Shows
Jazz FocusBuddy DeFranco Quartet 1954Recordings for Verve with DeFranco, Sonny Clark, Gene Wright and Bobby White. Terrific swing to bop standards and originals.
2025-04-281h 01Jazz FocusShow - Red Allen and the small groups . .1934-39New Orleans trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen featured with Buster Bailey's Chocolate Dandies (with Benny Carter, J.C. Higginbotham, Danny Barker, Walter Johnson), Benny Morton and His Orchestra (Jerry Blake, Ed Inge, Teddy McRae), Jimmy (James P.) Johnson and His Orchestra (Higginbotham, Gene Sedric, Sid Catlett, Pops Foster) and Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra (Higginbotham, Charlie Christian, Clyde Hart, Earl Bostic)
2025-04-2857 minJazz FocusPutney Dandridge with Red AllenGreat 1935-36 sessions for Vocalion featuring the singer and entertainer with a band led by the New Orleans trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen - also featuring Buster Bailey, Joe Marsala, Teddy Wilson, James Sherman, Clyde Hart, Eddie Condon, Wilson Myers, John Kirby and Cozy Cole
2025-04-221h 01Jazz FocusShow- Artie Shaw and His Gramercy FiveSuperb chamber jazz featuring Shaw on clarinet with either Billy Butterfield or Roy Eldridge on trumpets, Johnny Guarnieri on harpischord (!), Dodo Marmarosa on piano, Al Hendrickson or Barney Kessel on guitar, Jud DeNaut or Morrie Rayman on bass, Morey Feld or Lou Fromm on durms. Two bonus (live) tracks with Shaw soloing with Count Basie's band and rhythm section
2025-04-2258 minJazz FocusWilbur DeParis' New New Orleans Jazz 1950, 51The early version of the DeParis Brothers' band live from Jimmy Ryan's and featuring Wilbur on trombone, Sidney on trumpet, Omer Simeon on clarinet, Don Kirkpatrick and Norman Lester on piano, Eddie Gibbs and Danny Barker on banjo and Freddie Moore on drums.
2025-04-181h 09Jazz FocusShow - Roy Eldridge and His Orchestra 1944-46Excellent big band led by trumpeter Eldridge in the middle 1940's before and after his tenure with Artie Shaw. Arrangements by Elton Hill, Buster Harding and others featuring him with Sandy Williams on trombone, Porter Kilbert, Joe Eldridge and Edmond Gregory (Sahib Shihab) on alto, Franz Jackson and Tom Archia on tenors, Duke Jordan on piano, Sam Allen on guitar, Cozy Cole on drums and others
2025-04-1854 minJazz FocusBebop Clarinet - Stan Hasselgard 1947-8A protege of Benny Goodman's at the end of his life, Hasselgard had a short but eventful career. After coming to the US in 1946 or so, he played with many big names, including Teddy Wilson, Red Norvo, Barbara Carroll, Barney Kessel, Wardell Gray and Goodman himself. These are three sessions issued under Hasselgard's name as well as four airchecks from the Click with the Benny Goodman Septet.
2025-04-071h 03Jazz FocusShow - Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra 1941-43Millinder went from fronting the Mills Blue Rhythm Band in the 1930's to leading his own, more blues-based group in the 1940's and 50's. This first edition recorded for Decca and included musicians like Stafford Simon and Sam "The Man" Taylor on tenors, Ernest Purce on baritone, Tab Smith and Ted Barnett on altos with a cameo from Buster Bailey on clarinet. Trumpets included William "Chiefie" Scott, Archie Johnston and modernists Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Guy and Freddie Webster along with Bill Doggett on piano, George Duvivier or Abe Bolar on bass and Panama Francis on drums. The real star was...2025-04-0756 minJazz FocusRed Allen and the blues singers of the 1930'sThe great New Orleans trumpeter Allen accompanies singers for Decca and Vocalion - Victoria Spivey, Rosetta Howard, Trixie Smith, Blue Lu Barker and the remarkable Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon . . also featuring Lil Armstrong, Ulysses Livingston, Sammy Price, Wellman Braud, Sid Catlett, Barney Bigard, Rupert Cole, Albert Nicholas, Charlie Holmes, Luis Russell and Pops Foster.
2025-03-311h 02Jazz FocusShow- Peanuts Hucko on V Disc, 1947-48Great series of V-Disc sessions featuring the clarinetist Hucko as leader (with Lou Stein, Mundell Lowe, Jack Lesberg, Dave Tough, Bobby Hackett, Cliff Strickland and Fred Ohms) and with Joe Bushkin (with Liza Morrow, Buck Clayton, Roy Eldridge, Ernie Caceres, Morey Feld, Ohms) and Johnny Blowers (with Chris Griffin, Bill Stegmeyer, Herb Winfield, Dave Bowman)
2025-03-3157 minJazz FocusThe Jazzworthy Glenn Miller - live, 1938-41Great performances taken from radio broadcasts, live dates and concerts featuring the jazz side of the Miller Orchestra . . solos by Bob Price, Clyde Hurley and John Best (trumpet), Willie Schwartz and Ernie Caceres (clarinet), Hal McIntyre (alto), Tex Beneke and Al Klink (tenor), Chummy McGregor (piano) and Moe Purtill (drums)
2025-03-241h 12Jazz FocusShow- Mills Blue Rhythm Band 1936-1937Little known black band of the 1930's here featured in their last set of recordings for Columbia and Variety. The first set has Red Allen on trumpet, JC Higginbotham on trombone and Joe Garland on tenor and bass sax . .the second group has the reorganized band with Charlie Shavers and Harry Edison on trumpet, Harry Arnold on tenor, Wilbur DeParis on trombone and Lucky Millinder singing. Both groups feature Tab Smith on alto and soprano and Billy Kyle on piano.
2025-03-2456 minJazz FocusBob Howard and His OrchestraSinger and pianist (born Howard Joyner) had a long series of recordings for Decca in the 1930's - these feature Manny Klein, Benny Carter, Rex Stewart, Buster Bailey, Barney Bigard, Russell Procope, Ben Webster, Teddy Wilson, Clarence Holiday, Elmer James, Billy Taylor and Cozy Cole
2025-03-191h 02Jazz FocusShow- Frank Newton's Cafe Society Orchestra with Billie HolidayGreat small swing band led by trumpeter Newton with alto and soprano sax player Tab Smith as music director and arranger -in 1939 it recorded six instrumental sides for Vocalion and backed Billie Holiday on three sessions (two for Vocalion and one for Commodore) although Hot Lips Page and Charlie Shavers replaced Newton on the Vocalion Holiday sides. Also featuring either Kenny Kersey or Sonny White on piano, Johnny Williams on bass, Eddie Dougherty on drums, Kenneth Hollon on tenor sax and Stanley Payne on alto.
2025-03-1958 minJazz FocusBlue Lu Barker - Lil Hardin ArmstrongSeveral Decca sessions from the mid to late 1930's featuring Barker and Armstrong leading bands performing their own tunes - Chu Berry, Robert Carroll, Buster Bailey, Joe Thomas, Charlie Shavers, Teddy Cole, Ulysses Livingston, Danny Barker, Wellman Braud, O'Neil Spencer and others!
2025-03-101h 01Jazz FocusShow - Casa Loma Orchestra, 1939-40The Casa Loma Orchestra (a collective organization led by Glen Gray) was one of the most influential and imitated white dance bands of the early 1930's. By 1939 the band was largely the same, but they had transitioned to a more conventional swing style featuring soloists Grady Watts and Sonny Dunham on trumpet, Billy Rauch and Pee Wee Hunt on trombone, Murray McEachern on trombone and alto sax, Clarence Hutchenrider on clarinet, Pat Davis on tenor sax, Joe Hall on drums and, driving the whole group, Tony Briglia on drums.
2025-03-1057 minJazz FocusShow - Johnny Dodds 1926-1928Great Chicago sessions featuring the New Orleans clarinetist leading the New Orleans Wanderers, New Orleans Bootblacks and Chicago Footwarmers . . with George Mitchell, Natty Dominique, Kid Ory, Honore Dutrey, Joe Clark/Walker, Lil Armstrong, Jimmy Blythe, Baby Dodds, Bill Johnson, Johnny St. Cyr and others.
2025-03-1055 minJazz FocusScatman Crothers!Great jazz sessions featuring the singer, drummer, guitarist and comic Benjamin Sherman Crothers . . ranging from 1944-77, these bands feature Vic Dickenson, Babe Russin, Paul Smith, Al Hendrickson, Marshall Royal, Snooky Young, Freddie Green, Ray Brown, Ray Bryant and Louis Bellson.
2025-02-241h 06Jazz FocusShow - Adrian Rollini and the big bandsRollini playing bass sax in both solo and bass line with a variety of late 1920's big bands - Ted Wallace (the California Ramblers), Fred Elizalde, The Dorsey Brothers, Ben Selvin, Rube Bloom, Cornell Smelser . .with the Dorsey Brothers, Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman, Stan King, Babe Russin, Chelsea Quealy, Bobby Davis and many others
2025-02-2457 minJazz FocusRed Nichols - jazz sides, 1929, 30Focus on the jazzier records done by the prolific cornetist Red Nichols, who by the late 1920's was concentrating on more commercial music. Sides released as by the Louisiana Rhythm Kings (Jack Teagarden, Glenn Miller, Miff Mole, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Pee Wee Russell, Fud Livingston, Joe Sullivan, Gene Krupa) and on radio transcriptions (Miller, Goodman, Charlie Teagarden, Sullivan, Adrian Rollini, Bud Freeman), these are some of the best "hot jazz" recorded by white bands of the period.
2025-02-171h 05Jazz FocusThad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra - live at the Village Vanguard 1967 and 68Two dates featuring the classic band - featuring the leaders along with Richard Williams and Snooky Young on trumpet, Bob Brookmeyer and Garnett Brown on trombones, Eddie Daniels on clarinet and tenor sax, Joe Farrell on tenor and flute, Jerome Richardson on soprano, alto and flute, Jerry Dodgion on alto, Pepper Adams on bar, Hank Jones and Roland Hanna on piano, and Richard Davis on bass . . the stars are the arrangements by Jones (and two by Brookmeyer)
2025-02-1758 minJazz FocusCharlie Parker - Swing! 1940, 44Two sessions firmly based in the Swing Era featuring the great bebop alto player Charlie Parker - first are the "Wichita Transcriptions" of 1940, featuring members of the Jay McShann band, including Parker, Bob Mabane and William Scott on tenors, Orville Minor and Bob Anderson on trumpets, McShann on piano, Gene Ramey on bass and Gus Johnson on drums. Second is the January 28, 1944 concert at Philharmonic Auditorium in Los Angeles featuring Parker and Willie Smith on altos, Lester Young and Charlie Ventura on tenors, Howard McGhee, Dizzy Gillespie and Al Killian on trumpets, Arnold Ross or Mel Powell on piano...2025-02-111h 15Jazz FocusDixieland on the Jump Label - featuring Rosy McHargueRosy McHargue had a career as a clarinet and sax player stretching back to the 1920's, but he spend almost ten years with Ted Weems band, playing and arranging. By the middle 1940's he lived in the Los Angeles area and was playing up and down the coast with a dixieland band that took its cue from the Original Dixieland Jazz Band (his first great influence). Before he became a national act through his recordings for Capitol, McHargue did sessions for many small labels, including Jump. Here, his band has Bob Higgins on cornet, Moe Schneider on trombone, Earl Stu...2025-02-1158 minJazz FocusRed Nichols and His Five Pennies - 1948, 49Terrific little band at the beginning of its seventeen year life . . Red Nichols on cornet and arrangements, King Jackson on trombone, Reuell Lynch, Matty Matlock and Rosey McHargue on clarinets, Don Lodice on tenor sax, Bobby Hammack on piano, Joe Rushton on bass sax and Rollie Culver on drums - recording for Jump and Lang-Worth.
2025-02-031h 01Jazz FocusTab Smith - United Recordings 1951-57Smith played lead alto and jazz for the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, Count Basie, Lucky Millinder, Frankie Newton and on many recording dates during the 1930's and 40's. After a short retirement in the late 40's he was lured into United's recording studios and had several hits in a sort of combination Swing/Bop/R&B style - his sidemen included organist Sam Malone, pianist Teddy Brannon, trumpeter Sonny Cohn and drummer Walter Johnson, but the focus was on Tab, who played alto and tenor sax in the classic swing style on ballads, blues and originals.
2025-02-0356 minJazz FocusShow - BritBop . . great bebop sides from EnglandBrit Bop II - WETF Show featuring the music of Ronnie Scott and his groups, 1946-55. Featuring Jimmy Deuchar, Derek Humble, Benny Green, Spike Robinson, Vic Lewis, Ralph Sharon, Dave Goldberg, Tony Crosbie, Jack Parnell, Ken Wray and other British bebop luminaries .
2025-01-2658 minJazz FocusShow - James P Johnson and the bluesWETF Show - James P Johnson and the blues singers . . Stride legend backing Ethel Waters, Rosa Henderson, Clara Smith and Bessie Smith in the 1920's and early 30's
2025-01-261h 00Jazz FocusShow- Benny MortonProlific and consistent trombonist whose career began in the 1920's with Fletcher Henderson here featured in his own small groups and with other swing stars like Harry Carney, Edmund Hall and others
2025-01-261h 03Jazz FocusShow - Harry CarneyEllington's great baritone saxophonist Harry Carney in a variety of small group settings from the 1930's and 40's with fellow Ellingtonians and many others
2025-01-2659 minJazz FocusShow - Ronnie Scott - British Hard BopLegendary British tenor player during the 1950’s and 60’s in sessions with Tubby Hall, Zoot Sims, Victor Feldman, Dizzy Reese, Derek Humble, Ken Wray, Jimmy Deucher and others
2025-01-2659 minJazz FocusShow - Oscar Peterson and the tenor saxesOscar Peterson and the tenor saxes . . a selection from Verve/Clef/Mercury albums of the mid to late 1950's featuring the Peterson trio and quartet (including Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Buddy Rich, Ray Brown, Ed Thigpen and Alvin Stoller) backing up Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Stitt, Ben Webster, Lester Young, Flip Philips and Stan Getz
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2025-01-261h 03Jazz FocusRoy Eldridge and the Big Bands 1941-44A series of the great trumpeter's recordings with Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Gene Krupa and Charlie Barnet - featuring all those leaders along with Dodo Marmarosa, Vernon Brown, Jon Walton and others
2025-01-261h 10Jazz FocusShow - the Boswell Sisters 1930-34Connie, Martha and Vet Boswell were raised in New Orleans and evolved a highly complex style of trio singing based on the Jazz of the 1920's and 30's . . they were each accomplished musicians (Martha plays piano on many of these tracks) and discerning in their choice of sidemen - Bunny Berigan, Mannie Klein, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Art Schutt, Bobby Sherwood, Dick McDonough, Eddie Lang, Joe Venuti, Joe Tarto and Stan King are all featured, but the main interest is the singing!
2025-01-2658 minJazz FocusJohnny Dodds- duos and trios 1926-29The great New Orleans clarinetist heard here in the most elemental from possible - in a duo with pianist Tiny Parham, trios with Jimmy Blythe on piano and W.E. Burton on drums, Lil Armstrong on piano and Bud Scott on guitar and either Armstrong or Charlie Alexander on piano and Bill Johnson on drums.
2025-01-2059 minJazz FocusRed Nichols and His Five Pennies - 1944, 45When Nichols came out of his temporary retirement during the WWII years, he put together a much more modern group than he had before or after. This sextet featured the very late swing and even Bebop influenced arrangements of Heinie Beau as well as his superb clarinet playing. He is matched the the tenor player Herbie Haymer and a rhythm section that isn't completely known but may include Thurman Teague on bass and Rollie Culver on drums . . recorded for McGregor Transcriptions in Los Angeles
2025-01-2058 minJazz FocusShow - Willie Smith . .1940's and 50'sWETF Show The Willies - 1940's and 50's small group sessions by the remarkable alto saxist Willie Smith - known for his years playing lead for Lunceford and Harry James, Smith was a stylist on alto and a good arranger as well. He is presented here with his own groups as well as ones led by Nat King Cole, Billie Holliday, Al Casey, Corky Corcoran, Gene Krupa and Shorty Sherock and featuring those notables as well as Charlie Shavers, Billy May, Les Paul, Murray McEachern, Harry Edison, Teddy Wilson, Allan Reuss and Israel Crosby
2025-01-201h 02Jazz FocusShow - Eddie Heywood SextetJust You, Just Eddie Heywood . . the fine pianist leading his 1940's sextet on recordings made for Commodore, VDisc and Decca and featuring Doc Cheatham, Dick Vance, Henry Parr Jones, Vic Dickenson, Henry Coker, Lem Davis, Marshall Royal, Al Lucas, Jack Parker and others, with a guest appearance by Bing Crosby
2025-01-2059 minJazz FocusShow - Territory Bands of the SouthwestGreat regional bands of the late 1920's from the Southwest and Midwest featuring up and coming players like Julia Lee, Budd Johnson, Jimmy Crawford, Buster Smith, Hot Lips Page, Jimmy Rushing, Jack Washington and Walter Page with several well known local groups who were fortunate enough to make records!
2025-01-2058 minJazz FocusShow - Tony Scott and the 52nd Street All Stars52nd Street All Stars - the great clarinetist Tony Scott put together an album for Coral in 1958 celebrating the 52nd Street scene from the 1930's and 40's - featuring Bebop players like Red Rodney, George Wallington and Roy Haynes, transitional players like Al Cohn, Mundell Lowe and Tommy Flannagan and Swing stars like Coleman Hawkins, Pee Wee Russell, J.C. Higginbotham, Emmett Berry and Al Casey
2025-01-2059 minJazz FocusShow - Jay McShann and His Orchestra featuring Charlie ParkerThe last great Kansas City big band from 1940-43 featuring Charlie Parker as its main soloist, although pianist McShann was one of the best of his generation. Live broadcasts and studio sessions for Decca show this important transitional group which also has Orville Minor, Paul Quinichette, John Sparrow and John Jackson soloing as well as singer Walter Brown.
2025-01-2056 minJazz FocusJohnny Dodds and Jimmy BlytheChamber Jazz from New Orleans via Chicago . .Dodds along with pianist Blythe, trumpeter Natty Dominique and drummer Baby Dodds are featured on most of the tracks, calling to mind the band the Dodds brothers had at Kelly's Stables during this period - also with R.Q. Dickerson on trumpet, Bud Scott on banjo, Jimmy Bertrand and Jasper Taylor on washboard and Julia Davis on vocals
2025-01-141h 05Jazz FocusAdrian Rollini - Chamber Jazz, 1927Rollini was primarily known for his work on bass saxophone, but he was adept on piano, goofus and hot fountain pen, all of which are heard on these sides, made in the spring and fall of 1927. He is here with Red Nichols' Five Pennies (with Miff Mole, Jimmy Dorsey, Pee Wee Russell, Art Schutt, Vic Berton), Joe Venuti's Blue Four (with Eddie Lang) and Annette Hanshaw (with Venuti, Lang and Schutt).
2025-01-1459 minJazz FocusLester Young on Savoy- 1944, 45, 46, 49Legendary tenor sax player Young had just left Basie's band when he recorded a session with Johnny Guarnieri for Savoy (with Billy Butterfield, Hank D'Amico and Cozy Cole), starting a short but fruitful partnership with the label - later sessions featured him with the Count Basie rhythm section (Basie, Freddie Green, Rodney Richardson and Shadow Wilson), the Count Basie Orchestra without Basie (led by alto player Earl Warren, with Dickie Wells, Harry Edison, Jo Jones, Freddie Green and Clyde Hart) and his own touring band (with Jesse Drakes, Jerry Elliott, Junior Mance and Roy Haynes)
2025-01-1457 minJazz FocusShow- Clyde Hart .. Dixieland to BebopClyde Hart . . unheralded pianist who recorded with everyone from Red Allen and Eddie Condon to Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. A transitional figure from swing to bop, Hart died of TB at the very moment he was being embraced by the modernists. This is a selection of recordings made during 1944 and 45 (he died in March, 1945) featuring Hart with Eddie Condon, Dizzy Gillespie, Tiny Grimes, Trummy Young, Charlie Parker, Don Byas, Hot Lips Page, Ben Webster, Lester Young and Charlie Shavers
2025-01-061h 03Jazz FocusShow - Dizzy Gillespie at the Spotlite - 1946WETF show - Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra live from the Spotlite in NY, May 1946. Great big band Bebop featuring Dave Burns, James Moody, Ray Abrams, Howard Johnson, Milt Jackson, Kenny Clarke and a rare (maybe unique) appearance by Thelonious Monk as a band pianist
2025-01-0659 minJazz FocusShow- Fats Navarro on SavoyThe great, if somewhat forgotten Bebop trumpet player who was really the only rival to Dizzy Gillespie in terms of range, power and sound. This program features his recordings for the Savoy label - under his own name and with Dexter Gordon, Eddie "LockJaw" Davis and Tadd Dameron. In addition to these musicians, listen also to Ernie Henry, Leo Parker, Charlie Rouse and Art Blakey.
2025-01-0658 minJazz FocusShow - Fletcher Henderson 1933Great 1933 sessions by the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra featuring Red Allen, Bobby Stark, Dicky Wells, Hilton Jefferson, Russell Procope, Coleman Hawkins, John Kirby, Horace Henderson and Walter Johnson. Great arrangements by both Hendersons and Will Hudson and some of Hawkins' first ballad performances.
2025-01-061h 02Jazz FocusShow - Frankie Newton and Pete BrownWETF show - Frankie Newton and Pete Brown - a great tandem of trumpet and alto sax who appeared together on numerous sessions in the 1930's . . Newton's Uptown Serenaders, Midge Williams, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Buster Bailey, Jimmy Noone and Jimmie Gordon. In addition to Newton, Brown, Noone, Bailey and Smith, hear Sammy Price, Edmund Hall, Cecil Scott, Don Frye, O'Neil Spencer and Teddy Bunn . ..some of my favorite small group sides of the Swing Era.
2025-01-0659 minJazz FocusShow - Gene Ammons and Sonny StittGene Ammons and Sonny Stitt with the seven and eight piece bands they led c. 1950 - bop, rhythm and blues and pop songs featuring Junior Mance, Benny Green and Art Blakey among others.
2025-01-061h 01Jazz FocusShow - Herman Chittison . . Harlem stride and moreHerman Chittison . .the great African American pianist who recorded solos and accompaniments in France as well as piano trios (a la Art Tatum) in the US . . also some vocal accompaniments for Ethel Waters and Thelma Carpenter.
2025-01-0659 minJazz FocusShow - Count Basie's "Other" tenor sax Herschel EvansHerschel Evans . .Basie's "other" tenor sax player doing sideman sessions with Harry James, Lionel Hampton and Mildred Bailey. Hear Chris Griffin, Vernon Brown, Benny Carter, Dave Matthews, Charlie Shavers, Teddy Wilson and Jess Stacy among others! Studio recordings and a jam session from the Bill Savory collection.
2025-01-061h 00Jazz FocusJelly Roll Morton - duos and triosThe great pianist and composer Morton is here featured in some especially small groups - duos with cornetist King Oliver, clarinetist Volly De Faut and alto saxophonist Teddy Smith and trios with the Dodds brothers, Omer Simeon, Barney Bigard, Tommy Benford and Zutty Singleton.
2025-01-051h 03Jazz FocusBunny Berigan - 1938 Radio TranscriptionsThe Berigan band featured many young jazz players including Georgie Auld on tenor, Joe Dixon on clarinet, Joe Bushkin on piano and Ray Conniff on trombone, but the star was the leader and his matchless trumpet improvisations. These Thesaurus transcriptions capture the spirit of the group on live dates although they were done in the studio with a very high quality audio . .many tunes are better versions of the ones they did for Victor, but several were never recorded elsewhere!
2025-01-0554 minJazz FocusShow- Red Nichols and Adrian RolliniRed Nichols' Five Pennies and Louisiana Rhythm Kings in 1930 . .for Brunswick and Brunswick "Heat" transcription recordings . . featuring Rollini on bass sax and goofus, Benny Goodman and Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet, Bud Freeman and Babe Russin on tenor sax, Jack Russin and Joe Sullivan on piano, Gene Krupa on drums and Glenn Miller on trombone . . unusually hot records for the time period!
2025-01-0555 minJazz FocusShow - Hoagy Carmichael - first recordings!Hoagy's first records with territory bands and also as a member of the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. Songs like "March of The Hoodlums" should really be revived! Hoagy sings, arranges, composes and plays piano (and cornet) on these records.
2024-12-231h 01Jazz FocusShow - J.J. Johnson . . first bebop trombonistJ.J. Johnson first sessions as leader for Savoy and Prestige 1946-1949. Great early Bebop with Sonny Rollins, Kenny Dorham, Bud Powell, Leo Parker, Cecil Payne, John Lewis and others!
2024-12-2357 minJazz FocusShow - Knocky Parker . .Western Swing, Ragtime and Dixieland pianoKnocky Parker - the amazingly versatile pianist whose career went from Texas Blues (he learned from Blind Lemon Jefferson), Western Swing (The Light Crust Doughboys) and traditional Jazz (Doc Evans, Carol Leigh and Yank Lawson/Bob Haggart) . . he does some fantastic versions of Joe Sullivan showpieces
2024-12-231h 00Jazz FocusShow - Manhattan Masters - Muggsy Spanier and the band from Nicks in 1945Recordings by the house band at Nick's in 1945 featuring Muggsy Spanier, Pee Wee Russell, Miff Mole, Ernie Caceres and Lou McGarity among others . .Good straight ahead Dixieland/Traditional Jazz by a band that was doing it every night!.
2024-12-2358 minJazz FocusShow - Mildred Bailey in the 1930'sOne of the best (and most underrated) Jazz singers of the 1930's was Mildred Bailey - a member of the Coeur D'Alene native American tribe, she grew up in Seattle where, with her brother Al Rinker, began performing in the Jazz style of the 1920's. After being hired by Paul Whiteman, she began singing on recording sessions in New York in the early 30's. She married Red Norvo in 1933 and was featured with his band, being billed as "Mr. and Mrs. Swing" until the early 40's. During that time she made many recording sessions with Jazz players who appreciated her...2024-12-231h 01Jazz FocusShow -Milton Brown and His Brownies, Western Swing in the 1930'sMilton Brown and His Brownies! Western Swing in the 1930's - great jazz by a string group and a superb vocalist! This group was more jazz than country and featured one of the first electric guitarists to be be recorded - Bob Dunn, as well as an excellent barrelhouse piano player named Fred "Papa" Calhoun.
2024-12-231h 00Jazz FocusShow - New Orleans, 1927 Field RecordingsNew Orleans - 1927 . . some of the "road trip" sessions made by Victor and Columbia to record local bands, in this case in the spring of 1927 with Louis Dumaine, Wingy Manone, Papa Celestin, Sam Morgan and others - great NO dance music and jazz
2024-12-231h 01Jazz FocusShow - Reuben "River" Reeves . .Chicago in the 1920'sReuben "River" Reeves . . groomed to be a competitor to Louis Armstrong, Reeves never achieved the notoriety or public exposure he might have. Nevertheless, his recordings in the 1920's with his River Boys (including Omer Simeon, William Barbee and others) were excellent jazz features, while his solos with the Cab Calloway and Fess Williams bands show him to have been an underrated trumpet player of the time.
2024-12-2359 minJazz FocusShow - Benny Goodman on the Side . . sideman recordings 1929-31Benny Goodman on the side . . 1929-31 sideman recordings before he became the King Of Swing . .with Jack Pettis and His Pets, Rube Bloom and His Bayou Boys, The Charleston Chasers and the Venuti-Lang All Star Orchestra (with Jack Teagarden, Charlie Teagarden, Mannie Klein, Tommy Dorsey, Bill Moore, Dick McDonough, Adrian Rollini, Frank Signorelli and Eva Taylor)
2024-12-231h 01Jazz FocusNew Orleans Rhythm Kings/Halfway House Orchestra - 1923-25This is the second of two shows covering the recorded history of the band known variously as the Friars' Society Orchestra and New Orleans Rhythm Kings. This program features the last two sessions for Gennett (including a saxophone section and a guest appearance by Jelly Roll Morton) as well as two reunion dates in New Orleans and the first two tunes recorded by the Halfway House Orchestra, which was made up primarily of NORK alumni. Paul Mares, George Brunies, Santo Pecora, Charlie Cordilla, Jack Pettis, Chink Martin, Ben Pollack, Leon Adde and others are featured, but the real star is...2024-12-231h 02Jazz FocusBuck Clayton - Columbia and Vanguard recordings 1955, 56Buck Clayton led famous jam sessions on record in the late 1950's and 1960's, but these sessions were highly organized, musical presentations of what was then known as "mainstream" jazz . .featuring Dickie Wells, Vic Dickenson, Emmett Berry, Earl Warren, Buddy Tate, Al Williams, Hank Jones, Jo Jones, Kenny Burrell and others.
2024-12-2358 minJazz FocusShow - The Three T's (Jack Teagarden, Charlie Teagarden, Frank Trumbauer)TNT -Jack and Charlie Teagarden and Frank Trumbauer recording with members of the Whiteman band in the iddle 1930's. Cameos by Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Johnny Mince and Casper Reardon (on harp!)v
2024-12-171h 00Jazz FocusShow - Jimmy Rushing in the 1950's - ColumbiaJimmy Rushing in the 1950's. . .these recordings were taken from several albums Mr Five by Five recorded for Columbia in the late 1950's - many have a big band led by Buck Clayton with arrangements by Clayton, Nat Pierce and Jimmy Mundy. Great solos by Coleman Hawkins, Buddy Tate, Clayton, Vic Dickenson, Benny Morton, Dickie Wells, Hilton Jefferson, Claude Hopkins , Ben Webster, Helen Humes, Buster Bailey and Urbie Green.
2024-12-171h 00Jazz FocusWingy Manone in the 1920'sNew Orleans trumpet player Manone was well-travelled in the 1920's . . here he is featured with his own groups in New Orleans (with Hal Jordy, Arnold Loyocano and Johnny Miller) and Chicago (with Frank Teschemacher, Wade Foster, Bud Freeman and George Wettling). Also with Barbecue Joe and His Hot Dogs (an almost unknown band with Miff Frink - a very hot trombone player) and Bennie Goodman and His Boys (with Freeman, Joe Sullivan and of course Benny Goodman)
2024-12-171h 10Jazz FocusWild Bill Davison on Commodore 1943-47Classic Condon-styled dixieland led by cornetist Wild Bill Davison and featuring George Brunies, George Lugg, Lou McGarity, Joe Marsala, Ed Hall, Albert Nicholas, Bill Miles, Gene Schroeder, Joe Sullivan, Dick Cary, Eddie Condon, Jack Lesberg, Bob Casey, George Wettling and Dave Tough. All recorded for Commodore, 1943-47.
2024-12-171h 05Jazz FocusZiggy Elman - Zaggin' With ZigZaggin' With Zig - The Ziggy Elman Orchestra Bluebird sides from 1938-39 featuring mostly members of the Benny Goodman Orchestra (Hymie Schertzer, Dave Matthews, Toots Mondello, Noni Bernardi, Jerry Jerome, Babe Russin, Art Rollini, Jess Stacy, Milt Raskin, Johnny Guarnieri, Ben Heller, Al Kendis, Nick Fatool, Artie Bernstein) doing some excellent Jazz as well as pop standards. Two bonus cuts by Toots Mondello and His Orchestra leading virtually the same band (with Claude Thornhill) for Varsity. Sorry in advance for some technical glitches on this one - the narration part was slightly compromised by a microphone issue, but the mu...2024-12-171h 02Jazz FocusAdrian Rollini's New Yorkers 1927Adrian Rollini led a band for about a month at the Hotel New Yorker in the fall of 1927 - with Bix Beiderbecke, Frank Trumbauer, Bobby Davis, Pee Wee Russell, Don Murray, Chauncey Morehouse and BIll Rank, it was a who’s who of the white jazz establishment at the time. Unfortunately, business did not justify the pay scale and the egos of the band got in the way as well. Fortunately, several recording dates (by Frankie Trumbauer, Red Nichols and the Broadway Bellhops) used the core personnel, so we have some idea how they sounded.
2024-12-171h 07Jazz FocusTexas Tenor - John Hardee the sidemanGreat Texas tenor John Hardee playing with Billy Kyle's Big Eight with Lem Davis, Trummy Young, Dick Vance, Dicky Wells, Russell Procope's Big Eight with Shorty Baker, and Tiny Grimes' groups
2024-12-1758 minJazz FocusDixieland for the Jump Label - 1944-47West Coast label Jump specialized in Dixieland jazz . . here are Charles LaVere's Chicago Loopers (with Billy May, Floyd O'Brien, Matty Matlock, Joe Venuti, Artie Shapiro and Nick Fatool), O'Brien's State Street Seven (Chuck Mackey, O'Brien, Matlock, Joe Rushton, George Van Eps, Shapiro and Fatool), Yukl's Wabash Five (with George Thow, Joe Yukl, Peyton Legare, Stanley Wrightsman,Eddie Serivanek, Fred Whiting and Sam Enevson), Mackey's Michigan Boulevard Gand (O'Brien, Matlock, Skippy Anderson, Shapiro, Richie Cornell) and Bob Anderson's Oshkosh Serenaders (Warren Smith, Rushton, Gil Bowers, Phil Stevens, Fatool). High level playing and great sounds
2024-12-091h 10Jazz FocusMills Blue Rhythm Band - early 1930'sA great but almost forgotten hot band - the Mills Blue Rhythm Band held sway at the Cotton Club and other venues with Irving Mills' other bands (Ellington, Calloway) were otherwise engaged. Pianist Edgar Hayes, trombonist Harry "Fatha" White and later reedman Joe Garland did most of the arrangements which also featured Ed Anderson on trumpet, George Washington on trombone, George Morton and Billy Banks on vocals and reedmen Charlie Holmes, Crawford Wethington and Castor McCord
2024-12-0956 minJazz FocusEddie South Transcriptions - 1930'sThese recordings were made for a radio program in Los Angeles in the early 1930's by his "International Orchestra" including Milt Hinton, Antonia Spaulding, Clifford King, George Barnes and Jimmy Bertrand - quite a mix of jazz, tango, rhumba, German, Jewish and Latin music!
2024-12-0956 minJazz FocusEd Hall and Ralph Sutton - 1954Great quartet that existed through most of 1954 - studio session with Ed Hall, Ralph Sutton, Walter Page and Cliff Leeman and broadcasts with Hall, Sutton, Page and Charlie Lodice (and Clyde Hurley added on a few!) - terrific arrangements and fire-y playing all around.
2024-12-091h 07Jazz FocusStompin' Around - the Casa Loma Orchestra 1935
Stompin' Around - 1935 radio transcriptions of the Casa Loma Orchestra featuring Gene Gifford arrangements and solos by Sonny Dunham, Grady Watts, Billy Rausch, Clarence Hutchenrider, Pat Davis, Joe Hall and Tony Briglia . .great on the cusp of swing playing!
2024-12-0957 minJazz FocusArt Farmer in Europe 1954Trumpeter Art Farmer was in France and Sweden with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra in the Fall of 1954 and recorded with several groups, including two under his own name . . these sides feature Clifford Brown, Jimmy Cleveland, Anthony Ortega and Clifford Solomon from the Hampton band as well as Swedish stars Ake Persson, Bengt Hallberg, Arne Domnerus and Lars Gullin playing Quincy Jones arrangements and blending the hard bop and cool styles
2024-12-091h 00Jazz FocusJohnny Dodds and Jimmy Noone - 1930'sohnny Dodds and Jimmie Noone on Decca . . 1937 and 1938 sessions for the two innovative New Orleans clarinetists backed by a swing band including Charlie Shavers, Pete Brown, Teddy Bunn and others
2024-12-0957 minJazz FocusElla Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - 1950's albumsElla and Louis - great duos by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong from three albums 1957-59 backed up by Russ Garcia's Orchestra and the Oscar Peterson Quartet with Herb Ellis, Ray Brown and Louis Bellson or Buddy Rich
2024-12-0959 minJazz FocusDick Johnson - great Boston alto player with Dave McKenna, Wibur WareDick Johnson - great Boston alto player on two albums from the 1950's for Emarcy and Riverside including Dave McKenna, Wilbur Ware and Philly Jo Jones . .great swing and bebop
2024-12-0956 minJazz FocusDuke Ellington - the Blanton - Webster band, live and transcriptionsThe great 1940-41 Ellington band with Ben Webster and Jimmy Blanton (and Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart, Ray Nance, Juan Tizol, Lawrence Brown, Tricky Sam Nanton, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney and Sonny Greer) doing live and radio transcription versions of the great tunes they recorded for RCA Victor.
2024-12-0958 minJazz FocusJelly Roll Morton the sidemanJelly Roll Morton the sideman . . Recordings made by the legendary New Orleans pianist, composer and arranger with OTHER groups- although the Jelly Roll influence is everywhere. Recordings with Johnny Dunn's Original Jazz Hounds, Wingy Manone and His Orchestra, The New Orleans Rhythm Kings, Edmonia Henderson and WIlton Crawley and His Orchestra (1923-1934)
2024-12-0956 minJazz FocusJohn Hardee - Texas Tenor !John Hardee was in the classic line of Texas tenor players - here are just about all the recordings made under his name during the 1940's - sessions for Blue Note and other companies, featuring him with Tiny Grimes, Sid Catlett and many other great players of the day
2024-12-0959 minJazz FocusThe California Ramblers, 1924-1930Incredibly hot dance band of the 1920's - the California Ramblers recorded hundreds of sides under their proper name as well as pseudonyms such as the Vagabonds, Golden Gate Orchestra, Goofus Five, University Six, Varsity Seven and others. This is a selection of the records made by the larger band (for the most part) featuring jazz players like Adrian Rollini, Chelsea Quealey, Bill Moore, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Bobby Davis and others.
2024-12-021h 13Jazz FocusIrving Fazola - sideman recordingsThe great New Orleans clarinetist known as Faz played with a bewildering variety of bands during the 1930’s and recorded with many - here is a sample of his work with Glenn Miller, Seger Elllis, Claude Thornhill, Bob Crosby (live), Billie Holiday, and Sharkey Bonano.
2024-12-021h 06Jazz FocusShow - Irving Fazola with Bob Crosby's BobcatsThe New Orleans clarinetist Fazola was a mainstay with the Bob Crosby Orchestra for almost two years in the late 1930's and recorded frequently with them. His sides with the eight piece Bob Cats in the New Orleans style are classics - featuring trumpets Yank Lawson and Billy Butterfield, trombonist Warren Smith, tenor sax Eddie Miller and a rhythm section of Bob Zurke or Jess Stacy on piano, Nappy Lamare on guitar, Bob Haggart on bass and Ray Bauduc on drums
2024-12-0256 minJazz FocusShow - Muggsy Spanier big band 1941-42The Chicago cornetist Spanier was known primarily for small group records, but his early 1940's big band was in the mold of the Bob Crosby Orchestra . . .featuring clarinetist Irving Fazola, tenor saxophonist Nick Caiazza and pianist Dave Bowman, the band played respectable swing and firey Jazz - both on studio and live dates.
2024-12-0259 minJazz FocusShow - Lester Young . .sides for Aladdin, 1940'sGreat tenor player at the end of his greatest period. These were sessions done on the West Coast in the middle 1940's for Aladdin records featuring Howard McGhee, Vic Dickenson, Willie Smith, Don Albany, Chico Hamilton and others.
2024-12-0256 minJazz FocusThe Whoopee Makers - Ben Pollack sidemen 1929-The Whoopee Makers was a catch-all name for a series of recording dates made by mostly white jazz musicians in New York in the late 1920's and early 30's. These recordings feature mostly members of the Ben Pollack Orchestra of the period, including Jimmy McPartland, Jack Teagarden, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Fud Livingston, Bud Freeman, Ray Bauduc and Pollack himself, with a few appearances by the Dorsey Brothers and others.
2024-12-021h 05Jazz FocusNew Orleans Rhythm Kings 1922-23The first series of recordings by the influential, mostly New Orleans band based in Chicago in the early 1920's. Featuring leader Paul Mares on cornet, George Brunies on trombone, Leon Roppolo on clarinet, Steve Brown on bass with Chicago musicians Ben Pollack on drums, Mel Stitzel on piano and others, these Gennett records were important sources of inspiration for the next generation of Jazz players.
2024-12-021h 02Jazz FocusMuggsy Spanier - The Great 16, 1939The Chicago cornetist Spanier had been playing with Ted Lewis for almost a decade before returning to the small group jazz fold with " . . His Ragtime Band" which played briefly in New York and made four sessions for Victor. With George Brunies on trombone, Rod Cless on clarinet, George Zack or Joe Bushkin on piano, Pat Pattison on bass, Bob Casey on guitar, Marty Greenberg, Don Carter or Al Sidell on drums and Nick Caiazza, Ray McKinstry or Bernie Billings on tenor sax.
2024-12-021h 01Jazz FocusShow - Eddie Miller and The Big BandsTenor sax player from New Orleans was most identified with Bob Crosby's Orchestra - here are a few transcriptions and live tracks of that group (including Muggsy Spanier) as well as some others with the Metronome All Stars (with Benny Goodman, Harry James, Bunny Berigan, Jack Teagarden, Ray Bauduc and Jess Stacy) and several of his own, WWII era big band that recorded for Capitol.
2024-12-0257 minJazz FocusBob Crosby and His Orchestra - arrangements by Matty Matlock, Dean Kincaide and Phil MooreGreat tracks by Bob Crosby and His Orchestra doing arrangements by Matlock, Kincaide and Moore featuring Billy Butterfield and Yank Lawson on trumpets, Warren Smith on trombone, Irving Fazola and Matlock on clarinets, Eddie Miller on tenor sax, Jess Stacy, Joe Sullivan and Bob Zurke on piano, Nappy Lamare on guitar, Bob Haggart on bass and Ray Bauduc on drums
2024-12-021h 08Jazz FocusDizzy Reece - British and American Hard Bop!Excellent sessions featuring the Jamaican trumpet player with Duke Jordan's band (including Stanley Turrentine) and various large and small British bands led by Victor Feldman and Tony Crombie
2024-12-021h 03Jazz FocusHappy Birthday Bunny Berigan!Selection of the great trumpet player Berigan's best recordings from the 1930's and 40's - with Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, the Dorsey Brothers and Glenn Miller's orchestras as well as his own and also sideman appearances with Mildred Bailey and Billie Holiday.
2024-12-0258 minJazz FocusHappy Birthday Buck Clayton!Buck Clayton's recordings from the middle 1940's combo years - the Big Four with Scoville Brown, Quintet with Flip Philips, Coleman Hawkins Quintet, Big Eight.
2024-12-0257 minJazz FocusYankee Rhythm Kings - two cornet trad band from BostonTrombonist Bob Connors led an exceptional two cornet band in the style of Lu Watters' groups in the mid to late 1970's in Boston. Featuring Dave Whitney and Paul Monat on trumpets, Blair Bettencourt on clarinet and soprano, Don Bennett on piano, Cal Owen on banjo, Stu Gunn on tuba and Ray Smith on drums, the group played standard repertoire and some later jazz as well
2024-12-021h 12Jazz FocusThe Dirty Bopper - Bruce Turner in England in the 1950's and 60'sRecordings made by the uncategorizable alto and clarinet player Bruce Turner under his own name. Some are jump band tunes, some small group swing, some trad - all featuring Turner with a variety of British musicians including John Chilton and Terry Brown on trumpet, Colin Bates and Al Mead on piano and Pete Strange on trombone
2024-11-281h 09Jazz FocusMiff Mole with the Original Memphis Five (1940's and 50's)Largely forgotten trombonist who was one of the most influential jazz players of the 1920's, Mole continued his career into the 1940's and 50's, mostly playing dixieland. Here he is with groups of likeminded musicians from the 1920's and the Swing Era - the first from the late 1940's for Jazzology with Jack Palmer, Lee Castle, Jimmy Lytell, Joe Dixon, Frank Signorelli, Jack Lesberg and Chauncey Morehouse and the second from the 1950's with Billy Butterfield, Lytell, Signorelli, Gene Traxler and Tony Spargo.
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