Music suggestions 20's 30's big band & jazz?

[Miss Moonlight]

I don't know that I can add much. So many good suggestions already but I will agree- Cab, Jellyroll, Duke, Ray Noble (esp w/Al Bowlly), and Bunny Berrigan.

Was Stuff Smith mentioned yet? If not, I recommend him.

 

[martinsantos]

Great Harry Reser. The best banjoist I ever heard. He was my grandfather's idol in beggining of the 30s. But as a banjo solist, very more impressive than the Cliquot Orchestra.

Mostly 1920's

Reginald Forsythe
Abe Lyman
Benie Cummins
Harry Reser
Bert Lown
Alfredo & His Band (Alfred Gill)
Ben Pollock
Adrian Schubert

 

[Fletch]

I can't believe I - or anybody else - didn't mention Isham Jones. Songwriter, bandleader, trendsetter, he was at the very center of the pop music world from 1920 to about 1935, never compromising his great good taste and musicality.

A close second in long lived popularity and musicianship was Ted Weems, whose heyday ran from the mid-20s to late 30s. Both he and Jones were very hip to jazz, and their music often made use of it. Weems usually blended it into vaudeville-type specialties, whereas Jones featured more out and out swing.

 

[Mark D]

Forgive me if I missed this one when I read thru here...Jack Teagarden; absolutely terrific stuff.

 

[Shangas]

I'm amazed I didn't mention Isham Jones! I love his music.

 

[RadioWave]

I'm not sure if I saw Artie Shaw on this list. I'm not really a fan of his use of strings and harpsichord, but he had amazing technical skill and a tight-sounding band.

 

[Chas]

The 1938 band - what Artie called "the loudest ******* band in the world" had an amaaazing rhythm section. It just pounds. Try to find a double LP "Artie Shaw Live at The Blue Room and Cafe Rouge". There are 2 cds on Hindsight that are out of print, but still kicking around. "The Uncollected Artie Shaw", I think.

Artie flirted with strings many times in his career. The first band, 1936/37 flopped. He made his fortune with the '38 band (which he broke up in 39), returned with another band with strings. Which he kept until '41 when he joined the navy. He used strings after the war, too. Some of his big band with strings is pretty commercial, some of it not so bad.

The two best jazz-affected orchestras in my book from the 20's and early 30's are Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra and McKinney's Cotton Pickers. Andy Kirk also cut some pretty hot records in the late 20s/early 30's as well. Fletcher Henderson is there as well, of course.

 

[RadioWave]

The two best jazz-affected orchestras in my book from the 20's and early 30's are Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra and McKinney's Cotton Pickers.

Thanks for the recommendation of these two - a lot of talent in both of these groups, but I was particularly impressed by the latter. Poor Don Redman doesn't really seem to get the recognition he deserves.

I also appreciate that Shaw retired from performing at the height of his popularity. A lot of guys refuse to admit when 'their time' has come, and it's always sad to see the slow decline.

 

[HadleyH]

This is a great thread! and the most well-informed people in this forum, about the subject, have given their suggestions;

I also have some , If I may, I will start with this one:

[video=youtube;B5w4enPgRtY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5w4enPgRtY&feature=related[/video]

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Jack Denny Orchestra -- Goodnight Moon (1932)

[video=youtube;OCqGBuX2Qd8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCqGBuX2Qd8[/video]

 

[Chas]

One of my favorite bands is Andy Kirk & His 12 Clouds Of Joy - formed in Kansas City in '29 and quickly established itself as one of the premier territory bands that toured the Midwest. The true "spark plug" of this outfit was the pianist and arranger, Mary Lou Williams. She was a virtuoso boogie-woogie and stride player as well as penning some very slick and swinging charts. She left the band after her marriage to Kirk's saxophonist John Williams ended. She wrote charts for Count Base, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman, who tried to get her under an exclusive contract. Later on she worked mostly with small groups and became something of a mentor to the Be Bop generation of musicians.

n.b. the youtube user cites this tune as 1931- which is in error; this Decca side came out in '38.
[video=youtube;4iWvIPUup4Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iWvIPUup4Y[/video]

 

[HadleyH]

Freddy Taylor was a black tap dancer, singer, trumpeter and entertainer, who had come to Paris with the Lucky Millinder orchestra during the band's 1933 tour of Europe. In Paris Taylor recorded as a vocalist with Django Reinhardt and the QHCF in 1936.

Here is Taylor with Reinhardt and the Quintette du Hot Club de France, with Stéphane Grappelli, in this catchy melody.


[video=youtube;0lO06Lywl6I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lO06Lywl6I&feature=related[/video]

 

[HadleyH]

more suggestions!

Freddy Martin Orchestra "Then I'll Be Tired Of You"- 1934


[video=youtube;TW2MtwEa08Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW2MtwEa08Q&feature=related[/video]

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Ray Miller and his Orchestra -- Tessie (Stop Teasing Me!) (1925)

[video=youtube;jnojfvRPTjc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnojfvRPTjc&feature=channel_video_title[/video]

 

[HadleyH]

Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra "You're Lucky To Me" 1930


[video=youtube;IEjTLtzb1VY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEjTLtzb1VY[/video]

 

[Shangas]

This is 'Doin' the Raccoon' from 1927. It's a great example of the quirky little comedic jazz songs from the 1920s and 30s. It's also one of my favourites.

[video=youtube;SyTKbUa4IBQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyTKbUa4IBQ[/video]

 

[HadleyH]

That's nice Shangas!

Chas, loved Andy Kirk & His 12 Clouds Of Joy! ... great song, thank you!

one more of Mr Amrstrong circa 1931 "Lazy River"..

yeah!.... aha ...sure .... my favorite rendition of this song ever! hope you like it too!


[video=youtube;3NqFE9xdIr0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NqFE9xdIr0[/video]

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

This is 'Doin' the Raccoon' from 1927. It's a great example of the quirky little comedic jazz songs from the 1920s and 30s. It's also one of my favourites.

Here's George Olsen and the boys in 1932 with Fran Frey at the mike with All American Girl. I love how they manage to mention almost every college in the lyrics.

And here another one of my favorite novelty songs from the '20s

Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians -- Bolshevik (1926)

[video=youtube;mZEf-NxtSkU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZEf-NxtSkU&feature=related[/video]

 

[HadleyH]

I am going to close this trilogy of Louis Armtrong with this last song that is a bit out of the frame of the 1930s (and I apologize) but is so so good.... perhaps the best of all these three I have posted, .... from 1947... live... " Save It, Pretty Mama For Me"


[video=youtube;pmN_ugj03dM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmN_ugj03dM[/video]

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I've always loved British and European dance bands from the '20s and '30s. To me, compared to the American bands, they had a much tighter arrangement and a more elegant sound.

Percival Mackey's Band -- I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight? (1925)


Dobbri Tanzorchester -- Känn Dig Som Hemma (1931)
(Make Yourself At Home) vocal by Folke Lindberg

Recorded in Berlin for the Swedish market.
[video=youtube;G4SLRHktseQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4SLRHktseQ&feature=channel_video_title[/video]