Saxophonist and bandleader Charlie Barnet was born into a wealthy family. His grandfather was Charles Frederick Daly, a vice-president for the New York Central Railroad, banker, and businessman. His father, a successful lawyer, wanted young Charlie to follow him into the family business. But Charlie had other plans. As a boy, Barnet attended exclusive boarding … Continue reading Charlie Barnet – Leader of “The Blackest White Band of Them All”
Big Band & Swing News
Jack Kapp – The Man with the Musical ‘Midas Touch’
He could not read or compose music, nor carry a tune. But for all of his personal ‘musical short comings’, he had an uncanny ability to discover musical talent in others. Born in Chicago, Illinois to a Jewish family of Russian immigrants, Jack Kapp (born Jacob Kaplitzky) was a record company executive with Brunswick Records … Continue reading Jack Kapp – The Man with the Musical ‘Midas Touch’
The Casa Loma – High on a Hill and High in Popularity
High on a hill in Toronto, Canada, sits ‘Casa Loma Castle’. Replete with gables, turrets and arches, the medieval castle boasts more than 100 rooms, 60 bathrooms, 5000 electrical lights, and the largest wine cellar in North America. It cost Canadian industrial magnate Sir Henry Pellatt more than $5 million dollars to construct between 1911 … Continue reading The Casa Loma – High on a Hill and High in Popularity
Historical Big Band Site Falls To Wrecking Ball
New York City has lost yet another landmark, and fans of big band music have lost a venue that was pivotal in the careers of some of the greatest names of the Big Band Era. The historic Hotel Pennsylvania, home to the Café Rouge and The Manhattan Room, has fallen to the wrecker’s ball to … Continue reading Historical Big Band Site Falls To Wrecking Ball
Kirby: One Fine Vacuum Cleaner Or One Fine Swing Musician?
He led one of the most influential small-groups of the swing era and played with such notable bands as Chick Webb, Fletcher Henderson and Benny Goodman. He also scored several hit standards including “Loch Lomond” and “Undecided”. And yet in spite of his innovation and talent, more people are inclined to associate the name “Kirby” … Continue reading Kirby: One Fine Vacuum Cleaner Or One Fine Swing Musician?
The Pint-sized Songstress of Pittsburgh – Maxine Sullivan
At 4 foot 11 inches tall and weighing a mere 82 pounds, her diminutive size could hardly be considered imposing. But the moment she began to sing, she brought everything to a standstill- and became the biggest talent in the room. Performing before a crowd of over 20,000 people at a memorial concert for the … Continue reading The Pint-sized Songstress of Pittsburgh – Maxine Sullivan
Behind the Scenes to Behind the Mic- The Swing Era’s Bud Pearson
If my experience as a broadcaster over the last forty years has taught me anything, it’s that the typical engineer is most at ease poking around equipment ‘behind the scenes’, eschewing anything that has to do with being ‘behind the mic’. But as you are about to learn, Bud Pearson, the host of The Swing … Continue reading Behind the Scenes to Behind the Mic- The Swing Era’s Bud Pearson
A sad “Auf Wiedersehen” to WWII Sweetheart Vera Lynn
She was perhaps the most recognizable female vocalist of the Second World War. Her million-selling record “We’ll Meet Again” became an anthem of hope for soldiers and civilians alike across both theaters of war. And her performances on radio gave reassurance to Londoners during the darkest days of the Blitz. Dame Vera Lynn has died … Continue reading A sad “Auf Wiedersehen” to WWII Sweetheart Vera Lynn
Artie Shaw: The Temperamental Grumpyman of Swing
If bandleader Tommy Dorsey was known as “The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing”, then fellow bandleader Artie Shaw well could have deserved the moniker “The “Temperamental Grumpyman of Swing”. Widely regarded as one of jazz’s finest clarinetists alongside performers like Benny Goodman, Shaw led one of the most popular big bands of the late ‘30s and … Continue reading Artie Shaw: The Temperamental Grumpyman of Swing
Chuck Cecil, Host of “The Swingin’ Years”, has Died at 97
Whenever the topic of the Big Band Era is discussed by music critics, there generally holds an agreement that it lasted from 1935 to 1945. However, more astute fans of the era know that it never really ended. In ballrooms across America, many name bands continued to draw crowds even as their leaders became octogenarians. … Continue reading Chuck Cecil, Host of “The Swingin’ Years”, has Died at 97
