Big Band Bash

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June Christy Revisited Aug 03, 2019

Show notes

June Christy passed away on June 21, 1990. Since I didn't have a chance to remember her passing at that time I would like to do that on the today's program. I titled the program today, "June Christy Revisited" because I have already dedicated a show to her in the past. I thought we would play a few of those great Kenton sides and a few songs from the forties that she recorded on her own. We'll also take a look at her career plus the Big Band Puzzler is back this week. Please join me as we remember the late June Christy on her passing. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Big Band Alphabet Jul 27, 2019

Show notes

For a change of pace on this week's show, I'll be presenting a show I did about ten years ago called Big Band Alphabet. We'll be listening to song titles starting with the letter "A" and going to "Q" as I didn't have time to go all the way to "Z". It is a mixed and varied show and I hope I play a song or two from your favorite leaders from the Big Band era. I put together another show on our radio station that airs Saturday afternoons so sometimes I don't always have time to put together a new show for Big Band Bash. Thankfully I have the BBB vault to fall back on. This show is numbered #184 and currently we are on #449 so it is about ten years old. I hope you enjoy the Big Band Alphabet. Thanks so much for listening. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Big Band Jazz: From the Beginnings to the Fifties Part 2 Jul 20, 2019

Show notes

Last week on Big Band Bash, I started a two part series from a set from Smithsonian Collections called Big Band Jazz: From the Beginnings to the Fifties. This was a six vinyl album set or a 4 CD set produced by jazz critics and historians Martin Williams and Gunther Schuller. It is not available anymore which is why I wanted to play some of the recordings from this set. Today we will continue with music from CDs three and four. This is a varied show so I hope I play something by one of your favorites. Also, the Big Band Bash Puzzler is back. I hope you'll tune in or download the podcast. Thanks so much for listening. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Big Band Jazz: From the Beginnings to the Fifties Part 1 Jul 13, 2019

Show notes

Today we start a two part series that was put together from Smithsonian Collections. This set is no longer available but it is called Big Band Jazz: From the Beginnings to the Fifties. It was originally released as a six vinyl album set and then re-released on 4 CDs. In 1973, Smithsonian Collections released "The History of Classic Jazz". Compiled by jazz essayist and historian Martin Williams, the album featured tracks from over a dozen record labels spanning several decades and genres of American jazz, from ragtime and big band to post-bop and free jazz. But there was a flaw in this set, there wasn't any big band recordings. So to fix this, another set was released compiled by Martin Williams and Gunther Schuller that featured the Big Bands. This week I'll be playing selections from CDs one and two. There is some great music in this set and I hope you enjoy the selections. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Trigger Alpert - A Tribute Jul 06, 2019

Show notes

This episode of Big Band Bash comes from the BBB vault. Originally produced and broadcast in 2014, this show was a tribute to the late Trigger Alpert who had passed away in Dec 2013. Trigger was an outstanding bassist who played with the Glenn Miller civilian orchestra as well as the Army Air Force Orchestra. Since Trigger did not record much under his own name, I have brought together many of the songs he was listed on when he was a member of Glenn Miller's band. I hope to have some new shows in a couple of weeks but until then I hope you enjoy this encore presentation of Big Band Bash. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

July Fourth with Glenn Miller's AAF Orchestra Jun 29, 2019

Show notes

This coming Thursday is the Fourth of July which for us in the United States is celebrated as a day of independence. I don't have a lot of patriotic songs in my collection that I haven't presented at one time or another. So to celebrate July 4th I thought I would present some radio programs that Major Glenn Miller was in charge of. They are called "I Sustain The Wings" and were broadcast in 1944 in the latter part of World War II. The first two are about 15 minutes in length and the last one is about 26 minutes. There are some Miller favorites in the mix and Glenn, himself, does the announcing. I hope you have a safe and happy July 4th this Thursday as we celebrate Independence day. I even threw in a few facts about why we celebrate independence on July 4th. I hope you enjoy the music. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

The Big Bands Play Cole Porter Jun 22, 2019

Show notes

I am a great fan of the songs and music that comprise the Great American Songbook and I hope you, the listeners, are too. Rodgers, Kern, Berlin, Mercer, Ellington and Porter wrote some of the most endearing songs that make me want to hear them time and again. About a year ago I did a show called the Big Bands play Richard Rodgers. On the show today I have pulled out some of those classic melodies written by Cole Porter. He led a very interesting life and composed some timeless songs until tragedy struck. I'll tell you a little bit about his life as we listen to different big bands play his music. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

We Remember Duke Jun 15, 2019

Show notes

Duke Ellington is one of my favorite composers, bandleaders and jazz icons. I have been collecting Ellington music for a long while first on vinyl albums then on cd's and now mp3s. Since I have a pretty extensive collection I can share his music with my listeners. Duke passed away on May 24th 1974 so I am a few weeks late with this program. I always like to remember Duke either on his birthday or on the day of his passing. To remember Duke I picked the year of 1940 to focus on. It was a very creative period for Duke as he composed and recorded quite a few of his hits. I hope you enjoy the music of Duke Ellington from the year of 1940 as we remember him on the anniversary of his passing. Thank you for listening. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

We Remember Doris Part 2 Jun 08, 2019

Show notes

For part two of our Doris Day tribute, I am going to wind up with some of the great Les Brown recordings and then play a few of her own recordings and then wind up with a radio remote from 09-20-1945 on the One Night Stand program. It is a program featuring Les Brown with Doris Day on the vocals. Doris is featured on two or three numbers and Brown band is in top form. I didn't do much announcing on this show since on last week's show I did a lot while talking about Doris' career. The Big Band Bash puzzler is back this week but I think it is an easy one. I hope you'll tune in as we present "We Remember Doris Part 2". Thank you for listening. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

We Remember Doris Part 1 Jun 01, 2019

Show notes

Doris Day - whenever I hear her name I think of the many movies she starred in. But she was a very gifted vocalist whose first hits were made while she was a member of the Les Brown Orchestra. We lost Doris a few weeks ago, she was 97 years old. But thankfully we have the many recordings she made throughout her career. On this program, part one of two, I'll be featuring many of the songs that Doris recorded with the Band of Renown. We'll also take a look at her career from her youth in Cincinnati,Ohio up to her last roles. I hope you'll join me as we listen to those great recordings she made as we remember the late Doris Day. Thank you for listening. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

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