Mark Warnow

During the 1930's and 40's, Mark Warnow was a featured name on the radio.   He enjoyed a lengthy and versatile career with the CBS Radio network and was sometimes described as "the busiest man in radio".

Warnow became the musical director at CBS in the early 1930's.  He would go on to conduct the orchestras of many of the network's most popular shows.  Most importantly, he led the orchestra on the CBS radio program "Your Hit Parade" from 1939 until his death in 1949.

In the 1940s, Warnow conducted and arranged for Frank Sinatra while the singer was still signed to Columbia Records, then owned by the CBS network. He also conducted the orchestra for the "Sound Off" Radio show in 1946.  Sound Off was sponsored by the U.S. Army and encouraged post World War II recruitment.  Warnow, surprisingly not busy enough during the decade, produced a Broadway musical-comedy called "What's Up?" in 1943 and also provided the musical soundtrack for many Hollywood movies.

It's also important to note that Warnow influenced The Big Band Era in another, huge way. He was the older brother of composer and bandleader Harry Warnow (better known as Raymond Scott), and is credited with steering his younger brother into a career in music. In 1931, he hired his younger brother as a keyboardist at CBS Studios, which provided Raymond the springboard to launch his career.

Sadly, Mark Warnow passed away at the young age of 49 of a heart attack.

Listen to: "I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire" performed by Mark Warnow 

and His Orchestra also featuring Barry Wood and The Hit Paraders from 1942.

You can hear the music of Mark Warnow right here on Swing City Radio.

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Soundie: "Smiles" by Larry Clinton

Today's Soundie is by Larry Clinton and His Orchestra, a track called "Smiles".  This was filmed in 1941, but not released to Panoram until December of 1943.  By the time of this release, Clinton's Orchestra had already disbanded and Larry was off serving in the military during World War II.

This is yet another straight forward Soundie by Clinton.  All of his Soundies were quite basic but still entertaining in my opinion.  Enjoy!

Watch: Larry Clinton and His Orchestra perform "Smiles"

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Soundie: "Winter Wonderland" by the Dinning Sisters

Today's Soundie is from 1945 and features the Dinning Sisters performing their version of "Winter Wonderland".  This just "popped" up on Youtube a few days ago so I don't know much about the history behind this clip.  But I love it and 'tis the season.  One thing I do know know about this Soundie, is that it is one of only three Christmas Soundies that were filmed.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Watch: "Winter Wonderland" by the Dinning Sisters from 1945

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Yank Lawson

Yank Lawson was one of the premiere Trumpeters of the Big Band Era.  He's most known for his work with Bob Crosby and the Bobcats, but also spent time in the orchestras of Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey.

Lawson began to build his name while in the Ben Pollack Orchestra in 1933.  In the mid-1930's he became a founding member of Bob Crosby's Bobcats.  Yank's trumpet played an intrical part of the Bobcat's Dixieland sound.

Yank Lawson also spent parts of his career as a highly sought out studio musician, and he also led his own Dixieland orchestra for a time.  Lawson would later move on to form the very successful "World's Greatest Jazz Band" with Bob Haggart.

Listen to a V-Disc featuring Yank Lawson from 1945

You can hear the fierce and fiery trumpet playing of Yank Lawson right here on Swing City Radio.

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Consider Swing City Radio During the Holidays

Hey there everyone.  I just want to wish you all a Very Merry Holiday Season and a Happy New Year.  I also want to thank you for tuning in to Swing City Radio and The Big Band and Swing Podcast throughout the year.  In my opinion, the station has never sounded better and I plan to continue to come up with content and other ways to keep Swing City Radio a unique place to listen to and learn about Big Band music.

If you enjoy all the programming and articles I deliver you throughout the year, please consider supporting my work by providing the station with a one time "gift" or by becoming a Hepcat Supporter.

I've made it simple to support Swing City Radio and The Big Band and Swing Podcast:

To provide a One Time "Holiday Gift" through Paypal simply go to: SwingCityGift.com

To become a Hepcat Supporter, please visit my Patreon Page at: SupportSwing.com

As always, thank you so much for listening and Happy Holidays to all of you and your families.  

~ Ronnaldo

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Soundie: Reed Rapture by Stan Kenton

Today's Soundie showcases Stan Kenton and His Orchestra performing the song, "Reed Rapture".  There were over a dozen Soundies filmed of Kenton's band and visually, this one might be the most pleasing to the eye.  Normally, Soundies were quickly filmed and produced.  But, this one is filled with interesting camera angles, unique uses of silhouettes, and creative lighting.

The music itself is a perfect example of Kenton's role as a trail blazer throughout the era. This was released to Panoram in March of 1942.

Enjoy!

Watch the Soundie: "Reed Rapture" by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra from 1942

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Buddy Morrow

Trombonist, Buddy Morrow, led a very entertaining band of his own during the 1950's.  He got his start playing gigs with the bands of Artie Shaw, Vincent Lopez and Eddy Duchin but started to make a name for himself after joining Tommy Dorsey's band in 1938.

In the early 1940's he spent time in the bands of Tony Pastor and Bob Crosby.  When he joined the U.S. Navy, he paired up with Billy Butterfield to entertain the troops during World War II.  

After the war, Buddy joined Jimmy Dorsey's band for awhile and then went out on his own.  Buddy Morrow and His Orchestra enjoyed some moderate commercial success which is impressive, because at that time the genre itself was in such decline. 

After dissolving his band in the early 1960's, Morrow was still in high demand as a sideman and made many recordings with names like Count Basie, Artie Shaw and Sarah Vaughn.  He also spent time as a member of "The Tonight Show Band".  In 1977, Morrow took over the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and led the band until his death in 2010.

Listen to: Night Train by Buddy Morrow and His Orchestra from 1952

You can hear the music of Buddy Morrow right here on Swing City Radio.

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Louise Tobin's Soundies

Today, I'm posting two Soundies stitched together in one video.  They are the two Soundies that Louise Tobin filmed with Emil Coleman in 1945.  As I stated last week, Louise Tobin passed away on November 26, 2022 at the age of 104.  The Soundies are titled: " Just One of Those Things" and "June Comes Around Every Year".

As you'll notice, the credits are in reverse due to the fact that these were taken from the original film reels.  The quality of these are very good.

Enjoy!

Watch: Two Louise Tobin Soundies from 1945

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The Passing of Louise Tobin

I'm sad to report that vocalist, Louise Tobin, passed away on November 26, 2022 in Carrollton, Texas at the age of 104.  She recorded with the orchestras of Ben Pollack, Bobby Hackett, Jack Jenney, Benny Goodman and Will Bradley.

Tobin was a great talent and possessed a beautiful voice, but the biggest impact she made on the Big Band Era was the part she played in discovering Frank Sinatra.  Tobin was listening to the radio in 1939 and heard a broadcast from a New Jersey venue called the Rustic Cabin.  A young Frank Sinatra was the emcee that night, Frank Sinatra, and his singing caught the ear of Louise. She told her then husband, Harry James he should tune in another night to hear Sinatra’s skill and style. James was impressed and hired Sinatra as part of his band.  That was the first major steppingstone to Sinatra’s meteoric rise to fame.  Tobin and James divorced in May of 1943.

Louise Tobin may have made more of an impact on the Era herself but she took time off from her singing career to raise her two sons she had with James.  She returned to performing in the 1960s, and later married famed clarinetist, Peanuts Hucko and toured alongside him for years.

Thank you Louise for the music you left behind for us.  Your voice will continue to touch so many of us. 

Listen to: Louise Tobin sing "There’ll Be Some Changes Made" with Benny Goodman from 1941.

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The Madhattan Room Broadcasts of 1937

Over the holiday weekend I "cut up and cleaned up" over 70 tracks by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra performing at The Madhattan Room in NYC.  I got the sound quality sounding "pretty darn good" and I think you will enjoy them.  Many of these songs were never recorded by Goodman in the studio.

In the Fall of 1937, Benny Goodman had a season long engagement at The Madhattan Room in New York City.  Swing was about to explode onto the forefront of American culture and Benny Goodman and his talented orchestra were on the rise and leading the charge.

Goodman had also been featured at that same venue in the Fall of 1936 and in the Spring of 1937, but this engagement was different.  There was a national wide "buzz" around Benny Goodman at this point and CBS Radio planned on beaming live remotes of these gigs to their affiliates.

The Madhattan Room was located on the lower level of the Hotel Pennsylvania, which also contained the legendary Café Rouge.  The Madhattan Room wasn’t as glamorous or as large as the Café Rouge, but it had fine acoustics and its small size and low ceiling provided an intimate feel to the music.

These broadcasts catch Goodman and his band, in my opinion, at their best. Martha Tilton had just joined during the summer and had fully adjusted into her lead vocal role. The band featured Gene Krupa, Harry James, Jess Stacy, Ziggy Elman, Art Rollini, Harry Goodman and other greats.  Teddy Wilson, and Lionel Hampton were also being featured in Goodman's trio and quartet.  In fact, this was pretty much the same lineup that appears in the famous Carnegie Hall Concert of 1938.

So keep in ear out for these great songs that have just been added to the Swing City Radio rotation.

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Soundie: All Ruzzit Buzzit

Today's Soundie features Dallas Bartley and His Orchestra.  "All Ruzzit Buzzit" was released to Panoram in August of 1945 and is one of five Soundies that the band released during the mid-1940's.

Dallas Bartley was the former bassist for Louis Jordan's band, he formed his own band in the early 1940's.  As you can see, he always seemed to prefer to stay in the background.  His band had a very nice groove to it, but I feel that their vocalist lacked the energy and "pizzazz" to make their songs really jump.

Regardless, it's still an entertaining tune, and the dancers in the background silhouette make this a fun little Soundie.

Enjoy!

Watch: "All Ruzzit Buzzit" by Dallas Bartley and His Orchestra

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Playlist Additions - Nov 2022

Much like Santa's Elves are at this time of year, I was quite busy this past week as well.  I wasn't building toys for the children of the world, but I was restoring some great Big Band music from the archives of Old Time Radio. Here's a brief overview of what was added into the Swing City Radio rotation:

Music from the AFRS Show "Jubilee":

Some great tracks from artists like: Erskine Hawkins, Lucky Millinder, Benny Carter and Louis Armstrong.  Keep an ear out for "Let's Ball Awhile" and "Tuxedo Junction" by Erskine Hawkins.

"Make Believe Ballroom":

In February of 1940, Glenn Miller's Orchestra was the featured band for the show's 5th Anniversary on the air.  The fantastic performance includes versions of "Tiger Rag", "The Rhumba Jumps" and "Indian Summer".  The Andrews Sisters also made an appearance with "Ciribiribin".

Select performances from "One Night Stand": 

Excellent live recordings featuring: Bobby Sherwood (January 1947), 

Chuck Foster (August 1945), Carl Ravazza (August 1944) and two shows by Jerry Gray (October 1959 and January 1961).  Listen for great versions of "Restringing The Pearls".

Select tracks from "Let's Go To Town":

"Let's Go To Town" was a show that aired in the 1950's as a recruiting tool for The U.S. National Guard.  I've just started to make my way through the show's archives and have already restored and added tracks by Ralph Flanagan, Ray Anthony, Tony Pastor and Woody Herman.  Good Stuff!

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Station Mugs In The Wild

Every now and then, listeners send me pictures of Swing City Radio station swag being used in the wild.  I have to admit, the photos bring a HUGE smile to my face.  These are two of my favorites.  If you'd like a mug of your own, click on the link I've provided below:

15 oz. Coffee Mug - Swing City Radio Design

I want to thank Rhonda, who listens in Pennsylvania and Madison, who listens in California for these great pictures!

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The Charioteers

The Charioteers formed in 1930 but did not record their first record until 1935.  They were originally called the Harmony Four but changed their name to The Charioteers, inspired by their favorite song to perform, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot".  They originally just focused on gospel music but later moved to Popular Music.

They didn't manage to land a hit until the 1940's.  But, gained a good amount of popularity through radio and live performances.  In fact, they were the studio chorus on Bing Crosby's radio program, "Kraft Music Hall", from 1942 to 1946.  The Charioteers also recorded with Pearl Bailey and Frank Sinatra.

Their biggest hits were: "On the Boardwalk in Atlantic City", "Open the Door, Richard" and "Ooh! Look-a-There, Ain't She Pretty?". All of them charted in the 1940's.

The vocal group lasted for over 25 years and at different times featured the voices of: Wilfred "Billy" Williams, Edward Jackson, Ira Williams, Howard Daniel, Herbert Dickerson, Peter Leubers and John Harewood.

Listen to: "Elmer's Tune" by The Charioteers

You can hear The Charioteers right here on Swing City Radio.

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Soundie: I'm Tired Of Waiting For You

Today's Soundie features Will Bradley and His Orchestra and was released to Panoram in May of 1942.  The song "I'm Tired Of Waiting For You" includes Ray McKinley and Lynn Gardner on vocals.

The Soundie itself was a pretty good production.  Ray and Lynn are in the middle of a relationship squabble that they appear to be working out by singing their feelings to each other.  During this "discussion" a constant parade of distraction parade in between them.  It's actually quite entertaining.

Somewhat lost in all this is that "I'm Tired Of Waiting For You" is very good song.  Ray and Lynn do a great job on the vocals and Will Bradley's band turns in a fantastic performance.  Sadly, that version of Bradley's Orchestra disbanded months later.

Enjoy!

Watch: "I'm Tired Of Waiting For You" by Will Bradley and His Orchestra

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Willie Bryant

Bandleader and entertainer, Willie Bryant, was known as "The Mayor of Harlem" and was the long time emcee at the Apollo Theater. Bryant got his start in vaudeville and also led a very talented band between 1934 and 1938 that I wish they could have made many more recordings.

At different times, Bryant's orchestra featured names like Teddy Wilson, Cozy Cole, Benny Carter, Eddie Durham and Taft Jordan.

Once his orchestra had called it quits, Bryant moved into acting and disc jockeying. He went on to lead another big band between 1946 and 1948 but it made little impact.  In 1949, he hosted a show called Uptown Jubilee on early television and eventually became the famed Apollo Theater emcee throughout the 1950's.

Listen to: "Mary Had a Little Lamb" by Willie Bryant and His Orchestra from 1936

You can hear the music of Willie Bryant right here on Swing City Radio.

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Soundie: "Loretta"

Today's Soundie features Ronnie Kemper and His Orchestra performing the song "Loretta".  This was released to Panorams in 1942.  Ronnie Kemper was once a vocalist for both Dick Jurgens and Horace Heidt.  Unfortantly, when Kemper finally decided to lead his own band, the Musicians Union Strike of 1942-43 prevented him from making any records. The other Soundie he recorded was "Knit One - Purl Two" also made in 1942. 

This song sounds very similiar to "Cecilia", a single he recorded with Dick Jurgens just a couple years before.  The dancer playing the role of Loretta in this clip is Billie Mayshell.  Well, at least I think it is.

Enjoy!

Watch: "Loretta" by Ronnie Kemper and His Orchestra from 1942

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Ray Noble

Ray Noble enjoyed a lot of success both in England and The United States during the Big Band Era. In 1929, he became leader of the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, an HMV Records studio band that featured members of many of the top hotel orchestras of the day. In the early 1930's, Noble had many hits that charted in England including "Turkish Delight", "By the Fireside" and "Goodnight, Sweetheart".

By 1934, Noble was ready to better establish himself in America.  He took Al Bowlly (vocalist) and his drummer Bill Harty to the United States. He then asked Glenn Miller to recruit American musicians to complete the band.  This was before Miller was leading his own orchestra.   The American version of Ray Noble's band had a successful run at the Rainbow Room in New York City with Bowlly as principal vocalist.

Noble and his orchestra appeared in the 1937 film A Damsel in Distress staring Fred Astaire, Joan Fontaine, George Burns and Gracie Allen. Ray himself also had a role in the film.  He would later go on to act in many different roles on radio, film and television.

In the 1940's, Ray found a steady home on the radio and provided music for many shows such as "The Chase and Sanborn Hour", "The Charlie McCarthy Show", "Burns and Allen"" and "On Stage with Cathy and Elliott Lewis".

In the late 1940's he became very popular again when he teamed up with vocalist Buddy Clark.  They had a string of hits together up until Clark's untimely death in 1949 due to a plane crash.

Listen to: "Cherokee" - Ray Noble's Original Version from 1938 

You can hear the great music of Ray Noble right here on Swing City Radio.

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Soundie: "Basin Street Boogie"

Today's Soundie features Will Bradley and His Six Texas Hot Dogs performing "Basin Street Boogie".  This film was released in April of 1942 to Panoram Jukeboxes across the nation.

The Six Texas Hot Dogs shown in this film were a small dixieland band led by trombonist, Will Bradley, and made up of members of his famous orchestra.  Drummer and vocalist, Ray McKinley, would go on (shortly after this filming) to be a featured member of Glenn Miller's AAF Band which entertained the Allied Troops during World War II.  It also looks like Billy Maxted is playing piano in this one having replaced Freddie Slack who had recently left to form his own band.

This Soundie showcases some great music and even contains some decent "Jitterbugs" dancing along to the song.  Enjoy!

Watch: "Basin Street Boogie" by Will Bradley and His Six Texas Hot Dogs

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Hal McIntyre

As a teenager, Hal McIntyre, led his own small group which played a lot of local gigs. During these early years he managed to build up his reputation as a good saxophonist and clarinetist.  

In 1935, Benny Goodman offered him a temporary spot in his band playing alto sax.  The bad news was that it only lasted for ten days.  The good news was that it put Hal on the radar of Glenn Miller, who was then in the process of putting together an orchestra.

McIntyre was a founding member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, where he played from 1937 to 1941.  Miller eventually encouraged McIntyre to start his own group again and even offered to bankroll the venture to get the new band off the ground.  In 1941, The Hal McIntyre Orchestra was formed and began to play dates.

Throughout the war years, McIntyre toured the major ballrooms of the U.S. and also played overseas to entertain the troops.  His band showcased some very good vocalists including Gloria Van, Ruth Gaylor, and Al Nobel.  McIntyre also featured a top rate bassist named Eddie Safranski and saxophonists Dave Matthews and Allen Eager.  The band itself never came close to the amount of success that Miller's band achieved, but did manage to leave a memorable mark on the era.

Hal McIntyre's Orchestra played well into the 1950's. Sadly, McIntyre was severely injured in an apartment fire in 1959, and died at a hospital a few days later cutting his career short.

Listen to: "Some Sunday Morning" by Hal McIntyre from 1945.

You can hear the music of Hal McIntyre right here on Swing City Radio.

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Watch: "Pete The Piper" - Susan Miller

Today's Soundie is called "Pete The Piper" and features Susan Miller.  It was released to Panorams in March of 1941.  The lyrics are about an amazing flute musician who enchants everyone whenever he visits.  Ironically, in the Soundie, bagpipes seem to be the instrument of choice.  Dancer, Danny Hoctor, also appears and The Lorraine Page Orchestra provides the music.

This catchy little number is just one of five Soundies that Susan Miller took part in.  Miller appeared in some Hollywood films and had some stints on the radio with Rudy Vallée in the early 1940's.  She is also considered "Soundies" first singing star. 

Enjoy!

Watch the Soundie: "Pete The Piper" starring Susan Miller from 1941.

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Just Added to the Playlist (Oct 2022)

Even with all of these great sporting events going on right now I still managed to find time to add some great music to the Swing City Radio rotation.

Some of the new additions include:

Tex Beneke - Live From The Click - Sep 5, 1947

This was recorded in Philadelphia at a time when Tex was leading many of the members of Glenn Miller's old civilian band. Tracks include: "The Echo Said No", "My Buddy" and "Bagatelle".

Various Artists from "Stand By For Music (AFRS)"

Includes some great recordings by The Bell Sisters, Frank De Vol, The Modernaires and The Skylarks.

Various Artists from "Something For The Girls (AFRS)"

"Something for The Girls" aired in 1944 and was aired on The Armed Forces Radio Service.  It was a program that featured music by various popular artists. The announcer would also interview members of The Waves, a female branch of the Navy, and was used as a recruitment tool.  List some great tracks from Raymond Scott and Benny Goodman.

Other additions to the rotation includes songs by:

Perry Como, The Satisfiers, The Pied Pipers, Larry Clinton and Vera Lynn.

Enjoy!

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Your Hit Parade

The radio show "Your Hit Parade" ran for 18 years and was broadcasted by both NBC and CBS.  It later made a jump to television where it enjoyed a 9 year run.  Every Saturday evening, the program offered the most popular and bestselling songs of the week.  During its 24-year run, the show had 19 orchestra leaders and 52 singers or groups.  The program was sponsored by Lucky Strike Cigarettes.

When the show first aired in April of 1935, the format of the 60-minute program featured between 7 and 15 songs played in a random format before presenting the number 1 song.  A few years later the format changed to the type of countdown show we are more familiar with today.  Listeners were informed that the song rankings were based on sheet music and phonograph records sales, the songs most heard on the air and songs most played on jukeboxes.  However, the exact procedure of this "authentic tabulation" always remained a secret.

The songs themselves would be sung by a stable of various regulars (vocalists) that were featured on the show. Some of the recognized names included: Buddy Clark, Frank Sinatra, Bea Wain, Bonnie Baker, Dorothy Collins, Joan Edwards, Georgia Gibbs, Dick Haymes, Johnny Mercer, Andy Russell, Dinah Shore, Ginny Simms and Martha Tilton.  The music was provided by the show's orchestra which was led by a variety of leaders over the years including names like: Al Goodman, Abe Lyman, Leo Reisman, Ray Sinatra, Harry Sosnik, Axel Stordahl and Raymond Scott.

Listen to an episode of: "Your Hit Parade" from December 6, 1947

The radio version of the program aired until January of 1953.  The fact that the show featured their "house" singers and bands performing the biggest hits of the day has resulted in a deep archive of unique and entertaining versions of so many classics from the Big Band Era. You can hear a wide selection of those tracks right here on Swing City Radio. 

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Soundie: "You're a Shot in the Arm"

Today's Soundies features Connie Haines and Redd Harper singing "You're a Shot in the Arm".  Hal Bourne and His Orchestra provide the music. This was released for Panoram machines in June of 1942.

This is a very catchy song and watching this just makes me love Connie Haines even more.  It's no wonder that Redd Harper's apartment contains about 30 framed pictures of her. Did you notice that most of the pictures are the same shot of Connie just duplicated over and over (shown below).  I'm always so amazed at the lack of thought and detail that went into the staging these Soundies. On the other hand, I think that's why I enjoy them so much. 

Enjoy this fun and bouncy Soundie!

Watch: "You're a Shot in the Arm" by Connie Haines and Redd Harper from 1942

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Georgia Gibbs

Georgia Gibbs is known more for her body of work from the mid-1950's, but Georgia got her start in the heart of The Big Band Era.  She was blessed with a voice that had tremendous versatility and fantastic range.

Her professional career started at the age of 17 when she joined the Hudson-DeLange Orchestra in 1936.  Her stage name at the time was Fredda Gibson (her birth name was Frieda Lipschitz).  She was a featured vocalist with Hudson-DeLange for just under a year and then went on to do freelance work with some big name bands in the late 30's and early 40's.  Bands like Tommy Dorsey, Hal Kemp, Artie Shaw, and Frankie Trumbauer. It was also at this time that she settled on the name Georgia Gibbs.

Georgia built her name and reputation with her work on radio.  She found steady work on shows like Your Hit Parade, Melody Puzzles, and The Tim And Irene Show.  She was also a featured vocalist on the Camel Caravan radio program, hosted by Jimmy Durante, where she remained a regular performer until 1947. 

In the 1950's, she would go on to be a regular on many TV variety shows and landed a boatload of songs on the charts.  She remained in public eye well into the 1960's.

Listen to: "Ballin’ The Jack" by Georgia Gibbs from 1947

You can hear the beautiful voice of Georgia Gibbs right her on Swing City Radio.

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Watch: "Concerto for Clarinet"

Today's film clip features Artie Shaw in his prime.  "Concerto for Clarinet" appeared in the Hollywood Musical Comedy "Second Chorus" which was released in 1940.  To learn more about the film click here.

Overall, just a fantastic performance by Artie and the boys.  Shaw had a way of making such a hard instrument to play, look so easy.  The camera work and sound are both excellent.

Enjoy!

Watch: Artie Shaw play "Concerto for Clarinet" from Second Chorus in 1940

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Added to Playlist for Oct 2022

During the month of September I've been quite busy searching for, and restoring, some more vintage recordings to feature on Swing City Radio.  I've added over one hundred tracks into the station rotation that I think you are going to enjoy.

Including:

Glenn Miller Live at the Paradise Restaurant

These 1938 recordings are fantastic.  They capture the raw energy and talent the band had just as they were becoming one the most popular bands of the land.  Keep an ear out for fabulous versions of "Honeysuckle Rose" and "The Dipsy Doodle".

Mel Torme and The Mel-Tones

These tracks were restored from the AFRS show called "Swingtime".  Listen for performances of "Straighten Up and Fly Right", "Always" and "Pale Moon".

Other songs added this month include recordings and performances by: Harry James, Jack Teagarden, Mildred Bailey, Ray Conniff, The Dinning Sisters, The Dorsey Brothers, Buddy Morrow and many more.

Enjoy!

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Les Elgart

Les Elgart, along with his younger brother Larry, are most remembered for their famous "Elgart Sound" which arose from the ashes of the Big Band Era in the mid-1950's. The style incorporated a unique blend of brass and reeds and it's popularity led to a string of best selling albums for the Elgart Brothers.  During that time, they also released the now instantly recognized "Bandstand Boogie", which was used by Dick Clark as the theme song for the ABC dance show "American Bandstand".

Les Elgart, himself, got his start playing trumpet in the bands of Raymond Scott, Charlie Spivak, and Harry James, occasionally finding himself alongside his brother Larry.  Les formed his own orchestra in 1945 and hired Nelson Riddle and Ralph Flanagan to write arrangements. The band enjoyed a little bit of success but failed to sustain any real popularity so Les disbanded the orchestra in 1949.

  

Les would end up freelancing in pick-up bands and doing contract work for the next few years. Finally, in 1953, after forming a second band, the "Elgart Sound", which had a familiar Glenn Miller touch to its style, caught on with the public.  In 1957, Les changed the name of his band to "Les and Larry Elgart and Their Orchestra".  The brothers eventually parted ways by the end of the decade and reunited again in the early 1960's. 

Listen to: "Bandstand Boogie" by Les Elgart from 1954

You can hear the music of Les Elgart right here on Swing City Radio.

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Watch: "Jersey Bounce"

Today's film clip comes from the 1944 movie "Sweet and Low-Down."  It features Benny Goodman and His Orchestra performing the classic track "Jersey Bounce". The movie stars Linda Darnell, Jack Oakie and Lynn Bari.

"Sweet and Low-Down" was a fictionalized version of life with Benny Goodman and his band while entertaining at military camps and bases during World War II.

Enjoy!

Watch: "Jersey Bounce" performed by Benny Goodman.

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Watch Duke Take the 'A' Train

Today's clip is from a 1943 musical called "Reveille with Beverly" released by Columbia Pictures.  It features Duke Ellington and His Orchestra performing "Take the 'A' Train".  

This same film also featured appearances by some other huge names from the era including: Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, The Mills Brothers, Bob Crosby, Freddie Slack, and Ella Mae Morse.

A very fun performance and a great version of the song.  Enjoy!

Watch: Duke Ellington perform "Take the 'A' Train" in the 1943 film "Reveille with Beverly".

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Gail Reese

Timing is sometimes more important than talent.  Gail Reese was the featured female vocalist for three of the big-name bands from the Swing Era but her name is often forgotten.

After getting her start in Dick Messner's band in 1936, she soon found herself in the band of Charlie Barnet.  Barnet's band was still trying to find itself in the mid 30's and her time with them didn't last long.

In 1937, Gail joined Bunny Berigan's Orchestra.  As a member of Bunny's band, Reese would go on to make her most memorable recordings and was the featured vocalist on the tracks "I Dance Alone", "Let 'Er Go" and a great version of "Sophisticated Swing", just to name a few.

In 1938, Reese joined Glenn Miller's new band.  She was a part of some of Miller's first radio broadcasts from the Paradise Restaurant in New York City.  She was soon replaced by Marion Hutton and sadly for Reese, she was not a part of the meteoric rise that Miller and his band experienced months later.  As I said before, timing is sometimes more important than talent.

By 1939, Reese had retired from the music business, got married and focused on raising a family.

Listen to: "Why'd Ya Make Me Fall In Love" by Glenn Miller featuring the vocals of Gail Reese.

You can hear the vocals of Gail Reese right here on Swing City Radio.

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Watch: "Skyliner" by Charlie Barnet

Today's video clip is "Skyliner" by Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra.  This Snader's Telescription was originally recorded in the early 1950's and Charlie delivers a fantastic version of one of his classics.

"Skyliner" is just one of the many Snader's Telescriptions Barnet took part in.  Others include: "Cherokee", "Andy's Boogie", "My Old Flame" and "Caravan". 

Take note of the production quality of this clip.  The majority of Soundies were usually done on a small budget and rushed.  Snader's Telecriptions were usually more thought out and the camera work was much better.  That being said, and as good as this clip is, I still prefer Soundies over Snaders for some reason.

Enjoy!

Watch: "Skyliner" by Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

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Jo Stafford

Jo Stafford began her career in the late 1930's and by 1955, she had achieved more worldwide record sales than any other female artist.  Ironically, Jo had originally underwent classical training to become an opera singer before following a career in popular music.

While still in high school, Jo joined up with her two older sisters to form a vocal trio called the Stafford Sisters.  The trio enjoyed some moderate success in radio and film.  In 1938, Jo left her sisters to become the lead singer of the vocal group, The Pied Pipers.  By 1939, bandleader Tommy Dorsey had hired The Pied Pipers to perform back-up vocals for his orchestra.

In the early 1940's, The Pied Pipers experienced a lot of success and exposure performing Dorsey.  Stafford was also used as a featured vocalist for Dorsey as well. 

The mid-forties saw Stafford move on from Dorsey and The Pied Pipers to embark on a solo career. (Note: Stafford would continue to make appearances from time to time with The Pied Pipers throughout the 40's.)  She also performed in MANY U.S.O. concerts for the soldiers during World War II and earned the nickname "G.I. Jo".

Starting in 1945, Stafford became a regular host of NBC's "The Chesterfield Supper Club".  From that point forward, Stafford was all over the radio and later, would have her own TV Show.  Her career would go on to span five decades.

Watch: "It Started All Over Again" by Jo Stafford and The Pied Pipers

You can hear the amazing voice of Jo Stafford right here on Swing City Radio.

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Soundie: The Mel-Tones

Today's Soundie is "Back Home In Indiana" by The Mel-Tones.  Unfortunately, it should be billed as "The Mel-Tones minus Mel" since Mel Tormé doesn't appear in this Soundie. An actor name Bernie Parke fills in and lip syncs Tormé's parts.

In researching this Soundie I have found two possible reasons for Tormé's absence.  Some say he was in the military at the time of filming, while others claim it was a contract restriction that kept him off camera.  Either way - he's not shown.

Take note of the quintet that are providing the music to this 1945 Soundie.  It looks like it contains Dave Barbour, Buddy Cole and Nick Fatool.

By the way, I'm sure you've noticed the image is in reverse.  This is a Soundie from an original reel and were produced this way to be shown on a Panoram.  I've covered this before in previous posts.  

Enjoy! 

Watch: "Back Home In Indiana" by The Mel-Tones

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Added to Playlist - Aug 2022

I've been a busy little beaver over the last couple weeks and have added some great recordings to the station rotation from the archives of Old Time Radio including music by:

Fats Waller

(Radio Remote - Panther Room in Chicago - December 1940)

Songs include: "Whatcha Know Joe?", "Lila Lou" and a very interesting version of "Frenesi".

Harry James

(Victory Parade of Spotlight Bands - AFRS - May 1942)

Tracks include: "Music Makers", "Sleepy Lagoon" and a fantastic rendition of "The Devil Sat Down and Cried"

Ray Anthony

(Victory Parade of Spotlight Bands - AFRS - Jan 1952)

Songs are from two separate performances from January of 1952 and includes: "Solitaire", "Cook's Tour", "Brokenhearted" and many more.

I also added vintage music from: Gene Krupa, Frankie Carle, Chuck Foster, Les Brown and Louis Prima.  VERY GOOD STUFF!

Enjoy. 

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Watch: "Smoke Rings" by Glen Gray

Today's film short is called "Smoke Rings" and stars Glen Gray and His Casa Loma Orchestra.  It was released in July of 1943 by Universal Studios and features vocal performances from Pee Wee Hunt, The Pied Pipers and Eugenie Baird.  

The Casa Loma Orchestra formed in 1929. When Eugenie Baird was hired on as a lead female vocalist in the 1940's, it marked the first time a female vocalist was featured in the band. 

This is a great film and is filed with energy and fantastic music!  Songs included: "Can't Get Stuff in Your Cuff," "That's My Affair" and "Little Man with the Hammer" and more.

Please excuse the time strip on the bottom of the film.  I found this on the Periscope Film Youtube Channel.  If you haven't visited that channel yet, it's a fun place to find some of this old footage.

Enjoy!

Watch: The Short Film "Smoke Rings" by Glen Gray from 1943

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Jimmy Mundy

Jimmy Mundy was best known for his classic arrangements for Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Earl Hines.  The saxophonist / arranger first developed in skills in the 1920's playing with local bands in the Cincinnati, Ohio area.  In the early 1930's he got his big break when he wrote and sold some of his arrangements to Claude Hopkins.  Mundy was then hired by Earl Hines to play sax in his famous "Grand Terrace Orchestra" and this is where Jimmy developed the reputation of a top rate arranger.

By 1935, Mundy had attracted the attention of Benny Goodman. Goodman hired Mundy and by 1938, he along with Fletcher Henderson, were considered Goodman's principle staff arrangers.

In late 1938, drumming great Gene Krupa, departed Goodman's band to form his own outfit and Mundy followed.  Even though he was connected with Krupa, Mundy still continued to contribute arrangements to Goodman on a freelance basis.

Throughout the 1940's, Mundy led his own band on a limited basis, but he's most remembered in that decade for his compositions and arrangements he supplied to some of the biggest bands of the era including: Harry James, Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Charlie Spivak, Paul Whiteman and many others.

The band he personally led didn't make much of an impact, but they did manage to make some great recordings and their performances on Jubilee were legendary.

Listen to: "Fiesta In Brass" by Jimmy Mundy and His Orchestra

You can hear the music of Jimmy Mundy right here on Swing City Radio.

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Watch: Symphony of Swing

Today's video is a short film called Symphony of Swing and features Artie Shaw and His Orchestra.  This was released by Warner Bros. and Vitaphone back in 1939.  The cinematography and editing were top shelf (for 1939) and it truly captures the essence of Artie Shaw and His Band at the time.

The songs included in this short are: "Alone Together," "Jeepers Creepers", "Deep Purple" and "Lady Be Good".  Helen Forrest and Tony Pastor were handling the primary vocal duties for Shaw during this time.  If you watch close, you can just make out a young Buddy Rich on drums.  He is not credited in the film.

Enjoy!

Watch: Artie Shaw and His Orchestra in "Symphony of Swing" from 1939

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Basic Musical Library (AFRS)

The AFRS Basic Musical Library (aka Basic Music Library) was a series of recordings of popular, jazz, and classical music that was distributed to every military radio station during World War II.  It became an audio/music library that allowed personnel at these military broadcast facilities to act as disc jockeys and to play the most popular songs and artists for their audiences - the American troops.

Swing City Radio plays MANY of the songs and artists that can be found in the "P" Series of this collection.  The "P" stands for popular.  Some of the many bands and singers represented in this fantastic collection include Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Frank Sinatra, Harry James, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Louis Prima, and Peggy Lee to just name a handful.

The sources of these historic recordings mostly came from alternate takes of commercial recordings from the major record labels; radio broadcasts and remotes (often the dress rehearsals); concerts; and the AFRS’s own recording sessions. They were distributed to the broadcast facilities on 16-inch Transcription Discs.

Picture of "Basic Musical Library" - 16 inch Transcription Disc

Listen to Swing City Radio to hear some of these great recordings.  Enjoy! 

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Johnny Desmond

Johnny Desmond was a talented vocalist that was popular during the 1940's and 50's.  He started off by forming his own singing group in 1939 called the Downbeats.  This vocal group quickly caught the attention of Bob Crosby and in 1940, Crosby hired them to work with his band.  Shortly after, the band changed their name to the Bob-O-Links.

In mid-1941, Desmond moved on to become the featured vocalist for Gene Krupa's band.  He ended up replacing Howard Dulaney and recorded over a dozen sides for Krupa.

In 1942, Desmond made a big life decision and enlisted in the U.S. Army.  He eventually became a member of Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band.  Desmond made many, many radio broadcasts being featured on lead vocals while with Miller.  He was discharged from the military in November of 1945, shortly after the end of World War II.

The name recognition he achieved while serving with Miller's band helped him solidify a successful solo career after the war.  He also starred in quite a few radio shows as well.

You can hear the music of Johnny Desmond right here on Swing City Radio.

Listen to: "Shoo-Fly Pie And Apple Pan Dowdy" by Johnny Desmond from 1946

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