Your Favorite Big Band

[Fletch]

The thought of Glenn Miller as an undercover extraterrestrial still makes me sputter.

Now Mitch Miller, OTOH...him I could believe was sent here to take over pop music and bend it to the will of some intelligence much more primitive than our own.

BWAhahahahaaaaa.

 

[dhermann1]

The weird thing about Mitch Miller, to me anyway, is that for a time he was considered the finest oboist* in the world, maybe in the late 40's and early 50's. I saw him crossing 57th St once many years ago. He was using crutches as he seemed pretty crippled up with arthritis. I said hello to him and he said hello back.
*The oboe: an ill wind that noone blows good.

 

[Fletch]

Some of the artsy Eastman/Rochester crowd made an experimental film in 1933 - a Biblical piece called Lot in Sodom.
Alec Wilder conducted the soundtrack, and Mitch Miller, about 18yo then, played solo oboe.
Mitch was also on the Wilder Octet sessions in 1938-40, some very tasty jazzoid chamber music.

 

[Jenniferose7]

Mine will always be Glen Miller.

Years and years ago I found in my Grandfathers collection the double soundtrack album to "Sun Valley Serenade" and "Orchestra Wives" and that was my intro to Big Band.

I still play that album...because I can't find a CD recording of it. [huh]

 

[Paisley]

"Miller" . . . "Schlockmeister" . . . Them's fightin' words, son!

Actually, I've come to appreciate even Lawrence Welk in my old age. I mean, the old flatulant saxophones routine still makes me want to urp, but when he cranks up a swing tune, the technical excellence of his musicians is clear. Definitely danceable, at least.

Technically good, yes, but The Lawrence Welk Show feels to me like fake fun. I just never cared for it. I like Doc Severinson, although I like bands from the 30s and 40s better.

Videos of the Tonight Show Band:

Stardust:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cusms_vKpP4&feature=PlayList&p=AF360307CB1EB9BE&index=38

Taint what you Do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqStJ7rq_E&feature=PlayList&p=AF360307CB1EB9BE&index=17

 

[Dixon Cannon]

-dixon cannon

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Technically good, yes, but The Lawrence Welk Show feels to me like fake fun. I just never cared for it. I like Doc Severinson, although I like bands from the 30s and 40s better.

I agree. As much as I love the music from the era, for some reason, Lawrence Welk always made me grind my teeth. Though this is outside of the scope of the Big Band era, here he is as you've probably never heard him:

Lawrence Welk's Novelty Orchestra -- Doin' The New Lowdown (1928)

Lawrence Welk's Novelty Orchestra -- Spiked Beer (1928)

 

[John Steed]

Hello all, new poster here who shares your penchant for times past. of those bands listed, I grew up with and love Glenn Miller and Banny Goodman, although in recent years, my Jazz tastes are less Big Band and more along the lines of Bix Beiderbecke and Humphrey Littleton.

 

[Mysterious Mose]

I cried but they wouldn't listen:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showpost.php?p=941484&postcount=89

I agree. As much as I love the music from the era, for some reason, Lawrence Welk always made me grind my teeth. Though this is outside of the scope of the Big Band era, here he is as you've probably never heard him:

Lawrence Welk's Novelty Orchestra -- Doin' The New Lowdown (1928)

Lawrence Welk's Novelty Orchestra -- Spiked Beer (1928)

 

[Obscurist]

One neat thing about the Casa Loma Orchestra - they were regular performers up here in the Asheville area - used to regularly play the "Sky Club" on Beaucatcher Mountain!

Good sir,
I joined the forum on the strength of this observation. I have long heard whispers from old-timers about the Sky Club and would love to hear more about it. Maybe I will find an appropriate forum and start a new thread with some details I have discovered recently. A truly fascinating place, most shrouded in a forgotten past.

 

[Dan'l]

Good thread,

I like all of the ones listed in the poll but voted for Count Basie. Several years ago when I started listening to big bands Basie was one of the first that really struck me and I've always considered him my favorite.

Fletcher Henderson is another great one not listed.

 

[Chas]

It's a pretty incomplete list. I am hard-pressed to think of any band that could out-swing Basie. Come to think of it, I don't think anybody could.

Other bands not on the list=

Artie Shaw
Woody Herman
Charlie Barnet
Jimmie Lunceford
Erskine Hawkins
Andy Kirk & His Clouds Of Joy
Lucky Millinder
Buddy Johnson
Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra

 

[michaelwaughan]

These are all my favorite Big Bands ever:
1. The Beatles
2. Metallica
3. Gun 'n' Roses
4. Linkin Park

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I've always had a preference for the European dance bands with Erhard Bauschke being my particular favorite in the Big Band category.

Erhard Bauschke und sein Orchester -- Good Evenin', Good Lookin' (1939)

[video=youtube;HUQc0iVV6OQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUQc0iVV6OQ&feature=related[/video]

 

[rgodridge]

mills blue rhythm band!
duke ellington
don redman
geane goldkette's hot stuff
chick web, just listen to liza if you don't believe me
mckinnie's cotton pickers, mildeburg joys is possibly my favourite record ever even if i don't remember how you spell it
cab calloway, listen to the 1930 version of some of these days, it'll knock your socks off
benny moten's k.c orchestra
the savoy orphions, they were incredibly tight
woodie herman, laura is a beautiful record and caldonia swings extremely hard
it's a really tough one!