Swing Music anyone?

[Motorhead350]

My drummer and I are thinking of starting a Swing Band as a side project or maybe something more. I know nothing of this music other then I like it.

Do you guys and girls know of any bands, artists or songs to look into?

Thanks!

[SVT_MERC]

Too bad I'm a bit of a hike away from chi-town, I'd like to bring out the old trumpet and do that too.....

[Master]

Good lord, man: Benny Goodman, Glen Miller, Kruppa, the list of legendary swing bands is HUGE! More recently you can get Big Rude Jake for an interesting take on swing, Colin James and his Big Band (not his rock band).
When you want a sax player, let me know. I've probably got more of these tunes memorized than you've heard of.
Its a blast, and when the jive and swing dancers hit the floor, you find yourself and the rest of the band building from their energy.
Nothing better than a full-blown swing gig.

[Bluerauder]

My drummer and I are thinking of starting a Swing Band as a side project or maybe something more. I know nothing of this music other then I like it.

Do you guys and girls know of any bands, artists or songs to look into?

Thanks!
Here are some of the Big Swing Bands ....

Glenn Miller and his Orchestra
Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra
Tommy Dorsey & ...
Cab Calloway & ...
Benny Goodman & ...
Artie Shaw & ....
Les Brown & his band of Reknown

Songs ...

In the Mood
String of Pearls
Pennsylvania 6-5000
Take the "A" Train
Chatanooga Choo Choo
Sing, Sing, Sing
Jumpin' at the Woodside
One O'Clock Jump
Don't Be That Way
Stompin' at the Savoy
It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that Swing

More info here >>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_music

[UncleLar]

Try Artie Shaw Dom,he was big back when and he played a lot in Chicago. matter of fact I've got some old cassette tapes around here somewhere i bought that were taped live off the radio a long long time ago.I used to belong to the Antique Radio Club of Illinois and hit their swap meets whenever they had them and bought the tapes there.When I got into tube stereos and tube audio I wanted some music with a lot of brass to hear the mid range and "warmer" sounds of the tube equipment so I bought swing music. I've got some CD's in the garage you can borrow for a while to listen to with some good stuff on them.
Ha,Bluerauder beat me to it,just about all the bands he mentioned were good and all the songs were,he forgot Little Brown Jug though.

[Bigdogjim]

Good move Dom :up: That music never gets old......IMHO

:party:

[Master]

Hard to swing dance to "Little Brown Jug". Its also kind of tedious to play.

[MM03MOK]

The Artie Shaw Orchestra with bandleader & clarinetist Dick Johnson still tour today. Artie handpicked Dick to revive his band in 1981. Dick is a very close friend of a good friend of mine and hails from Brockton, MA.

My dad's favourites were Benny Goodman and Harry James.

[Master]

Yeah, Harry James is wicked, too.

[Motorhead350]

Thanks for the info everyone. When I have time tonight I'll go on youtube and listen to a few of these guys. If I like what I heard I'll stop by the record store and pick up a few CDs... hopefully vinyls.

[illwood]

Don't forget the Count Basie Band!

Not only are they great, they were the jazz band playing in the desert in the movie Blazing Saddles.

[a_d_a_m]

count basie ftw!

also, even though they are a newer group, the royal crown revue was a fun band to see and just sounded like a huge wall of sound. the drummer was also unstoppable.

good luck finding a horn section.

[rayjay]

XM channel 4, love it! My Dad (RIP) was a multi time jitter bug champion after WW2.

[Dr Caleb]

Slim Gailliard - "Opera in Vout".

[Shora]

Great thread! Lots'o good info!

[shodude]

x2 I'm an old soul as they say. i LOVE anything art deco and the great swing/big band music of the 30-40's i don't get people my age.. i swear i was born in the wrong time period.. :-D

[Fourth Horseman]

I'd just like to say that Duke Ellington was the man. In my next life I hope I'm half as smooth as that fellow was. Fantastic music!

[Bigdogjim]

Dom: Back in the '90's a cd call Grenn Miller in a "Digital Mood" was recorded find it and you will love it!!!!

[MM03MOK]

Watch some movies from the 40's or about the 40's era, specifically The Glenn Miller Story. JImmy Steward plays Glenn Miller. Some great musicians also played themselves, such as Louie Armstrong and Gene Krupa (Drums - born in Chicago, 1909). You'll get a real sense of the era along with some great music. Also the Benny Goodman Story starring Steve Allen. Never saw this one. Harry James (trumpet), Stan Getz (Sax) & Lionel Hampton (vibraphone) play themselves.

[Bluerauder]

Watch some movies from the 40's or about the 40's era, specifically The Glenn Miller Story. JImmy Steward plays Glenn Miller. Some great musicians also played themselves, such as Louie Armstrong and Gene Krupa (Drums - born in Chicago, 1909). You'll get a real sense of the era along with some great music. Also the Benny Goodman Story starring Steve Allen. Never saw this one. Harry James (trumpet), Stan Getz (Sax) & Lionel Hampton (vibraphone) play themselves.
Great Show .... terrific music (1956). Benny Goodman actually played all of the clarinet pieces for the movie except one. Steve Allen was also a clarinet player of sorts and played in one of the early scenes when Goodman was young and just learning. :)

[Dr Caleb]

Dom: Back in the '90's a cd call Grenn Miller in a "Digital Mood" was recorded find it and you will love it!!!!

And the soundtrack from the movie "Swing Kids". And the movie itself.

And as Bunny says - some movies from the era. "Sun Valley Serenade" if you can find it. That was one of my Dad's favourites, and he grew up in the 30's.

If you can't find recordings of Slim Gaillard, just ask. I still have lots on 78's.

[Motorhead350]

If you can't find recordings of Slim Gaillard, just ask. I still have lots on 78's.

Let me know when you wanna part woth those and I'll let you know when I have the money. :)