Big Band Bash

This week I feature the two bands that I usually don't play on the show. Mainly it's because I don't have a lot of their recordings in my collection. Today we will be learning about the bands of Russ Morgan and Freddie Martin. Both were very fine musicians and both led relatively sweet bands as opposed to the hot big bands. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week I feature the two Kays, Sammy Kaye and Kay Kyser. Kay Kyser led a very successful swing orchestra although he didn't play an instrument. Sammy Kaye on the other hand, was a clarinetist and saxophonist but didn't play with his band. Both had unusual attractions: Kyser had "The College of Musical Knowledge" and Sammy had, "So You Want To Lead A Band?". Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week is part two of a two part series featuring the music of the Artie Shaw orchestra from 1938 - 1949. The music on the program today comes from a Mosaic Records set called The Classic Artie Shaw Bluebird and Victor Sessions. This program mostly features recordings from Artie's band during 1945. The sound quality of this collection is excellent as all of the sides have been remastered. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week is part one of a two part series featuring the music of the Artie Shaw orchestra from 1938 - 1949. The music on the program today comes from a Mosaic Records set called The Classic Artie Shaw Bluebird and Victor Sessions. The sound quality of this collection is excellent as all of the sides have been remastered. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week I'm going to present a show I originally put together in February 2011. It was a four part series on The Dorsey Brothers. Today I'm going to play part three of the series which focuses on Tommy's orchestra. I'll be playing alot of your favorite Dorsey hits from this encore presentation so please tune in. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week I'm going to present a show I originally put together in February 2011. It was a four part series on The Dorsey Brothers. But today I'm going to play part two which focuses on Jimmy's orchestra. Jimmy had one of the greatest bands during the Big Band Era and he was a fantastic saxophonist and clarinetist. I'll be playing a lot of your favorite Jimmy Dorsey songs from this encore presentation so please tune in. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week I'll be continueing the series started last week on the singers. I'll try to cover as many as I can so I'll just be playing one selection by each vocalist. I'll be playing a lot of your favorites so please tune in. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week we'll start part one of a two part series featuring the great singers that sang with the Big Bands. I'll try to cover as many as I can so I'll just be playing one selection by each vocalist. I'll be playing a lot of your favorites so please tune in. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

I conclude my series this week with part two of a two part series featuring the music of the Benny Goodman orchestra from 1939 - 1958. The music on the program today comes from a Mosaic Records set called The Classic Columbia and Okeh Benny Goodman Sesions. The sound quality of this collection is excellent as all of the sides have been remastered. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week is part one of a two part series featuring the music of the Benny Goodman orchestra from 1939 - 1958. The music on the program today comes from a Mosaic Records set called The Classic Columbia and Okeh Benny Goodman Sesions. The sound quality of this collection is excellent as all of the sides have been remastered. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week we will be learning about the career of Bob Crosby. He led one of the most popular big bands during the dance band era. He had some very exciting sidemen in the band. Musicians like Bob Haggart, Ray Bauduc, Eddie, Miller, Irving Fazola, and Yank Lawson were some of the people who passed through the band. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week we will be listening to lots of songs recorded in the year of 1937. I tried to pick one song from one band to cover a wide variety of bands from that year. In addition, I tell a little bit about some of the happenings in the world that year. These are the original recordings by both bands. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week we will be listening to and learning about two bands that I've never covered before: Bob Chester and Teddy Powell. Bob had a great band that was heavily influenced by Glenn Miller. Teddy's band had a great start in New York but had trouble sustaining that popularity out side of the Northeast. These are the original recordings by both bands. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week we will be listening to three radio remotes. Two are from the Victory Parade of Spotlight Bands program and the third was recorded at The Glen Island Casino. Big Bands always seemed to perform better in front of an audience. The solos are more exciting and the tempos are a little quicker. I hope you hear some of exciting sounds from these live performances. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/

This week we will be looking at an early big band that become very popular, Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra. In the early 1930s, the Casa Loma Orchestra was one of the bands that helped pave the way for the rise in popularity of big band swing, gaining recognition especially with the college age crowd, and wowing audiences at Yale, Dartmouth and other Ivy League schools. It is said to have been the first white big band with a deliberate jazz policy. I hope you hear some of your favorites by the Casa Loma Orchestra. Please visit this podcast at http://www.fgmiller.com/bbb/