Phantom Dancer :: 12:00pm 14th Mar 2023

Jack Teagarden was one of the great trombonists of the 1930s-50s and a laid-back jazz singer. He’s this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist.

The Phantom Dancer is your weekly non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV every week.

LISTEN to this week’s Phantom Dancer mix (online after 2pm AEST, Tuesday 14 March) and weeks of Phantom Dancer mixes online at, at https://2ser.com/phantom-dancer/

JACK

His mother was a ragtime pianist and Jack started on piano when he was 5. His father played in brass bands and encouraged himon the baritone horn. He switched to trombone when he was 10 and was largely self-taught so he had unusual slide positions in his style.

His brother, Charlie, with whom Jack played in bands throughout his careeer was an excellent trumpet player. He had a drummer sister, Clois.

His other sister, Norma, played piano (and violin in the early part of her career). She toured with her Jack from 1944–1947 and from 1952–1955.

Outside the Teagarden family, she worked with Ben Pollack, Matty Matlock, and Ray Bauduc. She often performed on solo piano or with bandleader Turk Murphy in San Francisco.

Teagarden worked in the Southwest in a variety of territory bands (most notably with the legendary pianist Peck Kelley) and then caused a sensation when he came to New York in 1928.

His daring solos with Ben Pollack caused Glenn Miller to de-emphasize his own playing with the band, and during the late-’20s/early Depression era, “Mr. T.” recorded frequently with many groups including units headed by Roger Wolfe Kahn, Eddie Condon, Red Nichols, and Louis Armstrong (“Knockin’ a Jug”).

His versions of “Basin Street Blues” and “Beale Street Blues” (songs that would remain in his repertoire for the remainder of his career) were definitive. Teagarden, who was greatly admired by Tommy Dorsey, would have been a logical candidate for fame in the swing era but he made a strategic error.

In late 1933, when it looked as if jazz would never catch on commercially, he signed a five-year contract with Paul Whiteman. Although Whiteman’s Orchestra did feature Teagarden now and then (and he had a brief period in 1936 playing with a small group from the band, the Three T’s, with his brother Charlie and Frankie Trumbauer), the contract effectively kept Teagarden from going out on his own and becoming a star.

In 1939, Jack Teagarden was finally “free” and he soon put together a big band that would last until 1946.

However, the arrangements lacked their own musical personality, and by the time it broke up Teagarden was facing bankruptcy.

The trombonist, however, was still a big name (he had fared well in the 1940 Bing Crosby film The Birth of the Blues) and he had many friends.

Crosby helped Teagarden straighten out his financial problems, and from 1947-1951 he was a star sideman with Louis Armstrong’s All-Stars; their collaborations on “Rocking Chair” are classic.

After leaving Armstrong, Teagarden was a leader of a steadily working sextet throughout the remainder of his career, playing Dixieland with such talented musicians as brother Charlie, trumpeters Jimmy McPartlandDon GoldieMax Kaminsky, and (during a 1957 European tour) pianist Earl Hines. Teagarden toured the Far East during 1958-1959, teamed up one last time with Eddie Condon for a television show/recording session in 1961, and had a heartwarming (and fortunately recorded) musical reunion with Charlie, sister/pianist Norma, and his mother at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival. He died from a heart attack four months later and has yet to be replaced.

TEAGARDEN

In late 1933, when it looked as if jazz would never catch on commercially, he signed a five-year contract with Paul Whiteman. Although Whiteman’s Orchestra did feature Teagarden now and then (and he had a brief period in 1936 playing with a small group from the band, the Three T’s, with his brother Charlie and Frankie Trumbauer), the contract effectively kept Teagarden from going out on his own and becoming a star.

In 1939, Jack Teagarden was finally “free” and he soon put together a big band that would last until 1946.

However, the arrangements lacked their own musical personality, and by the time it broke up Teagarden was facing bankruptcy.

The trombonist, however, was still a big name (he had fared well in the 1940 Bing Crosby film The Birth of the Blues) and he had many friends.

Crosby helped Teagarden straighten out his financial problems, and from 1947-1951 he was a star sideman with Louis Armstrong’s All-Stars; their collaborations on “Rocking Chair” are classic.

After leaving Armstrong, Teagarden was a leader of a steadily working sextet throughout the remainder of his career, playing Dixieland with such talented musicians as brother Charlie, trumpeters Jimmy McPartland, Don Goldie, Max Kaminsky, and (during a 1957 European tour) pianist Earl Hines.

Teagarden toured Asia during 1958-1959, teamed up one last time with Eddie Condon for a television show/recording session in 1961, and had a musical reunion with Charlie, sister/pianist Norma, and his mother at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival.

14 MARCH PLAY LIST

Play List – The Phantom Dancer
107.3 2SER-FM Sydney
LISTEN ONLINE

Community Radio Network Show CRN #589

107.3 2SER Tuesday 14 March 2023
12:04 – 2:00pm (+11 hours GMT) and Saturdays 5 – 5:55pm
National Program
5UV Adelaide Monday 2:30 – 3:30am
5GTR Mt Gambier Monday 2:30 – 3:30am
3MBR Murrayville Monday 3 – 4am
4NAG Keppel FM Monday 3 – 4am
2MIA Griffith Monday 3 – 4am
2BAR Edge FM Bega Monday 3 – 4am
2BRW Braidwood Monday 3 – 4am
2YYY Young Monday 3 – 4am
3VKV Alpine Radio Monday 6 – 7pm
7MID Oatlands Monday 3am – 4 and 6 -7pm
2MCE Bathurst Wednesday 9 – 10am
1ART ArtsoundFM Canberra Friday 10 – 11am
and Sunday 11pm
Reading Radio (QLD) Friday 1am – 2
2RRR Ryde Friday 11am – 12
2ARM Armidale Friday 12 – 1pm
5LCM Lofty FM Adelaide Friday 1 – 2pm
6GME Radio Goolarri Broome Saturday 4am – 5am
Denmark FM (West Australia) Saturday 10 – 11am
Repeat: Wednesdays 10 – 11pm
7LTN Launceston Sunday 5 – 6am
3MGB Mallacoota Sunday 5 – 6am
3BBR West Gippsland Sunday 5 – 6pm
2SEA Sapphire Coast Eden Sunday 9 – 10pm

Set 1
Dorsey Brothers
I’m Getting Sentimental Over You (theme) + Sentimental Baby
Dorsey Brothers’ Orchestra (voc) Lynn Roberts
‘All Star Parade of Bands’
Magnolia Room
Claridge Hotel
WMC NBC Memphis
19 Jun 1953
Ruby
Dorsey Brothers’ Orchestra (voc) Johnny Amoroso
‘All Star Parade of Bands’
Magnolia Room
Claridge Hotel
WMC NBC Memphis
19 Jun 1953
Greig’s Grotto
Dorsey Brothers’ Orchestra
‘All Star Parade of Bands’
Magnolia Room
Claridge Hotel
WMC NBC Memphis
19 Jun 1953
Walk It Off Dorsey Brothers’ Orchestra (voc) Gordon Polk
‘All Star Parade of Bands’
Magnolia Room
Claridge Hotel
WMC NBC Memphis
19 Jun 1953
Set 2
Swing Club
Tiger Rag
Original Dixieland Jazz Band
‘Saturday Night Swing Club’
WABC CBS NYC
31 Oct 1936
There Goes My Attraction
The Blue Flames
‘Saturday Night Swing Club’
WABC CBS NYC
31 Oct 1936
Dardenella + Down By the Old Mill Stream
Leith Stevens Swing Club Orchestra
‘Saturday Night Swing Club’
WABC CBS NYC
31 Oct 1936
Running Wild + Chicken & Waffles (close)
Leith Stevens Swing Club Orchestra (tp) Bunny Berrigan
‘Saturday Night Swing Club’
WABC CBS NYC
31 Oct 1936
Set 3
Swing Savoy
Sabre Dance
Lucky Millinder Orchestra
‘Swingtime at the Savoy’
WNBC NBC NYC
28 Jul 1948
Comedy
Miller & Lee
‘Swingtime at the Savoy’
WNBC NBC NYC
28 Jul 1948
Lady Be Good
Ella Fitzgerald (voc) Ray Brown Trio ‘Swingtime at the Savoy’
WNBC NBC NYC
28 Jul 1948
Time to Go + Swingtime at the Savoy (theme)
Hall Sisters (voc) Lucky Millinder Orchestra
‘Swingtime at the Savoy’
WNBC NBC NYC
28 Jul 1948
Set 4
Jack Teagarden
Sheik of Araby
Jack Teagarden
‘Young Man with a Band’
WABC CBS
New York City
Nov 1939
Frenesi + Close
Jack Teagarden
Arcadia Ballroom
Aircheck NYV
11 Nov 1940
Fort Knox Jump
Jack Teagarden
‘Spotlight Bands’
Blythe CA
Mutual Network
5 Nov 1943
Medley: You Took Advantage of Me / Tea for Tow/ Lady be Good +  Theme
The Three T’s
Hickory House
WEAF NBC RED NYC
9 Dec 1936
Set 5
European Swing
Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccina
Alberto Rabagliati
Comm Rec
Turin
1940
Baron von der Pschek
Leonid Utesov
Comm Rec
Moscow
1942
Kissa Viekoon
Bruno Laakko & The Bats (Lepakot)
Comm Rec
Helsinki
1939
Angelina
Klaas van Beeck  Radio AVRO Dansorkest
Comm Rec
Hilversum
1943

Set 6
Charlie Spivak
Star Dreams (theme) + One Way Passage
Charlie Spivak Orchestra
Palladium Ballroom
KNX CBS LA
4 Apr 1948
Let’s Go Home
Charlie Spivak Orchestra
Radio Transcription
1941
Massenet’s Elegy
Charlie Spivak Orchestra
Palladium Ballroom
KNX CBS LA
Apr 1948
Charlie Horse
Charlie Spivak Orchestra
Radio Transcription
1941
Set 7
Artie Shaw
Nightmare (theme) + Deep in a Dream
Artie Shaw Orchestra (voc) Helen Forrest
Blue Room
Hotel Lincoln
WABC CBS NYC
2 Dec 1938
Jungle Drums
Artie Shaw Orchestra Blue Room
Hotel Lincoln
WABC CBS NYC
18 Jan 1939
This Can’t Be Love
Artie Shaw Orchestra (voc) Helen Forrest
Blue Room
Hotel Lincoln
WABC CBS NYC
18 Jan 1939
In the Mood + Diga Diga Doo
Artie Shaw Orchestra
Blue Room
Hotel Lincoln
WABC CBS NYC
20 Dec 1938
Set 8
Modern Jazz
Undecided (theme) + Pennies From Heaven
Charlie Shavers Quartet
London House
WBBM CBS Chicago
May 1962
Something for Clifford + Not so Sleepy Oscar Pettiford Birdland
WABC ABC NYC
Aug 1957

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