Boswell Sisters

Everything about the swinging music we love to DJ

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Charleston Charlie
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#16 Post by Charleston Charlie » Wed Mar 01, 2006 10:46 pm

You made a major leap and an omission between the Andrews Sisters and The McGuire Sisters namely, The King Sisters who were the hippest sister vocal group of the era (mid to late 30s and deep into the 40s and beyond).
That was a conscious omission; I have very little of their stuff, and I'm not familiar enought with their work to compare it with the Boswells. But thank you for the point - the King Sisters don't get enough ink or attention.
"‘Swing’ is an adjective or a verb, not a noun. All jazz musicians should swing. There is no such thing as a ’swing band’ in music.”-
Artie Shaw

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Eyeball
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#17 Post by Eyeball » Thu Mar 02, 2006 12:00 am

I can only think of three or four legit LP CD releases of their stuff over 50 years plus. There were quite a few bootlegs on the AJAZ / AJAX label, but I didn't them since the label had a rep for bad dubs of 78s.

They were so versatile that in the 50s, they completely changed their 'sound' to be more in the Four Freshmen / Hi Lo's style of open harmony singing. Good stuff, but it didnt have hat great sound that their 30s and 40s stuff did.

I think that CBS is about to come out or already has come out with a CD of their mid to late 30s sides, possibly stuff leased out to another CD label.
Will big bands ever come back?

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Jerry_Jelinek
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#18 Post by Jerry_Jelinek » Thu Mar 02, 2006 12:52 pm

First regarding the Boswell Sisters, I'll be airing a 2 hour tribute coming up on March 24, 2006 from 9-11pm EST (GMT -6).

You can listen online at http://wkhr.org

Regarding the King Sisters: They were VERY popular in the 40s and beyond. One of them married Alvino Rey. Alvino become the main musical director of the group. Because Alvino loved the hard swinging styles of Billy May, there are a lot of these type charts in the King Sisters book.

The family grew and developed a popular TV show. I never saw the show, but I think it was very popular in the 50s and 60s.

There is a ton of links to the King Sisters and the King Family on the internet. Here is a quick blurb from one of these links:

http://www.singers.com/jazz/vintage/kingsisters.html

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Eyeball
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#19 Post by Eyeball » Thu Mar 02, 2006 1:12 pm

The KIngs werer with Horace Heidt;s band and then Alvino Rey, but had become so popular and were Bluebird's 'response' to the Decca Andrews Sisters, that a lot of their sides began to be issued under thier name with Alvino Reu getting second billing.

Some of their HH stuff is out in anthiologies and they are very good by 1937...way earlier than I thought they were around.

Rey or one of the girls told the sotry that one of them git into a hassle with HH over something and got fired, but so many of the gurls were going out with guys in the HH band, that a handfull of peoplm including Rey and all the Girls quit and Rey started his band with that core of people.

I saw that KING FAMILY show when it was on and it was 'brutal' in the way that Donny and Marie were burtal. Just so wholesome that you wanted to chuck. There is achance that whatever name/hipness value the girls had was killed by the show for the then current generation. I dont even remember them singing on it, tho I am sure they did. You had to wade through an hour of cutsieness.

Yeahh...the KINGS SISTERS web sites are pretty damn good and fill with great pics and info right from the gurls and Alvino Rey,

Totally due for a revival of recognition.
Will big bands ever come back?

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Eyeball
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#20 Post by Eyeball » Thu Mar 02, 2006 1:14 pm

PS - Alvino Rey band of the 40s - way under-rated....tons of sides...most just sitting in the vaults....lots of hot stuff. Very kick ass big band when he wanted to kick ass.
Will big bands ever come back?

Charleston Charlie
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#21 Post by Charleston Charlie » Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:12 pm

PS - Alvino Rey band of the 40s - way under-rated....tons of sides...most just sitting in the vaults....lots of hot stuff. Very kick ass big band when he wanted to kick ass.
That's the thing about the era(s) in question; there is always somebody else you haven't discovered yet. I know about him, I'm just not overly familiar with him. Probably because it's all sitting in some vault.

I suspect that Bear Family will be the first to issue a box set....
"‘Swing’ is an adjective or a verb, not a noun. All jazz musicians should swing. There is no such thing as a ’swing band’ in music.”-
Artie Shaw

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Eyeball
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#22 Post by Eyeball » Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:21 pm

There is so much good stuff just sitting in vaults, getting older by the day with less and less people interested in it.

Someone has the complte Bluebird Records catalog on line, release by release. It is a stounding to see how many bands that were so popular at the time....and good, tooo....have nothing on LP or CD.

http://settlet.fateback.com/discography.html


Just scroll down to Bluebird....not to mention all the other labels.

Release after release of things that have never seen the light of day since 65 years ago.
Will big bands ever come back?

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Eyeball
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#23 Post by Eyeball » Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:22 pm

And sometimes....as Jesse from SLO knows, you just have to go with the 78s and make your own cassettes or CDs.
Will big bands ever come back?

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AlekseyKosygin
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#24 Post by AlekseyKosygin » Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:11 pm

Ok I'm getting Alvino Rey, I'm getting King Sisters...soon I'll be getting Xavier Cugat or some shit, back to the Bosies please...what are some of everyone's favorite songs?

Some of mine are:

Hebbie Jeebies
Charlie Two Step
Was That the Human Thing To Do?
Crazy People
It's the Girl
It Don't Mean A Thing...

Sayin'

Alex

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Jerry_Jelinek
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#25 Post by Jerry_Jelinek » Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:14 am

Jerry_Jelinek wrote:First regarding the Boswell Sisters, I'll be airing a 2 hour tribute coming up on March 24, 2006 from 9-11pm EST (GMT -6).

You can listen online at http://wkhr.org
Change to my schedule. I completely forgot we have a fund raiser going on during the week of March 20th. So my Boswell sisters show is being pushed back to March 31 9-11pm.

FYI,

Jerry

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Jerry_Jelinek
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#26 Post by Jerry_Jelinek » Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:09 pm

A reminder that after our stations successfull fund raiser (YIPPEE!!!), I'm back on schedule.

Boswell Sisters this week - March 31 (9-11pm - EST) I think that is GMT -6

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