Big Band Bash

Latest Episodes:

Louise Tobin - A 100th Birthday Celebration Mar 02, 2019

Show notes

My thanks go out to listener Karl Wingruber for his suggestion to do a show on Louise Tobin since she turned 100 years old back in November. I tracked down as many of her recordings as I could find and had fun doing it. She sang with Benny Goodman in 1939 and also with Will Bradley and various other bands. While married to Harry James she brought Frank Sinatra to his attention whom James eventually hired. I hope you enjoy the show as we have some recordings, interview segments and a couple of airchecks. Happy 100th birthday Louise. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

1938 Carnegie Hall Concert Part 2 Jan 26, 2019

Show notes

Every year at this time I like to play some of the recordings from the Benny Goodman 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert. This was an important concert because it was the first time a jazz or swing band appeared there. I have done shows in the past but the concert was a couple of hours long so I always had to leave some songs out. Today's show features some of the songs I left out. Since I prepared this show for our local NPR station I had access to some of their snippets. So the first cut is a five minute snippet from last year and later on I have a longer cut that features the concerts climax Sing, Sing, Sing. There is some exciting listening ahead on this week's Big Band Bash. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Harry James 1971 Jan 19, 2019

Show notes

David Goldin established Radio Yesteryear in 1965 as a mail order company offering tapes of classic radio broadcasts to collectors. In 1970, after much success in packaging these materials for release by other record labels, he created Radiola Records as the first label devoted to reissuing radio broadcasts. Radiola, and its sister label Sandy Hook Records, went on to issue more than 300 releases on vinyl (and later cassettes and compact discs as well). These releases covered a wide range of content first broadcast during the Golden Age of Radio, from spoken word drama and comedy, to variety and music programming. Continuing with part two of Harry James, I am going to present Harry James 1971. This was a live broadcast issued on the Sandy Hook label in 1984 thus the reason for the short history. It is a great concert and I hope you enjoy the music from Harry James and his Music Makers 1971. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Harry James Uncollected 1943-1946 Jan 12, 2019

Show notes

When Wally Heider the recording engineer, learned that the Big Bands had made recordings specifically for use on radio broadcast only-and that these recordings had never been commercially released-he made it his business to track them down. It took him years, as part of his quest included getting permission from the band leaders or their heirs to release the recordings, he finally amassed a superb collection. He started a company called Hindsight records and today we will be presenting one of these recordings that I have in my collection. It is called "Harry James Uncollected 1943-1946". These are all live recordings and they have good sound quality with some great music. I hope you enjoy these recordings from Harry James. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Focus On The Small Groups Jan 05, 2019

Show notes

One aspect of the big bands that we are going to explore on this week's show is the small groups. They could be any size from a trio to a sextet. Each band seemed to have a featured small band and some of them had colorful names. We'll be hearing from groups such as the Gramercy Five, the Clambake Seven, the Bobcats, the Woodchoppers and others. There is some great music on today's program and I hope you enjoy this look at some of the different combos that were part of the Big Bands. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Gene Krupa Revistited Dec 29, 2018

Show notes

The year was 1973. I was starting my senior year of high school when I tuned into the nightly jazz program on a local AM radio station. The host had just anounced that jazz drummer Gene Krupa had passed away and that he would be playing Krupa recordings for his entire show in memory of Gene. Luckily, I had a tape recorder and I taped the show so I could listen to those great sides. That was my introduction to the music of the Krupa band. I had several Benny Goodman albums where Gene was a sideman but today we are going to explore the sides where Gene is leading his own band. We'll start with some of Gene's early recordings from 1938 and then play some of those great sides with Anita O'Day. I hope you enjoy this look at the great band of Gene Krupa. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

A Fireside Big Band Christmas Part 2 Dec 22, 2018

Show notes

Happy Holidays everyone as we continue this week with "A Fireside Big Band Christmas Part 2." As in Part One, I tried to present holiday songs from the 1930's and 40's. There are many of your holiday favorites on the show along with this week's Big Band Puzzler. So from all of us here at KTXK Radio in Texarkana, Texas I want to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

A Fireside Big Band Christmas Part 1 Dec 15, 2018

Show notes

This week on the show, I invite you to come in out of the cold and pull up a seat next to me over here by the fireplace as we enjoy some 1940's holiday favorites. This is part one of a show I call A Fireside Big Band Christmas. I tried to play many of the holiday songs from the 1930's and 40's as I could find. Many of your favorite bands are on the show today as we get into the holiday season. And, as always, the Big Band Puzzler is back this week. So I hope you will join me and maybe get a snack or two and your favorite beverage and warm yourselves as we settle in and listen to some great holiday classics. To everyone I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Years. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Sounds Of The Swinging Years Nov 24, 2018

Show notes

This week's show is a special program that I've had in my collection for many years. I played it on Big Band Bash a long time ago and I thought I would play it again this week. I don't have the exact date on when this show was produced or aired but it is called "Sounds of the Swinging Years." It was hosted by Ronald Reagan a long time before he became president. He explains about the swing bands and we'll also hear some live performances from Gene Krupa, Tommy Dorsey, Bob Crosby, Woody Herman and Count Basie. So get ready to hear some music from "Sounds of the Swinging Years." Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Part 5: The Trombone Playing Bandleaders Nov 17, 2018

Show notes

This is the last part of my series on bandleaders who played the same instrument. Today we wind up with the trombonists and these were some of the most popular bands. We'll be hearing from Tommy Dorsey, Jack Teagarden, Glenn Miller, Buddy Morrow, Will Bradley and a few others. It is a good program with some toe-tapping music. I hope you enjoy this program especially if you are a fan of the trombone. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

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