Trad jazz became the leading jazz style in Australia after World War Two. On this week’s Phantom Dancer with Greg Poppleton, we hear 1949 by two of the leading exponents of the style – Dave Dallwitz and Graeme Bell.

THE PHANTOM DANCER

Your non-stop mixtape of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio. Produced and presented by Australia’s only authentic 1920s – 1930s singer, Greg Poppleton, since 1985.

The Phantom Dancer is mixed live-to-air on 107.3 2SER Sydney, Tuesdays 12:04 – 2pm.

It’s then re-broadcast on 22 radio stations of the Community Radio Network and online at 2ser.com.

THIS WEEK’S PHANTOM DANCER MIX

– has a set of ‘Limehouse Blues’ on-air between 1934 and 1946, there’s a set of live radio dance bands from 1939, and there’s the Australian trad jazz on 1949 radio feature. The last hour of the mix is ALL VINYL.

See the full play list below….

AUSTRALIAN TRAD JAZZ

This week’s feature – a set of 1949 trad radio broadcasts from Adelaide and Melbourne and a commercial side from 1929.

JOE WATSON

Trumpeter Joe Watson came to Australia from the USA with the visiting Ray Tellier band and decided to stay. He lead Melbourne’s Green Mill Dance Hall Orchestra. This commercial record was made for ‘Coles’ stores on their ‘Embassy’ label.

DAVE DALLWITZ – SOUTHERN JAZZ GROUP

Jazz pianist, band leader, ragtime, jazz, revue, symphonic and chamber music composer, classical cellist and bassoon player. He lead the Adelaide-based Southern Jazz Group from 1945 to 1951, which we hear in a South Australian radio broadcast from 1949. He was also an artist and associate member of the Royal South Australian Society of Arts.

GRAEME BELL

Dixieland and classical jazz pianist, composer and band leader. He famously toured Czechoslovakia in 1947, and later toured Germany and the UK in the early 50s. He was the first Westerner to lead a jazz band to China.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Australian band, Graeme Bell, cut this on tour in Czechoslovakia in 1947.

21 AUGUST PLAY LIST