Panoram Sighting!

So my wife and I were watching METV Toons last night and they just happened to air an episode of Buggy Bunny called "Hillbilly Hare" from 1950.  It's an absolute classic, and the square dance scene is simply hilarious.  One thing I hadn't noticed over the years it that the music for that square dance is provided by a Panoram.  (Until Bugs Bunny unplugs it and starts to add his own lyrics.)

The Panoram in the cartoon is much more colorful than real machines were.  Plus, the price to watch Soundies on these jukeboxes were usually a dime, not a nickel.

It was a proud night in the Ronnaldo household when my wife pointed to the TV screen and said, "Hey, isn't that the machine they played those Soundies on?"

After all these years, I think I'm finally rubbing off on her. The fact that she pointed out a Panoram almost brought a tear to my eye. 😀

I've included a brief clip of the cartoon and a couple of pictures of the "cartoon Panoram" and the "original Panoram".  Sorry, because of copyright issues I can't post the complete cartoon.  Also, it's not lost on me that this post is hard proof that I am indeed a complete nerd when it comes to this stuff. 😜 - Enjoy!

Clip of "Hillbilly Hare" starring Bugs Bunny from 1950.

Picture of "Cartoon" Panoram

Picture of an Original Panoram

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Playlist Additions: July 2024

Over the last month or so, I've added over a hundred "new" songs to The Swing City Radio rotation.  Here are some of the highlights to listen for:

Charlie Barnet

These recordings were from two separate performances on One Night Stand.  (Episodes 298 and 543)  The raw audio of these recordings were pretty bad.  I was able to clean them up and they sound much better than they did but still not the best.  Kay Starr handles the vocals on many of these and Barnet and the Boys were on the top of their game.  Great stuff.

Cab Calloway

These tracks were also sourced from a One Night Stand episode.  The performance took place in Jan of 1945, and the beautiful Dotty Saulters takes care of the female lead on some of the tracks.

Jan Savitt

A great performance from Sep of 1945.  Savitt always had a tight, disciplined band with a really good sound - but on this night, they took it up yet another notch.

Listen to: "Caprice XXIV" by Jan Savitt and His Orchestra from Sep of 1945.

Other Artists Added

This playlist addition also contained a wide range of artists including vintage tracks by: The Andrews Sisters, Billy Bishop, The Boswell Sisters, Dick Haymes, Harry Cool, Jesse Stone, Joe Reichman, Louis Prima and Tommy Dorsey.

Enjoy!

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Kay Starr

Kay Starr started her singing career at an early age.  When she was just 7 years old she won a bunch of talent contests held by a Dallas radio station. As a result, she was given a weekly 15-minute radio show where she sang country and pop tune accompanied by a piano.

At the age of 15, while living in Memphis, she was heard on the radio by Joe Venturi who needed a female vocalist for his Orchestra.  While performing with his band, Starr's parents insisted to having a midnight curfew for their daughter.

Word got around about Starr's talent and by 1939 she had recorded some sides with Bob Crosby and Glenn Miller.  She didn't really fit into Miller's band well.  She was hired as a "fill-in" for Marion Hutton who was dealing with some health issues at the time.  Starr can be heard on the Miller tunes "Baby Me" and "Love with a Capital You".  Overall, the key that Miller's band played in, didn't mesh well with Kay's vocal range.

Starr went on to finish high school and joined Wingy Manone's band in 1943.  Later in 1943, Kay moved on to Charlie Barnet's Orchestra where, in my opinion, she did some of her best work.  Barnet's music and style were a perfect match for her voice.  She also began to record as a soloist at that time as well.  Starr would go on to record with some of the bigger names of the 1940's and 50's.

Listen to: Kay Starr sing "The Best Things In Life Are Free" from Dec of 1947.

Kay had a fantastic solo career!  She had many hits and appeared on the Pop, Country and Jazz top selling charts.  She remained active in music all the way up to 2016.

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Podcast Listening Update

Hey there everyone.  Just wanted to let you know that I will no longer be posting episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast on this website.  It's become a bit of a hassle. I checked the stats and most listeners are accessing new episodes through their podcast provider, through The Big Band and Swing Podcast Website or on my Patreon Page.

Listening Options:

Listen on: The Big Band and Swing Podcast Website

Listen on my: Patreon Page

Listen with: Apple Podcasts

View more: Podcast Listening Options

In fact, if you sign up for my Patreon, new episodes will be emailed to you every week similar to the old newsletter. (In case you didn't know, I have a "Join For Free" option on my Patreon.)

Let me know if you have any issues with this or if you would like know of additional methods on how to listen to the podcast.

As always, thank you for listening!

~ Ronnaldo

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Watch: Jan Savitt and His Band

Today's video focuses on Jan Savitt and His Orchestra.  This fantastic short film was filmed in October of 1945 and released to the general public in March of 1946 by Warner Bros.

It focuses on some of the highlights of Jan Savitt's career up to that point, describes Savitt's jump from classical music into swing, and contains some great music by Savitt and his band.  You can definitely tell this was filmed by a major studio like Warner Bros. by the very good camera work and use of sets.  A big improvement over the Soundies we are used to watching here.

Enjoy!

Watch: "Jan Savitt and His Band" from 1946

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Podcast: Show 216 - Hey, Let's Go To Town

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Hey, Let's Go To Town - Show 216 - 

Features vintage music by Tony Pastor, Johnny Long and Les Elgart.  We also learn about the show "Let's Go To Town".

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Hey, Let's Go To Town (Show 216)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Soundie: "Everybody's Jumpin' Now"

Today's Soundie stars Noble Sissle and His Orchestra performing "Everybody's Jumpin' Now".  This was released to Panoram in December of 1946, which was near the end of the road for Soundies themselves.  Noble's band only had seven members, and at the time, that was considered small for an orchestra.  (That would soon change as the era came to a close.)  The director compensated for this by spreading out the members over a wide range of space to make the band look bigger.

Also featured as a dancer is Mabel Lee. Mabel Lee first appeared in Soundies as an extra in Louis Jordan's "Old Man Mose".  She eventually received more attention and soon became Soundies' own musical star. Mabel Lee ended up appearing in over a dozen Soundies, many of which, she herself, was the featured singer or dancer.

In this particular Soundie, both Sissle and Lee team up to provide so much energy.  Such a great performance.

Enjoy!

Watch: Noble Sissle and His Orchestra performing 

"Everybody's Jumpin' Now" released in 1946.

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Podcast: Show 215 - Plenty of Dance Time

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Plenty of Dance Time - Show 215 - 

Features vintage music by Raymond Scott, The Dinning Sisters and Billy May.  We learn a little bit about the show Dance Time U.S.A. and Ronnaldo reads some listener mail.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Plenty of Dance Time (Show 215)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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The Melody Hour (AFRS)

I've recently cleaned up and posted some great tracks from an AFRS show called "The Melody Hour" to the station.  I've included a brief history of show below.  Some of the artist you'll hear are Buddy Clark, Jo Stafford, Dick Haymes, The Dinning Sisters and the Mullen Sisters.  The majority of the music was supplied by Percy Faith and His Orchestra.

Listen to Swing City Radio for Buddy Clark's upbeat versions of "On A Slow Boat To China" and "Fun And Fancy Free".  Also keep an ear out for Jo Stafford and Dick Haymes teaming up on "Darn It Baby, That's Love" and "The Old Piano Roll Blues" along with a fantastic version of "Sooner Or Later" by The Dinning Sisters.

Listen to: Buddy Clark singing "On A Slow Boat To China" from 1948

"The Melody Hour" was the retitled name of NBC radio's long running series "The Carnation Contented Hour". The AFRS obtained rights to rebroadcast the program to military personnel during and after World War II.  It was a 30 minute musical show re-recorded by the Armed Forces Radio Service without commercials or sponsorship messages. During the mid 1940's until the early 1950's, this program was distributed and broadcast throughout the AFRS Network by means of radio transcription discs.

"The Carnation Contented Hour" (the original version of the series) began January 4, 1932, on the Blue Network and was broadcast for two decades until its final broadcast via CBS on December 30, 1951.

Enjoy!

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Podcast: Show 214 - Great Music For A Sad Day

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Great Music For A Sad Day - Show 214 - 

In this Memorial Day Special Ronnaldo features vintage music by Cpl Buddy Clark, Maj Glenn Miller and Tech Sgt Sy Oliver and many more.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Great Music For A Sad Day (Show 214)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Soundie: Jumpin' At The Jukebox

Today's Soundie is called "Jumpin' At The Jukebox" by Al Donahue and His Orchestra.  This catchy little song was released on December 6, 1943 to be played in Panorams all across the United States, but this was originally filmed in 1941 by a company called Phonovue Productions.  Phonovue Productions was later purchased by Soundies in 1943 and their clips were rebranded with the Soundies logo overlay to start off the film.

The vocalist is named Ellen Connor.  Connor was also the featured vocalist in another Soundie by Al Donahue called "Java Jive".

I just love the fact that the producers decided to stick Ellen into a hollowed out Panoram cabinet to sing her song.  The song is a little bit silly, but then again, most catchy songs are.  Enjoy!  

Watch: Al Donahue & His Orchestra - "Jumpin' At The Jukebox" from 1943

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Podcast: Show 213 - A Full Dress Hop At High Tide

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - A Full Dress Hop At High Tide - Show 213 - 

Features vintage music by Les Brown, Mildred Bailey and Gene Krupa.  Ronnaldo reads some listener mail.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: A Full Dress Hop At High Tide (Show 213)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Playlist Additions - May 2024

I just recently added the following to the Swing City Radio Playlist:

Songs from The Raymond Scott Show:

Various tracks from "The Raymond Scott Show" that were featured on an Voice of America Transcription series called "Music From America".  These contain some fantastic tracks by Raymond.  Listen for gems like "Mash Pash", "Mohawk Special", "Tired Little Teddy Bear" and a unique version of "Begin the Beguine".  Dorothy Collins provides the vocals on many other tracks as well.

Listen to: "Mash Pash" by Raymond Scott

Music from Dance Time U.S.A:

Dance Time U.S.A. aired over Voice Of America during the 1950's and showcased some of the biggest names in hot and sweet Jazz dance music of that time.  Keep an ear out for songs by icons like Guy Lombardo and Ray Anthony, as well as some lesser known names like Larry Faith, Henry Jerome and Oscar Dumont.  Good quality recordings of some better Swing from the 1950's.

Also added this month are some various tracks by Jack Teagarden, The Dinning Sisters, Buddy Clark and Nan Wynn.

Enjoy!

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Podcast: Show 212 - Bouncy Music and Biological Warfare

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Bouncy Music and Biological Warfare - Show 212 - 

Features vintage recordings by Harry James, Ralph Flanagan and Andy Kirk.  We also listen to select clips from a short film released in 1952 called "What You Should Know About Biological Warfare".

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Bouncy Music and Biological Warfare (Show 212)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Podcast: Show 211 - Spinach and Camels

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Spinach and Camels - Show 211 - 

Features vintage music by Skinnay Ennis, The Crew Chiefs and Louis Prima.  We also listen to a couple of Camel Cigarette Radio Ads and Ronnaldo reads some listener mail.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Spinach and Camels (Show 211)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Music from "Let's Go To Town"

This month I've added many songs to the Swing City Radio rotation from a show called "Let's Go To Town".  "Let's Go To Town" was a variety show sponsored by the U.S. National Guard, and it was used as a public relations and recruitment tool. The show had a few hosts while on the air, but the most notable was Mason Adams, who appears in the persona of "Corporal Eddie Carter" of the National Guard. Let's just say he was a very energetic fellow.

The broadcasts took place at The Armory and also included information about veterans' benefits and the advantages of joining the National Guard. It was distributed to radio stations via transcription discs and aired on radio stations in the early to mid 1950's.

Listen to: "Lean Baby" by Billy May and His Orchestra from the show "Let's Go To Town".

The show featured some great music by some of the most popular Big Band artists of the early 50's.  I was able to extract songs by Billy May, The Fabulous Dorsey Brothers, Johnny Long, Les Elgart, Ralph Flanagan, Tony Pastor and many more.  The music has been "cleaned up" and has already been added to Swing City Radio.  So keep an ear out for these fantastic performances.  I also plan on featuring some of this music on the podcast in early June.

Enjoy!

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Podcast: Show 210 - One Mint Julip at the Séance

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - One Mint Julip at the Séance - Show 210 - 

Features vintage recordings by Nan Wynn, Art Mooney and Art Kassel.  We also listen to a Soundie by Connie Haines and a Public Service Announcement by Groucho Marx.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: One Mint Julip at the Séance (Show 210)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Podcast: Show 209 - Big Band On A Budget

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Big Band On A Budget - Show 209 - 

Features vintage music by Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton and Will Osborne.  We also listen to select clips from an Educational Film released in 1950 called "Why Budget?".

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Big Band On A Budget (Show 209)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Soundie: "Here Comes the Fattest Man in Town"

Today's Soundie features the beautiful and multi-talented Gloria Parker.  This gem is called "Here Comes the Fattest Man in Town" and was filmed in 1946.  It also includes an appearance by the legendary Mel Blanc.

This is just one of a handful of great Soundies that showcases Miss Parker's many talents.  She also stars in "Broadway and Main", "Four Letters", "Penthouse Party" and "Wise Men Say".  Unlike many other Soundies, these were well produced and Parker herself composed the music and wrote the lyrics.  Her backup musicians in this performance include members of the house band from the Edison Hotel in New York.

Gloria Parker was much more than a pretty face that looked good on film.  She worked as a songwriter, bandleader, musician and actress.  A complete entertainer. She performed with her orchestras playing the marimba, piano, organ, violin, viola, vibraphone, xylophone, guitar, drums, all types of Latin percussion instruments and, of course, glass harp or what many people call "musical glasses".  Now for the record, I've seen many people "play" musical glasses in the past, but Gloria's performances are simply amazing.

Her radio program "The Gloria Parker Show", which aired from 1950 to 1957, featured her all-female "Swingphony", the largest big band led by a woman.  During her career, she also led "Gloria Parker and the Coquettes" and "Glorious Gloria Parker and Her All-Girl Rumba Orchestra." 

Enjoy!

Watch: "Here Comes the Fattest Man in Town" by Gloria Parker

Consider supporting Swing City Radio by becoming a Hepcat.  Learn more at: SupportSwing.com.

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Podcast: Show 208 - The Sun In The Morning

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - The Sun In The Morning - Show 208 - 

Features vintage recordings by Mal Hallett, George Olsen and The Boswell Sisters.  We also listen to a Soundie by Larry Clinton and Ronnaldo answers Listener Mail.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: The Sun In The Morning (Show 208)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Sy Oliver

Sy Oliver led a very good orchestra of his own but is most known for his work with the bands of Jimmie Lunceford and Tommy Dorsey.  He was a very skilled trumpeter, arranger and composer, as well as a decent singer.

Oliver got his start with the famed "territory band", Zack Whyte and his Chocolate Beau Brummels, at the age of 17.  He quickly made a name for himself with his trumpet but also gain a lot of arranging experience with them. 

In 1933, Oliver joined Jimmie Lunceford's band and recorded with them for over six years.  His arrangements for Lunceford were top shelf and really helped that band become such an influence on the era.  

In 1939, Tommy Dorsey lured Oliver away from Lunceford by offering him a very nice salary at the time.  Oliver's influence helped lead the transition of Dorsey's band from a Dixieland flavor to a more popular swinging sound. His arrangements of "On the Sunny Side of the Street",   "Yes, Indeed!", "Opus One" and "Well, Git It" are great examples of what Oliver added to Dorsey's rise in popularity in the 1940's.

Listen to: "Opus One" by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra 

written and arranged Sy Oliver from 1943.

Sy Oliver stayed with Dorsey for about seven years and then moved on to work as a freelance arranger and eventually led his own band full time.

You can hear the music of Sy Oliver right here on Swing City Radio.

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Podcast: Show 207 - Why?

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Why? - Show 207 - 

Features vintage music by Jan Savitt, Sister Rosetta Sharpe and Artie Shaw.  We listen to clips from a 1951 Educational Film called "Answering The Child's Why" and we also hear a Soundie by The Four Ginger Snaps.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Why? (Show 207)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Podcast: Show 206 - Louise The Chatterbox

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Louise The Chatterbox - Show 206 - 

Features vintage recordings by Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington and Red Norvo.  We also learn a little about Oscar DuMont's Orchestra and Ronnaldo answers Listener Mail.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Louise The Chatterbox (Show 206)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Soundie: "Count Me Out"

Today's Soundie features trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen joined by J.C Higginbotham (trombone) performing "Count Me Out".  This was released to Panoram viewers in June of 1946.  Other notable names in this Soundie are bassist Benny Moten and Alvin Burroughs on drums.

Prior to leading this talented band, Henry "Red" Allen had played in the orchestras of Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman and Eddie Condon.  This clip really captures the energy he brought to his performances and it also showcases some terrific dancing.

Enjoy!

Watch: "Count Me Out" by Henry "Red" Allen from 1946

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Podcast: Show 205 - All I Desire Is Good Skin Care

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - All I Desire Is Good Skin Care - Show 205 - 

Features vintage music by Woody Herman, Raymond Scott and Freddy Martin.  Ronnaldo also talks a little bit about an old show called "Call For Music".

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: All I Desire Is Good Skin Care (Show 205)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Snader Telescription: "I May Be Wrong"

Today's Snader is "I May Be Wrong" featuring the beautiful vocals of Peggy Lee with music by Dave Barbour and His Quartet.  This is one of 10 Snader Telescriptions that Peggy Lee recorded in the early 1950's.

This song and clip is simply fantastic.  The most impressive part may be Dave Barbour's guitar solo while Peggy sews a button on his collar.  They were still married at this point and their chemistry really shines through.

Enjoy!

Watch: "I May Be Wrong" by Peggy Lee and the Dave Barbour Quartet

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Podcast: Show 204 - Going Bananas For a Ventriloquist

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Going Bananas For a Ventriloquist - Show 204 - 

Features vintage recordings by Glenn Miller, Charlie Spivak and Jimmie Lunceford.  We also learn a little about "The Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show" and listen to some musical performances from that series.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Going Bananas For a Ventriloquist (Show 204)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Podcast: Show 203 - Vitamins and a Cowgirl

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Vitamins and a Cowgirl - Show 203 - 

Features vintage music by Marion Hutton, Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington.  Ronnaldo answers listener mail and also talks a little bit about Dale Evans.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Vitamins and a Cowgirl (Show 203)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Watch: Stan Kenton and Anita O'Day from 1944

Today's film clip features Stan Kenton and His Orchestra along with Anita O'Day performing the songs "I'm Going Mad For A Pad" and "Memphis Lament".  This excerpt is from a Film Short put out by Universal Pictures called "Artistry in Rhythm".  The whole film is about 16 minutes in length and was released on May 1, 1944.

In my opinion, Anita O'Day steals the spotlight with her performance of "I'm Going Mad For A Pad".  Even though I still think June Christy was the best fit, vocals wise, for Kenton's band - Anita O'day did some stellar work during her time with Stan and His Orchestra.

The film and audio quality of this clip is a little jumpy at the beginning but gets better as it goes along.

Enjoy!

Watch: Stan Kenton and Anita O'Day - "I'm Going Mad For A Pad" and "Memphis Lament"

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Podcast: Show 202 - Still Getting a Thrill

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Still Getting a Thrill - Show 202 - 

Features vintage recordings by The Crew Chiefs, Freddie Slack and Stan Kenton.  We also listen to a Soundie by vocalist Vera Barton and a PSA about Tire Rationing.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Still Getting a Thrill (Show 202)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Added Some More Shellac to YouTube (Mar 2024)

Last week I added some more of my 78rpms to the Youtube Channel.  Most of these came out sounding pretty good.  You should have seen the original condition some of these were in.  It's amazing that some of these sound as good as they do.

Included are tracks by Billy Butterfield, Van Alexander, Vaughn Monroe, Mal Hallett and Glenn Miller.  I really LOVE the Van Alexender version of "The Jumpin' Jive" which I included with this post.  It was released on the Bluebird Label in 1939.  There is some surface noise when at the beginning which I couldn't get rid of but overall it's pretty good quality.

You can listen to all of these on YouTube at: Ronnaldo's 78rpm Collection

Enjoy!

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Podcast: Show 201 - Sweetie In The Newsreel

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Sweetie In The Newsreel - Show 201 - 

Features vintage music by The Andrews Sisters, Vaughn Monroe and Harry James.  Ronnaldo also talks a little bit about Alvino Rey.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Sweetie In The Newsreel (Show 201)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Mal Hallett

Violinist, Mal Hallett, trained and educated at the Boston Conservatory of Music.  During World War I, Mal joined Al Moore's band and spent time in France entertaining the troops.

In the 1930's, Hallett would go on to lead his own band.  His orchestra spent most of its time in the New England area but enjoyed a very nice level of success for a regional band.

When the Swing Era hit, Hallett was a bit older than most of the other swing leaders, and it's said that he sometimes had trouble connecting with the younger fans.  It's also important to add that Hallett battled alcoholism throughout his career and the illness caused him to suffer an injury that prevented him from continuing to play the violin.

Hallett passed away in 1952, but he managed to leave behind a very strong catalog of Big Band music.  His band will also be remembered for the amount of sidemen and vocalists that would go on to make an impact on the era including:  Gene Krupa, Jack Teagarden, Frankie Carle, Jack Jenney, Toots Mondello, Irene Daye and many others.  Let's just say that band was quite stacked with talent.

Unfortunately, I have only stumbled upon a handful of Radio Broadcasts and Transcriptions featuring Mal Hallett.  As I find more, I'll be sure to add them to Swing City Radio and play them on the podcast.

Listen to: "Let's Get Lost" by Mal Hallett and His Orchestra from 1942

You can hear the music of Mal Hallett right here on Swing City Radio.

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Podcast: Show 200 - A Double Dose Of Duz

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - A Double Dose Of Duz - Show 200 - 

Features vintage recordings by Erskine Butterfield, Benny Goodman and Sammy Kaye.  We also celebrate the Podcast's 200th Weekly Episode.

* The musical performances and recordings featured in this podcast are in the Public Domain.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: A Double Dose Of Duz (Show 200)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Podcast Update: Spotify

Hey everyone!  This message is for those of you that listen to The "Big Band and Swing Podcast" with Spotify. Unfortunately, the podcast will no longer be carried on the platform.  

A few listeners have already reached out to me via email asking what other platforms the podcast is on so they can continue to listen.  The good news is that "The Big Band and Swing Podcast" is on nearly every large podcast platform (and many, many small platforms) and can be accessed through their apps.

Here just a small list of Podcast platforms you can listen on:

Apple Podcasts

Podbean

Amazon Music

Antenna Pod

Castbox

Deezer

Google Podcasts

iHeartRadio

iVoox

Listen Notes

Podchaser

Podcast Addict

Podfriend

and MANY, MANY, more.

You can always listen to it on the webpage I've set up specifically for the podcast at: https://podcast.swingcityradio.com/.

Or you can join my Patreon Page at SupportSwing.com and receive all new episodes via email every release day.

Let me know if you have any questions and sorry for the confusion. Most importantly, keep listening! :)

~ Ronnaldo 

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Podcast: Show 199 - A Holiday For The Low, Short and Squatty

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - A Holiday For The Low, Short and Squatty - Show 199 - 

Features music by Jan Garber, Ray McKinley, Woody Herman and more.  We also listen to a catchy little jingle from Falstaff Beer.

* All music in this podcast are Creative Commons.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: A Holiday For The Low, Short and Squatty (Show 199)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Added To The Playlist - Feb 2024

Hey there everyone.  I finally got my computer and studio up and running again! That means I've returned to the dusty archives of Old Time Radio Broadcasts looking for songs to play for you on Swing City Radio and the podcast.

Here's a breakdown of what was recently added to Swing City Radio:

Alvino Rey and The King Sisters

"At Ease" (AFRS) - Date Unknown

This includes some very interesting music from an AFRS Show called "At Ease".  "At Ease" usually featured tracks that I consider a little "too soft" for the format.  But, this particular episode featured Alvino Rey leading the AFRS Orchestra and he brought The King Sisters along with him.  Keep an ear out for "Who's Sorry Now / Stardust" which contains some beautiful guitar work by Alvino and "I Surrender Dear" by The King Sisters.  (I included "I Surrender Dear" in this post.)  Looks like I'll be spending more time scanning through those "At Ease" programs looking for more gems like this one.

Listen to: "I Surrender Dear" by The King Sisters and Alvino Rey

Artie Shaw

"Victory Parade of Spotlight Bands" (AFRS) - Sep 26, 1945 - Camp San Luis Obispo, CA

Artie Shaw and His Orchestra were in fine form on this night. "Jumping On The Merry-Go-Round" and "Hop, Skip and Jump" are just a couple of the tracks added to the rotation.

Benny Goodman

One Night Stand (AFRS) - Mar 22, 1949 - Los Angeles

This performance was recorded late in the 1940's and his orchestra did not have the huge names that were featured in the late 30's and earlier part of the decade.  But, Benny Goodman and His Orchestra put together a very strong performance.  Songs include: "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm", "Undercurrent Blues" and "Don't Worry 'Bout Me". I also added a great version of "Blue Lou" by The Goodman Sextet. 

~ Ronnaldo

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Erskine Butterfield

Erskine Butterfield got his start in the 1930's playing piano for Noble Sissle and his Orchestra.  In 1937, Butterfield formed a band of his own and started to record for the Variety record label.  By 1938, he made the jump to Decca Records where he recorded over forty titles.  During the 1940's his band was known as "Erskine Butterfield and his Blue Boys".

Butterfield was drafted into the military in 1943.  He continued to play music during World War II and was even featured on a couple of V-Discs.  After World War II, Butterfield formed a trio and toured extensively, but his music didn't have the same amount of commercial appeal as it did in the past.

During his career, Butterfield made many appearances on The Nat King Cole Show, The Tony Martin Program and The Jo Stafford Show.

Listen to: "The Boogie Beat'll Get You" by Erskine Butterfield from 1944

You can hear the music of Erskine Butterfield right here on Swing City Radio.

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Podcast: Show 198 - A Dozen Roses For You

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - A Dozen Roses For You - Show 198 - 

Features vintage recordings by Johnny Long, Artie Shaw and Glenn Miller. Ronnaldo also plays a Snader Telescription by The Dinning Sisters.

* All music in this podcast are Creative Commons.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: A Dozen Roses For You (Show 198)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Soundie: Eager Beaver - Stan Kenton

Today's Soundie is "Eager Beaver" by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra.  This was filmed on a stage set in 1945 and also features the dancing of Jean Ivory (Pictured Below).  This is just one of eighteen Soundies that featured Stan Kenton.

I've always enjoyed watching Stan at work.  His passion for the music and his musical leadership really comes through on film. Plus, it's also great to see Ray Wetzel, Freddie Zito, Boots Mussulli and the other boys of Kenton's talented band in action. Enjoy!

Watch: "Eager Beaver" by Stan Kenton from 1945

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Podcast: Show 197 - A Jitterbug Meets A Flu Bug

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - A Jitterbug Meets A Flu Bug - Show 197 - 

Features music by Glen Gray, Alvino Rey, Ray Anthony and more.  Ronnaldo is battling the flu and also plays a Ted Heath track for a listener. 

* All music in this podcast are Creative Commons.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: A Jitterbug Meets A Flu Bug (Show 197)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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Podcast: Show 196 - Globetrotters and Showstoppers

The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Globetrotters and Showstoppers - Show 196 - 

Features vintage recordings by Benny Carter, Ziggy Elman and Hal McIntyre.  We also listen to a PSA about Gas and Sugar Rationing.

* All music in this podcast are Creative Commons.  Artists are credited within the podcast.

Listen to: Globetrotters and Showstoppers (Show196)

Listen to more episodes of The Big Band and Swing Podcast at: BigBandPodcast.com

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