In my previous post, I mentioned my "Big Band Bicycling" playlist in the context of my growing interest in the great early bandleader and drummer, Chick Webb. Then I got to thinking that it would be cool (and perhaps of interest to all of my two regular readers!!!) to actually know what this playlist is composed of. (My wife is a big "spinning" exercise person, and though I know next to nothing about "spinning," I thought that this playlist would make for an interesting "spinning" routine playlist, too.) Anyway ... here's my "Big Band Bicycling" playlist:
1. C Jam Blues-- Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra (2:38)
2. Tiger Rag -- Preservation Hall Jazz Band (7:48)
3. In the Mood -- Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (3:34)
4. At the Swing Cat's Ball -- Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five (2:35)
5. Taxi War Dance -- Count Basie & His Orchestra with Lester Young (2:50)
6, Christopher Columbus -- Humphrey Lyttleton (4:16)
7. The Sheik of Araby -- Coleman Hawkins' All Star Octet (2:58)
8. Big Chief de Sota (Grand Terrace Swing) -- Fletcher Henderson
9. Swing That Music -- Louis Armstrong (2:51)
10: American Patrol -- Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (3:19)
11: Who Ya Hunchin'? -- Chick Webb & His Orchestra (2:52)
12: For the Good of Your Country -- Count Basie & His Orchestra (3:15)
13: Take the "A" Train -- Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra (2:54)
14: Cherokee -- Charlie Barnett & His Orchestra (3:15)
15: Count Bubba's Revenge -- Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band (6:38)
16: Opus #1 -- Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (2:56)
17: Battle Royal -- Duke Ellington & Count Basie (5:35)
18: (I've Got a Gal in) Kalamazoo -- Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (3:16)
19: Stompin' at the Savoy -- Harry Connick, Jr. (4:17)
20: One O'Clock Jump -- Count Basie & His Orchestra (3:04)
21: Boogie Woogie -- Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (3:11)
22: Jumpin' at the Woodside (1938 Version) -- Count Basie & Quincy Jones & His Orchestra (3:05)
23: Sing, Sing, Sing -- Benny Goodman & His Orchestra (8:39)
Nice, I may have to see how many of these I can dig up on Rhapsody and build into a playlist. Thx for the primer!
ReplyDeleteLikewise, I've been mining the depths of the Western Swing movement lately, which (in some instances) is sort of a cultural offshoot of a lot of big band and dixieland type jazz. Not sure if it is your thing or not, but if you ever want to give it a try here is my ongoing "best of the genre" playlist. The version, based on the album name, is somewhat important here. Bob Wills has a lot of studio recordings I can't stand to listen to, but The Tiffany Transcriptions (all songs recorded in one take, and not touched up, just as the band was coming off a grueling 4 month tour) are golden:
1) I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None of My Jelly Roll - Willie Nelson (Willie & The Wheel) [I'm nominating this one for the GOP Campaign Song 2010!]
2) Honey Song - Spade Cooley (Best Of Western Swing)
3) Blue Skies - Bob Wills & The McKinney Sisters (Tiffany Transcriptions, Vol. 10)
4) String Of Pearls - Asleep at the Wheel (Swingin' Best)
5) That's What I Like About The West - Tex Williams (Vintage Collections)
6) Bring it On Down To My House Honey - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (Tiffany Transcriptions, Vol 2)
7) Sugar Moon - Asleep at the Wheel (It's A Good Day)
8) Ain't Get No Grindin' - Moon Mullican (History of Pop Radio, Vol 19)
9) Across The Alley From The Alamo - The Quebe Sisters (Timeless)
10) Sittin' on Top of the World -Willie Nelson (Willie & The Wheel)
11) Faded Love - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (For The Last Time)
12) Fiddle Time - Tex Williams (Vintage Collections)
13) Dance With Who Brung Ya - Asleep at the Wheel (Very Best Of)
14) In The Mood - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (Tiffany Transcriptions, Vol. 9)
15) Taxes, Taxes - Hank Penny (Crazy Rhythm) [1st runner up for GOP Campaign Song 2010]
16) San Antonio Rose - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (Tiffany Transcriptions, Vol. 2)
17) Wine Do Yer Stuff - Commander Cody (Lost In The Ozone)
18) Right Or Wrong - Merle Haggard (Tribute To The Best Damn Fiddle Player In The World)
19) Honeysuckle Rose - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (Tiffany Transcriptions, Vol. 7)
20) Sweet Georgia Brown - Johnny Gimble (Celebrating With Friends)
21) Cherokee Maiden (Live) -Asleep at the Wheel (Legends Live)
22) At The Woodchopper's Ball - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (Tiffany Transcriptions, Vol. 5)
FYI, Huck, I did manage to recreate your playlist track-for-track using my Rhapsody subscription and have been enjoying it. I've got it shuffled in w/ my Western Swing plalist and the contrasts are interesting! The Big Band musicians seem to be more influenced by reefer... tight as hell, on the beat, yet incredibly expansive... while the Western Swing guys seem to be more under the influence of Jack Daniels... a bit more frayed around the edges and sort of falling apart and coming together all at the smae time, in a charmingly endearing way. Really enoying it, thx agian.
ReplyDeleteHey, Eric - Glad you're enjoying them. I'm pulling together your list, too. I have to say that I am surprised at how much crossover there is in the song selections here. One of my all time favorite tunes is Honeysuckle Rose, and one of my all time favorite early stride piano jazz composers/performers is Fats Waller who wrote Honeysuckle Rose. And the Willie Nelson rendition of I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None of My Jelly Roll I am familiar with already (and it's great!). In fact, that entire Tiffany Transcriptions series of Bob Wills seems absolutely fantastic and right up my alley for the kind of swing tunes I look for. I'm looking forward to listening in. And I'm glad you like my choices, though I could have helped you out a bit by giving you the albums they're from. But I guess you figured it out. I'd be curious to hear what you think specifically of the really early New York Harlem Big Bands of Fletcher Henderson and Chick Webb. The Henderson tune is very static and repetitive, but very catchy. The Chick Webb tune I find to be quite inspired for this early big band style. And I have to say that I don't think I have ever heard any tune smoother and yet full of complex rhythms in the big band style than Ellington's "Take the 'A' Train." I know it's a famous tune, but I never, ever tire of listening to it.
ReplyDeleteI'll give some more feedback later, but the one song I keep gravitating to off your list is Tiger Rag. I've never considered myself much of a jazz affaiciando, but one of the things I really like about Rhapsody is that for $12 per month you can surf music the same way you surf the internet... I end up listening to stuff I usually wouldn't shell out money for (and I've always had a moral issue with free downloads). It has really opened up my eyes (and ears!) to a ton of great music.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, there are a lot of crossovers between Western Swing and popular jazz, especially where Bob Wills is concerned. He is sort of famous for interpreting the urban musical standards of the day into a style rural folks could appreciate (and dance to). His band arrangements aren't always as tight, brassy, or dynamic as the Big Band stuff, but there is a "back porch" quality to it that absolutely speaks to my soul. Plus, you just can't beat twin fiddles.
Hi!
ReplyDeleteSuch a nice list, good songs and theme so enjoying.
Keep it up!