Contrary to popular belief, the Big Band Era didn’t end in the 1950s when the popularity for the form diminished in sales. Big bands have continued throughout time and still exist today. One of the premier big bands of the mid-to-late 1970s was the Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band. The group released a clutch of […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Swinging On A Star” by Bing Crosby
This Academy Award winner for Best Original Song was composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke for the 1944 film “Going My Way” in which Bing Crosby plays a priest. The song’s genesis came out of a meeting at Crosby’s house between him and Van Heusen to discuss music for the film. Crosby son […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Seven Come Eleven” by Charlie Christian w/ The Benny Goodman Sextet
The world of music is scattered with “what ifs,” such as “What if Waylon Jennings didn’t give his seat up to Buddy Holly on the ill-fated flight that took his life?,” or “What if John Lennon hadn’t been murdered…would there have been a Beatles reunion?” One of the more intriguing what-ifs in my book is […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Get Happy” by Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
This gem comes from relatively early in Benny Goodman’s career. He had only begun leading a big band a year or two earlier and he was beginning to make a name for himself and feel his first brushes with success while performing at and broadcasting from the Palomar Ballroom in Hollywood on the “Let’s Dance” […]
Song Of The Day – “Everybody Step” by Chick Webb & His Orchestra featuring Ella Fitzgerald
Chick Webb was known as “The King of the Savoy” where he and his orchestra would regularly win battles of music against the other leading big bands of the day including Benny Goodman. He stood tall amongst big band drummers even though his diminutive frame was only a tad over four feet tall. Can you […]
Song of the Day by Eric Berman – “She’s A Great, Great Girl” by Roger Wolfe Kahn & His Orchestra with Jack Teagarden
Singer, trombonist, Jack Teagarden, came from a musical family. His mother taught piano, his father was an amateur trumpeter and his siblings were also professional musicians. “The Big T” sang like he played trombone very lyrically and infused with the blues. During the 1920s he collaborated with the cream of the Jazz crop including Bix […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Clink! Clink! Another Drink” by Spike Jones and his City Slickers
Spike Jones and His City Slickers were among the many performers showcased in “Soundies,” short musical films designed to be played in special jukeboxes. In “Clink! Clink! Another Drink” (1942), Del Porter leads the chorus and there’s a featured vocal by Mel Blanc, the voice of many legendary cartoon characters (including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Sabre Dance” by Woody Herman & His Second Herd
Everyone knows this catchy tune composed in 1942 by Aram Khachaturian for his ballet “Gayane.” Although, you’ve probably never heard this song within the context of the ballet, but, more appropriately, as background music to some zany competition on a 1960s game show. This recording is from 1948 performed by big band leader, clarinetist, saxophonist […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Sax-O-Phun” by George Olsen And His Music
During the Jazz age of the mid-1920s, the dance band leader as personality came into vogue with Paul Whiteman, Art Hickman and George Olsen at the forefront of the trend. Their music was closely tied to that of the stage with lots of Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers and […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Beware Brother Beware” by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five
Some stone cold advice from Mr. Jordan and company waxed back in 1946. That’s Wild Bill Davis on the piano and, of course, Jordan himself on the vocals and the alto saxophone. When it came to big band, jump blues, jazz and boogie woogie, Jordan was top of the heap ranking just behind Duke Ellington […]
