Big Band Bash

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The Big Bands Play Richard Rodgers Jun 16, 2018

Show notes

Richard Rodgers was an American composer of music, with over 900 songs and 43 Broadway musicals, leaving a legacy as one of the most significant composers of 20th century American music. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II. His music has been recorded by many different artists throughout the last century and into this one. On the show today, I thought it would be fun to listen to the great big bands interpret the music of Richard Rodgers. He is truly a giant of the Great American Songbook. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Chick and Ella Jun 09, 2018

Show notes

In 1934 the Chick Webb orchestra was looking for a new singer. They hired a very young girl who had no big band singing experience. She developed into one of the greatest jazz singers in the world. On the show today I am going to be playing from a Mosaic records collection that feature all the recordings that Ella Fitzgerald made with the Chick Webb orchestra from 1934 to 1941. This is a fabulous collection and consists of 8 cds. I picked a sample of the selections from that set for the show today. I hope you enjoy this look at Ella Fitzgerald singing with the Chick Webb orchestra. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Covers Jun 02, 2018

Show notes

When a band records a song that was made popular by another band the second band is said to be covering that song by the first band. For example when Benny Goodman recorded Frenesi that is a cover since it was a hit by Artie Shaw. Covers were very common in the big band years and I pulled out several that I found in my collection. There were many more available but I think you'll find it interesting to hear your favorite song done in a different way than the original. We'll be hearing from Kay Kyser, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and many more. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

Will Bradley and His Orchestra May 12, 2018

Show notes

Will Bradley along with drummer Ray McKinley led a very exciting band from 1939 to 1942. The Bradley band became well known for boogie-woogie, particularly its hit record, "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar" In 1942, McKinley departed to form his own band. Bradley hired trumpeter Shorty Rogers and drummer Shelly Manne, but many members wound up in the military due to the draft, and the band dissolved. On today's program we will take a look at and listen to many of those great Bradley recordings. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

They All Played Ellington May 05, 2018

Show notes

April 29, 1899 was the birthday of the pianist, composer and big band leader Duke Ellington. I've gone back into the Big Band Bash vault and pulled out a program featuring other bands playing Duke's music in honor of his birthday. It is interesting to hear songs that Ellington composed played by other bands. I produced this program about six years ago and haven't listened to it since then. I hope you enjoy this program of Ellington music as we celebrate Duke Ellington's birthday. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

"The Postwar Years" Time Life - The Swing Era Part 2 Apr 28, 2018

Show notes

This week's show is part two of the Time-Life Swing Era set, "The Postwar Years". We are winding down this great set as there are only a few more volumes in the series. On the show today we will be hearing the bands of Woody Herman, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Nat King Cole and others. After World War Two ended the big bands became less popular and vocalists seemed to gain in popularity. I hope you enjoy the music in this set and don't forget, The Big Band Bansh Puzzler is back this week. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

"The Postwar Years" Time Life - The Swing Era Part 1 Apr 21, 2018

Show notes

This week I am going back to another set in the Time Life series "The Swing Era". Today's show is called "The Postwar Years" and features songs from the years after World War II. There are only a couple more volumes in this set and the producers of the series stopped using individual years and lumped several years together. So today, we'll be hearing from the bands of Tommy Dorsey, Stan Kenton, Les Brown, Lionel Hampton, Woody Herman, and Harry James and several others. There are some great songs in this set so let's go back to the years right after World War II and hear some exciting music from the big bands. As always I am following the playlist from the original set and playing the original artists instead of the recreations. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

A Doris Day 96th Birthday Salute Apr 14, 2018

Show notes

One of the most popular songs from the 1940's was Sentimental Journey. The band that recorded it was Les Brown's and the vocalist was a young Doris Day. Doris recently celebrated her 96th birthday. In order to celebrate her birthday I referenced a box set that I have called "Doris Day 1947-1950". Included in this set are many of the recordings she made for Columbia records when she was starting out as a solo performer. Many of these recordings have string accompaniment backgrounds so I hope you'll excuse the lack of a big band. Also, these are all songs from the great American Songbook and in between the selections we'll be learning about the career of Miss Doris Day. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

A Salute to Peggy Lee Apr 06, 2018

Show notes

The first song I ever heard Miss Peggy Lee sing with a big band was "Why Don't You Do Right" when I was back in college. I have been trying to do right ever since by listening to as much of her music as I could. I haven't produced a show on Peggy Lee so I wanted to go back and listen to some of those great recordings she made with Benny Goodman's band and on her own. She had a very long career so the show today features songs she recorded in the 1940's. I hope you enjoy this look at the career and music of Miss Peggy Lee. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

We Remember Erskine Hawkins Mar 31, 2018

Show notes

Our show this week is a look at bandleader Erskine Hawkins. He is mostly known as the composer of the hit Tuxedo Junction. But in addition to composing, he was a fine trumpet player and a well liked and respected bandleader. Some of the band's hits include Tippin' In, After Hours and Bicycle Bounce. His nickname was "The 20th Century Gabriel" which some of the music critics of the day did not like. Hawkins died at his home in New Jersey in 1993 and is buried in Birmingham's Elmwood Cemetery. I hope you enjoy this look at the great band of Erskine Hawkins. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

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