SwingDJs

Van Alexander, who had arranged extensively for Chick Webb, did an LP in the 50s called something like "Home of Happy Feet" which was pretty good.

Van Alexander is still alive and likely has fabulous stories. Bill Elliott has spoken with him.

Do you mean this Home of Happy Feet album?

Jesse

Well, yeah! Like I said up there!

You like? I am going to listen to the samples again - first time in long time.

Thx.

Listened to all of the samples.

First LP - not bad for what it is.

Second LP - a few good samples, but the rest suffer from 1950s 'cuteness and cleverosity'. So many bands seemed to try and sound sly and knowing and seemed to forget that the music had a purpose eyond showing off what the arranger can do.

Oh, well....

Eyeball wrote:Good post-Swing era Swing music in hi-fi or stereo

http://tinyurl.com/2mnxyr
George (The Fox) Williams

Artie Shaw Recreates His Great 1938 Band.

This came out circa 1970 on Capitol and it was very very very good.

Is it on CD?

Also - Duke Ellington did 2 LPs of 'big band hits ' in the mid 60s. Good stuff.

And I will again mention the 2 LPs by Ted Heath circa 1970 - SWING IS KING - VOLUME ONE AND VOLUME TWO.

Plus - the Goodman LP on Capitol from the mid 60s that had a great version of THE LAMP IS LOW, along with THEM THERE EYES and maybe a third tune. LAMP was a Henderson arr. that BG had never recorded until then.

Sounds of the Great Swing Bands and More Sounds of the Great Swing Bands from a 1950s line-up of Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra - some of these are pretty good.

Some of the same material seems to be issued under the name Big Band Sounds on eMusic and the iTunes Store, but the sound on these tracks is very bass-heavy.

Many of the Glen Gray sessions were direct attempts to re-create the original recordings. For what they are, they are good.