Added To Playlist Dec 2024 - Ella Fitzgerald

I've recently added some great instrumental tracks by Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra to the Swing City Radio playlist.  They include songs from various 1939 performances broadcasted from the Savoy Ballroom, located in Harlem, as well as gigs from The Grand Terrace in Chicago and The Roseland in New York City. The Roseland performances took place in early 1940.

The spotlight on these tracks shines more on the band, and not on Fitzgerald.  In 1939, bandleader Chick Webb sadly passed away and left the control of his top shelf band in the hands of Ella Fitzgerald.  She led this incredible band until 1942 when she left to pursue her solo career and became the vocal icon we remember her as today.

Listen to: Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra – "The Harlem Stride"

This great band included names like Taft Jordan, Dick Vance, George Matthews and Sandy Williams.  These tracks were all broadcasted within a year of Chick Webb's passing and you can still hear the influence he had on the orchestra.  In my humble opinion, Webb led one of the most rockin' bands of the 1930's and you can hear it in the recordings.

Listen to: Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra – "Everybody Rock"

Enjoy!

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78's Posted on YouTube Channel - Dec 2023

Hey everyone!  I posted a new batch of 78's on YouTube today.  Songs by Bunny Berigan, Harry James, Nellie Lutcher, The Pied Pipers and Gene Krupa.  Very good stuff and most of them cleaned up nicely.

Included is a song called "Russian Lullaby" by Bunny Berigan And His Orchestra.  It was a part of a 4 disc set that was originally released in 1942.  Also, have a listen to Gene Krupa And His Orchestra's song called "I Know That You Know"  This was released on the Brunswick Label in 1938.

Listen to: "Russian Lullaby" by Bunny Berigan And His Orchestra from 1942

Listen to: "I Know That You Know" by Gene Krupa And His Orchestra from 1938

If you'd like to listen to more 78's, here is the direct link to the YouTube playlist: Ronnaldo's 78rpm Collection.

Enjoy!

~ Ronnaldo 

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Soundie: Watcha Know Joe? - Larry Clinton

Today's Soundie is "Watcha Know Joe?" (notice the spelling of the title) by Larry Clinton.  This is a simple, straight-forward Soundie that features the band playing on a studio stage.  The vocals are handled by Butch Stone.

The footage was originally filmed in 1941 but was released as a Soundie in August of 1943.  By the time of it's release, Larry Clinton was already serving in the armed forces in World War II.

Take notice that the Phonovue prints (the credit overlay at the beginning) cite the title of the song as "Watcha Know Joe?." I know the budgets on the production of these Soundies were quite tight, but you think they could have afforded that extra "H" they left out of the word "Whatcha".  :)

All jokes aside, Clinton and the boys perform a unique and entertaining version of this song.  Enjoy!

Watch: "Watcha Know Joe?" by Larry Clinton and his Orchestra.

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