That Swing Thing

[Hornspieler]

On Friday 22nd February on BBC 4 TV, there was an interesting documentary about how the big Swing Bands of the thirties and early forties evolved from a combination of Jazz and Dance music, headed by the likes of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, and how the economic problems of the post war years reduced those big bands to the smaller ensembles which produced the likes of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan and others. Duke Ellington was among those talking about the period when Swing brought Black and White musicians together for the first time.

Of particular interest to those of us who spent our youth in the listening booths of record shops and AFN on our superhet wirelesses.

Catch it on the BBC TV RED BUTTON

Hornspieler

[salymap]

Good morning HS. I recorded iton my hard drive, together with the earlier programme on Shostakovich 5 with Gergiev but haven't reached it yet,
Yes, I loved a lot of that 30s/40s music, together with big bands.

[Quarky]

Thanks for heads-up!

[clive heath]

That's a trigger for many memories, hornspieler! I'd be listening to AFN and Voice of America on a chunky valve portable in a Beach Hut on the Hampshire Riviera as it then was ( transferred to neighbouring Doorset, since), reception being good on MW of an evening, and especially liked one of the 2 or 3 AFN stations there were, with its superb selection of vocalists and instrumentals no worse than Percy Faith (!). I caught the last show of my favourite presenter, the hour-long show ending up with "That's All" and then "There's a boat that's leaving soon for New York", emotional, I'll say. You'll remember maybe that Ted Heath , the bandleader, of course, would also feature top-notch recordings from the likes of Sarah Vaughan and Mel Tormé on his radio show. I also remember hearing later recordings of Billie Holiday on that 15 minute segment of VOA which was a revelation when up to then I'd only heard the Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson sides.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

fine programme but that was it's nth broadcast ... a bit of new spending on such stuff would be most welcome ... [just like the Culture Show programme on the scene in Britain pre WWII]

[Serial_Apologist]

That's a trigger for many memories, hornspieler! I'd be listening to AFN and Voice of America on a chunky valve portable in a Beach Hut on the Hampshire Riviera as it then was ( transferred to neighbouring Doorset, since), reception being good on MW of an evening, and especially liked one of the 2 or 3 AFN stations there were, with its superb selection of vocalists and instrumentals no worse than Percy Faith (!). I caught the last show of my favourite presenter, the hour-long show ending up with "That's All" and then "There's a boat that's leaving soon for New York", emotional, I'll say. You'll remember maybe that Ted Heath , the bandleader, of course, would also feature top-notch recordings from the likes of Sarah Vaughan and Mel Tormé on his radio show. I also remember hearing later recordings of Billie Holiday on that 15 minute segment of VOA which was a revelation when up to then I'd only heard the Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson sides.

What happened in your case when bebop came along, Clive?

()

[clive heath]

Since you've asked, I went to college, got invited to join a Modern Jazz group ( the Jazz Congress) which played upstairs in the Union Building while the pop-groups played in the main-hall of a Saturday night and then a few years later played in a rehearsal band just off the Balls Pond Road with Stan Saltzman, John Warren, Brian Spring among many others.This band also played Sunday nights in the Clerkenwell Tavern. Also sat in with NYJO a couple of times. Will this do??

[Serial_Apologist]

Since you've asked, I went to college, got invited to join a Modern Jazz group ( the Jazz Congress) which played upstairs in the Union Building while the pop-groups played in the main-hall of a Saturday night and then a few years later played in a rehearsal band just off the Balls Pond Road with Stan Saltzman, John Warren, Brian Spring among many others.This band also played Sunday nights in the Clerkenwell Tavern. Also sat in with NYJO a couple of times. Will this do??

I should say!!!

Get the man a

[salymap]

I enjoyed it but am sure I saw it years ago. Everything seems tobe recycled many times now, but Isuppose they could say it is for the new audience.

[Quarky]

It was the first time I have seen it, probably because I rarely watch TV, but it fitted very well within my tablet.

The ending was rather lame in my view. To suggest that Robbie Williams is the legacy of swing makes onewonder whether it was all worth it! Once the huge energy of swing had transferred to Rock and Roll, what was left? I guess a large number of great musicians such as Duke, which new generations would be wise not to forget?