Phantom Dancer :: 12:00pm 11th Feb 2020
This week’s 11 February Phantom Dancer mix of swing of jazz from live 1920s-60s radio, on radio and online, has Fletcher Henderson from 1940s-50s radio as feature artist.
Fletcher Henderson studied chemistry and maths. When he turned to music he changed jazz forever, introducing swing arrangements in the 1920s, bring Louis Armstrong to NYC and making music literacy popular. Hear him on 1935-50 radio on this week’s Phantom Dancer with Greg Poppleton.
The Phantom Dancer with actor and 1920s-30s singer Greg Poppleton can be heard online now at https://2ser.com/phantom-dancer/
The last hour is all vinyl.
SWING
A gifted pianist from the age of 6, whose father made him practice for hours every day, Fletcher Henderson, studied chemistry and mathematics and worked in a laboratory before turning to music.
Henderson, along with Don Redman, established the formula for swing music. The two broke the orchestra into sections (woodwind section, brass section, rhythm section). These sections worked together to create a unique sound. Sometimes, the sections would play in call-and-response style. At other times one section would play supporting riffs behind the other. Swing, its popularity spanning over a decade, was the most fashionable form of jazz ever in the United States.
ARMSTRONG
Henderson was also responsible for bringing Louis Armstrong from Chicago to New York in October 1924, thus flipping the focal point of jazz in the history of the United States. Armstrong left the band in November 1925 and returned to Chicago.
Henderson also played a key role in bringing improvisatory jazz styles from New Orleans and other areas of the country to New York, where they merged with a dance-band tradition that relied heavily on arrangements written out in musical notation.
HOW’S STUDYING?
Henderson differed from other musicians in his time. He made the idea of playing jazz popular to ambitious, young, black musicians. He made it financially stable and a way to seize cultural power during the time.
Henderson cared for the appearance of the band. He was all for making an impact on the era. Henderson would see to it that each member had a clean-shaven face, a tuxedo, and polished shoes. It was recorded that he would do this before every performance, especially ones in predominantly white communities.
Henderson created a band that was capable of playing dance music and complex arrangements. Louis Metcalf said, “The sight of Fletcher Henderson’s men playing behind music stands brought on a learning-to-read-music kick in Harlem which hadn’t cared before it. There were two years of real concentration. Everybody greeted you with ‘How’s studying?’
Here is The Phantom Dancer Video of the Week, the Fletcher Henderson Ork playing ‘You Go To My Head’ live over WLS NBC Blue, Grand Terrace Ballroom, Chicago, in 1938. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gn4S92gdcw
Make sure you come back to this blog, Greg Poppleton’s Radio Lounge, every Tuesday, for the newest Phantom Dancer play list and Video of the Week!
11 FEBRUARY PLAY LIST
Play List – The Phantom Dancer
107.3 2SER-FM Sydney, Live Stream, Digital Radio
Community Radio Network Show CRN #423 |
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107.3 2SER Tuesday 11 February 2020 |
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Set 1
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So-A-Tone | |
Sleep (theme) + On Your Toes
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Fred Waring Orchestra (voc) Chorus + Johnny Davis
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‘Fred Waring Show’
WABC CBS NYC 14 Apr 1936 |
Deep Forest (theme) + Limehouse Blues
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Earl Hines Orchestra
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Grand Terrance Cafe
WMAQ NBC Red Chicago 3 Aug 1938 |
Ad + The Broken Record + Rhapsody in Blue (theme)
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Paul Whiteman Orchestra (voc and piano) Ramona
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‘Paul Whiteman’s Musical Varieties’
WJZ NBC Blue NYC 12 Jan 1936 |
Set 2
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1960s Radio | |
Open + There’ll Never Be Another You
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Billy Taylor and Wes Montgomery
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‘The Navy Swings’
Radio Transcription Hollywood 1964 |
I’ve Got a Crush on You
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Jerry Gray and his Band of Today (voc) Bobby Clark
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Palladium Ballrom
KFI NBC LA 20 Jan 1961 |
One Note Samba
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Bola Sete
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‘The Navy Swings’
Radio Transcription Hollywood 1965 |
Set 3
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Dixieland on Radio | |
Blues in Bb
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Opie Cates
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‘Jubilee’
AFRS Hollywood 10 Jan 1948 |
Mamie’s Blues
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Louis Armstrong
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‘This is Jazz’
WOR Mutual NY 26 Apr 1947 |
I’ve Got The World on a String + Close
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Hazel Scott
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‘Jazz Club USA’
VOA Washington DC 1951 |
Set 4
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Fletcher Henderson | |
Jeep Rhythm
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Fletcher Henderson Orchestra
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‘Jubilee’
AFRS Hollywood 1944 |
Alexander’s Ragtime Band
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Fletcher Henderson arr. Benny Goodman Orchestra
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‘Magic Key’
WLS NBC Blue Chicago 29 Dec 1935 |
Christopher Columbus (theme) + Royal Garden Blues
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Fletcher Henderson Orchestra
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Cafe Society Downtown
WMGM New York 9 Dec 1950 |
Set 5
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Dorsey Brothers 1955 | |
I’m Getting Sentimental Over You + Sentimental Baby
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Dorsey Brothers Orchestra (voc) Lynn Roberts
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‘All-Star Parade of Bands’
Magnolia Room Hotel Claridge WMC NBC Memphis 19 Jun 1955 |
Open + My Brother is the Leader of the Band
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Dorsey Brothers Orchestra
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‘Stage Show’
CBS TV New York City 1 Jan 1955 |
Capital Idea + Close
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Dorsey Brothers Orchestra
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‘All-Star Parade of Bands’
Magnolia Room Hotel Claridge WMC NBC Memphis 19 Jun 1955 |
Set 6
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1937 Benny Goodman Orchestra | |
Let’s Dance (theme) + Naughty Waltz
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Benny Goodman Orchestra
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Madhattan Room
Hotel Pennsylvania WABC CBS NY 6 Nov 1937 |
Satan Takes a Holiday
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Benny Goodman Orchestra
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‘Camel Caravan’
WABC CBS NY 17 Aug 1937 |
Popcorn Man
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Benny Goodman Orchestra (voc) Martha Tilton
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Madhattan Room
Hotel Pennsylvania WABC CBS NY 6 Nov 1937 |
Sing, Sing, Sing
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Benny Goodman Orchestra
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‘Camel Caravan’
WABC CBS NY 10 Aug 1937 |
Set 7
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Fats Waller | |
Your Feets Too Big
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Fats Waller
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‘Command Performance USA’
AFRS Hollywood 1943 |
I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter + Christopher Columbus
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Fats Waller
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‘The Magic Key’
WJZ NBC Blue NY 24 May 1936 |
The Joint is Jumpin’ + Summertime + Stompin’ at the Savoy
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Fats Waller
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‘This Is New York’
WABC CBS NY 11 Dec 1938 |
Set 8
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Stan Kenton | |
Limelight
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Stan Kenton Orchestra
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‘Concert in Miniature’
Moonlight Gardens Coney Island NBC Cincinnati OH 26 Aug 1952 |
Painted Rhythm
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Stan Kenton Orchestra
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Palladium Ballroom
KNX CBS LA 27 Nov 1945 |
Bags and Barrage
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Stan Kenton Orchestra
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‘Concert in Miniature’
NBC Fort Sheridan IL 2 Sep 1952 |
Eager Beaver
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Stan Kenton Orchestra
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Palladium Ballroom
KNX CBS LA 27 Nov 1945 |