Broadstream' and 'To Know You Is to Love You'. A session the next day included multiple takes of 'Monk's Dream' and 'The Lonely Ones'. Williams would grace Ellington's operation for more than a decade, he last recording with Ellington a few months before the latter's death (May '74) on February 10, 1974, at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.: 'C Jam Blues', 'Take the 'A' Train', etc.. Williams' had been hugely prolific with above 550 sessions to his name, some 57 his own. William's first session as a leader had been with his Rug Cutters (including Ellington at piano) on March 8, 1937, recording double takes of 'I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me', 'Downtown Uproar', 'Diga Diga Doo', 'Blue Reverie' and 'Tiger Rag'. His final recordings are thought to have been at Carnegie Hall on April 5, 1978, guesting for Teresa Brewer. He died in New York City on September 15, 1985. In 1991 he was elected into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. References: 1, 2, 3. Catalogs: 1, 2, 3. Chronological Classics 1941-49: 1, 2, 3. Williams in visual media. Further reading: 1, 2]. Per 1928 below, Jimmy Johnson = James Johnson.

Cootie Williams  1928

   Chicago Blues

      With the Jimmy Johnson Orchestra

      Thought Williams' 1st recording issued

      Composition: James Altiere/Paul Biese/Spence Williams

   Mournful Tho'ts

      With the Jimmy Johnson Orchestra

      Thought Williams' 2nd recording issued

      Composition: James Johnson

Cootie Williams  1937

   Downtown Uproar

      Piano: Duke Ellington

      Composition: Ellington

Cootie Williams  1938

   Mobile Blues

      Issued 1956 on Epic LN3237

      Composition: Ellington/Cootie Williams

Cootie Williams  1942

   Fly Right (Epistrophy)

      Not issued

      Composition: Thelonious Monk

Cootie Williams  1944

   Blue Garden Blues

      Composition: Bob Haggart

   Echoes of Harlem

      Composition: Ellington

   'Round Midnight

      Composition: Thelonious Monk

   You Talk a Little Trash

      Composition: Cootie Williams

Cootie Williams  1945

   Everything But You

      Composition: Don George/Ellington

 

Birth of Modern Jazz: Cootie Williams

Cootie Williams

Source: The Music's Over

 

 

Born in 1904 in Red Bank, New Jersey pianist and swing band leader Count Basie began his musical career in Red Bank with drummer, Sonny Greer, playing at dances and resorts. About 1920 he made his way to Harlem where Greer, who had preceded him to NYC and was drumming for Duke Ellington, introduced him to his scene. Basie then began touring the States with vaudeville acts. Returning to Harlem in 1925, his first employment of note was at a place called Leroy's where cutting contests were held for upper class clientele. Finally, in 1928 Basie joined Walter Page's Blue Devils in Tulsa. Beginning to make progress now (and beginning to be called the "Count"), he joined Bennie Moten's band the next year in Kansas City. It was with Moten that Basie started to shine as a talent to be dealt with, also making his debut issued recordings with Moten in Chicago on October 23, 1921, 'The Jones Law Blues' and 'Small Black' among several. Basie briefly led that orchestra upon Moten's eventual absence in the early thirties, renaming it the Cherry Blossoms. In 1936 he reshaped that orchestra, called it the Barons of Rhythm, and began a residency in Chicago at the Grand Terrace Ballroom. Basie's first recordings as a leader were with that orchestra (credited as Jones-Smith Incorporated) on November 9, 1936. They were also tenor saxophonist, Lester Young's, first four featured releases: 'Shoe Shine Boy', 'Evening', 'Boogie Woogie' and 'Oh, Lady Be Good'. The next year Basie began recording for Decca (such as 'Pennies From Heaven' and 'Honeysuckle Rose'), upon moving his band to NYC for a residency at the Roseland Ballroom. He also played at the Apollo Theater and the Savoy before hiring vocalist Helen Humes in 1938, who remained with him for the next four years. Following World War II Basie experimented with bebop while maintaining his disciplined rhythm. Basie first took his orchestra to Europe in 1958. He didn't begin wearing his trademark yachting cap until 1964. Among his contributions to composition were such as 'One O'Clock Jump' in '37 and 'Jumpin' at the Woodside' in '38. Basie died in Hollywood, Florida, 26 April 1984. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: Jazzotheque Vol I -VI 1936-1951; Super Chief; 'Basic Basie Featuring Lester Young 1937-38' by Nostalgia; 'Blues & Boogie Woogie 1937-1947' by Jazz Archives; 'Swingin' the Blues' by Success. Basie in visual media. 1963 interview w Max Barker. Current Count Basie Orchestra. Further reading at HMR Project, Riverwalk. Per Jones-Smith Incorporated 1936 below, that ensemble consisted of Basie at piano, Carl Smith at trumpet, Jo Jones at drums, Lester Young at sax and Walter Page at upright bass.

Count Basie   1929

  The Jones Law Blues

     With Bennie Moten

     Composition: Bennie Moten/Basie

Count Basie   1936

  Shoe Shine Boy

     With Jones-Smith Incorporated

     Composition: Sammy Cahn/Saul Chaplin

Count Basie   1937

  Honeysuckle Rose

      Music: Fats Waller

      Lyrics: Andy Razaf

  One O'clock Jump

      Composition: Basie

  Pennies from Heaven

      Composition: Arthur Johnston / Johnny Burke

Count Basie   1938

  Sent for You Yesterday and Here You Come Today

      Composition: Basie

Count Basie   1939

  You Can Depend on Me

      With James Rushing

      Composition:

      Charles Carpenter/Earl Hines/Louis Dunlap

Count Basie   1948

  Spasmodic

      Composition: Jimmy Giuffre

Count Basie   1950

  Little White Lies

      Featuring Clark Terry

      Composition: Walter Donaldson

Count Basie   1951

  Every Tub

      Featuring Wardell Gray

      Composition: Basie

Count Basie   1954

  Lover Man

      Vocal: Billie Holiday

      Music: Jimmy Davis

      Lyrics: Ram Ramirez/James Sherman

Count Basie   1957

  April in Paris

      Composition: Yip Harburg/Vernon Duke

  Corner Pocket

      Composition: Freddie Green

Count Basie   1960

  Blues in Frankie's Flat

      'Aka 'Blues in Hoss' Flat'

      Composition: Frank Foster

      Film

  Cute

      Live   Flute: Frank Wess

      Composition: Neil Hefti

  Who Me?

      Composition: Frank Foster

      Film

Count Basie   1968

  All of Me

      Composition:

      Gerald Marks/Seymour Simons

      Film

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Count Basie

Count Basie

Source: Time Toast

Birth of Modern Jazz: Les Brown

Les Brown

Source: Jazz Wax

Born in 1912 in Reinerton, Pennsylvania, although Les Brown (Sr.) played clarinet and largely alto saxophone he was better known as an arranger and bandleader, especially with actress/vocalist, Doris Day. Brown had enrolled at the Conway Military Band School in 1926. Tom Lord has him recording to issue as early as June 26, 1929, with Floyd Mills and his Marylanders: 'Hard Luck' with two takes of 'Chicago Rhythm'. Those were for Gennett at its studio in Richmond, Indiana, about the time he won a scholarship to study music at the New York Military Academy from which he graduated in 1932. He then graduated from Duke University in 1936, the same year he'd laid his first tracks as a bandleader in April with the Rhythmakers (also called the Duke University Blue Devils) for the Thesaurus label. Brown first appeared in film in 1942 in 'Seven Days' Leave'. His first recordings with his Band of Renown was a radio broadcast from the Cafe Rouge (Hotel Pennsylvania) in New York City on December 28, 1945, those issued by Giants of Jazz. Doris Day's study, Jane Harvey, was featured, due to Day having a cold. In 1950 Brown joined comedian, Bob Hope, in the first of eighteen USO tours and his Band of Renown would remain Hope's orchestra for decades to come. Brown's was also the house band for the Steve Allen Show (1959 to '61) and the Dean Martin Show (1965 to '72). Among the numerous big names with whom Brown had worked through the years were Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Brown died of lung cancer on January 4, 2001, in Los Angeles [obits: 1, 2, 3, 4]. His son, Les Brown Jr., thereafter assumed leadership of the Band of Renown. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Brown in visual media. Interview with Stumpy Brown (brother and band member) and Les Brown Jr. by Bill Kohlhaase: 1993. NAMM interview: 1994. Further reading: Gene Lees 'Jazzletter' 1996: 1, 2. Collections: 1, 2.

Les Brown   1929

  Chicago Rhythm

      Floyd Mills and his Marylanders

      Composition:

      Grossman/Konter/Smith

  Hard Luck

      Floyd Mills and his Marylanders

      Thought Brown's 1st recording to issue

      Composition: Thew

Les Brown   1940

  Let's Be Buddies

      Vocal: Doris Day

      Composition: Cole Porter   1940

      For the Broadway show 'Panama Hattie'

  Three at a Table for Two

      Vocal: Doris Day

      Composition:

      Arthur Johnson/Archie Gottler

Les Brown   1949

  I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

      Composition: Irving Berlin   1937

      For the film musical 'On the Avenue'

Les Brown   1951

  Medley

      Film montage   Vocal: Lucy Ann Polk

Les Brown   1963

  Lover, Come Back to Me

      Vocals: Brenda Lee

      Music: Sigmund Romberg

      Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

Les Brown   1983

  Mack the Knife

      Vocals: Henry Butch Stone

      Music: Kurt Weill

      Lyrics: Bertolt Brecht

      For 'Die Dreigroschenoper'

      ('The Threepenny Opera')

      Berlin premiere 1928

  Sing, Sing, Sing

      Composition: Louis Prima

  S'Wonderful

      Vocals: Jo Ann Greer

      Composition: Gershwin Brothers   1927

      For the Broadway musical 'Funny Face'

 

 
 

Jean Goldkette's Orange Blossoms were formed in 1927. But Goldkette had trouble getting his musicians paid. So in 1929 the Blossoms became the Casa Loma Orchestra [1, 2, 3] with sax player Glen Gray [1, 2, 3, 4] as leader, two takes of 'Love Is a Dreamer' (OKeh 41329) among the titles from their first session in NYC on October 29. Gray incorporated the band, members paid by shares rather than hired, which may be what took the band through the Depression. The corporation was dissolved in 1942 but Gray kept the orchestra working with employed musicians until 1947. Gray returned with another version of the band in the fifties, which finally disbanded for good in 1963 upon Gray's death that year on August 23. Sessions: DAHR: CLO, Gray; Lord's. Discographies: CLO: 1, 2, 3, 4; Gray: 1, 2. Compilations: 'White Jazz' 1985. Collections: Northeastern University. Other CLO profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4. Glen Gray means Casa Loma Orchestra in all the samples below.

Glen Gray   1929

   Love Is a Dreamer

       Music: Sam Stept

       Lyrics: Bud Green

Glen Gray   1932

   One Little Word

      Composition:

      H. Eugene Gifford/Ned Washington

Glen Gray   1933

   Blue Prelude

      Composition: Gordon Jenkins/Joe Bishop

   Under a Blanket of Blue

      With Kenny Sargent

      Composition:

      Marty Symes/Al Neiburg/Jerry Levinson

Glen Gray   1937

   Smoke Rings

      Composition:

      H. Eugene Gifford/Ned Washington

Glen Gray   1939

   Sunrise Serenade

      Piano: Frankie Carle

      Composition: Frankie Carle

Glen Gray   1942

   Talk of the Town

      Composition:

      Al Neiburg/Jerry Livingston/Marty Symes

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Glen Gray

Glen Gray

Photo: Rockwell O'Keefe Inc.

Source: Planet Barberella

Birth of Swing Jazz: Louis Jordan

Louis Jordan

Source: Bio

 

 

Born in 1908 in Brinkley, Arkansas, bandleader, saxophonist and vocalist, Louis Jordan [1, 2, 3, 4], is thought to have begun his recording career with the Jungle Band of Chick Webb on June 14, 1929, contributing alto sax and clarinet to 'Dog Bottom' in New York City. He would later perform with Webb's band at the Savoy Ballroom in 1936. Which was great until Jordan developed the notion that Ella Fitzgerald might leave Webb's orchestra to help him form his own band. Webb fired him for the attempt, after which Jordan put his own band together anyway, 'Honey In the Bee Ball' and 'Barnacle Bill the Sailor' his first recordings as a bandleader in December 20, 1938, with his Elks Rendez Vous Band. From thereon Jordan never missed a beat, enjoying a stellar career that rivaled the likes of Cab Calloway and Count Basie, largely with his band, the Tympany Five which debut tracks were Jordan's second session as a leader on March 29, 1939. Jordan participated in well above 100 sessions into the seventies until his death by heart attack in 1975. Releases by Jordan documented at 45Worlds and Discogs at 1, 2, 3. Discography with composing credits. Not only an important jazz musician, Jordan was a natural to rock & roll later in his career: Louis Jordan in Birth of Rock & Roll 1. As to credits below to Fleecie Moore, that was Jordan's wife at the time. She herself wasn't a musician, titles credited to her actually written by Jordan using her name so he could work with more than one publisher. Which was a nice arrangement for Fleecie, as she collected royalties thereafter.

Louis Jordan   1929

   Dog Bottom

     With Chick Webb's Jungle Band

     Thought Jordan's 1st recording issued

      Composition: Chick Webb

  Jungle Mama

     With Chick Webb's Jungle Band

     Thought Jordan's 2nd recording issued

      Composition: Chick Webb

Louis Jordan   1938

   Honey In the Bee Ball

     Thought Jordan's 2nd recording issued

      Composition: Louis Jordan

Louis Jordan   1939

   Keep a Knocking But You Can't Come In

      Composition: Perry Bradford/J. Mayo Williams

Louis Jordan   1944

   Deacon Jones

      Composition:

      Hy Heath/Johnny Lange/Richard Loring

   Is You Or Is You Ain't My Baby

      Composition: Louis Jordan/Billy Austin

Louis Jordan   1946

   Caldonia

      Composition: Fleecie Moore

   Don't Worry 'Bout That Mule

      Composition: Fleecie Moore/Charlie Stewar

      Duke Groaner/Wild Bill Davis

   Let the Good Times Roll

      Composition: Fleecie Moore/Sam Theard

Louis Jordan   1947

   Open the Door, Richard!

      Composition: Jack McVea/Dan Howell

      Dusty Fletcher/John Mason

   Wham, Sam!

      Film: 'Reet, Petite and Gone'   Dancing: Mabel Lee

      Composition: Louis Jordan

Louis Jordan   1949

   Beans and Cornbread

      Composition: Fleecie Moore/Fred Clark

Louis Jordan   1951

   You Will Always Have a Friend

      Composition: Louis Jordan/Joe Willoughby

Louis Jordan   1956

   Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying

      Composition: Joe Greene

 

 
 

Born in 1908 in Dallas, trumpeter and vocalist Hot Lips Page (Oran Thaddeus Page), began his musical career as a teenager performing at circuses and minstrel shows. He would soon back blues singers such as Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith and Ida Cox. Lord's Disco begins its account of Page in Dallas, TX, on October 24, 1929, per seven tracks with Eddie and Sugar Lou's Hotel Tyler Orchestra, including two takes of 'Eddie and Sugar Lou Stomp' w one issued on Vocalion 1514. Lord qualifies that with "some sources" while neither RHJ nor Rust make mention of Page [see also 1, 2]. The next month he blew trumpet on a couple tracks by Walter Page's Blue Devils: 'Blue Devil Blues' and 'Squabblin'. (There is no relation between Hot Lips and Walter Page.) The next year Page found himself with Bennie Moten through 1932. He would perform for Chu Berry (with whom he began recording vocals in addition to trumpet), Barney Rapp and Teddy Wilson during the thirties before forming his own band in NYC at Small's Paradise in Harlem in 1937. His first issues as a leader (also at trumpet and vocals) were from a session held March 10, 1938: 'Good Old Bosom Bread', 'He's Pulling His Whiskers', 'Down on the Levee' and 'A Old Man Ben'. Page recorded both with his own bands and major names in jazz such as Billie Holiday, Chu Berry again in 1941, Artie Shaw (1941-42), Eddie Condon in '44 and '49, Mezz Mezzrow (1944-45) and bluesman, Lonnie Johnson, from '47 into '49. Page died in New York on 5 Nov 1954, only 46 years of age. References 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Sessions: DAHR, Lord's. Catalogues: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: 'The Hot Lips Page Collection 1929-53' per Jazz Legends. Page in visual media. See also 'Luck’s in My Corner' by Todd Weeks. Recordings below resume Page's career as of 1940. Earlier recordings at Hot Lips Page in Early Jazz 1. Credits for Hot Lips Page below are given as Oran Page.

Hot Lips Page   1940

   Gone with the Gin

      Composition: Oran Page/Walter Page

   Lafayette

      Composition: Count Basie/Eddie Durham

Hot Lips Page   1941

   St. James Infirmary Blues

     Composition: Joe Primrose (Irving Mills)

      See Wikipedia

Hot Lips Page   1944

   Fish for Supper

   Rockin' at Ryans

      Composition: Oran Page

   Uncle Sam's Blues

     Composition: Oran Page

   You Need Coachin'

     Composition: Oran Page

Hot Lips Page   1945

   The Sheik of Araby

     Composition: Oran Page

     Francis Wheeler/Harry Smith/Ted Snyder

Hot Lips Page   1949

   Baby It's Cold Outside

     Composition: Frank Loesser

Hot Lips Page   1952

   Last Call for Alcohol

     Composition: Oran Page

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Hot Lips Page

Hot Lips Page

Photo: William P. Gottlieb

Source: Wikipedia

 

Born William Henry Webb in 1905 in Baltimore, drummer Chick Webb left Maryland for New York City in 1922 (age 17), to form his own band, the Harlem Stompers, in 1926. Webb's first recording in 1927, 'Low Levee - High Water', wasn't issued. Webb led his first orchestra to fruition possibly in 1928 for the soundtrack to 'After Seben' released on 18 May 1929. Webb first appeared on vinyl for Brunswick backing the Jungle Band on June 15 1929: 'Dog Bottom'. Another session with that band was held on the 27th, yielding 'Jungle Mama'. His next titles as an orchestra leader weren't until March 30, 1931: 'Heebie Jeebies', 'Blues in My Heart' and 'Soft and Sweet'. It was 1931 that Webb had secured a gig at the Savoy Ballroom [1, 2, 3, 4] which would be his bastion for years to come. He recorded with his Savoy Orchestra on December 30, 1933: 'On the Sunny Side of the Street' and 'At the Darktown Strutter's Ball'. In 1935 he would discover Ella Fitzgerald, for which he is largely credited and known. It was a June 12 session that he and Fitzgerald released 'I'll Chase the Blues Away', 'Down Home Rag', 'Are You Here to Stay?' and 'Love and Kisses'. Among Webb's most popular releases was 'Stompin' at the Savoy' in 1934. The Savoy was famous for its "Battle of the Bands" in which the "King of Swing" was voted. Webb won over Benny Goodman, lost to Duke Ellington in 1937, then won over Count Basie in '38 (though not without dispute by musicians). Webb's last recordings were with Fitzgerald for a radio broadcast from the Southland Cafe in Boston, MA, on May 4, 1939. Unfortunately Webb's great talent was cut short at the young age of 34 when spinal tuberculosis claimed his life on June 16 that year. His last words were reportedly, "I'm sorry, I've got to go." More Chick Webb under Ella Fitzgerald at Swing Jazz Song. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4; musical: 1, 2, 3. Drums solography. Catalogues: 1, 2, 3, 4. Webb in visual media. Further reading: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Chick Webb   1929

   Jungle Mama

      With the Jungle Band

      Composition: Chick Webb

   Dog Bottom

      With the Jungle Band

      Composition: Chick Webb

   Sweet Sue

      Film: 'After Seben'

Chick Webb   1931

   Blues in My Heart

      Composition: Benny Carter/Irving Mills

Chick Webb   1934

   If It Ain't Love

      Vocal: Charles Litton

      Composition:

      Fats Waller/Don Redman/Andy Razaf

Chick Webb   1936

   A Little Bit Later On

      Vocal: Ella Fitzgerald

      Composition: Al Neiburg/Jerry Levinson

   Under the Spell of the Blues

      Vocal: Ella Fitzgerald

      Composition: Edgar Sampson/Ken Harrison

   Vote for Mister Rhythm

      Vocal: Ella Fitzgerald

      Composition:

      Al Siegal/Leo Robin/Ralph Rainger

Chick Webb   1937

   I Got a Guy

      Vocal: Ella Fitzgerald

      Composition: Marion Sunshine

   Midnight in a Madhouse

      Composition: Larry Clinton

   You Showed Me the Way

      Vocal: Ella Fitzgerald

      Composition:

      Ella Fitzgerald/Bubby Green

      Teddy McRae/Chick Webb

Chick Webb   1938

   F.D.R. Jones

      Vocal: Ella Fitzgerald

      Composition: Harold Rome

Chick Webb   1939

   Coochi-Coochi-Coo

       Vocal: Ella Fitzgerald

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Chick Webb

Chick Webb

Source: In One Ear

  Born Roland Bernard Berigan in 1908 in Hilbert, Wisconsin, trumpeter Bunny Berigan played in local orchestras as a teenager until joining Hal Kemp's band in 1930, with whom he made his first recordings the same year on March 14: 'Give Yourself a Little Pat' and 'Washin' the Blues from My Soul'. Tom Lord's discography notes though, that Berigan may have laid his first track per 'Beside an Open Fireplace' with the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra in January, as suggested by Bozy White in 'The Miracle Man of Swing' (2013). Berigan toured Europe with Kemp, after which he became a session player in NYC. His recording debut as a singer is thought to have been 'At Your Command' in 1931. Berigan first performed with Benny Goodman in '31. He joined Paul Whiteman's orchestra in 1932 (recording 'Night and Day' in '33), later Abe Lyman's in '34. He appeared uncredited w Freddie Rich and His Orchestra in the short film, 'Mirrors', in Sep of '34. Berigan's first session as a bandleader was with his Blue Boys on December 13, 1935, releasing 'I'm Coming, Virginia'/'Blues' (Decca 18116) and 'You Took Advantage of Me'/'Chicken and Waffles' (Decca 18117) in 1937 [RYM]. As a studio musician Berigan recorded hundreds of tracks, among his most significant with Tommy Dorsey. In 1936 Berigan began performing on the 'Saturday Night Swing Club' radio show for CBS. Among the many Berigan backed during his career were Fred Rich, Mildred Bailey, the Boswell Sisters, Lee Wiley and guitarist, Dick McDonough. Berigan was something unique in that he consistently delivered high quality music while at once an alcoholic with a death wish, and it was alcohol that killed him of liver cirrhosis on 2 June 1942 at the young age of only 33. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Catalogues: 1, 2, 3, 4. Further reading: 1, 2, 3.

Bunny Berigan   1930

   Them There Eyes

      With Hal Kemp and His Orchestra

      Composition:

      Doris Tauber/Maceo Pinkard/William Tracey

Bunny Berigan   1931

   At Your Command

       With Fred Rich and His Orchestra

       Music: Harry Barris

      Lyrics: Harry Tobias/Bing Crosby

Bunny Berigan   1932

   Crazy People

      With the Boswell Sisters    Guitar: Eddy Lang

      Composition: Edgar Leslie/James Monaco

   Gosh Darn!

       With Bennie Krueger and His Orchestra

       Vocal: Dick Robertson

       Composition: J. Fred Coots/Joe Young

Bunny Berigan   1933

   If I Had My Way 'Bout My Sweetie

      With the ARC Studio Band

      Composition: J. Palmer/S. Williams

   We're in the Money

       ('The Gold Digger's Song')

       As Benno Bondy

       Music: Harry Warren

      Lyrics: Al Dubin

Bunny Berigan   1934

   Blue Moon

       Music: Richard Rodgers

      Lyrics: Lorenz Hart

Bunny Berigan   1936

   I Can't Get Started with You

          Music: Vernon Duke

      Lyrics: Ira Gershwin

   That Foolish Feeling

      Composition: Harold Adamson/Jimmy McHugh

   Until Today

      Live with the Freddie Rich Orchestra

Bunny Berigan   1937

   Blue Lou

      Composition: Edgar Sampson

   Blues

      Composition: Berigan

   Caravan

      Composition:

      Duke Ellington/Irving Mills//Juan Tizol

   I Can't Get Started with You

     Music: Vernon Duke

      Lyrics: Ira Gershwin

   Mother Goose

      Composition: Basil Ziegler/Lou Shank

   The Prisoner's Song

      Composition: Guy Massey

Bunny Berigan   1939

   Medley

       Live radio broadcast at Manhattan Center

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Bunny Berigan

Bunny Berigan

Source: Jazz Profiles

 

Born Cabell Calloway in 1907 in Rochester, New York, extraordinary performer Cab Calloway was the younger brother by nearly six years, of Blanche Calloway. He is early associated with a couple of the more notable night clubs in NYC, the Savoy Ballroom [1, 2, 3, 4] and the Cotton Club [1, 2, 3, 4]. The Cotton Club had first been the Club Deluxe opened in 1920 by heavyweight boxer, Jack Johnson. Mobster, Owney Madden, bought the place in 1923 after some time in prison and called it the Cotton Club. He ran the joint through the Prohibition into the Great Depression until 1935 when pressured to leave NYC for Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he died thirty years later in '65. The Cotton Club remains in business to this day, though not at its original location that was 142nd and Lenox Avenue (now 656 W 125th Street). The Savoy at 140th and 141st Streets in the Harlem had opened its doors in 1926 until 1958 when it was demolished to make space for a Delano Village housing project. Calloway made his first recordings in 1930 with his own orchestra, those in NYC on July 24 toward 'Got a Darn Good Reason Now' (two takes on Brunswick 4936), 'I'll Be a Friend with Pleasure' (unissued) and 'St. Louis Blues' (Brunswick 4936) [Lord], those issued that year [Discogs]. Backing up to his graduation from high school, the zoot-suited indisputable master of hi-de-ho and jive had joined his sister in the traveling revue, 'Plantation Days'. He then attended Crane College while playing drums in various Chicago nightclubs, eventually becoming vocalist for the Alabamians. He next led a band called the Missourians in 1930, which would become Cab Calloway and His Orchestra, mentioned above, to fill Duke Ellington's vacant spot at the Cotton Club. This was so Ellington could tour. Ellington would then fill Calloway's vacancy while the latter toured. Calloway's fame was by then made, as NBC regularly broadcasted live from the Cotton Club. His famous 'Minnie the Moocher' was recorded with 'Doin' the Rhumba' for Brunswick in NYC on March 3, 1931. Calloway also held engagements at the Savoy in '31. His arranger in those early days was Walter Thomas. Calloway began to appear in films in 1932 per a couple of shorts, 'Minnie the Moocher' and 'Just a Gigolo'. His first full length feature film was also released that year, 'The Big Broadcast'. Hollywood was another venue elemental in Calloway's career both as a musician and actor. Among the more notably cited is 'Stormy Weather' in 1943. He appeared as Sportin' Life in the 1953 Broadway presentation of 'Porgy and Bess'. Calloway had published his 'Hepsters Dictionary: Language of Jive' in 1938 or '39, numerous revisions to follow [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. He also wrote a column called 'Coastin' with Cab' for 'Song Hits Magazine'. In 1976 Thomas Crowell published Calloway's memoir, 'Of Minnie the Moocher and Me' with assistance from Bryant Rollins. Calloway died on 18 Nov 1994 in Delaware survived by his wife, Zulme "Nuffie" MacNeal who later passed away on 13 October 2008. Calloway had wedded one Wenonah "Betty” Conacher in June 1928 with whom he adopted a daughter born in 1938 and found to be mentally retarded. Cab met Nuffie in 1942 who bore him his daughters Chris in 1945 and Cecilia Lael in 1949 (exact date unidentified). Cab and Betty didn't divorce until 11 February 1949, after which he married Nuffie on 7 Oct 1949. Whether Cecilia Leal was born before, in the meantime or after those events is indeterminable. Cab and Nuffie's next and last daughter, Cabella, was born in 1952. Chris died of breast cancer in 2008. Cabella died in 2023. Cab's first grandson, Chris Calloway Brooks, runs the contemporary Cab Calloway Orchestra. He was born in 1955 to Camay Calloway Murphy, daughter of Cab born on 15 January 1927 to girlfriend, Zelma Proctor. Cab and Zelma were high school students who ended their relationship before Camay was born. As a grandson conceived by a mother out of wedlock, Brooks' hasn't enjoyed the blessing of the Calloway daughters as leader of a band called the Cab Calloway Orchestra. They took him to court in 1999 but Brooks prevailed and performs with his orchestra to this day [1, 2, 3]. References for Cab Calloway: 1, 2, 3, 4. Chronologies: 1, 2, 3. Sessions: in alpha 1, 2; DAHR w songwriting credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: '1930-1944: The Alternative Takes' by neatwork 2003, 'Cab Calloway' 1938-47 by International Joker 1984, Cab Calloway Volume 2: 1935-1940, 'The Early Years 1930-34': 'The Early Years 1930-34', Chronological Classics: 1 & 2 1931-32 of thirteen to 1955; 'The Hi-De-Ho Man 1930-1933' by JAZ 2003. Major band members 1930-48. Filmographies: 1, 2. Calloway on Broadway. Terminology in lyrics: jive, Yiddish. Awards. Documentaries: 1, 2. NAMM interview 1993. Further reading: Odie Henderson; Tessa Melvinjune; 'Hi-De-Ho: The Life of Cab Calloway' by Alyn Shipton (Oxford U Press 2010): 1, 2; Songbook: 1, 2. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. See also the Cab Calloway School of the Arts *.

Cab Calloway   1930

  Gotta a Darn Good Reason Now

      Composition:

      De Priest Wheeler/Lamar Wright

Cab Calloway   1931

  Minnie the Moocher

      Composition:

      Cab Calloway/Clarence Gaskill/Irving Mills

  The Nightmare

      Composition:

      Yuri Worontschak/Gina Riley

Cab Calloway   1932

  I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues

         Music: Harold Arlen   1932

      Lyrics: Ted Koehler

      For the Broadway show 'Earl Carroll's Vanities'

  Margie

         Music:

         Con Conrad/Joseph Russel Robinson

      Lyrics: Benny Davisr

  The Scat Song

      Composition:

      Frank Perkins/Cab Calloway/Mitchell Parish

Cab Calloway   1933

  Reefer Man

         Music: Joseph Russel Robinson

      Lyrics: Andy Razaf

 Zaz Zuh Zaz

      Composition:

      Cab Calloway/Harry White

Cab Calloway   1935

  Jitterbug Party

       Film

      Composition 'Jitter Bug':

      Cab Calloway/Edwin Swayzee

Cab Calloway   1939

  Jumpin' Jive

      Composition:

      Cab Calloway/Frank Froeba/Jack Palmer

  The Ghost of Smokey Joe

         Music: Rube Bloom

      Lyrics: Ted Koehler

Cab Calloway   1941

  Geechy Joe

       Composition:

      Andy Gibson/Cab Calloway/Jack Palmer

Cab Calloway   1943

  Geechy Joe

       Film: 'Stormy Weather'

  Jumpin' Jive

      Composition:

      Cab Calloway/Frank Froeba/Jack Palmer

       Film: 'Stormy Weather'

Cab Calloway   1950

 Calloway Boogie

    Filmed live

     Composition:

     Allen Leroy Gibson/Cab Calloway

Cab Calloway   1988

  Minnie the Moocher

      Filmed live

       Composition:

      Cab Calloway/Clarence Gaskill/Irving Mills

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Cab Calloway

Cab Calloway

Source:  Songbook

  Born in 1909 in New Jersey, drummer Cozy Cole began his professional career in 1928 by joining the Wilbur Sweatman band. In 1930 he joined Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers, with whom he recorded for the first time that year on March 5 in NYC: 'Each Day' (two takes: Victor 23351 and Gannet 5552), 'If Someone Would Only Love Me' (Victor 23321), 'That Will Never Do' (Victor 23019) and 'I'm Looking for a Little Bluebird' (Victor 23004). His next session with Morton on June 2 yielded Cole's drum solos on two takes of 'Load of Coal' (Victor 23429) among others. Cole's first recordings as a band leader were on February 22, 1944, in NYC with his All Stars: 'Blue Moon', 'Father Co-operates', 'Just One More Chance' and 'Thru' for the Night'. He later recorded with Benny Goodman and Ella Fitzgerald before joining Louis Armstrong's All-Stars in 1949. Cole made a cameo appearance in the 'The Glenn Miller Story' premiering 4 January 1954 in Japan, 10 Feb 1954 in the States, Gene Krupa and Ben Pollack also in cameo. In March of 1954 Cole opened a drumming school with Krupa, remaining in business until Krupa's death in 1973. In 1957 Cole toured Europe with Earl Hines and Jack Teagarden. He was awarded an honorary degree from Capital University in Columbus in 1983, where he often lectured as well. Cole died of cancer on 9 January 1981 in Columbus, Ohio, having led 30 of 338 sessions in Lord. References: 1, 2, 3. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits, J-Disc, Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Cozy Cole   1930

  Load of Coal

        With Jelly Roll Morton

        Composition: Jelly Roll Morton

Cozy Cole   1936

  These Foolish Things

        With Billie Holiday

          Music: Jack Strachey

       Lyrics: Holt Marvell (Eric Maschwitz)

  Here Comes the Man with the Jive

        With Stuff Smith

        Composition:

        Stuff Smith/Jack Palmern

Cozy Cole   1939

   The Ghost of Smokey Joe

        With Cab Calloway

          Music: Rube Bloom

       Lyrics: Ted Koehler

   One Sweet Letter from You

       With Lionel Hampton

       Composition:

       Lew Brown/Sidney Clare/Harry Warren

Cozy Cole   1940

  Are You Hep to the Jive

       With Cab Calloway

       Composition:

       Cab Calloway/Buck Ram

Cozy Cole   1944

  Blue Moon

         Music: Richard Rodgers

      Lyrics: Lorenz Hart

  Stompin' at the Savoy

       Composition:

       Benny Goodman

       Chick Webb

       Edgar Sampson

  Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams

       Composition:

       Harry Barris/Ted Koehler/Billy Moll

Cozy Cole   1945

  Willow Weep for Me

      Composition: Ann Ronell

Cozy Cole   1957

  Duet

      Live with Gene Krupa

Cozy Cole   1958

  Caravan

      With Earl Hines

      Composition:

      Duke Ellington/Juan Tizol

  Topsy Part 1

      Composition:

      Edgar Battle/Eddie Durham

  Topsy Part 2

      Composition:

      Edgar Battle/Eddie Durham

  The World of Jazz After Hours

        Film

       Saxophone: Coleman Hawkins

       Trumpet: Roy Eldridge

Cozy Cole   1974

  Cozy Cole

      Album

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Cozy Cole

Cozy Cole

Source:  Ecstatic Presentation

Birth of Swing Jazz: Roy Eldridge

Roy Eldridge

Source:  Sooze Blues & Jazz

Born in 1906 in Pittsburgh, trumpeter, Roy Eldridge ("Little Jazz") is quoted to have said that he began his recording career with Clarence Williams and his Jazz Kings in NYC in latter 1929 and a few dates in 1930. Included would have been such as 'High Society Blues'/'Lazy Levee Loungers' on Columbia 14555-D [Lord/Discogs]. Yet upon listening to said recordings there is no trumpet to be found. Eldridge more certainly recorded in early 1932 toward the soundtrack for 'Smash Your Baggage' with Elmer Snowden's Smalls Paradise Orchestra. Eldridge began featuring in trumpet solos with Teddy Hill in 1935, that session on February 26 in NYC, yielding 'Lookie, Lookie, Lookie', 'Got Me Doin' Things', 'When the Robin Sings His Song Again' and 'When Love Knocks at Your Heart'. Eldridge had gotten expelled from school in ninth grade, whence he began working in traveling shows of small repute. Back in Pittsburgh at age twenty, he led a band billed as Roy Elliott and his Palais Royal Orchestra, after which he joined various bands, among them those directed by Horace Henderson (brother of Fletcher Henderson) and Speed Webb. Finally making it to New York in 1930, where we pick him up above, Eldridge recorded with Putney Dandridge on June 25, 1935, before his first issues with Teddy Wilson and his Orchestra in July, among them 'What a Little Moonlight Can Do'. Along with Eldridge on trumpet and Wilson at piano, members of that outfit were Benny Goodman (clarinet), Ben Webster (tenor sax), John Trueheart (guitar), John Kirby (bass), Cozy Cole (drums) and Billie Holiday on vocals. Eldridge and Goodman would find themselves working together frequently in coming years. Eldridge hung with the  Wilson orchestra into 1939, though he and  Wilson would be frequent partners throughout their careers. In the meantime he had released his first issue as leader in 1936: 'Christopher Columbus' from a session Chicago that February. That same month he made his first recordings with Gene Krupa's band, 'I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music', 'Mutiny in the Parlor', 'I'm Gonna Clap My Hands' and 'Swing Is Here'. Eldridge swung with Krupa until the latter was arrested for cannabis possession in 1943, the band dissolved. Krupa had been jailed and fined on a previous occasion when he picked a fight with a restaurant manager who didn't wish to serve Eldridge because he was black. Be as may Eldridge and Krupa would record often in the fifties. Their last together are thought to have been with Lionel Hampton's Orchestra in 1972, live at Philharmonic Hall. Another big name followed Krupa's the next month, Eldridge recording with Fletcher Henderson in March of '36, another rendition of 'Christopher Columbus' among other titles. Eldridge backed countless musicians during his career. One name highly significant in years to come was that of Count Basie, with whom he first recorded at the Make Believe Ballroom in NYC for WNEW Radio on June 14, 1940, with Coleman Hawkins' outfit: 'Body and Soul', 'Ad Lib Blues' and 'King Porter Stomp'. Basie and Eldridge would record together often in years to come in various orchestras including Basie's. Eldridge last recorded with Basie at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 1977 in Basie's operation. Eldridge recorded frequently with Billie Holiday to as late as 1957 for CBS television among its 'Sound of Jazz' series, that being 'Fine and Mellow'. He recorded with Artie Shaw's orchestra in 1944-45. In addition to other recordings in Europe in 1950 and '51 Tom Lord's discography has Eldridge recording piano solos in Paris in 1950: 'Improvisation', 'Boogie Roy', 'Just Fooling' and 'List Blues'. In 1951 Eldridge established a residency at the Birdland in NYC with another of his bands. Ella Fitzgerald was another important name to grace recordings with Eldridge, those in '49, '53, '57 and numerously from '63 into the seventies, including Jazz at the Philharmonic performances. In 1969 Eldridge began a residency of several years at Jimmy Ryan's in Manhattan. His last recordings as a bandleader are thought to have been at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 1977. A heart attack in 1980 forced Eldridge to cease performing. He died nine years later in Valley Stream, New York. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessions: JDP, Lord, solography. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: 'Little Jazz Giant' 1935-46/1950-52 by Avid; Chronological Classics: 1935-1940, 1943-1944, 1945-1947; 'Little Jazz Trumpet Giant' 1935-53 by Proper. Reviews. Eldridge in visual media. Further reading: 'The Excitable Roy Eldridge" by Gary Giddins, 'A Roy Eldridge Story' by Jerry Jazz Musician.

Roy Eldridge   1932

  Bugle Call Rag

      Originally 'Bugle Call Blues'

      Elmer Snowden Orchestra   Film

      Composition:

      Jack Pettis/Billy Meyers/Elmer Schoebel

      Original issue as 'Bugle Call Blues':

      New Orleans Rhythm Kings   1922

  Tiger Rag

      Elmer Snowden Orchestra   Film

      Composition: 1917:

      Original Dixieland Jazz Band:

      Eddie Edwards/Nick LaRocca

      Henry Ragas/Tony Sbarbaro

      Lyrics: Harry DeCosta

Roy Eldridge   1935

  Miss Brown to You

      With Billie Holiday

      Music: Richard Whiting/Ralph Rainger

      Lyrics: Leo Robin

Roy Eldridge   1936

  Blue Lou

      With Fletcher Henderson

      Composition: Edgar Sampson

  Christopher Columbus

      With Fletcher Henderson

      Composition:

      Leon Chu Berry/Andy Razaf

Roy Eldridge   1937

  Wabash Stomp

      Composition: Eldridge

  Where the Lazy River Goes By

      Vocal: Gladys Palmer

      Composition:

      Jimmy McHugh/Harold Adamson

Roy Eldridge   1941

  After You've Gone

      Composition: Turner Layton/Henry Creamer

   Rockin' Chair

      Composition: Hoagy Carmichael

Roy Eldridge   1942

  Let Me Off Uptown

      Drums: Gene Krupa   Vocal: Anita O'Day

      Composition: Earl Bostic/Redd Evans

  Thanks for the Boogie Ride

      Drums: Gene Krupa   Vocal: Anita O'Day

      Composition: Sidney Mitchell/Buck Ram

Roy Eldridge   1945

  Little Jazz Boogie

      Composition: Buster Harding

  Fish Market

      Composition: Eldridge

Roy Eldridge   1949

  Watch Out!

      Drums: Gene Krupa   Vocal: Dolores Hawkins

      Composition: Dave Jacobs/Sy Oliver

Roy Eldridge   1957

  It Don't Mean a Thing

      Guitar: Herb Ellis   Piano: Oscar Peterson

      Vocal: Ella Fitzgerald

      Music: Duke Ellington  1931

      Lyrics: Irving Mills

Roy Eldridge   1961

  Sunday

      Film

      Composition:

      Chester Conn/Benny Krueger

      Nathan Ned Miller/Jule Styne

 

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Nat Gonella

Nat Gonella

Source: R2OK

Folks in America were oblivious to the existence of bandleader and vocalist, Nat Gonella, but in England his would come to be a huge name. Born in 1908 in London, Gonella's first professional engagement was playing trumpet with a pit orchestra, the Busby Boys Band, in 1924. He quit that band in 1928 to work for the Louisville Band, then joined Billy Cotton's orchestra in '29, with which he issued his first recordings the following year from a session on August 14 for the Regal label: 'The Rhythm Man', 'Sittin' on a Rainbow' and 'I've Gotta Have You'. Gonella released his first titles as a leader in 1932 from a session on September 14: 'I Can't Believe that You're in Love with Me' and 'I Heard'. In 1933 Gonella published 'Modern Style Trumpet Playing'. 'Georgia on My Mind' (Hoagy Carmichael) was issued with 'Sweet Sue, Just You' (Victor Young) in the summer of '34. Due the popularity of his band's performances of Carmichael's tune Gonella named his band the Georgians. The first configuration of that ensemble had recorded 'Don't Let Your Love Go Wrong' and 'Moon Glow' in November of 1934: Albert Torrance and George Evans (alto sax), Don Barrigo (tenor sax), Harold Hood (piano), Arthur Baker (guitar), Will Hemmings (bass) and Bob Dryden (drums). Of Gonella's long catalogue of releases, the vast majority were by his own bands, though during his earlier career he had also worked with such as Roy Fox, Lew Stone, Ray Starita, The Blue Mountaineers and Ray Noble. Gonella interrupted his career in 1941 to join the Army, becoming a member of Stars in Battledress, a British Armed Forces entertainment organization during World War II. After the war Gonella put the Georgians back together. Tom Lord's discography lists Gonella's final recordings per the Concorde Club in Southampton on February 8, 1998, dying seven months later on 6 August [obit]. References: 1, 2, 3. Sessions: DAHR w songwriting credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: 'Nat Gonella Collection 1930-1962' by Acrobat 2018: 1, 2; 'The Echo of a Song: 1932 Recordings by Lew Stone and His Band Featuring Al Bowlly and Nat Gonella' by Halcyon 1977. IMDb: 1, 2. Internet Archive. Biblio: 'Nat Gonella - A Life in Jazz' Digby Fairweather/Ron Brown (Northway Publications 2005). Other profiles: 1, 2.

Nat Gonella   1930

  Bessie Couldn't Help It

      Billy Cotton and his Band

      Composition:

      Byron Warner

      Charles Bayha

      Jacques Richmond

 You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me

      Billy Cotton and his Band

      Composition:

      Irving Kahal

      Pierre Norman

      Sammy Fain

Nat Gonella   1931

  Tell Me Are You from Georgia

     With Roy Fox

Nat Gonella   1932

   It Ain't No Fault of Mine

      Film

      Composition:

      Joe Davis/Spencer Williams

  Just a Crazy Song

     With Ray Starita

      Composition:

      Bessie Smith/Clarence Williams

Nat Gonella   1933

  Troublesome Trumpet

      Composition: Michael Carr

Nat Gonella   1934

 Blue Jazz

      Composition: Eugene Gifford

  Georgia on My Mind

      Composition: 1930:

      Hoagy Carmichael/Stuart Gorrell

Nat Gonella   1935

  Black Coffee

      Music: Al Goodhart/Al Hoffman

      Lyrics: Maurice Sigler

  Sensation

      Composition: Edwards

  Stardust

        Music: Hoagy Carmichael   1927

       Lyrics: Mitchell Parish   1929

Nat Gonella   1936

  Bye Bye Blues

       Composition: 1925:

       Fred Hamm/Dave Bennett

       Bert Lown/Chauncey Gray

 Singin' the Blues

       Composition:

       Con Conrad/Samuel Lewis

       Russel Robinson/Joseph Young

  You Rascal You

       Composition: Sam Theard

Nat Gonella   1984

  Nagasaki

      Live performance

      Composition:

      Harry Warren/Mort Dixon

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Woody Herman

Woody Herman

Source: Jazz Wax

Born in 1913 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, clarinetist and sax player Woody Herman's first recording session in Lord's disco is traced to as early as February 3, 1930, with Tom Gerunovitch (Gerun) in Chicago for issue on Brunswick 4755: 'Atta Boy'. He is shown as a vocalist in 1932 with the Tom Gerun Orchestra, also for Brunswick, on 'Lonesome Me'. His first employment in a major band was that of Isham Jones, first recording with Jones on April 29, 1935 per radio transcriptions in New York City. He remained with Jones into 1936, then made his debut recordings as a band leader in NYC on November 6, 1936, per 'Wintertime Dreams' on Decca 1056 and 'Someone to Care for Me' on Decca 1057). Herman's first outfit became generally known as the Band that Plays the Blues until 1944 when he put together his First Herd, a progressive ensemble blending swing with bebop. Albeit that band was a phenomenal success Herman retired it in 1946 to be with his family. In the meantime he had formed his Woodchoppers in 1938. His Second Herd, aka the Four Brothers Band, followed in 1947. Come his Third Herd from 1950 to 1956.  Herman recorded 'The Fourth Herd' in July and August of 1959. His Big New Herd arrived in time for the Monterey Jazz Fest in October of 1959. The early seventies saw Herman forming the Young Thundering Herd to make opportunity for inexperienced musicians. His New Thundering Herd recorded 'Woody Herman at Carnegie Hall' in 1977. Herman died in West Hollywood on 29 Oct 1987 [obits: 1, 2]. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Bands timeline. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: Woody Herman: 1, 2, 3; Woody Herman Orchestra; First Herd; Woodchoppers: 1, 2; Second Herd; Third Herd; Fourth Herd: 1, 2; Thundering Herd. Compilations: Chronological Classics in six volumes per #1042 '1936-37', #1090 '1937-38', #1128 '1939', #1163 '1939-40', #1243 '1940' and #1304 '1940-41'; 'The Band That Plays The Blues 1937-41' by Ace of Hearts 1967; 'The Band That Plays The Blues' 1939-43 by Affinity 1983; 'The Complete Woody Herman Decca, Mars and MGM Sessions (1943-1954)' by Mosaic 2019; 'The Complete Columbia Recordings of Woody Herman & His Orchestra and Woodchoppers (1945-1947)' by Mosaic 2003; 'The Third Herd' 1951 by Storyville 1999: 1, 2. Herman at IMDb. Interviews w Les Tomkins 1964-77. Further reading: Woody Herman; Band That Plays The Blues; First Herd. Internet Archive, HMR Project.

Woody Herman   1935

  Because of Once Upon a Time

      From 1st session w Isham Jones

      Music: Harry Stride/Bernard Maltin

      Lyrics: Joe Young

Woody Herman   1936

  Wintertime Dreams

      Composition: Felix Bernard/Al Bryan

Woody Herman   1939

  Woodchopper's Ball

      Composition: Joe Bishop/Herman

Woody Herman   1940

  Golden Wedding

      'La Cinquantaine'

      ('The Fiftieth Anniversary')

      Composition:

      Jean Gabriel-Marie   1887

      Arrangement: James Jiggs Noble

Woody Herman   1942

  Down Under

      Composition: Dizzy Gillespie

Woody Herman   1945

  Bijou

      First Herd

      Composition: Ralph Burns

      Arrangement: Ralph Burns

  Laura

      First Herd

      Composition: David Raksin   1944

      For the film 'Laura'

Woody Herman   1947

  Blue Flame

      Recorded 1941

      Composition:

      James A. Noble (James Jiggs Noble)

  Four Brothers

      Second Herd

      Composition: Jimmy Giuffre

      Arrangement: Jimmy Giuffre

Woody Herman   1949

   Summer Sequence

      Recorded 1946-47

      Composition: Ralph Burns

Woody Herman   1963

  After You've Gone

      Composition: Turner Layton/Henry Creamer

Woody Herman   1964

  Sister Sadie

       Live performance

      Composition: Horace Silver   1959

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Buddy Rich

Buddy Rich

Source: VK

Born in 1917 in Brooklyn, Buddy Rich was another remarkable drummer who was twelve years old when he danced, played drums and sang vocals for the 1930 short film, 'Buddy Traps in Sound Effects'. It be would another seven or eight years before he visited his first recording studio, possibly with the Andrews Sisters and the Vic Schoen Orchestra to record 'Bei Mir Bist Du Shon' in 1937 ['Drummin' Men' by Burt Korall 1990]. That would have been on 24 November toward Decca 1562. I tend to believe, however, that there is confusion or a typo in 'Drummin' Men'. Tom Lord and discographers at such as DAHR or Discogs are likely aware of Korall's book, yet make no mention of Rich on Decca 1562, preferring Stan King who is credited on the label as well. Rich did record that tune not much later with Adrian Rollini and Bobby Hackett on January 18, 1938, among other titles. Rich had laid his first tracks with Rollini the week before in NYC on January 7, 1938, to the result of 'Bill', 'Singin' the Blues' and 'The Sweetest Story Ever Told'. A couple more sessions followed with Rollini before he was picked up by Maxine Sullivan with the Claude Thornhill Orchestra to record, the same year, 'Moments Like This', "Please Be Kind', 'It Was a Lover and His Lass' and 'Dark Eyes'. A session with Joe Marsala's Chicagoans followed on March 16, 1938, yielding 'Mighty Like the Blues', 'Woo Woo', Hot String Beans' and 'Jim Jam Stomp'. He took a change of prescription from Rollini and Sullivan with Bunny Berigan on September 13 of '38, 'High Society' among those titles. Among Rich's most important associations was Artie Shaw, with whom he may have initially recorded on December 25, 1938 for the Old Gold 'Melody and Madness' radio series #6: those titles 'Shine On, Harvest Moon', 'Deep In a Dream', 'Jeepers Creepers' and 'Hold Your Hat'. Tom Lord's discography notes that may be arguable, also placing Rich with Shaw at the Paul Whiteman Christmas Concert on the same date, backing him on 'The Blues'. Among other guest performers, that was Louis Armstrong's first at Carnegie. Be as may, Rich recorded with Shaw numerously into 1944. November 24, 1939, saw Rich's debut with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in Chicago, to issue 'Careless', 'Darn That Dream', 'Faithful to You' and 'Losers Weepers'. Dorsey was Rich's main vehicle at the height of his career, laying innumerable tracks with Dorsey into 1955. In 1942 Rich thought to enter the delightful hell that was World War II as a Marine. He never saw conflict and was officially discharged in '44 for reasons of health, but military service that may account for Rich's gap in sessions with anyone between early '43 and June of '44 in Tom Lord's discography, leaving off with Dorsey's tracks for the film, 'Girl Crazy', not record again until December 18 of '44 with Dorsey for NBC's 'All Time Hit Parade' in Hollywood, V-Disc to issue 'Small Fry', 'Pennies from Heaven' and 'Somebody loves Me' from that radio broadcast. Rich was also an intent bandleader, his first session as such on December 24, 1945, for the 'AFRS Spotlight Bands' radio series #785 (AFRS = Armed Forces Radio Service). The 'Coca Cola Theme' was one of those tracks. Rich's titles for AFRS were made available in 1979 on an album titled 'A Young Man and His Dreams' (minus the Coca Cola theme). While leading his own orchestra Rich played in other well-regarded bands. Among them was that of Harry James with whom Rich first recorded in 1941 in the Metronome All Stars: 'Bugle Call' and 'One O'Clock Jump'. He would back James again during a radio broadcast in NYC in 1953 on 'You'll Never Know' and 'Two O'Clock Jump'. He then recorded strongly with James from '62 into '66. Rich's favored drum sets were made by Slingerland and Ludwig-Musser. Known for his temper, from January 1983 to January '85, Rich's pianist, Lee Musiker, secretly recorded a number of Rich's tantrums on touring buses or backstage. Though not precisely music to one's ears (and glad my own tantrums were never recorded), those tapes bottom out the index below, revealing a musician frustrated by his own unusually high standards. Explosion that he was, Rich performed nigh to his dying day. Tom Lord's discography has his last session at Grendal's Lair in Philadelphia on December 8, 1986, leading off with 'Wind Machine'. Rich passed away on April 2, 1987, of heart failure following an operation for a brain tumor. Rolling Stone currently places Rich at #7 on its 100 Greatest Drummers list. References for Rich: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Timeline. Rich in visual media. Discos w various credits: 1, 2. Interviews: Les Tomkins 1968-82; Michael Parkinson 1987: 1, 2, 3; w trumpeter, Bobby Shew, 2010: 1, 2, 3. HMR Project. Per below, 'Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen' was composed by Sholom Secunda w lyrics in Yiddish by Jacob Jacobs, and in English by Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin. Per 1955 all titles are from 'Buddy and Sweets' except 'One O'Clock Jump'.

Buddy Rich   1937

   Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen

      By the Andrews Sisters

      Drums: Buddy Rich suspected / Stan King more likely

Buddy Rich   1938

   Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen

      With Adrian Rollini   Vocal: Sonny Schuyler

   Singin' the Blues

      With Adrian Rollini   Vocal: Pat Hoke

      Composition: Con Conrad/Joseph Robinson

      Joe Young/Sam Lewis

   The Sweetest Story Ever Told

      With Adrian Rollini   Vocal: Pat Hoke

      Composition: Robert Morrison Stults

Buddy Rich   1942

   Ship Ahoy

      Film excerpt   With Eleanor Powell

      Composition: Burton Lane/E.Y. Harburg

Buddy Rich   1955

   Barney's Bugle

      With Sweets Edison

      Composition: Buddy Rich

   Easy Does It

      With Sweets Edison

      Composition: Sy Oliver/Trummy Young

   Nice Work If You Can Get It

      With Sweets Edison

      Composition: George & Ira Gershwin

   One O'Clock Jump

      With Sweets Edison

      Composition: Count Basie

   You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me

      With Sweets Edison

      Composition: Al Dubin/Harry Warren

   Yellow Rose of Brooklyn

      With Sweets Edison

      Composition: Sweets Edison

Buddy Rich   1965

   Drum Solo

      Television broadcast with Jerry Lewis

   Two O'Clock Jump

      Composition: Benny Goodman/Harry James

      From Count Basie's 'One O'Clock Jump'

Buddy Rich   1967

   Norwegian Wood

       'Mike Douglas Show'

       Composition: Lennon–McCartney

Buddy Rich   1970

   Drum Solo

       Television

Buddy Rich   1972

   Dancing Men

       Composition: John La Barbera

Buddy Rich   1978

   Drum Duet

      'The Tonight Show'   With Ed Shaughnessy

Buddy Rich   1982

   Bugle Call Rag

       Composition:

       Original issue: 'Bugle Call Blues':

       New Orleans Rhythm Kings   1922

Buddy Rich   1983

   The Buddy Tapes

 

 
 

Born in 1910 in New York City, clarinetist Artie Shaw, also a writer, liked to mix classical into his jazz. One of the more unique of the big band leaders, Shaw's first known recordings to see issue are thought to have been in Chicago with Irving Aaronson on August 28, 1930: 'Why Have You Forgotten Waikiki?' and 'Moonlight on the Colorado'. Tracks with both Paul Specht and Fred Rich followed in 1931. He was with Roger Wolfe Kahn in '32, then Adrian Rollini in '33 and '34. He backed a few other big names, including the Boswells and Frank Trumbauer, as a session musician until recording his first title as a bandleader on May 24, 1936, at the Imperial Theatre in NYC: 'Interlude in B Flat'. But it was his rendition of Cole Porter's 'Begin the Bequine' in 1938 that launched his star at #1 on Billboard. It was also 1938 when Shaw hired Ella Fitzgerald and began touring the South. He began appearing in films in 1939. Like other big band leaders, Shaw formed a band within a band in 1940, calling it the Gramercy Five and recording eight tracks with it that year. The Gramercy Five disbanded in 1941 but its recordings are available on a CD called 'The Complete Gramercy Five Sessions' released in 1989. During World War II Shaw served as a bandleader in the Pacific. After the conflict Shaw played with the the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. (Shaw was an early proponent of Third Stream, to wit, classical-jazz fusion, the term coined by Gunther Schuller in 1957.) In 1952 Shaw published his autobiography, 'The Trouble With Cinderella: An Outline of Identity', and later published novels and short stories. Shaw stopped playing clarinet in 1954, citing compulsive perfectionism as the reason. In 1981 he formed another small band, but assigned its leadership to clarinetist Dick Johnson. Shaw topped out with eight wives during his life, said to be abusively domineering. Beyond music, Shaw was an expert marksman and fly fisherman. One measure of Shaw's enormous popularity during his swing years is the fact that he did nothing for money, and yet died on 30 Dec 2004, in Thousand Oaks, California, with an estate worth $1,420,000. (He was making $60,000 per week as a bandleader before the war.) Among titles composed by Shaw were 'Nightmare' (his theme song) in 1936 and 'Summit Ridge Drive' in 1940. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4 5, 6; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4. 'Best Of' compilation 1956: 'Moonglow'. Shaw in visual media. Interviews: Bruce Talbot 1992 (pdf), NAMM 1994. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Further reading at Riverwalk. Shaw's rendition of 'Moonglow' below is eight years after it was first recorded in 1933 by jazz violinist Joe Venuti.

Artie Shaw   1931

   You Forgot Your Gloves

     With Paul Specht

     Music: Ned Lehac

     Lyrics: Edward Eliscu

Artie Shaw   1936

   Interlude in B Flat

      Composition: Artie Shaw

Artie Shaw   1938

   Begin the Bequine

      Composition: Cole Porter

Artie Shaw   1940

   Concerto or Clarinet

      Composition: Artie Shaw

Artie Shaw   1941

   Dancing in the Dark

      Music: Arthur Schwartz   1931

     Lyrics: Howard Dietz

   Moonglow

      Composition:

      Will Hudson/Eddie Delange/Irving Mills

Artie Shaw   1945

   Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Play Gershwin

      Album

Artie Shaw   1953

   Besame Mucho

      Composition:

      Consuelo Velázquez   1940

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Artie Shaw

Artie Shaw

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Source:  Jazz Wax

  Will Bradley   See Boogie Woogie: Will Bradley.



 
  Born in 1910 in Baltimore, pianist, Clyde Hart, began his professional career in 1930 with Gene Coy, also playing with Jap Allen. The next year he joined Blanche Calloway's orchestra, making his first recordings with her Joy Boys. in Camden NJ, on March 27, 1931: 'Just a Crazy Song', 'Sugar Blues', 'I'm Getting Myself Ready for You' and 'Loveless Love'.  Upon leaving Calloway in 1935 Hart was in NYC where he began doing session work. Among the numerous luminaries with whom Hart recorded were  Henry Red Allen, Stuff Smith, Hot Lips Page, Billie Holiday, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, Larry Adler, John Kirby and Dizzy Gillespie with whom he first performed in September 1939 in Lionel Hampton's band. He also had occasion to work with Charlie Parker, first with the Tiny Grimes Quintet in '44, then with his own All Stars in January of '45, again the next month with the Dizzy Gillespie Sextet. Among the highlights of Hart's career was Mildred Bailey, for whom he worked per the CBS broadcast, 'Mildred Bailey and Company', on July 26, 1944. Several CBS broadcasts with Bailey followed into 1945. Hart wasn't strong in running bands, though led a couple in 1944 and '45, his Hot Seven and his All Stars. Sadly, Hart was stricken with tuberculosis and died on March 19, 1945, only 35 years old. His last recordings had been the previous month with the Dizzy Gillespie Sextet: 'Groovin' High', 'All the Things You Are' and 'Dizzy Atmosphere'. References: 1, 2. Sessionographies: DAHR; Lord. Solographies: Evensmo. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Other profiles: *.

Clyde Hart   1931

  Just a Crazy Song

      With Blanche Calloway

      Composition:

      Bessie Smith/Clarence Williams

Clyde Hart   1931

  I Got What It Takes

      With Blanche Calloway

      Composition:

      Clarence Williams/Blanche Calloway

  It's Right Here for You

      With Blanche Calloway

      Composition: Perry Bradford

Clyde Hart   1936

  A High Hat a Piccolo & a Cane

      Trumpet: Henry Red Allen

      Vocal: Putney Dandridge

      Composition:

      Harry Akst/Lew Brown/Sammy Fain

  The Skeleton in the Closet

      Trumpet: Henry Red Allen

      Vocal: Putney Dandridge

      Composition:

      Johnny Burke/Arthur Johnston

  When My Dreamboat Comes Home

      Trumpet: Henry Red Allen

      Composition: Cliff Friend/Dave Franklin

Clyde Hart   1939

  Twelfth Street Rag

      With Lionel Hampton

      Composition: Euday L. Bowman

  Wizzin' the Wizz

      With Lionel Hampton

      Composition: Lionel Hampton

Clyde Hart   1945

  All the Things You Are

      Saxophone: Charlie Parker

      Trumpet: Dizzy Gillespie

      Composition:

      Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II

  Sorta Kinda

      Saxophone: Charlie Parker

      Trumpet: Dizzy Gillespie

      Composition: Clyde Hart/Trummy Young

 

 
 

Drummer Ray McKinley was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1910. He is believed to have met Glenn Miller in Dallas in 1929 when Miller was with Smith Ballew. (Miller first recorded in 1926, largely with Ben Pollack.) They found themselves together on McKinley's first issued recordings in 1931 for Red Nichols in 1931: 'Just a Crazy Song', 'You Rascal You' and 'Moan You Moaners'. A second session in June, same year, with Nichols yielded How Long Blues' and two takes of 'Fan It'. In the summer of '32 they recorded 'Let's Try Again' and 'The Lady I Love' with Ballew before joining the Dorsey Brothers in 1934 together. Doing session work while with the Dorseys, McKinley soon began backing such as Ethel Waters, the Boswell Sisters and Louis Armstrong. When the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra made its last recording in September of 1935 McKinley continued onward with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. He had first recorded with Jimmy in '31 with Nichols. Tom Lord's discography has McKinley as a bandleader in Los Angeles on March 31, 1936, two takes of 'Shack in the Back' among those titles. In 1939 McKinley exchanged Jimmy for Will Bradley, sharing leadership of Bradley's band. McKinley's partnership with Bradley was significant among big band swing interpretations of boogie woogie early driving toward rock n roll. One such example is tunes gone down in the early forties toward the 1946 release of the album on 10" shellac, 'Boogie Woogie'. 1940 had seen McKinley recording the boogie woogie tune, 'Down the Road a Piece', with the Ray McKinley Trio consisting of Freddie Slack on piano and Doc Goldberg at bass. McKinley began recording with his Quartet the next year, then with his full orchestra in '42, Imogene Lynn at vocals. After Bradley, McKinley joined the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band, first recording with that operation for CBS at Yale University in Connecticut on June 5, 1943. That was a legacy orchestra, Miller having sacrificed a weekly income ranging from $15,00 to $20,00 to join the Army per World War II, whence he would lose his life over the English Channel due to a faulty plane carburetor. McKinley's career saw him participate in well above 400 sessions, not a few with Glenn Miller ghost orchestras. His last recordings are thought to be per June 5, 1977, with just Lou Stein at piano in NYC for Chiaroscuro, 'Stompin' 'Em Down' the title of that album. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: 'The Best of Will Bradley with Ray McKinley: Eight to the Bar' 1939-41 by Collectables 2005. IMDb. NAMM interview 1994. Collections: 1, 2. Further reading: Jazz Profiles. McKinley is drummer in some of the entries under Glenn Miller.

Ray McKinley   1931

  Just a Crazy Song

      With Red Nichols

      Composition:

      Bessie Smith/Clarence Williams

  You Rascal You

      With Red Nichols

      Composition: Sam Theard

Ray McKinley   1941

  Barnyard Bounce

     Short film w Will Bradley Orchestra

     Directed by Arthur Leonard

     Trumpet: Pete Candoli

     Trombone: Will Bradley

      Directed by Arthur Leonard

      Composition: Joan Whitney

      See LOC

Ray McKinley   1942

  Big Boy

      Composition: Jack Yellen/Milton Ager

   Hard Hearted Woman

      Composition:

      Charles Bates/Jack Yellen

      Milton Ager/Robert Wilcox Bigelow

Ray McKinley   1946

  Hoodle-Addle

      Piano: Lou Stein

      Composition: McKinley

Ray McKinley   1947

  Jimmy Crickets

      Composition: McKinley/Eddie Sauter

Ray McKinley   1950

  Blue Moon

      Composition: Rodgers & Hart

 My Heart Stood Still

      Composition: Rodgers & Hart

Ray McKinley   1961

  Adios

      Composition:

      Enric Madriguera/Eddie Woods

Ray McKinley   1965

  A String of Pearls

      Music: Jerry Gray   1941

     Lyrics: Eddie DeLange

Ray McKinley   1984

  Glenn Miller Medley

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Ray McKinley

Ray McKinley

Photo: William P. Gottlieb

Source: Jazz Wax

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Chu Berry

Chu Berry

Source: Vintage Jazz & Dance Band

Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1908, tenor saxophonist Chu Berry got his first break from Sammy Stewart in 1929. He first recorded with sax player Benny Carter and pianist Teddy Wilson in 1932 ('Tell All Your Daydreams to Me'). Berry worked with Carter's outfit until they both recorded with Spike Hughes upon the latter's visit to America in 1933. They then performed in the Chocolate Dandies together (along with Wilson), a session on October 10, 1933, yielding 'Blue Interlude', 'I Never Knew', 'Once Upon a Time' and 'Krazy Kapers'. His initial titles with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra were recorded for Vocalion on March 27, 1936, to release 'Christopher Columbus', 'Grand Terrace Swing', 'Blue Lou' and 'Stealin' Apples'. From 1937 to 1941 Berry played for Cab Calloway. He also recorded as a bandleader for the first time in 1937 for the Variety label, his Stompy Stevedores issuing 'Now You're Talking My Language', 'Indiana', 'Too Marvelous for Words' and 'Limehouse Blues' from that session on March 23. Berry died in his prime, a passenger in an auto accident, in 1941. Traveling from a gig in Brooklyn to another in Toronto, the auto slid into the end of a bridge fifteen miles from Conneaut, Ohio. His last session had been with Calloway on September 10 of '41 toward the issue of 'Blues in the Night', 'My Coo-Coo Bird' and 'Says Who?'. He had also recorded a couple duets with tenor saxophonist, Charlie Ventura, in September: 'Dream Girl' and 'Get Lost'. With a recording career of only a decade, and only four sessions of sixteen individual titles as a bandleader [Lord], Berry nevertheless managed to become one of the more memorable names in jazz. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessionographies: DAHR w composing credits; Lord; solography. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: With Count Basie: 'The Complete Decca Recordings' 1937-39 by Jazz Heritage 1993; with Dizzy Gillespie: 'The Complete RCA Victor Recordings' 1937-49 by Bluebird 1995; 'Classic Chu Berry Columbia and Victor Sessions' 1936-41 by Mosaic 2007: 1, 2, 3. Further reading: Jazz Lives. Other profiles: *.

Chu Berry   1932

  Tell All Your Day Dreams to Me

      With the Benny Carter Orchestra

      Session: NYC   23 June 1932

      Thought to be Berry's 1st recording issued

      Carter's first as a leader (Crown 3321)

Chu Berry   1933

With the Chocolate Dandies

Including Benny Carter and Teddy Wilson

  Blue Interlude

      Composition: Benny Carter

  I Never Knew

      Composition: Ted Fiorito/Gus Kahn

  Krazy Kapers

      Composition: Benny Carter

Chu Berry   1937

  Indiana

      'Back Home Again in Indiana'

      Music: James F. Hanley

     Lyrics: Ballard MacDonald

      Published January 1917

Chu Berry   1939

With Lionel Hampton on vibes:

Piano: Clyde Hart

Guitar: Allen Reuss

Bass: Milt Hilton

Drums: Cozy Cole

  Shufflin' at the Hollywood

      Composition:

      Allan Reuss/Lionel Hampton

  Sweethearts on Parade

      Composition:

      Carmen Lombardo/Charles Newman

  Wizzin' the Wizz

      Composition: Lionel Hampton

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Roy Eldridge

Roy Eldridge

Source:  Sooze Blues & Jazz

Born in 1906 in Pittsburgh, trumpeter, Roy Eldridge ("Little Jazz") is believed to have said that he began his recording career with Clarence Williams and his Jazz Kings in NYC in latter 1929 and 1930. Included would have been such as 'High Society Blues'/'Lazy Levee Loungers' on Columbia 14555-D [Lord/Discogs]. Yet upon listening to said recordings there is no trumpet to be found. Eldridge more certainly recorded in early 1932 toward the soundtrack for 'Smash Your Baggage' with Elmer Snowden's Smalls Paradise Orchestra. Eldridge began featuring in trumpet solos with Teddy Hill in 1935, that session on February 26 in NYC, yielding 'Lookie, Lookie, Lookie', 'Got Me Doin' Things', 'When the Robin Sings His Song Again' and 'When Love Knocks at Your Heart'. Eldridge had gotten expelled from school in ninth grade, whence he began working in traveling shows of small repute. Back in Pittsburgh at age twenty, he led a band billed as Roy Elliott and his Palais Royal Orchestra, after which he joined various bands, among them those directed by Horace Henderson (brother of Fletcher Henderson) and Speed Webb. Finally making it to New York in 1930, where we pick him up above, Eldridge recorded with Putney Dandridge on June 25, 1935, before his first issues with Teddy Wilson and his Orchestra in 1935, among them 'What a Little Moonlight Can Do'. Along with Eldridge on trumpet and Wilson at piano, members of that outfit were Benny Goodman (clarinet), Ben Webster (tenor sax), John Trueheart (guitar), John Kirby (bass), Cozy Cole (drums) and Billie Holiday on vocals. Eldridge and Goodman would find themselves working together frequently in coming years. Eldridge hung with the  Wilson orchestra into 1939, though he and  Wilson would be frequent partners throughout their careers. In the meantime he had released his first issue as leader in 1936: 'Christopher Columbus' from a session Chicago that February. That same month he made his first recordings with Gene Krupa's band, 'I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music', 'Mutiny in the Parlor', 'I'm Gonna Clap My Hands' and 'Swing Is Here'. Eldridge swung with Krupa until the latter was arrested for cannabis possession in 1943, the band dissolved. Krupa had been jailed and fined on a previous occasion when he picked a fight with a restaurant manager who didn't wish to serve Eldridge because he was black. Be as may Eldridge and Krupa would record often in the fifties. Their last together are thought to have been with Lionel Hampton's Orchestra in 1972, live at Philharmonic Hall. Another big name followed Krupa's the next month, Eldridge recording with Fletcher Henderson in March of '36, another rendition of 'Christopher Columbus' among other titles. Eldridge backed countless musicians during his career. One name highly significant in years to come was that of Count Basie, with whom he first recorded at the Make Believe Ballroom in NYC for WNEW Radio on June 14, 1940, with Coleman Hawkins' outfit: 'Body and Soul', 'Ad Lib Blues' and 'King Porter Stomp'. Basie and Eldridge would record together often in years to come in various orchestras including Basie's. Eldridge last recorded with Basie at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 1977 in Basie's operation. Eldridge recorded frequently with Billie Holiday to as late as 1957 for CBS television among its 'Sound of Jazz' series, that being 'Fine and Mellow'. He recorded with Artie Shaw's orchestra in 1944-45. In addition to other recordings in Europe in 1950 and '51 Tom Lord's discography has Eldridge recording piano solos in Paris in 1950: 'Improvisation', 'Boogie Roy', 'Just Fooling' and 'List Blues'. In 1951 Eldridge established a residency at the Birdland in NYC with another of his bands. Ella Fitzgerald was another important name to grace recordings with Eldridge, those in '49, '53, '57 and numerously from '63 into the seventies, including Jazz at the Philharmonic performances. In 1969 Eldridge began a residency of several years at Jimmy Ryan's in Manhattan. His last recordings as a bandleader are thought to have been at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 1977. A heart attack in 1980 forced Eldridge to cease performing. He died nine years later in Valley Stream, New York. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessions: JDP, Lord, solography. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: 'Little Jazz Giant' 1935-46/1950-52 by Avid; Chronological Classics: 1935-1940, 1943-1944, 1945-1947; 'Little Jazz Trumpet Giant' 1935-53 by Proper. Reviews. Eldridge in visual media. Further reading: 'The Excitable Roy Eldridge" by Gary Giddins, 'A Roy Eldridge Story' by Jerry Jazz Musician.

Roy Eldridge   1933

  Bugle Call Rag

      Originally 'Bugle Call Blues'

      Elmer Snowden Orchestra   Film

      Composition:

      Jack Pettis/Billy Meyers/Elmer Schoebel

      Original issue as 'Bugle Call Blues':

      New Orleans Rhythm Kings   1922

  Tiger Rag

      Elmer Snowden Orchestra   Film

      Composition: 1917:

      Original Dixieland Jazz Band:

      Eddie Edwards/Nick LaRocca

      Henry Ragas/Tony Sbarbaro

      Lyrics: Harry DeCosta

Roy Eldridge   1935

  Miss Brown to You

      With Billie Holiday

      Music: Richard Whiting/Ralph Rainger

      Lyrics: Leo Robin

Roy Eldridge   1936

  Blue Lou

      With Fletcher Henderson

      Composition: Edgar Sampson

  Christopher Columbus

      With Fletcher Henderson

      Composition:

      Leon Chu Berry/Andy Razaf

Roy Eldridge   1937

  Wabash Stomp

      Composition: Eldridge

  Where the Lazy River Goes By

      Vocal: Gladys Palmer

      Composition:

      Jimmy McHugh/Harold Adamson

Roy Eldridge   1941

  After You've Gone

      Composition: Turner Layton/Henry Creamer

Roy Eldridge   1942

  Let Me Off Uptown

      Drums: Gene Krupa   Vocal: Anita O'Day

      Composition: Earl Bostic/Redd Evans

  Thanks for the Boogie Ride

      Drums: Gene Krupa   Vocal: Anita O'Day

      Composition: Sidney Mitchell/Buck Ram

Roy Eldridge   1945

  Little Jazz Boogie

      Composition: Buster Harding

  Fish Market

      Composition: Eldridge

  Rockin' Chair

      Composition: Hoagy Carmichael

Roy Eldridge   1949

  Watch Out!

      Drums: Gene Krupa   Vocal: Dolores Hawkins

      Composition: Dave Jacobs/Sy Oliver

Roy Eldridge   1957

  It Don't Mean a Thing

      Guitar: Herb Ellis   Piano: Oscar Peterson

      Vocal: Ella Fitzgerald

      Music: Duke Ellington  1931

      Lyrics: Irving Mills

Roy Eldridge   1961

  Sunday

      Film

      Composition:

      Chester Conn/Benny Krueger

      Nathan Ned Miller/Jule Styne

 

 

Born Kenneth Norville in 1908 in Beardstown, Illinois, vibraphonist, Red Norvo, is said to have sold his pet pony to buy his first marimba. Heading to Chicago in 1925, Norvo began his professional career in a band called the Collegians. His first recordings under his own name were circa October of 1929, those unissued by Brunswick: 'In a Mist' and 'Song of the Bayou'. He first saw vinyl in 1932 from a session on April 5 with Frank Trumbauer, 'Sizzling One Step Medley/'Medley of Isham Jones' Dance Hits' on Columbia 18002-D. March of 1933 found Norvo recording with Victor Young. The next month he laid his first issued titles for the Brunswick label: 'Knockin' on Wood' and 'Hole In the Wall'. Jimmy Dorsey was clarinet on those. Some of the bigger name bands with whom he became employed were Paul Whiteman's, Benny Goodman's, Charlie Barnet's and Woody Herman's. In 1938 Norvo scored two No. 1 positions on the charts with 'Please Be Kind' and 'Says My Heart'. Norvo formed a trio in 1949 of vibraphone, bass and guitar, which through the years would employ such as Red Kelly, Mundell Lowe, Tal Farlow, Jimmy Raney, Charles Mingus and Red Mitchell. In 1959 he toured Australia with Frank Sinatra. Norvo continued performing and touring until a stroke retired him in the eighties. He passed away in 1999 in a nursing home in Santa Monica, California [obit]. Norvo's most important musical association was also his wife for twelve years, Mildred Bailey, whom he had married in 1931 and with whom he made numerous recordings. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4; musical: 1, 2. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: Chronological Classics in nine volumes: #1085 '1933-36', #1123 '1936-37', #1157 '1937-38', #1192 '1938-39', #1232 '1939-43', #1306 '1943-44', #1356 '1944-45', #1386 '1945-47', #1422 '1950-51'; 'Red Norvo Featuring Mildred Bailey' 1935-38 by Portrait Masters 1988/89; 'Four Classic Albums' by Avid 2014: 1, 2. Norvo in visual media. Archives: IA, Smithsonian. Interviews: 1968-82 w Les Tomkins; 1994 w Dan Del Fiorentino: oral, text. Further reading: Jazz Profiles; Salon. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4. More Red Norvo under Mildred Bailey in Swing Jazz Song.

Red Norvo   1932

  Isham Jones Medley

      With Frank Trumbauer

      Norvo's 2nd set to see issue

  Sizzlin' One-Step Medley

      With Frank Trumbauer

      Norvo's 1st set to see issue

Red Norvo   1933

  Hole in the Wall

      Composition: Red Norvo

  Knockin' on Wood

      Composition: Red Norvo

Red Norvo   1935

  Blues in E Flat

      Composition: Red Norvo/Irving Mills

Red Norvo   1937

  Remember

      Composition: Irving Berlin

Red Norvo   1938

  Please Be Kind

      With Mildred Bailey

      Music: Saul Chaplin

      Lyrics: Sammy Cahn

  Says My Heart

      With Mildred Bailey

      Composition: Burton Lane/Frank Loesser

      First issue: 1938:

      Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra

Red Norvo   1939

  Three Little Fishies

       ('Itty Bitty Poo')

       With Mildred Bailey

       Composition: Saxie Dowell

Red Norvo   1945

  Downhearted Blues

      With Mildred Bailey

      Composition: 1922:

      Alberta Hunter/Lovie Austin

Red Norvo   1957

  Poeme

      Composition: Jack Montrose

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Red Norvo

Red Norvo

Source: Last FM

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Art Tatum

Art Tatum

Photo: William P. Gottlieb

Source: Bo Knows Music

Born in 1909 in Toledo, Ohio, Pianist Art Tatum, nigh completely blind, is thought to have made his first recordings in 1932 with Adelaide Hall. on August 5 for Brunswick: 'Strange As It Seems' and ''I'll Never Be the Same'. Those were followed on August 10 by 'You Gave Me Everything But Love' and 'This Time It's Love'. Tatum played a lot of classical music as well and was highly regarded by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Due much to virtuosos like Fats Waller, Earl Hines and Art Tatum the piano bar (lounge music) became a favorite American late-night haunt. Tatum was learning to play piano at age three. His piano teacher, like most, taught classical, and discouraged Tatum's inevitable creativity, improvisation and jazz. His first professional position was for WSPD radio in 1927. At nineteen he began creating a reputation for himself among some of the bigger names in jazz at the Waiter's and Bellmans' clubs. Thus Adelaide Hall stole him away for her world tour in 1931. In 1933 Tatum entered a stride piano [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8] cutting contest at a place called Morgan's in NYC with James Johnson, Willie the Lion Smith and Fats Waller. His win against such intimidating competition was well trumpeted, and Tatum would soon be leaving the old stride masters behind as he joined such as Earl Hines and Teddy Wilson as a developer of swing and, though he wasn't much a composer of original material, nor pursued bebop, a herald of modern jazz. Tatum grooved his first name solo for Brunswick in 1932: 'Tiger Rag'. Thereafter his favored venue was nightclubs, though he toured to England in 1938. Tatum also preferred to play solo rather than with groups, his ornate style demanding such, though he did lead smaller ensembles such as his Swingsters in 1937: 'Body and Soul', 'With Plenty of Money and You, 'What Will I Tell My Heart?' and 'I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm'. Among the highlights of his career were recorded performances on January 18, 1944, at the Metropolitan Opera House in NYC with Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge, Jack Teagarden, Barney Bigard, Coleman Hawkins, Lionel Hampton, Al Casey, Oscar Pettiford, Sidney Catlett, Billie Holiday, Mildred Bailey and Red Norvo. Tatum spent his last couple years performing in Detroit at a club called Baker's Keyboard Lounge until in April 1956. He meanwhile toured the States, recording in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Washington DC during his last year. His last recordings are thought to have been a radio broadcast from the Red Hill Inn in Pennsauken, NJ, on October 14, 1956: 'Flying Home', 'Would You Like to Take a Walk?' and 'You Go to My Head' (RI Disc). In Tatum's Trio were Everett Barksdale on guitar and Bill Pemberton on bass. Tatum died the next month of uremia in November 1956 in Los Angeles. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4. The Chronological Classics 1932-1953: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7Reviews by Ted Gioia. Tatum in visual media. Further reading: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3.

Art Tatum   1932

   Sophisticated Lady

      Composition: Duke Ellington

   Strange As It Seems

      Vocal: Adelaide Hall

      Composition: Fats Waller/Andy Razaf

   Tea for Two

      Composition: Vincent Youmans/Irving Caesar

   This Time It's Love

      Vocal: Adelaide Hall

      Composition: J. Fred Coots/Sam M. Lewis

   You Gave Me Everything

      Vocal: Adelaide Hall

      Composition: Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler

Art Tatum   1933

   Tiger Rag

      Composition: Nick LaRocca (ODJB)

Art Tatum   1943

   Esquire Blues

      With the Leonard Feather All Stars

      Composition: Leonard Feather

   Esquire Bounce

      With the Leonard Feather All Stars

      Composition: Leonard Feather

Art Tatum   1944

   I Know That You Know

      Bass: Slam Stewart   Guitar: Tiny Grimes

      Composition: Vincent Youmans

   My Ideal

      With the Leonard Feather All Stars

      Composition:

      Leo Robin/Newell Chase/Richard Whiting

Art Tatum   1947

   Art's Blues

      Trombone: Tommy Dorsey

      Clarinet: Jimmie Dorsey

      Sax: Charlie Barnet

      Trumpet: Ziggy Elman

      Guitar: George Van Eps

      Drums: Ray Bauduc

Art Tatum   1948

   Tenderly

      Composition: Walter Gross

Art Tatum   1956

   The Album

    Album with Ben Webster 

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Teddy Wilson

Teddy Wilson

Photo: Hank O'Neal

Source: Hank O'Neal

Born in 1912 in Austin, pianist Teddy Wilson studied piano and violin at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama before heading to NYC where he worked with Speed Webb, Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge and became an understudy to Earl Hines at the Grand Terrace Cafe. Wilson didn't mess around, starting directly at the top with Benny Carter and his Orchestra for his debut recording on June 23, 1932: 'Tell All Your Daydreams to Me'. Titles from his next session with Carter were unissued by Victor, but Wilson would record with Carter soon again. Wilson began 1933 with a session on January 23 with Armstrong's orchestra in Chicago, 'High Society' among several titles issued by Victor. Two more sessions with Armstrong followed that month. Wilson next joined Carter in the Chocolate Dandies for a session on October 10 yielding two takes of 'I Never Knew' among others. His next session with Carter on the 18th wrought two takes of 'Devil's Holiday' among others. On May 14, 1934, Wilson joined Benny Goodman's outfit to record 'Moonglow' and 'Breakfast Ball' among others. That would be one of the more auspicious dates in jazz, leading to decades of friendly rivalry between their bands, each often performing in the other's and recording together extensively into the eighties. Wilson recorded his first piano solos on May 22, 1934: 'Somebody Loves Me', 'Sweet and Simple', 'Liza' and 'Rosetta'. Another important date was July 2, 1945, when Wilson not only first recorded as a bandleader but had hired Billie Holiday for vocals. Wilson is probably best known as Holiday's bandleader. That debut session for Holiday yielded 'I Wished on the Moon', 'What a little Moonlight Can Do', 'Miss Brown to You' and 'A Sunbonnet Blue'. The members of Wilson's band were Roy Eldridge (trumpet), Benny Goodman (clarinet), Ben Webster (tenor sax), John Trueheart (guitar), John Kirby (bass) and Cozy Cole on drums. Another session was held on the 31st that month with something different personnel though Kirby would hang until '38, Cole and Eldridge until '39. Eldridge would be back with Wilson in '44 and later in the fifties. Wilson and Holiday pumped out a host of titles until their last session on February 10, 1942, six takes of 'It's a Sin to Tell a Lie' among other titles. The next month Helen Ward was recording with Wilson's band, but he would see considerably more of Mildred Bailey, beginning with Eldridge's Esquire All Stars at the Metropolitan Opera House in NYC on January 18, 1944, titles finding issue from those sessions being 'Rockin' Chair', 'Squeeze Me' and 'Honeysuckle Rose' among others. Wilson's last session with Bailey was January 17, 1949, a radio broadcast from WPIX Radio in NYC. 'Anthropology' among the tracks that was performed, personnel included Miles Davis (trumpet), Kai Winding (trombone), Buddy DeFranco (clarinet), Lucky Thompson (tenor sax), Charlie Ventura (tenor and baritone sax), Al Haig (piano), Oscar Pettiford (bass) and Shelly Manne on drums. Wilson also employed vocalists Lena Horne ('41), Lee Wiley and Helen Merrill ('70). Wilson taught summer music classes at Julliard between 1945 and 1952. The latter seventies saw Wilson writing autobiography, 'Teddy Wilson Talks Jazz', which wouldn't get published until 1996. He actively performed into the final years of his life, thought to have last recorded for PBS television on October 27, 1985, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, 'Goodbye' at the tail of those titles. Wilson died a huge figure in jazz for decades on 31 July 1986 in New Britain, Connecticut. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Piano solography. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4. Wilson in visual media. 1971 interview w Les Tomkins. Further reading: 1, 2, 3.

Teddy Wilson   1932

   Tell All Your Day Dreams to Me

      With Benny Carter

Teddy Wilson   1934

   Rosetta

      Piano solo

      Music: Earl Hines

      (Lyrics: Henri Woode)

Teddy Wilson   1935

   Body and Soul

      With Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa

      Composition: Edward Heyman/Robert Sour

      Frank Eyton/Johnny Green

   Eeny Meeny Miney Mo

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition: Johnny Mercer/Matty Malneck

   If You Were Mine

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition: Rex Rideout/Will Downing

   I'm Painting the Town Red

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition:

      Charles Newman/Sammy Stept/Charles Tobias

   Life Begins When You're in Love

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition: Lew Brown/Victor Schertzinger

   Spreadin' Rhythm Around

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition: Ted Koehler/Jimmy McHugh

   These 'N' That 'N' Those

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition: Edgar Fairchild

   What a Little Moonlight Can Do

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition: Harry Woods

   You Let Me Down

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition: Al Dubin/Harry Warren

Teddy Wilson   1937

   Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man

      With Billie Holiday

       Music: Jerome Kern

      Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

   The Hour of Parting

      With Boots Castle

     Music: Mischa Spoliansky

      Lyrics: Gus Kahn

   There's a Lull in My Life

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition: Mack Gordon/Harry Revel

   Where or When

      With Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa

        Music: Richard Rodgers

      Lyrics: Lorenz Hart

      For the musical 'Babes in Arms' 1937

Teddy Wilson   1938

   You're So Desirable

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition: Ray Noble

Teddy Wilson   1939

   Sugar

      With Billie Holiday

      Composition:

      Maceo & Edna Pinkard/Sidney Mitchell

      First issue by Ethel Waters 1926

   Tiger Rag

      Composition: Nick LaRocca (ODJB)

Teddy Wilson   1941

   Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

        Music: Jerome Kern

      Lyrics: Otto Harbach

      For the musical 'Roberta' 1934

Teddy Wilson   1944

   Rose Room

      Composition: Art Hickman/Harry Williams

Teddy Wilson   1956

   All of Me

      Duet with Lester Young

      Composition: Gerald Marks/Seymour Simons

   Sophisticated Lady

      Composition: Duke Ellington

Teddy Wilson   1985

   But Not for Me

       Live performance

      Composition: George & Ira Gershwin

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Charlie Barnet

Charlie Barnet

Source: VK

 

 

Born to a wealthy family in 1913 in NYC, bandleader and saxophonist Charlie Barnet began his recording career in NYC in 1933 with Melotone Records, the year he shaped his own orchestra. Those tracks were 'What Is Sweeter' (Banner 32876), 'I'm No Angel' (Banner 32875), 'I Want You-I Need You' (Banner 32875) and 'Buckin' the Wind' (Banner 32876) on which he contributed tenor sax and flugelhorn. Tsort has Barnet's most popular title overall issued seven years later in 1940 per 'Where Was I?', that following his second best, 'Cherokee', in 1939. Come his third most favored title, 'I Hear a Rhapsody', in 1941. Lord's disco reveals Barnet to have been a fairly hard driving band director to as late as the early sixties, leading 180 sessions into 1962 before a gap of four years followed in 1966 with several big band sessions recorded in Hollywood toward issue on Vault 9004. Come recorded broadcasts from Basin Street East in New York City in 1966-67 to see issue on HEP2005, et al. On 5 July 1968 Barnet played alto and soprano sax in Duke Ellington's band at the Newport Jazz Festival. Lord tracks Barnet's last sessions as a leader to as late as December 1 and 2 of 1969 in Hollywood for titles like 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'The Girl from Ipanema' toward issue on Reader's Digest RDS6872 and RA-112. Barnet's autobiography, 'The Swinging Years', was published in 1984. Among vocalists he backed were Billie Holiday on 19 December 1940 ('The Man I Love') and Nat King Cole w Nellie Lutcher on 5 Jan 1950 ('For You My Love' and 'Can I Come in for a Second?'). Barnet died of Alzheimer's disease and pneumonia in San Diego on 4 Sep 1991. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: Chronoligical Classics in seven volumes: #1133 '1933-36', #1159 '1936-37', #1194 '1937-39', #1226 '1939', #1266 '1939-40', #1318 '1940 Vol 1', #1439 '1940 Vol 2'; 'Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra: Skyliner: 1940-1945' by Giants of Jazz 1998. Barnet in visual media: IMDb; reviews. Collections: arrangements: 1, 2. Further reading: Jazz Profiles. Other profiles: 1, 2.

Charlie Barnet   1934

  Baby Take a Bow

      Composition: Lew Brown/Jay Gorney

  Infatuation

      Vocal: Helen Heath

      Composition:

      Walter Samuels/Leonard Whitcup

Charlie Barnet   1936

  I'm an Old Cowhand

      Composition: Johnny Mercer  1936

      For the film 'Rhythm on the Range'

      Sung by Bing Crosby

Charlie Barnet   1939

  Lilacs in the Rain

      Composition:

      Mitchell Parish/Peter DeRose

Charlie Barnet   1940

  Redskin Rhumba

      'Pow Wow'

      Composition: Dale Bennett

  Southern Fried

      Composition:

      Harlan Leonard/James Ross/Freddy Culliver

  Where Was I

      Composition:

      Al Dubin/W. Frank Harling

Charlie Barnet   1941

  Afraid to Say Hello

Charlie Barnet   1943

  The Moose

      Piano: Dodo Marmarosa

      Composition: Ralph Burns

  Pow-Wow

      'Redskin Rhumba'

      Composition: Dale Bennett

Charlie Barnet   1947

  Charleston Alley

      Composition: Leroy Kirkland

  Pompton Turnpike

      Composition: Dick Rogers/Will Osborne

  Rockin' in Rhythm

      Composition:

      Duke Ellington/Harry Carney/Irving Mills

Note: First performance by Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club in Jan 1931.

Charlie Barnet   1948

  East Side, West Side

      With Doc Severinsen   Vocal: Bunny Briggs

        Music: Charles B. Lawlor

      Lyrics: James W. Blake

Charlie Barnet   1962

  Jazz Skyliner

      'Skyliner'

      Composition: Dale Bennett

 

 
  Born in 1913 in Spokane, bandleader and vocalist Bob Crosby, younger brother by ten years of Bing Crosby, began his singing career as one of the Delta Rhythm Boys in 1931. He also began working with the Anson Weeks Orchestra in 1931. No recordings by Crosby with Weeks are found earlier than 1933 for Brunswick: 'It's Not a Secret Anymore' (6604), 'Marching Along Together' (6619), 'I'll Be Faithful' (6661) and 'You've Got Everything' (6661). Crosby was hired to the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra from '34 to '35, his first singing with that outfit on August 15, 1934: 'I'm Getting Sentimental Over You' (Decca 115) [Lord]. Crosby put together his first orchestra in 1935 with previous members of the Ben Pollack Orchestra. His initial tracks with that outfit were recorded for Decca on June 1, 1935 in NYC: 'Flowers for Madame' (Decca 478), 'The Dixieland Band' (Decca 479), 'In a Little Gypsy Tea Room' (Decca 478) and 'Beale Street Blues' (Decca 479). His overall most popular release with his orchestra was 'Whispers in the Dark' in 1937 [Tsort]. A couple months after that topped Billboard's chart in September Crosby gave his first performance w his Dixieland octet, the Bob-Cats, on November 13, 1937 [Yanow]. Crosby's Bob-Cats were a band within a band drawn from his orchestra. They aren't known to have ever recorded together, but Doris Day got her start at age sixteen with Crosby's Bob Cats, first performing with them on 24 June 1940 at the Beach Club at Conneaut Lake Park in Pennsylvania prior to hiring on to the Les Brown Orchestra. Radio was a major venue for Crosby, airing 'The Bob Crosby Show' from 1943 to 1950, then 'Club Fifteen' from 1947 to 1953. Crosby served as a bandleader in the Marines in the Pacific theater in 1944-45. He hosted 'The Bob Crosby Show' for CBS television from 1953 to '57, for NBC in '58. Married twice with six children, Crosby died of cancer on 9 March 1993 in La Jolla, California [obit]. He had made his final recordings in July of 1985 toward the double-plated album, 'The Bob Crosby Golden Anniversary Tribute'. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discographies: Bob Crosby: 1, 2, 3Bob Crosby Orchestra; Crosby's Bob Cats. Compilations: Bob Crosby Orchestra: 'South Rampart Street Parade' 1936-42 by Decca Jazz 1992. Crosby in visual media; in radio. Further reading: Bob Crosby Orchestra; Crosby's Bob Cats. Other profiles: 1, 2.

Bob Crosby   1933

  It's Not a Secret Anymore

      With the Anson Weeks Orchestra

      Composition:

      Ralph Blue/Al Hoffman/Charlie Kisco

Bob Crosby   1934

  Waitin' at the Gate for Katy

        Music: Richard A. Whiting

      Lyrics: Gus Kahn

Bob Crosby   1936

  Swing Me a Lullaby

      With Connee Boswell

      Composition:

      Don Raye/Hughie Prince/Tom Waring

Bob Crosby   1937

  South Rampart Street Parade

      Composition:

      Don Raye/Hughie Prince/Tom Waring

Bob Crosby   1939

  Summertime

          Music: George Gershwin   1934

       Lyrics: DuBose Heyward

          For the 1935 opera 'Porgy and Bess'

  The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise

      Music: Ernest Seitz   1918

      Lyrics: Gene Lockhart

Bob Crosby   1942

  That Da-Da Strain

      Composition:

      Edgar Dowell/Mamie Medina

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Bob Crosby

Bob Crosby

Source:  persons-info

Birth of Swing Jazz: Louis Prima

Louis Prima

Photo: Manny Korman/Frank Driggs Collection

Source: Peoples

Some sources place the birth of trumpeter, vocalist and "Wild One," Louis Prima, in New Orleans on 7 December 1911. Others w overall greater authority in general and specific prefer 1910. Prima's parents were Sicilian immigrants, he growing up to play clubs in New Orleans before making New York City his home. He first worked, however, in Chicago, joining the David Rose Orchestra at radio station WGN in 1933. His first issued recordings were with the Dave Rose Trio on September 28, 1933 for the Bluebird label. With Rose on piano and Norman Gast on violin that session wrought 'Chinatown, My Chinatown', 'Sophisticated Lady' and 'Dinah'. A second session the next day produced 'Shadows', 'Jig-Saw Rhythm' and 'Jamboree'. Prima first recorded with his New Orleans Gang on September 27, 1934, in NYC, two takes of 'Stardust' among those titles. Prima released his composition, 'Sing, Sing, Sing', in 1936 on Brunswick 7628. He hired Keely Smith into his band in 1947 to replace Lily Ann Carol in Las Vegas the next year. The Prima-Smith duo, a study in contrasts w Smith exercising control, was the formula that brought each their greatest renown. Tom Lord's discography lists Smith's first recordings with Prima and His Orchestra in late 1949 in NYC for Mercury, two sessions yielding 'Charley My Boy', 'Yes, We Have No Bananas', 'I Beeped When I Shoulda Bopped', 'The Manuelo Tarantel' and 'Leap Before You Look'. Smith and Prima married in 1953. She contributed backup vocals to the 1956 issue of his composition, 'Jump, Jive and Wail'. Their last performance together was at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas in 1961, the year they divorced. Their last recordings together were released the same year on the album, 'Return of the Wildest'. Come Prima's wedding to Gia (JoAnne) Maione [1, 2] on 12 Feb 1963 with whom he founded the Prima Magnagroove record label that year. Their union produced Lena Prima [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] and Louis Prima Jr. [1, 2] circa 1965. Prima's was the voice of the orangutan, King Louis, in the 1967 Disney animated film, 'The Jungle Book'. His last album was released in 1975: 'The Wildest'. Prima died on 24 August 1978 in a nursing home in New Orleans after three years in coma, following surgery to remove a brain stem tumor in 1975. References encyclopedic: 1, 2; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Sessions: DAHR; Lord; Prima-Cannatella. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: Chronolgical Classics in 6 volumes: #1048 '1934-35', #1077 '1935-36', #1146 '1937-39', #1201 '1940-44', #1273 '1944-45', #1374 '1945'. Prima in visual media: 1, 2, 3. Further reading: Jazz Profiles, Ed Kaz, Keith Spera. Biblio: 'That Old Black Magic: Louis Prima, Keely Smith and the Golden Age of Las Vegas' by Tom Clavin (Chicago Review Press 2010). Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Louis Prima   1934

   Let's Have a Jubilee

      Composition: Alex Hill/Irving Mills

   Sing It Way Down Low

      Composition: Hoagy Carmichael/Jo Trent

Louis Prima   1936

   Cross Patch

      Composition:

      Music: Vee Lawnhurst

      Lyrics: Tot Seymour

  Sing Sing Sing

      Composition: Louis Prima

Louis Prima   1956

  Jump, Jive an' Wail

      Composition: Louis Prima

  The Wildest!

      Album w Keely Smith

Louis Prima   1959

   I Ain't Got Nobody

      Live performance with Keely Smith

      Music: Spencer Williams   1915

      Lyrics: Roger A. Graham

  Just a Gigolo

      Live performance with Keely Smith

      Composition:

      From 'Schöner Gigolo, Armer Gigolo'

      Lyrics Austrian: Julius Brammer   1924

      Music: Leonello Casucci   1928

      Lyrics English: Irving Caesar   1929

      See Wikipedia

 

 
 

Born in 1908 in Terre Haute, Indiana, bandleader, composer and pianist Claude Thornhill was 16 when he and Artie Shaw began their careers together in Cleveland with Austin Wiley. Six years later, in 1931, they went to New York City together. It was September 22, 1933 when Thornhill recorded his first piano tracks with the Meyer Davis Orchestra: 'Lonely Heart' and 'Heat Wave' (Columbia 2821-D). He joined Benny Goodman's Music Hall Orchestra for recordings in latter '34, two takes of 'Bugle Call Rag' among titles from his first session on August 16, 'I'm Getting Sentimental Over You' (Melotone 13159) among others from a second session on September 11. Six days later he was recording with Louis Prima's New Orleans Gang, 'Stardust' among titles issued from that first session with Prima. He wouldn't record with Shaw until June 23, 1936 with Dick McDonough's orchestra: 'Summer Holiday', 'I'm Grateful to You', 'Dear Old South hand' and 'Way Down Yonder in New Orleans'. As a major name in jazz Thornhill bumped shoulders with a number of luminaries. Among them was Glenn Miller with whom he first recorded with the Ray Noble Orchestra on February 9, 1935: 'Down By the River' (Victor 24879). Guitarist, George Van Eps, was in on that, as he would be in Thornhill's next session with Al Bowlly's operation on March 15, to release 'Basin Street Blues'. On April 25 Thornhill backed Glenn Miller's first name recordings with His Orchestra: 'A Blues Serenade'/'Moonlight on the Ganges' (Columbia 3051-D), 'In a Little Spanish Town' and 'Solo Hop' (Columbia 3058-D). His first session with Chick Bullock [1, 2, 3] arrived on May 15 that year: 'Life Is a Song' and 'Way Back Home' (Melotone M13418). Thornhill first recorded with his famous orchestra for a 'Saturday Night Swing Club' radio broadcast on June 12, 1937: 'Flight of the Bumble Bee' and 'Classics in Jazz', et al. Lord has all tracks eventually issued in a combination of Soundcraft LP1013 and Jazz Unlimited JUCD 2056/57. Two days later on the 14th Maxine Sullivan made her first recordings with Thornhill's orchestra: 'Whisper in the Dark'/'Stop, You're Breaking My Heart' (Vocalion 3616) and 'Harbor Lights'/'Gone with the Wind' (Vocalion 3595). Thornhiill first recorded what became his theme song, 'Snowfall' (Columbia 36268), at Liederkrantz Hall in New York City on 21 May 1941. Thornhill was earning about $40,000 per month at the Paramount Theater in NYC when he gave it up to join the Navy during World War II, becoming a bandleader in the Pacific. His last recordings before military service were on June 24, 1942. On January 30, 1943 he recorded 'Nightmare' and 'Begin the Beguine' with CBS radio in Honolulu with Artie Shaw and his U.S. Navy Rangers on 'America Salutes the President'. Those saw issue on Big Band Gems BBG 092. Thornhill recorded nothing in '44 and '45, but was released from the Navy in 1946 for his first title as a civilian again from a June 9 session in NYC (as will have been nigh all Thornhill's recordings with few exceptions) yielding 'Twilight Song'. That saw later release in 1971 on the Thornhill compilation, 'On Stage 1946-1947' (Monmouth Evergreen MES 7025). Thornhill began experimenting with bebop after the War and was later Tony Bennett's musical director for a brief period in the fifties. He died of heart attack on July 1, 1965. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Thornhill in visual media. Further reading: Mike McCormick; Mike Zwerin on Thornhill and cool jazz. Other profiles: *. More Claude Thornhill under Gil Evans.

Claude Thornhill   1933

  Heat Wave

      With Meyer Davis

      Vocal: Charlotte Murray

      Composition: Irving Berlin   1933

      For the musical 'As Thousands Cheer'

      Sung by Ethel Waters

  Lonely Heart

      With Meyer Davis

      Vocal: Lew Conrad

      Composition: Irving Berlin

Claude Thornhill   1937

   Harbor Lights

      Vocal: Jimmy Farrell

      Composition:

      Hugh Williams/Jimmy Kennedy

  I'm Coming, Virginia

      Vocal: Maxine Sullivan

      Composition:

      Donald Heywood/Will Marion Cook

  Loch Lomond

      Vocal: Maxine Sullivan

      Composition: See Wikipedia

Claude Thornhill   1941

  Autumn Nocturne

      Composition: Josef Myrow/Kim Gannon

  Snowfall

      Alto sax: Gene Quill

      Bass: Bill Crow

      Drums: Winston Welch

      Composition: Thornhill

      Arrangement: Thornhill

  Where or When

      Composition:

      Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart

Claude Thornhill   1942

  Buster's Last Stand

      Composition: Thornhill/Gil Evans

Claude Thornhill   1947

  Anthropology

      Composition:

      Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie

      Arrangement: Gil Evans

  A Sunday Kind of Love

      Vocal: Fran Warren

      Composition:

      Barbara Belle/Anita Leonard

      Stan Rhodes/Louis Prima

      Published 1946

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Claude Thornhill

Claude Thornhill

Source: Bill Crow

http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/billy_may

Lucky Millinder

Source: Black Kudos

Born Lucius Venables in 1910 in Anniston, Alabama, bandleader, Lucky Millinder [1, 2, 3], was raised in Chicago. He played no instrument but is an important bridge from swing jazz to rock and roll. He began his career as a bandleader in 1931, touring for RKO Pictures. He is first found on vinyl in 1934 from a session on December 4, 1933, with the Mills' Blue Rhythm Band: 'Drop Me Off in Harlem', 'Reaching for the Cotton Moon' and 'Love Is the Thing'. Originally the Coconut Grove Orchestra, that became the Mils' Blue Rhythm Band upon Irving Mills assuming management in 1931. Millender took over from 1934 into 1937, then formed his own orchestra to record 'Ride, Red, Ride' and 'Jazz Martini' for the film, 'Readin', 'Ritin' and Rhythm' in latter 1938. Winning a contract with Decca in 1941, Millinder that year began recording en force with his band, Sister Rosetta Tharpe to be the first vocalist in his employ. 'Trouble In Mind' was among the titles from his first session with Tharpe. It was during his time with Tharpe that Millinder began advancing toward rhythm and blues. He would hire Wynonie Harris in 1944, then Ruth Brown. Millinder's band began waning in popularity in the fifties, he having to take a job as a disc jockey in 1952, though he continued to tour and record until 1960. His last tracks are thought to have been for Warwick that year: 'Slide Mr. Trombone' and 'Big Fat Mama'. Millinder died in NYC six years later of a liver ailment. Documentation of his issues at 45Worlds, Discogs 1, 2 and AllMusic 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Millinder in visual media. More Lucky Millinder in Rock 1.

Lucky Millinder  1934

   Drop Me Off In Harlem

      Mills Blue Rhythm Band

     Vocal: Adelaide Hall

      Music: Duke Ellington

      Lyrics: Nick Kenny

Lucky Millinder  1941

   Trouble in Mind

      Vocal: Rosetta Tharpe

      Composition: Richard Jones

   Big Fat Mama

      Vocal: Trevor Bacon

      Composition: Lucky Millinder/Stafford Simon

   Mason Flyer

      Composition: Lucky Millinder

      Arrangement: Tab Smith

Lucky Millinder  1942

   Are You Ready

      Composition:

      Lucky Millinder/Trevor Bacon/Henri Woode

align="left">Lucky Millinder  1943

   Savoy

       Vocal: Trevor Bacon

      Composition: Bill Doggett

      Arrangement: Lucky Millinder

Lucky Millinder  1950

   Silent George

      Vocal: Myra Johnson

      Composition: Henry Glover/Sally Nix

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Putney Dandridge

Putney Dandridge

Source: Last FM

Born in 1902 in Richmond, Virginia, pianist and vocalist Putney Dandridge [1, 2] began his professional career in 1918, spending a decade or so touring and doing shows before forming his own band in Ohio in the early thirties. He first released his own recordings in 1935. Recorded on March 25 for Vocalion 2935 in NYC were 'You're a Heavenly Thing' and 'Mr. Bluebird' [Lord]. Members of his band are thought to have been Herman Autrey (trumpet), Gene Sedric (tenor sax), Al Casey (guitar), Henry Turner (bass) and Harry Dial (drums). A few months later Dandridge recorded as one of Adrian Rollini's Tap Room Gang before continuing with his own orchestras, leading only eleven more sessions in '35 and '36 before he went ghost, Wikipedia noting that he may have dropped out of the music business due to poor health. Though his career was brief it had held a lot a of promise. He'd been able to recruit some of the big shots in jazz into his bands, such as Roy Eldridge and Henry Red Allen. His last recordings in Lord who identifies only 13 sessions were on December 10, 1936 in NYC for Vocalion with Doc Cheatham (trumpet), Tom Mace (clarinet), Teddy Wilson (piano), Allan Reuss (guitar) Ernest Hill (bass) and Sidney Catlett (drums): 'I'm in a Dancing Mood', 'With Plenty of Money and You', 'That Foolish Feeling' and 'Gee, You're Swell'. Dandridge died in New Jersey on 15 Feb 1946 only 44 years of age. Vocal solography. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: Chronological Classics: #846 '1935-1936', #869 '1936'. IMDb. Further reading: Jazz Lives.

Putney Dandridge   1935

  Chasing Shadows

      Composition: Abner Silver/Benny Davis

   Double Trouble

      Composition:

      Leo Robin/Richard Whiting/Ralph Rainger

  Mr. Bluebird

      Composition: Hoagy Carmichael

   Shine

      Composition:

      Cecil Mack/Ford Dabney/Lew Brown

  You're a Heavenly Thing

      Composition: Joe Young/Jack Little

  You Took My Breath Away

      Composition: Richard A. Whiting

Putney Dandridge   1936

   It's the Gypsy in Me

      Composition:

      Charlie Tobias/Dave Franklin

 

 
 

Born in 1907 in Chicago, clarinetist Joe Marsala had played with such as Wingy Manone and Ben Pollack in the twenties. Among his longest musical associations was with his younger brother by a couple of years, trumpeter Marty Malone [1, 2, 3]. Joe and Marty were constant partners from 1926 [Wikipedia] into the mid forties whence they own paths not long after World War II. Marty is found on numerous recordings w Joe. They left Chicago for New York City in 1936 to play at the Hickory House for the next decade. Joe's major recording period was the decade from '35 to '45, though he laid tracks on occasion until his last on July 3, 1970, with Louis Armstrong at the Shrine Auditorium in Pasadena, California. He and Marty first appeared on record shelves in 1935 resulting from a March session with Charles LaVere and his Chicagoans yielding 'Bugaboo Blues' (Columbia D-77), 'All Too Well' (Gannet CD CJR 1001) and 'Ubangi Man' (Columbia C3L-32) [Lord]. Another session with LaVere was held in April before recording with Adrian Rollini's Tap Room Gang in June, first performing with Putney Dandridge in that group. See the  Rollini album issued as 'Bouncin' in Rhythm' in 1995. It was in Rollini''s band that Marsala connected with Wingy Manone. Manone would be a major figure in Marsala's career to 1944, his initial titles with Manone's band on July 5, 1935: 'Let's Swing It'/'Rhythm Is Our Business' (Vocalion 2990) and 'A Little Door'/'Love and Kisses' (Vocalion 2989). Other major collaborators were vocalist, Tempo King, and guitarist, Eddie Condon.. Marsala's debut recordings as a bandleader were with his Chicagoans on April 21, 1937, in NYC, toward 'Wolverine Blues' (Variety 565), 'Chimes Blues' (unissued), 'Jazz Me Blues' (two takes: Meritt 9/Variety 565) and 'Clarinet Marmalade' (two takes: Meritt 6/Affinity AFS 1012). Lord's sessionography shows that to be Marsala's first session with another important partner, harpist, Adele Girard [1, 2], whom he married later that year ('37). Marsala's first titles with his Delta Four were recorded April 4, 1940: 'Wandering Man Blues'/'Sally Mama Blues' (General 1717) and 'Three O'Clock Jump'/'Reunion in Harlem' (General 3001). Marsala recorded as a leader on above twenty occasions, but more numerously backed other musicians. He largely retired from performing upon becoming a music publisher in 1948. He died of cancer on 4 March 1978 in Santa Barbara, California. References: 1, 2. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos. 1, 2, 3. Compilations: Chronological Classics in 2 volumes: #763 '1936-1942' and #902 '1944-1945'. Facebook tribute to Joe and Adele.

Joe Marsala   1935

  I Got a Need for You

      With Adrian Rollini & Jeanne Burns

      Composition: Jeanne Burns

  I'd Rather Be with You

      With Charles LaVere and his Chicagoans

      Composition:

      Harry Akst/Lew Brown/Elsa Maxwell

Joe Marsala   1936

  A Star Fell Out of Heaven

      With Putney Dandridge

      Composition: Harry Revel/Mack Gordon

  If We Never Meet Again

      With Putney Dandridge

      Composition:

      Horace Gerlach/Louis Armstrong

      Original issue by Armstrong   1936

  The Skeleton in the Closet

      With Henry Red Allen

      Composition: Johnny Burke/Arthur Johnson

  Swingin' on That Famous Door

      With Roy Eldridge and the Delta Four

      Composition: Leather Lip

Joe Marsala   1941

  Bull's Eye

      Harp: Adele Gerard

      Composition: Adele Gerard

Joe Marsala   1944

  Unlucky Woman

      With Linda Keene

      Composition: Carol & Leonard Feather

Joe Marsala   1945

  Gotta Be This or That

      Composition: Sunny Skylar

  My Melancholy Baby

      Composition: Ernie Burnett/George Norton

Joe Marsala   1948

  Someone to Watch Over Me

      Composition:

      George & Ira Gershwin   1926

      For the musical 'Oh, Kay!'

      Sung by Gertrude Lawrence

Joe Marsala   1952

  Sweet Mama, Papa's Getting Mad

      Composition: 1941:

      George Little/Peter Frost/Fred Rose

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Joe Marsala

Joe Marsala

Photo: William P. Gottlieb

Source: Flickr

Birth of Swing Jazz: Allan Reuss

Allan Reuss

Source: Pro Jazz Club

Born in 1915 in North Hollywood, Allan Reuss began studying guitar under George Van Eps in 1933. He replaced Van Eps on his first recordings in Benny Goodman's band in NYC on April 19, 1935. Those titles for were 'Japanese Sandman'/'Always' (Victor 25024) and 'You're a Heavenly Thing'/'Restless' (Victor 25021). Reuss' first solo measures were recorded with Goodman in 1935 ('If I Could Be With You' and 'Rosetta'). With Reuss nearing 400 sessions listed in Tom Lord's discography, this column is trimmed by highlighting only a few: Jack Teagarden is an apt place to start. Teagarden was in the band when Reuss first recorded with Goodman and they would join one another often with the same. In the latter thirties they both recorded frequently with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, Reuss later to back Teagarden's orchestra heavily. Teddy Wilson was another giant name in Reuss' early career, Reuss first performing with Wilson in Goodman's band in '36. Their first session together in Lord was with the Goodman Trio on April 24, 1936 in Chicago, recording 'China Boy', 'More Than You Know' and 'All My Life'. Gene Krupa and Helen Ward were also in on that date. Later that year Reuss backed Wilson's own orchestra in Los Angeles on August 24, 'You Came to My Rescue' the lead track among four. Lionel Hampton was in on that date as well. Reuss would see a lot of Wilson's operation and record with him frequently into the forties. Gene Krupa was another towering associate of Reuss'. They had first recorded together per Lord in Goodman's Rhythm Makers on June 6, 1935, a long list of Thesaurus transcriptions leading off with 'Makin' Whoopee'. Reuss and Krupa would work side by side in Goodman's band for the next couple of decades. Lionel Hampton was another big figure in Reuss' early career, first performing with Hampton in Goodman's band in '36. Their first session together per Lord was in Hollywood in August, yielding 'St. Louis Blues', 'Love Me Or Leave Me' and 'Bugle Call Rag'. Wilson was also in on that date. They recorded with Goodman often, upon which Reuss would back Hampton's band as well. His first session with Hampton per Lord was in NYC on February 8, 1937, recording two takes of 'My Last Affair' with three others. Krupa was in on that date as well. Hampton and Reuss co-wrote 'Shufflin' at the Hollywood' later recorded in 1939. Backing up a touch, come Billie Holiday in October 1936 to record, with both Wilson and Krupa, 'Easy to Love', 'With Thee I Swing' and 'The Way You Look Tonight'. Reuss would also lay tracks with Holiday's orchestra on January 12, of '37, two takes of 'I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm' among three others. Harry James' had invaded his life only days earlier, James first recording with Reuss in Goodman's orchestra on January 6, a radio broadcast from NYC to London consisting of 'Body and Soul', 'Dinah' and 'Stompin' at the Savoy'. James and Reuss saw a lot of sessions together with Goodman, also recording with Wilson's orchestra before Reuss' first session with James' orchestra on May 25, 1944, 'Jiggers' the lead title of the AFRS 'One Night Stand' radio series that was #246. From that point onward Reuss backed James' heavily into the sixties. Reuss had his first session with Paul Whiteman per the latter's Swingin Strings on November 15, 1938: 'Japanese Sandman', "Ragging the Scale', "Lady Be Good' and 'Liza'. Reuss would stick with Whiteman into '39, the year Glenn Miller moved into his space per the Meadowbrook radio broadcast in Cedar Grove, NJ, for WOR Radio: 'Sold American', 'Please Come Out of Your Dream' and 'Poinciana'. Jimmy Dorsey featured in 1942, Red Nichols in 1958 and '59. Though largely a rhythm guitarist, Reuss was often employed as more than only a beat accompanist, but as the rhythmic drive to which bands attuned themselves. Reuss died on 4 June 1988 in North Hollywood, having lived in Los Angeles since 1945. References: 1, 2, 3. Sessions: DAHR w songwriting credits; Lord. Catalogs: 1, 2. Reuss's only name issues are thought to have been 'Zorba' and 'La Miranda': 1, 2. Composition: chord melody soloing: Jonathan Stout; compared to George Van Eps; compared to Freddie Green. Transcriptions: 'Bye Bye Blues' (Fred Hamm/Dave Bennett/Bert Lown/Chauncey Gray 1925), 'Frosty the Snowman' (Walter Jack Rollins/Steve Nelson recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys 1950), 'Moonglow' (Will Hudson/Irving Mills/Eddie DeLange). IMDb. YouTube tribute site. Further reading: Campus Five; Jazz Guitar. Other profiles: *.

Allan Reuss   1935

   If I Could Be with You

      With Benny Goodman

       Composition:

       James Price Johnson/Henry Creamer

Allan Reuss   1936

   Pennies from Heaven

      With Billie Holiday

       Music: Arthur Johnston   1936

       Lyrics: Johnny Burke

       For the film 'Pennies from Heaven'

       Sung by Bing Crosby w Georgie Stoll Orchestra

Allan Reuss   1938

   Ring Dem Bells

      With Lionel Hampton

       Composition:

       Duke Ellington/Irving Mills

Allan Reuss   1939

   Pickin' for Patsy

      With Jack Teagarden

       Composition: Reuss/Teagarden

Allan Reuss   1942

   I Never Knew

      As Peck's Bad Boys

      Acoustic guitar: Reuss

      Electric guitar: Mike Widmer

      Steel guitar: Jimmy Smith

      Bass: Leonard Corsale

      Composition: Ted Fiorito

Note: The session date for 'I Never Knew' is unfound, probably in '41 or '42. "Peck's Bad Boys" appears to be a name assumed from Peck Kelly's Bad Boys, an earlier Texas band that made no recordings [1, 2, 3, 4]. Asch 350-3 w James Johnson's 'Snowy Morning Blues' on A side was issued in 1945 per Discogs from 'Variations in Jazz' published 7/2/1942 per Internet Archive. See also WorldCat. 'I Never Knew' was also released on the album by various, 'Jazz Variations: Volume I' Stinton SLP20 1962.

Allan Reuss   1945

   Someone to Watch Over Me

       Sax: Coleman Hawkins

       Trumpet: Howard McGhee

       Bass: John Simmons

       Drums: Denzil Best

       Music: George Gershwin   1926

       Lyrics: Ira Gershwin

   Stardust

       Sax: Coleman Hawkins

       Trumpet: Howard McGhee

       Bass: Oscar Pettiford

       Drums: Denzil Best

      Music: Hoagy Carmichael   1927

       Lyrics: Mitchell Parish   1929

Allan Reuss   1946

   Bye Bye Blues

      With Benny Carter

      Composition: 1925:

       Fred Hamm/Dave Bennett

       Bert Lown/Chauncey Gray

Allan Reuss   1968

   Zorba

      Composition: John Candor/Fred Ebb

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Erskine Hawkins

Erskine Hawkins

Photo: Jerry Tavin/Everett Collection

Source: Jazz Wax

Born in 1914, trumpeter Erskine Hawkins attended high school in Birminham, Alabama. While in high school he formed the band, the Bama State Collegians, with which he made his first recordings in 1936 in New York City:  'Until the Real Thing Comes Along'/'I Can't Escape From You' w vocals by Billy Daniels on Vocalion 3280 and 'It Was a Sad Night in Harlem'/'Without a Shadow of a Doubt' w vocals by Jimmy Mitchell on Vocalion 3289. In the latter thirties Hawkins alternated with Chick Webb's band at the Savoy Ballroom in Manhattan. In the early fifties Hawkins moved away from the big band sound toward smaller ensembles, swing having already begun its evolution toward rhythm and blues. From 1967 to 1993 Hawkins' was the resident band at the Concord Resort Hotel in Kiamesha Lake, New York. Of the 72 sessions Tom Lord's discography lists, his last is given per May 27, 1971 for the album, 'Live at Club Soul Sound'. He isn't thought to have issued any further recordings although he didn't pass away in his home until November 11 of 1993, yet performing at the Concord [obit]. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4; musical: 1, 2, 3. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: Chronological Classics in 8 volumes: #653 '1936-1938', #667 '1938-1939', #678 '1939-1940', #701 '1940-1941', #868 '1941-1945', #1008 '1946-1947', #1148 '1947-1949', #1257 '1950-1951'. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Erskine Hawkins   1936

   I Can't Escape from You

      Composition:

      Robin Whiting (Richard Whiting)

Erskine Hawkins   1937

   Deviled Ham

      Film

Erskine Hawkins   1939

   Cherry

      Composition: Don Redman

   Tuxedo Junction

       Music:

       Hawkins/Bill Johnson/Julian Dash

       Lyrics: Buddy Feyne

Erskine Hawkins   1942

   Don´t Cry, Baby

      Vocal: Jimmy Mitchell

      Composition:

      Jimmy Mitchell/Sammy Lowe

Erskine Hawkins   1945

   Caldonia

      Vocal: Ace Harris

      Composition: Probably Louis Jordan

      Credited to Jordan's wife, Fleecie Moore

   Tippin' In

      Composition: Bobby Smith

Erskine Hawkins   1946

   Hawk's Boogie

      Composition: Ace Harris/Hawkins

Erskine Hawkins   1949

   Corn Bread

      Composition: Hal Singer

Erskine Hawkins   1950

   Tennessee Waltz

      Vocal: Ace Harris

      Composition:

      Pee Wee King/Redd Stewart

 

 
 

Born in 1916 in Albany, Georgia, trumpeter Harry James had circus personnel for parents, his father a bandleader, and his mother an acrobat and horseback rider, with the Haag Circus. His parents settled in Beaumont, Texas, in 1931 where, at age fifteen, James began playing with local bands. He was with a band led by Herman Waldman when he was discovered by Ben Pollack, whose orchestra he joined in 1935. His first issues with Pollack per Lord's Disco seem to have been in NYC in 1936 with 'Thru the Courtesy of Love' (Brunswick 7747), 'I'm One Step Ahead of My Shadow'/'I Couldn't Be Mad at You (Brunswick 7751) and 'Song of the Islands' (Brunswick 7764). In 1937 James switched to Benny Goodman's operation, joining him in a radio broadcast from NYC to London in January. He would work in Goodman's band, then Goodman in his, into the forties. In December of 1937 James recorded his initial titles as a leader in NYC, 'I Can Dream, Can't I?' among them. James' was the first band of stature to employ Frank Sinatra in 1939, a vocalist James would see a lot of. Their first performance together was on June 30, 1939, at the Hippodrome in Baltimore. In 1942 James filled Glenn Miller's vacant spot on the 'Chesterfield Radio Show' upon Miller joining the Army. In 1946 James dismantled his orchestra, at least partially for financial causes, and put together a smaller ensemble called the Music Makers. Beyond music, James loved horseracing, owned several that won stakes and was an original investor in the Atlantic City Race Track (now Atlantic City Race Course) in New Jersey which first opened in July 1946. (Other investors included Xavier Cugat, Sammy Kaye, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra). James last performed in 1983 in Los Angeles, nine days before his death on July 5 in Las Vegas of lymphatic cancer. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4; musical 1, 2, 3, 4. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4. James in visual media. Interview w Les Tomkins 1970. The current Harry James Orchestra.

Harry James   1936

   I Couldn't Be Mad at You

      With Ben Pollack

      Thought James' 3rd recording issued

      Composition: Joseph Meyer/Bob Rothberg

Harry James   1939

   You made Me Love You

      Composition: James Monaco/Joseph McCarthy

   Ciribiribin

      Music: Alberto Pestalozza   1898

      Lyrics: Carlo Tiochet

Harry James  1942

   I Had the Craziest Dream

      Music: Harry Warren   1942

     Lyrics: Mack Gordon

   I've Heard That Song Before

      With Helen Forrest

     Music: Jule Styne   1942

     Lyrics: Sammy Cahn

Harry James   1945

   It's Been a Long, Long Time

      With Kitty Kallen

     Lyrics: James Terlingo   1932   Rights sold

       Music: Jule Styne   1945(?)

     Lyrics altered: Sammy Cahn

Harry James   1952

   You'll Never Know

      With Rosemary Clooney

        Music: Harry Warren   1943

      Lyrics: Mack Gordon

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Harry James

Harry James

Source: The Music's Over

 

Born in 1909 in Woodville, Mississippi, Lester Young began his career in 1933 in Kansas City, playing clarinet, tenor sax and trumpet with various bands. Young first recorded in the orchestra of pianist Count Basie, in Chicago on November 9, 1936: 'Shoe Shine Boy', 'Evenin'', 'Boogie Woogie' and 'Lady Be Good' [Lord's]. Basie would be a huge figure throughout Young's career, their last of an extensive number of recordings thought to be on December 5, 1957, during a rehearsal in NYC for the CBS 'Sound of Jazz' television series. Those titles: 'Dickie's Dream' and 'I Left My Baby'. During his early intermittent Basie days Young also played in Fletcher Henderson's and Andy Kirk's orchestras. After his first few sessions with Basie he next recorded with Teddy Wilson's orchestra on January 25, 1937, Billie Holiday included. Those tracks for Brunswick were 'He ain't Got Rhythm', 'The Year's Kisses', 'Why Was I Born?' and 'I Must Have That Man'. Young and Holiday also recorded together extensively, including in each other's orchestras. It was Holiday who nicknamed him "The Pres". Their last recordings together are thought to have been on December 8, 1957 for the CBS television series, 'The Sound of Jazz', only a few days after his last with Basie above. Young would encounter Wilson often, generally with Holiday's orchestras. In 1939 his clarinet was stolen, so he played not that instrument again until 1957. That was the same year of his famous composition, 'Lester Leaps In', released with Basie. Young also composed 'Tickle Toe' ('40) for issue by Basie. Most of Young's long catalogue of above eighty sessions was with his own bands. He first recorded as a leader for Radio WNYC on February 15, 1941: 'Tickle Toe' and 'Taxi War Dance' [Lord's]. Those saw issue in 1984 on 'Historical Prez' (Everybodys EV 3002). His last recordings in that capacity were in Paris with drummer, Kenny Clarke, in February and March of 1959 shortly before his death. Those issued from sessions on March 11 (by the Philology label) were 'There Will Never Be Another You' and 'I Cover the Waterfront'. Young attended a good number of sessions in one manner or another, including a band he ran with his brother, drummer, Lee Young, before his first of a few sessions with pianist, Nat King Cole. That was a trio with Red Callender [1, 2] on bass netting 'Indiana', 'I Can't Get Started', 'Tea for Two' and 'Body and Soul'. Cole and Young would record again in '46. Young was drafted into the Army, then dishonorably discharged after serving a year in detention for alcohol and marijuana possession. In 1946 Young joined Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP) with which he kept for the next twelve years. In 1955 Young experienced a nervous breakdown, said to be precipitated by alcohol abuse. In 1956 Young laid tracks with Teddy Wilson for the album, 'Prez and Teddy', also recording the album, 'Jazz Giants '56'. That same year he toured Europe with both Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Quartet. He also performed engagements at the Patio Lounge in Washington D.C.. Young gave his last performances in Paris in March of 1959 per above. He died that year within hours of returning to NYC, having drank himself to death. His long-time friend, Holiday, died four months later, she also a heavy drinker. Young is said to have coined the colloquialisms, "cool" for fashionable and "bread" for money. References for Young encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; musical 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Sessions: Lord; solography. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4. Transcriptions: 1, 2. Compilations: 1936-39, 1944/49. Young in visual media. Further reading: Young and Holiday: 1, 2; Young and improvisation. Other profiles: 1, 2. Most of the earlier examples below are with Basie.

Lester Young   1936

   Boogie Woogie

      With Count Basie

      Composition: Clarence Pinetop Smith

   Oh, Lady Be Good

      With Count Basie

      Composition: George & Ira Gershwin

   Shoe Shine Boy

      With Count Basie

      Composition: Sammy Cahn/Saul Chaplin

Lester Young   1937

   Swingin' the Blues

      With Count Basie

      Composition: Count Basie

Lester Young   1938

   Allez Oop

      With Count Basie

      Composition: Count Basie

   Way Down Yonder In New Orleans

      With the Kansas City Six

      Composition: Henry Creamer/Turner Layton

Lester Young   1939

   Exactly Like You

      With Glenn Hardman

      Composition: Dorothy Fields/Jimmy McHugh

   Lester Leaps In

      Composition: Count Basie/Lester Young

   You Can Depend On Me

      With Count Basie   Vocalist: James Rushing

      Composition:

      Charles Carpenter/Louis Dunlap/Earl Hines

Lester Young   1940

   Blues for Greasy

   Take It, Pres

      Count Basie Orchestra

   Wholly Cats

      Piano: Count Basie

      Guitar: Charlie Christian

      Composition: Benny Goodman

Lester Young   1944

   Blue Lester

      Composition: Lester Young

   Jammin' the Blues

      Film

Lester Young   1946

   It's Only a Paper Moon

      Music: Harold Arlen

      Lyrics: Billy Rose/Yip Harburg

Lester Young   1948

   Just You, Just Me

      Drums: Roy Haynes

      Music: Jesse Greer   1929

      Lyrics: Raymond Klages

      For the film 'Marianne'

   Mean to Me

      Drums: Roy Haynes   Piano: Junior Mance

      Music: Fred Ahlert   1929

      Lyrics: Roy Turk

   Sweet Georgia Brown

      Drums: Roy Haynes

      Composition:

      Ben Bernie/Kenneth Casey/Maceo Pinkard

Lester Young   1949

   Be Bop Boogie

      Drums: Roy Haynes   Piano: Junior Mance

      Composition: Lester Young

   Blues n' Bells

      Drums: Roy Haynes   Piano: Junior Mance

      Composition: Lester Young

   I Cover the Waterfront

      Music: Johnny Green   1933

      Lyrics: Edward Heyman

Lester Young   1951

   Ghost of a Chance

      Composition:

      Bing Crosby/Ned Washington/Victor Young

Lester Young   1955

   One O'Clock Jump

      Bass: Ray Brown   Piano: Oscar Peterson

      Drums: Buddy Rich   Trumpet: Sweets Edison

      Composition: Count Basie   1937

Lester Young   1956

   All of Me

      Piano: Teddy Wilson

      Composition: Gerald Marks/Seymour Simons

Lester Young   1957

   Waldorf Blues

      Composition: Lester Young

Lester Young   1958

   Mean to Me

      Live performance

      Music: Fred Ahlert   1929

      Lyrics: Roy Turk

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Lester Young

Lester Young

Source: Soose Blues & Jazz

Birth of Swing Jazz: Buck Clayton

Buck Clayton

Source: Brown Bag Discussion Group

 

Born in 1911 in Parsons, Kansas, arranger and trumpeter Buck Clayton formed his first band in 1929 upon graduating from high school. Five years later he took off for Shanghai and played jazz with Chinese musicians. Upon his return he first recorded with Count Basie on January 21, 1937, in NYC: 'Honeysuckle Rose', 'Pennies from Heaven', 'Swingi' at the Daisy and 'Roseland Shuffle'. While he was with Basie he also recorded with Teddy Wilson, therefore Billie Holiday as well. Clayton's first titles with Wilson's orchestra were on January 25, 1937: 'He Ain't Got Rhythm', 'This Year's Kisses', 'Why Was I Born?' and 'I 'Must Have that Man'. Future sessions followed with Wilson, after which Clayton would record with Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra. Though Clayton also freelanced, he stayed with Basie until he was drafted in 1943. Upon honorable discharge he put together a band in NYC called the Buck Clayton Quintet and recorded four titles on June 7: 'Diga Diga Doo', 'Love Me or Leave Me', 'We're in the Money' and 'B.C. Blues'. Though Clayton thereafter recorded prolifically with his own ensembles he began arranging for Basie in 1946, as well as Benny Goodman and Harry James. He also joined Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP). The following year he served a residency at the Café Society in NYC. Clayton took his band to France in 1949, then Italy in 1953. He also toured Japan, Australia and New Zealand in 1964, then England in 1965. During the fifties and sixties his career would consist of shuttling between France, England and the States on various occasions. Due to lip surgery Clayton ceased playing trumpet in 1972. He made an attempt to perform during a tour of Africa in 1977, but had to give it up permanently in 1979. Clayton's autobiography, 'Buck Clayton’s Jazz World', was published in 1986, the same year he formed his last band, to tour internationally. Clayton died in his sleep in New York City on 8 December 1991. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Solography. Catalogues: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Buck Clayton   1937

   Why Was I Born

      With Billie Holiday

      Music: Jerome Kern

      Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

   Swingin’ at the Daisy Chain

      With Count Basie

      Composition: Count Basie

Buck Clayton   1942

   St. Louis Blues

      Composition: WC Handy

Buck Clayton   1949

   Good Morning Blues

      Saxophone: Lester Young

      Guitar: Charlie Christian

      Composition:

      Count Basie/Eddie Durham/Jimmy Rushing

Buck Clayton   1953

   The Huckle-Buck

      With Joe Newman

      Composition: Andy Gibson/Roy Alfred

   Sentimental Journey

      Composition:

      Bud Green/Les Brown/Ben Homer

Buck Clayton   1955

   Rock-A-Bye Basie

      With Coleman Hawkins

      Composition:

      Count Basie/Lester Young/Myles Collins

Buck Clayton   1958

   All of Me

      Live performance

      Composition:

      Gerald Marks/Seymour Simons   1931

Buck Clayton   1961

   Can't We Be Friends

      With Buddy Tate

      Composition: Paul James/Kay Swift

   Outer Drive

      Live performance

      Composition: Buck Clayton

   Rompin' at Red Bank

      With Buddy Tate

      Composition: Buddy Tate

   Stomping at the Savoy

      Live performance

      Composition: Edgar Sampson   1934

   Thou Swell

      With Buddy Tate

      Music: Richard Rodgers   1927

      Lyrics: Lorenz Hart

Buck Clayton   1967

   My Romance

      Tenor sax: Ben Webster

      Music: Richard Rodgers   1935

      Lyrics: Lorenz Hart

 

 
  Born in 1913 in Chicago, trumpeter, violinist and vocalist Ray Nance [1, 2] formed his own band at age 21 in 1932. In 1937 he began blowing trumpet with pianist, Earl Hines, in Chicago with whom he set his first tracks on August 10, such as 'Hines Rhythm' and 'Rhythm Rhapsody'. His first recorded vocal was with Hines on March 7, 1938: 'Tippin' at the Terrace'. Sessions with Hines ensued into 1938 (another in '44) before joining Horace Henderson in '39. His first session with Henderson on February 27, 1940, found him on violin for the first time per 'Kitty on Toast'. A session for Okeh followed in May before Nance signed on with whom would be his major vehicle for the next quarter century, replacing Cootie Williams in the orchestra of Duke Ellington with whom he first recorded a long string of titles on November 7, 1940, at the Crystal Ballroom in Fargo, North Dakota such as 'The Mooche' and 'Ko-Ko'. Nance first appeared in visual media w Ellington as part of the band in the 1941 film, 'Hot Chocolate'. IBDb has him on television w Ellington in April 1949 as an uncredited member of the band per 'Adventures in Jazz'. He appeared on the same program as himself the next month. Constant touring and numberless sessions w Ellington followed to as late as July 29, 1966, at the Antibes Jazz Festival in Juan-les-Pins, France, another long stream of titles including 'Take the 'A' Train and 'Soul Call'. Nance reunited with Ellington several months before the latter's death (May 24, 1974) in September of 1973, for what were Ellington's last studio tracks per the album, 'It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing'. Another huge figure in Nance's career was also saxophonist, Johnny Hodges, he present at Nance's first session with Ellington at the Crystal Ballroom as commented. Hodges stayed with Ellington into 1955, after which Nance began backing Hodges' orchestra on January 11, 1956, blowing trumpet on such as 'Hi' Ya' and 'Sinbor'. Hodges was another reason that Nance's sessions during his career exceeded a highly prolific 640 (five of those his own). One session wrought the next to as late January 9, 1967 for Hodges' 'Triple Play'. Nance had held his first of a handful of sessions as a leader with the Ellingtonians on July 1, 1948, in London, resulting in such as 'Moon Mist' and 'Sometimes I'm Happy' for Esquire. He later issued a couple albums: 'Body and Soul' in '69 and 'Huffin' 'n' Puffin'' in '71. Nance toured England and recorded with trombonist, Chris Barber, in Germany in 1974, before his his final titles at Carnegie Hall on November 8 with the New York Jazz Repertory Company, such as 'Funeral March', 'St. Louis Blues' and 'You've Been a Good Old Wagon'. Nance died on January 28, 1976. in New York City. Sessions 1940-45. Discographies: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: 'The Complete 1940-1949 Non-Ducal Violin Recordings' on AB Fable ABCD 1014. Nigh all tracks below are with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. In the 1940 sample Nance shares trumpet with Cootie Williams. He plays violin on 'C Jam Blues', 'Take the 'A' Train' and 'Wild Child' below. Vocals by Nance at Swing Jazz Song.

Ray Nance   1937

  Hines Rhythm

      With Earl Hines

      Composition: Earl Hines

  Rhythm Rhapsody

      With Earl Hines

      Composition: Willie Randall

Ray Nance   1940

  Cotton Tail

      With Duke Ellington

      Composition: Duke Ellington

  Kitty on Toast

      With Horace Henderson

      Violin: Ray Nance

      Composition:

      Fletcher Henderson/Horace Henderson

  Shufflin' Joe

      With Horace Henderson

Ray Nance   1941

  Chocolate Shake

      Vocal: Ivy Anderson

      Composition: Duke Ellington/Paul Webster

  Take the 'A' Train

      Composition: Billy Strayhorn

Ray Nance   1942

  Clementine

      Composition: Billy Strayhorn

  C Jam Blues

      Filmed Live

      Composition: Duke Ellington

Ray Nance   1947

  Don't Get Around Much Anymore

      Vocal: Al Hibbler

      Music: Duke Ellington   1940

      Lyrics: Bob Russell

Ray Nance   1962

  Flirtbird

      ('Almost Cried')

      Composition: Duke Ellington

Ray Nance   1963

  The Blues Ain't

       Cornet: Nance

      With the Irving Bunton Singers

       Ellington LP: 'My People'

       Composition (all titles): Duke Ellington

Ray Nance   1969

  Take the 'A' Train

      Piano: Roland Hanna

      Composition: Billy Strayhorn

Ray Nance   1972

  Wild Child

      Recorded '71

      LP: 'Huffin' n' Puffin''

      Piano: Roland Hanna

      Composition: Ray Nance

 

Birth of Modern Jazz: Ray Nance

Ray Nance

Source: Wikipedia

 

 

Born Gordon Lee Beneke in 1914 in Fort Worth, Texas, Tex Beneke was a singer who began playing saxophone professionally in 1935 with bandleader, Ben Young. In spring of 1938 Beneke was hired by Glenn Miller who began calling him "Tex". Recommended to Miller by Gene Krupa, Beneke shared tenor sax with Stanley Aronson on his first recordings with Miller's band on May 23, 1938, two takes each of 'Don't Wake Up My Heart', 'Why'd Ya Make Me Fall in Love?', 'Sold American' and 'Dippermouth Blues'. Proving to be a talent of first order, Miller held on to Beneke thereafter, they next to record for NBC radio from the Paradise Restaurant in NYC on four occasions in June. The earliest example found featuring Beneke at saxophone is alongside sax man, Al Klink, in 'In the Mood' in 1939 (both featured below in a 1941 version as well). Beneke was also a highly popular vocalist with Miller before assuming leadership of Miller's orchestra upon the latter's death in 1944. Beneke, however, first joined the Navy and led a military band in Oklahoma before taking over the Glenn Miller orchestra in 1945. Beneke's first issues as leader of that band were from a session on February 21, 1946: 'One More Tomorrow', 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot', 'I'm Headin' for California' and 'It Couldn't Be True'. He finally left the Miller ghost band in 1949 to form his own in 1950, but would always be a swing musician maintaining Miller style. Beneke died of respiratory failure in Costa Mesa, California, on 30 May 2000. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Sessionographies: DAHR; Lord; Spragg: 1, 2. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: 'Tex Beneke & His Orchestra 1946-1949' by Swing House 2001. Beneke in radio. Beneke in visual media. Interviews: Charles Schaden 1977. Other progiles: *. Most of the tracks below are with the Glenn Miller ourfit.

Tex Beneke   1938

  Sold American

      Composition:

      Glenn Miller/Chummy MacGregor

Tex Beneke   1939

  In the Mood

      Composition:

      Wingy Manone/Andy Razaf/Joe Garland

Tex Beneke   1941

  Chattanooga Choo Choo

      Film: 'Sun Valley Serenade'

      Composition: Harry Warren/Mack Gordon

  In the Mood

      Film: 'Sun Valley Serenade'

      Composition:

      Wingy Manone/Andy Razaf/Joe Garland

Tex Beneke   1942

   Gal in Kalamazoo

      Film: 'Orchestra Wives'

      Composition: Harry Warren/Mack Gordon

Tex Beneke   1946

  Blue Skies

      Composition: Irving Berlin

  A Girl in Calico

      Composition: Arthur Schwartz/Leo Robin

      See also JazzWax

  Give Me Five Minutes More

      Music: Jule Styne

      Lyrics: Sammy Cahn

  Hey-Ba-Ba-Re-Bop

      Composition:

      Lionel Hampton/Curley Hamner

  In the Mood

      Composition:

      Wingy Manone/Andy Razaf/Joe Garland

  Passe

      With Lillian Lane

      Composition:

      Joseph Meyer/Carl Sigman/Eddie DeLange

      Lyrics French: Jean Sablon/Jean Geiringer

  The Woodchuck Song

      Composition:

      Paul Mann/Stephan Weiss/Sid Tepper

      Arrangement: Norm Leyden

      Lyrics: Roy Brodsky

Tex Beneke   1965

  Chattanooga Choo Choo

        Film w Paula Kelly & the Modernaires

       Composition: Harry Warren/Mack Gordon

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Tex Beneke

Tex Beneke

Source: Obits in Orbit

  Born in 1916 in Pittsburgh, PA, arranger, trumpeter and composer, Billy May, began his career with swing and would come to compose for film and television. At first playing tuba in high school, his initial notable employment was in 1938, arranging for the Charlie Barnet Orchestra. His first titles to be issued as an arranger with Barnet were RCA Thesaurus radio transcriptions on May 16 in New York City. Among titles arranged for Barnet in 1939 was Ray Noble's 'Cherokee'. He doesn't appear to have played trumpet with Barnet until August that year at the Palomar Ballroom radio transcriptions in Hollywood. ('The Duke's Idea' below is from a later session for the Bluebird label). May would record frequently with Barnet into the sixties. Composing numerously with Barnet, a few of his titles were 'The Wrong Idea', 'Lumby' and 'Wings Over Manhattan'. While yet with Barnet May arranged and played trumpet for Glenn Miller on numerous titles in various venues from 1940 to '42. He was featured on trumpet in 'Anvil Chorus' in 1941, as well as on muted trumpet on 'Song of the Volga Boatmen' (both below per 1941). May would arrange for Glenn Miller ghost bands in '51 and '54. (1942 was the year that Miller wrapped up his band to join the Army per World War II, to be killed in 1944.) After Glenn Miller May arranged for what would seem the heavenly host of jazz, among them, Tex Beneke, Ray Anthony, Harry James, Georgie Auld, Les Brown, George Shearing and Glen Gray. He was a staff arranger for NBC radio, then Capitol Records. His initial issues as a band director were for Capitol in December of 1945: 'Body and Soul'/'Honeysuckle Rose' (Capitol 20154), 'Sweet Lorraine' (Capitol 20153) and 'Sunset and Vine Blues' (Capitol 20155) among others that month. May composed 'Sparky's Magic Piano' in 1948 with pianist, Ray Turner. In 1952 he issued his LP, 'A Band Is Born', containing the track, 'Charmaine'. 'A Big Band Bash' followed the same year. In 1956 May and his orchestra appeared in the film, 'Nightmare'. Among May's compositions for television were 'Somewhere in the Night' in 1960 for the 'Naked City' series. He would work with Nelson Riddle for that show. Among the films for which he composed were 'Sergeants 3' ('62) and 'Johnny Cool' ('63). Among the vocalists with whom May worked largely as an arranger were Ella Mae Morse, Frank Sinatra, Keely Smith, Bing Crosby, Jeri Southern, Anita O'Day, Mel Tormé, Nancy Wilson, Bobby Darin, Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee. Having released nearly thirty albums as a leader or co-leader into the latter seventies, May died on 22 January of 2004 in San Juan Capistrano, California [obit]. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessions: DAHR: 1, 2; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Arrangements: DAHR; 'Afterglow' program w Mark Chilla. May in visual media. Interviews: Les Tomkins 1982, NAMM 1994. Further reading: May w Nat King Cole; Gene Lees; Marc Myers: 1, 2. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3.

Billy May  1939

  The Duke's Idea

      With Charlie Barnet

      Lead trumpet among four may be Bob Burnet

      Composition: Charlie Barnet

Billy May  1941

  Anvil Chorus

      'Coro di Zingari'

      ('Gypsy Chorus')

      With Glenn Miller

      Arrangement: Jerry Gray

      Composition: Giuseppe Verdi   1853

      From the opera 'Il Trovatore'

   Song of the Volga Boatmen

      With Glenn Miller

      Composition: See Wikipedia

Billy May  1948

From 'Sparky's Magic Piano'

Piano: Ray Turner

Music: Billy May

Text: Alan Livingston

   Part 1

   Part 2

   Part 3

Billy May  1952

From the LP 'A Band Is Born'

All arrangements: Billy May

  All of Me

      On the reissue 1957

      Composition:

      Gerald Marks/Seymour Simons

   Charmaine

      Composition:

      Erno Rapee/Lew Pollack

   If I Had You

      On the reissue 1957

      Composition:

      Jimmy Campbell

      Reginald Connelly

      Ted Shapiro

   My Silent Love

      On the reissue 1957

      Composition:

      Edward Heyman/Dana Suesse

From the LP: 'Big Band Bash':

   Perfidia

      Composition: Alberto Dominguez

Billy May  1956

   The Man with the Golden Arm

Billy May  1958

  Big Fat Brass

      Side 1

   Big Fat Brass

      Side 2

Billy May  1959

From 'Anita O'Day Swings Cole Porter'

All compositions Cole Porter

All arrangements Billy May

  Just One of Those Things

Billy May  1960

  The Odd Couple Theme

      Composition: Neal Hefti

Billy May  1962

  Once Again

      LP: 'Process 70'

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Billy May

Billy May

Source: Rate Your Music

Birth of Swing Jazz: Jimmy Blanton

Jimmy Blanton

Source: Sooze Blues & Jazz

 

Born in 1918 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, phenomenal double bassist Jimmy Blanton joined the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra upon graduating from college. Briefly afterward Blanton began working with Duke Ellington, with whom he first recorded during an NBC radio broadcast from the Coronado Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 1, 1939. Those titles were 'Pyramid', 'Pussy Willow' and 'I'm Checkin' Out, Goom Bye'. Release dates aren't known and it generally took took a couple months for companies to issue recordings not in a rush, but a 1939 issue date was possible. Blanton also played bass on titles recorded that month (November) by Barney Bigard: 'Minuet in Blues', 'Lost in Two Flats' and 'Honey Hush'. Blanton was highly favored by Ellington and continued with him throughout his entire brief career. They recorded 'Blues' and 'Plucked Again' on November 22 of '39, then more radio broadcasts while on tour. They recorded 'Body and Soul' and 'Mr. J.B. Blues' in Chicago on October 1, 1940, among other titles on that occasion. Unfortunately Blanton's last recording sessions were in September and October of 1941. On September 29 he laid tracks in Hollywood with Bigard again: 'Brown Suede', 'Noir Bleu', 'C Blues' and 'June'. His last titles with Ellington were during a Kraft Music Hall radio broadcast in Hollywood on October 9: 'Take the 'A' Train' and 'Flamingo'. Blanton then entered a sanatorium for tuberculosis, of which he died in California on 30 July 1942, only 23 years of age. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: 'The Blanton-Webster Band' 1940-42 by Bluebird/RCA 1990; relevant: 'How Low Can You Go? Anthology of the String Bass (1925-1941)' by Dust-to-Digital: 1, 2, 3. Further reading: 'The Solo Vocabulary of Jazz Bassist Jimmie Blanton' by Robert Nash. Blanton is featured with Ellington on all tracks below.

Jimmy Blanton   1940

  Body and Soul

      Composition:

      Edward Heyman/Frank Eyton

      Johnny Green/Robert Sour

  Ko Ko

      Composition: Duke Ellington

Note: Another unrelated 'Ko Ko' was composed by Charlie Parker in 1945.

  Mellow Tone

      Music: Duke Ellington

      Lyrics: Milt Gabler

  Mr. J.B. Blues

      Composition:

      Duke Ellington/Jimmy Blanton

  Pitter Panther Patter

      Composition: Duke Ellington

  Sophisticated Lady

      Music: Duke Ellington

      Lyrics: Irving Berlin

Jimmy Blanton   1941

  Jive Rhapsody

 

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Charlie Christian

Charlie Christian

Source: New Vintage Guitars

Born in 1916 in Bonham, Texas, though raised in Oklahoma City, Charlie Christian was too talented to play guitar only to keep rhythm, thus was instrumental in helping to make the guitar a primary solo instrument in modern jazz. He had made a name for himself in the Midwest when he was discovered by Mary Lou Williams. Having switched from acoustic to electric guitar about 1936, Williams referred Christian to record producer, John Hammond, who in turn referred him to Benny Goodman. It's thus Goodman with whom Christian made his debut recordings per the 'Hollywood Bowl' Camel Caravan broadcast in Los Angeles on August 19, 1939: 'Flying Home' and 'Jumpin' at the Woddside'. The majority of the examples of Christian below are with Goodman. Playing with all the big names from Buck Clayton to Fletch Henderson to Count Basie, Christian was among the first to employ the electric guitar. (Others were Alvino Rey, George Barnes and T-Bone Walker.) Christian joined Goodman about the middle of the swing era (rigidly demarcated in places from 1934/35-'46, generally figured in this history from development to decline from 1930-'50) but pursued bebop with Dizzy Gillespie as well. Christian and Gillespie had recorded some tracks together with Lionel Hampton's band in 1939. They also left tracks at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem in 1941, among them 'Up on Teddy's Hill' and 'Down on Teddy's Hill'. He participated as a leader on recordings at Milton's. Unfortunately Christian had little opportunity to greater advance, as he died of tuberculosis March 2, 1942. Christian was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Chronology. Sessions: Lord (leading 4 of 93); solography. Catalogs: 1, 2, 3. See also Solo Flight: sessionography, discography, solography, solography radio. Compilations: Masters of Jazz series 1939-41 by Media 7: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; 'First Master of the Electric Guitar'; 'The Wholly Cats'. Christian's Gibson guitar. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3. Further reading: Christian and electric guitar: 1, 2; Christian and Benny Goodman.

Charlie Christian   1939

   Flying Home

      Jump blues

      Music: Benny Goodman/Lionel Hampton

      Lyrics: Sid Robin

   I Never Knew

      Trumpet:  Buck Clayton

      Music: Ted Fio Rito

      Lyrics: Gus Kahn

   Rose Room

       Aka 'In Sunny Roseland'

       Piano:  Fletcher Henderson

       Music: Art Hickman   1917

       Lyrics: Harry Williams

   Roast Turkey Stomp

      Composition:

      Benny Goodman/Charlie Christian

   Shivers

      Composition:

      Charlie Christian/Lionel Hampton

Charlie Christian   1940

   Poor Butterfly

       With Lionel Hampton

      Music: Raymond Hubbell   1916

      Lyrics: John  Golden

      For the Broadway show 'The Big Show'

   Till Tom Special

      With Lionel Hampton and Count Basie

      Composition:

      Benny Goodman/Lionel Hampton

Charlie Christian   1945

   Echoes of Harlem

      Composition: Duke Ellington

 

 
 

Born in 1915 in Pittsburgh, vocalist Billy Eckstine, got moved to Washington DC while in high school, there to attend the Saint Paul Normal and Industrial School as well as Howard University before leaving for Chicago to begin his professional career in 1939 w the Grand Terrace Orchestra of Earl Hines. Eckstine first recorded with Hines on February 13, 1940, in New York City: 'My Heart Beats for You' (Bluebird B10763). Eckstine performed with Hines' orchestra, releasing such as their joint composition, 'Jelly, Jelly' (Bluebird B11065), until 1942. Tom Lord's discography lists his last session with Hines on March 19 to result in 'She'll Always Remember'/'Skylark' (Bluebird B11512) and 'Second Balcony Jump'/'Stormy Monday Blues' (B11567). Eckstine recorded a jam with Charlie Parker in Chicago in February of '43 before scratching his first issues as a leader on April 13, 1944, back in NYC. His DeLuxe All Star Band put down 'I Got a Date with Rhythm', 'I Stay in the Mood for You' and 'Good Jelly Blues' for the Deluxe label. Like Frank Sinatra, his major rival, Eckstine would bring jazz crooning into the popular vein and is a bridge from late swing to modern jazz. TsorT calculates his overall most popular issue to have been 'My Foolish Heart' (MGM K10623) topping Billboard at #1 in 1950. Eckstine recorded his last album with Benny Carter in 1986: 'Billy Eckstine Sings with Benny Carter'. He died on 8 March of 1993 [obit]. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Compositions. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compilations: Chronological Classics in 3 volumes: #914 '1944-1945'; #1022 '1946-1947': 1, 2; #1142 '1947'. Interview w Les Tomkins 1976. Further reading: Jazz Profiles. Other profiles: 1, 2. More Eckstine under Art Blakey.

Billy Eckstine   1940

   My Heart Beats for You

     Leader/Piano: Earl Hines

     1st vocal issued with Earl Hines

      Composition:

      Al Fisher/Josephine Kendrick/Shep Allen

Billy Eckstine   1942

   Stormy Monday Blues

     Leader/Piano: Earl Hines

      Composition: T-Bone Walker

Billy Eckstine   1944

  Good Jelly Blues

     1st recordings issued as a leader

      Composition: Eckstine

  I Stay in the Mood for You

     1st recordings issued as a leader

      Composition: Eckstine

Billy Eckstine   1945

   I Love the Rhythm in a Riff

      Composition: Eckstine/Jerry Valentine

   Prisoner of Love

      Composition:

      Clarence Gaskill/Leo Robin/Russ Columbo

Billy Eckstine   1946

   Cool Breeze

      Composition:

      Eckstine/Dizzy Gillespie/Tadd Dameron

Billy Eckstine   1947

   Blues for Sale

      Composition: Pomies/Joe Lutcher

   Everything I Have Is Yours

      Composition: Burton Lane/Harold Adamson

Billy Eckstine   1948

   Blue Moon

      Composition: Rodgers & Hart

Billy Eckstine   1949

   Caravan

      Composition:

      Duke Ellington/Irving Berlin/Juan Tizol

   My Foolish Heart

      Music: Victor Young   1949

      Lyrics: Ned Washington

Billy Eckstine   1950

   I Apologize

      Composition: 1931:

      Al Hoffman/Al Goodhart/Ed Nelson

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Billy Eckstine

Billy Eckstine

Photo: William P. Gottlieb

Source: Time Goes By

 

BBorn in 1916 in Muscogee, Oklahoma, bandleader and pianist, Jay McShann [1, 2, 3], left Oklahoma for the Kansas City music scene in 1936, forming his own orchestra that same year. He was with his band in Wichita, Kansas, when he was recorded live at the Trocadero Ballroom on August 9, 1940: 'Jumpin' at the Woodside' and 'Walkin' and Swingin'. Those aren't thought to have been issued until several decades later. More broadcasts followed in November and December from KFBI Radio to be issued by Onyx, 'I've Found a New Baby' and 'Body and Soul' from November. McShann won a contract with Decca in 1941, his first recordings for that label in Dallas, Texas, on April 30, 1941: 'Swingmatism', 'Hootie Blues' 'Dexter Blues', 'Vine Street Boogie', 'Confessin' the Blues' and 'Hold 'Em Hootie'. McShann's 'Get Me on Your Mind' sat at #7 on Billboard's R&B in 1943. McShann and/or his orchestra were giant magnets in support of other musicians. Significantly so was vocalist, Jimmy Witherspoon, with whom he began to work after World War II, having been drafted in 1944. McShann backed Witherspoon in 1945-48, later in '57 and '59. His first titles with Witherspoon had been in July of '45 with his Jazz Men: 'Confessiin the Blues' and 'Hard Working Man Blues'. His last in circa January of 1959 were such as 'Goin' Down Slow' and 'I'll Get By'. We back up to 1949 for McShann's second Top Ten R&B title, 'Hot Biscuits', that reaching #9. In 1955 McShann backed Kansas City rocker, Priscilla Bowman, on titles like 'Hands Off' and 'Hootie Blues'. The former topped Billboard's R&B at #1. Highlighting the sixties came saxophonist/vocalist, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, for numerous recordings in Paris in 1969, later at the 1973 Newport Jazz Festival (at Lincoln Center in NYC) and, finally, the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 1974 to bear Vinson's 'Jamming the Blues'. Highlighting the seventies were dual pianos with Ralph Sutton in December of 1979, those to be found on Vol 1 & 2 of 'The Last of the Whorehouse Players'. McShann and Sutton would put two pianos to use again in 1989 for a third issue of 'The Last of the Whorehouse Players'. Dual pianos would come into play again with Axel Zwingenberger at the Jazzland in Vienna, Austria, in March of 1990 for titles that would see issue on 'Swing the Boogie' and 'Blue Pianos'. McShann followed those with June sessions which titles would appear on 'Stride Piano Summit' in 1991. McShann also appeared on 'Eastwood After Hours' released in 1997, an album by various artists in honor of actor, Clint Eastwood, recorded at Carnegie Hall in 1996. McShann is thought to have made his last recordings in Toronto, Ontario, in February 2001 for an album that would be issued as 'Hootie Blues' in 2006 a couple months before his death on Dec 7 that year [1, 2], his career spanning more than six decades. Discogs proffers this list of titles by McShann with songwriting credits. See also 45Worlds and recordings w Charlie Parker. Further reading: 1, 2, 3, 4. More Jay McShann in Blues 4.

Jay McShann   1941

   Dexter Blues

       Composition: Jay McShann

   Body and Soul

       Saxophone: Charlie Parker

       Composition: See Wikipedia

   Hold 'Em Hootie

       Composition: Jay McShann

   Lady Be Good

       Saxophone: Charlie Parker

       Composition: George & Ira Gershwin

Jay McShann   1944

   Come On Over to My House

       Vocal: Julia Lee

       Composition: Julia Lee

Jay McShann   1946

   I Want a Little Girl

       Vocal: Jimmy Witherspoon

       Composition: Murray Mencher/Billy Moll

Jay McShann   1949

   Hot Biscuits

       Composition: Jay McShann

Jay McShann   1981

   Jump the Blues

       Live performance

       Composition: Jay McShann

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Jay McShann

Jay McShann

Source: Kickmag

Birth of Swing Jazz: Don Fagerquist

Don Fagerquist

Source: Le Coeur Qui Jazze

Born in 1927 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Don Fagerquist was sixteen when he hired on to the band of Mal Hallett in 1943. He joined Gene Krupa's band in 1944, with whom he is thought to have first recorded in August that year as first of four trumpeters in Krupa's band. That was for a radio broadcast at the Hotel Astor in New York City. A few more radio broadcasts followed before Fagerquist's first studio date with Krupa in November. Lord has those early transcriptions eventually issued on Joyce JRC 1208, Giants of Jazz GOJ 1028 and Swing Treasury 106. The November date for Columbia yielded 'What is There To Say' unissued, 'I Walked in with My Eyes Wide Open' and 'I'll Remember Suzanne' (36768). Fagerquist continued recording with Krupa into latter 1950. He was first trumpet in Artie Shaw's outfit about the same time, his debut titles with Shaw being the Thesaurus transcriptions of December 1, 1949, in New York City, 'So Easy' (Solid Sender SOL 509) among those titles. Fagerquist was also a member of Shaw's Gramercy Five before further Thesaurus transcriptions recorded in January of 1950, 'Fred's Delight' (Solid Sender SOL 510) among them. Upon leaving Krupa in NYC Fagerquist joined Woody Herman's operation in California, his first recordings with Herman on May 15, 1951, at the Hollywood Palladium. Among those titles were two performances of 'Perdido' (Jazz Supreme JS 701). Fagerquist met trumpeter, Shorty Rogers, while with Herman, he to later to record numerously w Rogers. Following Herman came Les Brown. Fagerquist first lrecorded with Brown in Hollywood in latter 1952, followed him back to New York City to lay tracks for the Coral label, then remained with Brown's band back in Hollywood into 1956. Fagerquist met tenor saxophonist, Dave Pell, in Brown's band. He would record with Pell numerously, beginning with the 1953 release of 'The Dave Pell Octet Plays Irving Berlin'. In January of 1956 Fagerquist would record 'West Coast vs East Coast - A Battle of Jazz' with Leonard Feather's West Coast Jazz Stars. Piano by Pete Rugolo was added, a figure with whom Fagerquist would issue often. Fagerquist led his own octet for titles recorded in two sessions in latter 1957. Among his most important musical associates in the sixties was Nelson Riddle. Poor health forced Fagerquist to retire by 1970. Tom Lord's discography has his last of above 400 sessions with Charlie Barnet in Hollywood on December 1 and 2 of 1969 w Billy May arranging titles like 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'The Girl from Ipanema'. Lord has those issued on Reader's Digest RDS 6872 and RA 112. Fagerquist died in California on 23 January 1974. References: 1, 2, 3. Sessions: DAHR w composing credits; Lord. Discos: 1, 2, 3. Visual media. Transcriptions. 2009 interview with tenor saxophonist, Dave Pell. Further reading: Gordon Jack.

Don Fagerquist   1944

  I'll Remember Suzanne

      With Gene Krupa and the G-Notes

       Composition: Jack Segal/Dick Miles

  I Walked In

       With Gene Krupa

       Composition:

       Jimmy McHugh/Harold Adamson

Don Fagerquist   1950

  Fred's Delight

       With Artie Shaw

       Composition:

       Artie Shaw/Tadd Dameron

Don Fagerquist   1950

  Love Is Just Around the Corner

      Music: Lewis E. Gensler   1934

      Lyrics: John Golden

Don Fagerquist   1957

From 'Music to Fill a Void':

  All the Things You Are

      Music: Jerome Kern   1939

      Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

      For the musical 'Very Warm for May'

 Easy Living

       Composition:

       Ralph Rainger/Leo Robin

 Easy to Love

       Composition: Cole Porter

 Lullaby of Broadway

       Composition:

       Harry Warren/Al Dubin

 Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

       Composition:

       Jerome Kern/Otto Harbach

 The Song Is You

      Music: Jerome Kern

      Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

Don Fagerquist   1963

  All The Things You Are

      Ella Fitzgerald & the Nelson Riddle Orchestra

      Music: Jerome Kern   1939

      Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

      For the musical 'Very Warm for May'

 

 
  Born in 1923, Remo Palmier (Palmieri) brings up the tail end of the swing era as another guitarist of note in support of the big band. Lord's disco identifies him on only 78 sessions, much of his work in the role of a support musician gone uncredited. He had originally intended to become an artist, financing his studies by playing guitar. It was 1942 when he decided to make music his career, forming a trio with guitarist Nat Jaffe and bassist Leo Guarnieri. None of his first four recordings with that trio on 21 December 1944 are found for this history: 'Blues In Nat's Flat'/'These Foolish Things' (Black & White 1208) and 'A Hundred Years From Today'/'If I Had You' (Black & White 1209). While with the Nat Jaffe Trio Palmier worked briefly with sax player Coleman Hawkins in 1943, then with vibraphonist Red Norvo in 1944. Lord's sessionography traces Palmier's debut recordings to 5 April of 1944 w the Red Norvo and Stuff Smith Quartet including Clyde Lombardi on bass at the home of John Steiner toward titles like 'Red's Stuff', 'Confessin'' and 'A Fawn. Lord has five of thirteen tracks issued on Steiner-Davis SD 5002 and 5003. Robert Campbell, et al, has those issued in autumn 1944. Come the Red Norvo Quintet for a V-Disc session on 17 May of '44 w Mildred Bailey for titles like 'Downhearted Blues' (524 A) and 'Purple Feathers' (792 A). Though Bailey and Norvo were divorced by that time, married from 1933 to 1942, they continued to work together, meaning Palmier would back Bailey on multiple occasions in the vicinity of Norvo. Palmier and Norvo backed Charlie Shavers on 'Blues' and 'Stompin' at the Savoy' on 24 May of '44. Joined by Teddy Wilson (piano), Al Hall (bass) and Specs Powell (drums), those eventually saw release in 1971 on the compilation of various, 'Jam Session 1944-1946' (Joker SM 3119). It was a Norvo sextet on 23 June of '44 for 16" transcriptions by World, titles also getting issued by Brunswick like 'Dee Dee's Dance'/'Blue Skies' (80104) and 'I Surrender Dear'/'Red Dust' (80116). Norvo and Palmier recorded numerously together for the next several years. In addition to Palmieri supporting Norvo they both backed other bands together like Buck Ram's All Stars on 18 Sep 1944, Teddy Wilson, Stuff Smith and Leonard Feather's Esquire All-American 1946 Award Winners on 11 January 1946 for 'The One That Got Away' (RCA Victor 40-4002/RCA Victor HJ 8). Along the way arrived sessions in 1945 with Phil Moore, Freddie Slack, Linda Keene, Dizzy Gillespie, Lena Horne, Flip Phillips, Ella Fitzgerald, Pearl Bailey and Johnny Boswell. Palmier had begun working for CBS per the 'Arthur Godfrey Show' in 1945. Remaining w that band for the next 27 years, in 1952 he changed his name from Palmieri to Palmier to avoid confusion with the Puerto Rican pianist and bandleader, Eddie Palmieri [1, 2, 3] (younger brother of Charlie Palmieri). Upon the cancellation of the Arthur Godfrey Show in 1972 Palmier began playing nightclubs in New York, also teaching guitar. Palmier and Norvo reunited w Teddy Wilson on March 1 and 2 of 1985, some forty years later, for a Town Hall concert in NYC to result in 'Swing Reunion'. Also contributing to that were Freddie Green (guitar), George Duvivier (bass) and Louie Bellson (drums). Lord traces Palmier to as late as Feb 7 and 9 of 1992 with the orchestra of jazz veteran Benny Carter at Rutgers University in New Jersey toward 'Harlem Renaissance' issued that year. Palmier died ten years later on 2 February 2002 in NYC, shortly following Norvo's death on 6 April 1999 and prior to Carter's in Los Angeles on 12 July 2003.

Remo Palmier   1944

  Seven Come Eleven

      Vibes: Red Norvo

       Composition:

       Benny Goodman/Charlie Christian

  Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams

       Clarinet: Barney Bigard

       Composition:

       Harry Barris/Ted Koehler/Billy Moll

Remo Palmier   1945

  All the Things You Are

      Trumpet: Dizzy Gillespie

      Music: Jerome Kern   1939

      Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

Remo Palmier   1946

  Time After Time

      Vocal: Sarah Vaughan

      Music: Jule Styne   1946

      Lyrics: Sammy Cahn

Remo Palmier   1979

  A Time for Love

       Composition: Johnny Mandel

       Album: 'Remo Palmier'

 

Birth of Swing Jazz: Remo Palmier

Remo Palmier

Photo: Phil Lindsay

Source: Discogs

 

With Remo Palmier we pause this history, updates added as such may occur.

 

 

Black Gospel

Early

Modern

Blues

Early Blues 1: Guitar

Early Blues 2: Vocal - Other Instruments

Modern Blues 1: Guitar

Modern Blues 2: Vocal - Other Instruments

Classical

Medieval - Renaissance

Baroque

Galant - Classical

Romantic: Composers born 1770 to 1840

Romantic - Impressionist

Expressionist - Modern

Modern: Composers born 1900 to 1950

Country

Bluegrass

Folk

From without the U.S.

Folk

Old

New

From without the U.S.

Jazz

Early Jazz 1: Ragtime - Bands - Horn

Early Jazz 2: Ragtime - Other Instrumentation

Swing Era 1: Big Bands

Swing Era 2: Song

Modern 1: Saxophone

Modern 2: Trumpet - Other

Modern 3: Piano

Modern 4: Guitar - Other String

Modern 5: Percussion - Other Orchestration

Modern 6: Song

Modern 7: Latin Jazz - Latin Recording

Modern 8: United States 1960 - 1970

Modern 9: International 1960 - 1970

Latin

Latin Recording 1: Europe

Latin Recording 2: The Caribbean

Latin Recording 3: South America

Popular Music

Early

Modern

Rock & Roll

Early: Boogie Woogie

Early: R&B - Soul - Disco

Early: Doo Wop

The Big Bang - Fifties American Rock

Rockabilly

UK Beat

British Invasion

Total War - Sixties American Rock

Other Musical Genres

Musician Indexes

Classical - Medieval to Renaissance

Classical - Baroque to Classical

Classical - Romantic to Modern

Black Gospel - Country Folk

The Blues

Bluegrass - Folk

Country Western

Jazz Early - Ragtime - Swing Jazz

Jazz Modern - Horn

Jazz Modern - Piano - String

Jazz Modern- Percussion - Latin - Song - Other

Jazz Modern - 1960 to 1970

Boogie Woogie - Doo Wop - R&B - Rock & Roll - Soul - Disco

Boogie Woogie - Rockabilly

UK Beat - British Invasion

Sixties American Rock - Popular

Latin Recording - Europe

Latin Recording - The Caribbean - South America

 

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