Barbara James Australian radio swing and jazz singer from the 1930s-60s features in this week's Phantom Dancer. Also in the mix, 1939 Frank Sinatra, Tommy Dorsey's arranger Matt Denis, Charlie Parker and singer Loyce Whiteman all from live vintage radio. Happy Listening! Read More
Xavier Cugat, 'King of the Rhumba', a leading figure in the spread of Latin music, is your feature artist on this week's Phantom Dancer with Greg Poppleton. Read his story, see video, listen to the radio show online from 26 March here. Read More
Two curiosities on this week's Phantom Dancer. The first is 1940s Sydney Dance Band leader, and later TV producer, George Trevare. Read his story, hear his swinging small group playing Waltzing Matilda in 1945, listen to the radio show online from 26 March here. Read More
This Tuesday I'm thrilled to find for you on The Phantom Dancer with Greg Poppleton, a 1942 all-woman jazz show I played on the Phantom Dancer over ten years ago. The tape has re-surfaced. This week enjoy the Victory Belles as your Phantom Dancer featured artists. Read the Victory Belles story, see photos, read the play list and hear the radio show here. Read More
They were some of the biggest stars in the business from the 1940s onwards. They are this week's Phantom Dancer feature artists with Greg Poppleton - Jo Stafford, Georgia Gibbs and Dinah Shore. Read three unusual facts about these singers, see a 1960 Dinah TV show, see the Phantom Dancer play list and listen to the show here. Read More
Kid Ory was an influential figure in early jazz and 'inventor' of the tailgate trombone. He's this week's Phantom Dancer feature artist with 1920s-30s singer Greg Poppleton - swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio. Hear Kid Ory on live 1949-55 radio, read his story, see his video and see The Phantom Dancer playlist here. Read More
'So, This Is Harris!', a comedy short about band leader Phil Harris, won the 1934 Academy Award for best short subject. See the film, hear Phil Harris from the Cocoanut Grove in 1933 radio transcriptions, read his story and see the Phantom Dancer swing jazz mixtape play list here. The Phantom Dancer is mixed and presented by 1920s - 1930s singer, Greg Poppleton. Read More
Double bassist Harold Rumsey was a byword in jazz in the 1950s. Leaving the Stan Kenton Orchestra after an argument, he formed his Lighthouse All-Stars, creating a new jazz venue and introducing audiences to the newest champions of modern jazz all at the same time. He's this week's Phantom Dancer with Greg Poppleton feature artist. Read his story, see him on 1960s TV, see the play list, hear the Phantom Dancer non-stop swing jazz radio show. Read More
Harry 'The Hipster' Gibson is this week's Phantom Dancer feature artist with Greg Poppleton. The stride and boogie pianist claimed to have invented the word 'hipster'. His stellar career nosedived in 1946 after he released the drug song 'Who Put The Benzedrine in Mrs Murphy's Ovaltine?'. That same song brought him out of obscurity when 'discovered' by Dr Demento in 1985 after which he released three albums. Read More
The first woman to play swing harp was Adele Girard. We hear her and 1950s jazz harpist Betty Glamann as the Phantom Dancer feature artists on this week's non-stop live 1920s-60s radio mix. Read More
On this week's Phantom Dancer with Greg Poppleton we hear from the world's first electric guitarist, Alvino Rey, at the peak of his popularity in 1942. He invented the world's first amplified guitar at age 15 in 1923. He also introduced 'Stringy' the electronic talking guitar in 1941. Read the story, see photos, read the play list, hear the show after 29 January right here. Read More
Marcelle Bordas, simply known as Bordas in French theatrical tradition, was a theatre milliner whose voice was discovered by French pop singer, Mistinguett. We hear her on shortwave radio from 1939 with a mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio Read More
On this week's Phantom Dancer with Greg Poppleton - swing and jazz from live 1920s - 60s radio - you'll hear a set of 1930s-40s Australian swing by Jim Davidson and his ABC Orchestra and George Trevare, both based in Sydney Read More
One of the curiosities on this week's Phantom Dancer is part of a weekly broadcast from 1933 of one of the last of the 1920s commercial brand orchestras. In this case, the orchestra is the AandP Gypsies. There's also a set from the exceptional 1940s Sydney swing band led by George Trevare. Produced and presented by 1920s - 1930s singer and band leader, Greg Poppleton. Read More
Your New Year's Phantom Dancer is choc-a-bloc full of New Years swing and jazz from live 1936 – 1966 radio and Wynn the Astrologer's predictions for 1937. Presented by myself, Greg Poppleton, since 1985 on 107.3 2SER Sydney, the show is now re-broadcast over 24 stations of the Community Radio Network across Australia. Hear the show online from midday 1 January (AEST). Read More
