Phantom Dancer :: 12:00pm 8th Feb 2022

Clifford Brown is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature. Clifford Brown was an outstanding jazz trumpeter who in a career spanning only a few years became a jazz sensation. He composed the jazz standards Sandu, Joy Spring (his nickname for his wife) and Daahoud.

The Phantom Dancer is your non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV hosted by me, Greg Poppleton.

This week’s Phantom Dancer is a ‘classic’from March last year. I can’t go into the studio because I have caught COVID. Hear past Phantom Dancer online now at https://2ser.com/phantom-dancer/.

This show will be online after 2pm AEST, Tuesday 8 February at https://2ser.com/phantom-dancer/  

CLIFFORD

Clifford Brown came from a musical family. His father organized his four sons, including Clifford, into a vocal quartet. He started playing trumpet at school at ten and began private lessons at age thirteen. He first went to university as a maths major, but music took over. He played in the fourteen-piece, jazz-oriented Maryland State Band.

In June 1950, he was injured in a car accident after a performance. While in the hospital, he was visited by Dizzy Gillespie. Dizzy encouraged him to pursue a career in music. He got back into music despite his severe injuries by playing piano while recuperating.  

 

BROWN

Brown was influenced and encouraged by trumpeter, Fats Navarro. He played for a week with Charlie Parker who was amazed by Brown’s trumpet ideas. Clifford’s first recordings were with R&B bandleader Chris Powell. He worked with Art BlakeyTadd DameronLionel HamptonJ. J. Johnson.

He formed a band with Max RoachSonny Rollins joined the band and remained a member of the group for the rest of its existence. You’ll hear the Max Roach-Clifford Brown Quintet with Sonny Rollins on live 1956 radio in this week’s Phantom Dancer.

Brown stayed away from drugs and didn’t like alcohol. Rollins, who was recovering from heroin addiction, said that “Clifford was a profound influence on my personal life. He showed me that it was possible to live a good, clean life and still be a good jazz musician.”

Brown also had the habit of practicing all day off-stage, starting from 6am on the band bus. This gave him phenomenal stamina, clarity and tone on the bandstand.  

8 FEBRUARY PLAY LIST

 

Play List – The Phantom Dancer
107.3 2SER-FM Sydney LISTEN ONLINE Community Radio Network Show CRN #531

107.3 2SER Tuesday 8 February 2022 12:04 – 2:00pm (+11 hours GMT) and Saturdays 5 – 5:55pm National Program 5GTR Mt Gambier Monday 2:30 – 3:30am 3MBR Murrayville Monday 3 – 4am 4NAG Keppel FM Monday 3 – 4am 2SEA Eden Monday 3 – 4am 2MIA Griffith Monday 3 – 4pm 2BAR Edge FM Bega Monday 3 – 4pm 3VKV Alpine Radio Monday 6 – 7pm 7MID Oatlands Tuesday 8 – 9pm 1ART ArtsoundFM Canberra Friday 10 – 11am 2ARM Armidale Friday 12 – 1pm 5LCM Lofty FM Adelaide Friday 1 – 2pm 4RPH Brisbane Sunday 3 – 4am 7LTN Launceston Sunday 5 – 6am 3MGB Mallacoota Sunday 5 – 6am 6GME Radio Goolarri Broome Sunday 5 – 6am 3BBR West Gippsland Sunday 5 – 6pm

Set 1
Big Bands on 1946 Radio  
Intro + There’s Good Blues Tonight
Hal McIntyre Orchestra (voc) Johnny Turnbull
‘One Night Stand’ Century Rook Hotel Commodore NYC AFRS Re-broadcast 15 May 1946
Without You
Leighton Noble Orchestra
‘One Night Stand’ Starlight Roof Waldorf-Astoria Hotel NYC AFRS Re-broadcast 21 Jun 1946
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes + Perdido (close)
Buddy Morrow Orchestra
‘One Night Stand’ Roseland Ballroom NYC AFRS Re-broadcast 1 Mar 1946
Set 2
Phil Harris  
Music in the Moonlight (theme) + Just Friends
Jimmy Grier Orchestra (voc) Dick Webster
Cocoanut Grove Ambassador Hotel TRANSCO Radio Transcription 1932
Save The Last Dance For Me
Jimmy Grier Orchestra (voc) Donald Novis
Cocoanut Grove Ambassador Hotel TRANSCO Radio Transcription 1932
The More You Hurt Me The More You Make Me Care + Music in the Moonlight (theme)
Jimmy Grier Orchestra (voc) Margaret Lawrence
Cocoanut Grove Ambassador Hotel TRANSCO Radio Transcription 1932
Set 3
West Coast Trad 1949-59 Radio  
I Cover The Waterfront (theme) + Struttin’ With Some BBQ
Estuary Jazz Band
Pier 23 KGO San Francisco 1959
Open + Mississippi Mud
Kid Ory’s Creole Jazz Band
Beverly Cavern Club KGFJ Los Angeles 28 Jun 1949
March of the Bobcats + Honeysuckle Rose + I’ve Got a Right To Sing The Blues (theme)
Jack Teagarden
Club Hangover KCBS San Francisco 24 Apr 1954
Set 4
Clifford Brown  
Sweet Georgia Brown + What’s New?
Clifford Brown – Max Roach Quintet
Basin Street WCBS CBS NYC 6 May 1956
Interview
Clifford Brown interviewed by Willis Connover
‘Jazz Hour’ Voice of America 1956
I Remember Clifford
Oscar Pettiford
Birdland WABC ABC NY 1957
Set 5
Extended Works by Duke Ellington  
Diminuendo in Blue
Duke Ellington Orchestra
Birdland WNBC NBC NY 30 Jun 1951
Crescendo in Blue
Duke Ellington Orchestra
Birdland WNBC NBC NY 30 Jun 1951
Black, Brown and Beige Work Song
Duke Ellington Orchestra
‘Date with the Duke’ 400 Club WJZ Blue NYC 28 Apr 1945
Black, Brown and Beige Spiritual
Duke Ellington Orchestra
‘Date with the Duke’ 400 Club WJZ Blue NYC 28 Apr 1945
Set 6
Harry James Radio Transcriptions  
Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
Harry James Orchestra (voc) Helen Forrest
Radio Transcription 1943
Caxton Hall Swing
Harry James Orchestra
Radio Transcription 1954
Honeysuckle Rose
Harry James Orchestra (g) Allen Reuss
Radio Transcription 1943
In The Still of the Night
Harry James Orchestra (voc) Paula Gilbert
Radio Transcription 1954
Set 7
Dorsey Brothers Orchestra 1956  
Intro + Song of India
Dorsey Brothers’ Orchestra
Cafe Rouge Hotel Statler WRCA NBC NY 1956
Ridin’ Around in the Rain
Dorsey Brothers’ Orchestra (voc) Dolly Houston
Cafe Rouge Hotel Statler WRCA NBC NY 1956
Sunny Side of the Street
Dorsey Brothers’ Orchestra (voc) Lynn Roberts
Cafe Rouge Hotel Statler WRCA NBC NY 1956
Just For Taking Bows
Dorsey Brothers’ Orchestra
Cafe Rouge Hotel Statler WRCA NBC NY 1956
Set 8
Progressive Jazz Radio  
A Foggy Day
Carmen McRae
‘Timex All Star Jazz Show’ CBS TV 30 Dec 1957
They All Laughed
Carmen McRae
‘Timex All Star Jazz Show’ CBS TV 30 Dec 1957
Lester Leaps In
Lester Young
‘Symphony Sid Show’ Royal Roost WMCA NY 27 Nov 1948
Moose The Mooche + Lullaby of Broadway
Charlie Parker
Birdland WABC ABC NY 9 May 1953

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