Sam ‘The Man’ Taylor, influential 1940s jump and 1950s rock tenor saxophonist, is this week’s Phantom Dancer non-stop swing jazz feature artist. You’ll hear him from two 1956 Rock ‘n’ Roll Dance Party broadcasts on this week’s mix.

Because of the current Sydney Covid lockdown I can’t mix live from the 2SER studios as I normally do on Tuesdays, so this is a ‘classic’ Phantom Dancer from ‘the vaults’ in a ‘repeat premier’ for your aural enjoyment. Make sure you donate to community radio 2SER to keep these Phantom Dancers going.

Greg Poppleton has been bringing you The Phantom Dancer, your non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV, each week since 1985.

Hear The Phantom Dancer online from 12:04pm AEST Tuesday 26 April at https://2ser.com/phantom-dancer/ where you can also hear two years of archived shows.

The finyl hour is vinyl.

SAM ‘THE MAN’ TAYLOR

Taylor was born in Lexington, Tennessee. He attended Alabama State University, where he played with the Bama State Collegians. He later worked with Scatman Crothers, Cootie Williams, Lucky Millinder, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Buddy Johnson, Louis Jordan and Big Joe Turner. Taylor was one of the most requested session saxophone players in New York recording studios in the 1950s. He also replaced Count Basie as the house bandleader on Alan Freed’s radio series, Rock ‘n’ Roll Dance Party, on CBS, from where this week’s Phantom Dancer Sam ‘The Man’ Taylor tracks originate.

Taylor played the saxophone solo on Turner’s “Shake, Rattle and Roll”. He also played on “Harlem Nocturne”; on “Money Honey”, recorded by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters in 1953; and on “Sh-Boom” by the Chords.

During the 1960s, he led a five-piece band, the Blues Chasers. In the 1970s, he frequently played and recorded in Japan.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Sam ‘The Man’ Taylor’s hit 1955 recording on the 1930s jazz standard, Harlem Nocturne. The song was written by Earle Hagen when he was a teenager! He later gave us some of the greatest TV themes ever: “Andy Griffith Show”, “Dick Van Dyke Show”, “Gomer Pyle USMC”, “Danny Thomas Show”, “That Girl”, “I Spy”, “Mod Squad”

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!

26 APRIL PLAY LIST