As if having a hyphenated name wasn't unusual enough, a 1950s swing band known as the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra had a couple of other odd attributes. For one thing, the group reached its peak during the twilight of the big band era. It was also unusual for having dual bandleaders, but the real oddity was how … Continue reading Sauter-Finegan Orchestra Was Something Different
Tag: Big Band
Manny Klein – Mastering The Trumpet
In a recent post I mentioned that a trumpet solo in a classic movie had been dubbed by Manny Klein, a talented but relatively unknown trumpeter who deserves a little more attention. He had a fascinating and varied career, one that included not only playing conventionally, but also mastering something you seldom hear about -- … Continue reading Manny Klein – Mastering The Trumpet
Ralph Marterie Knew What People Liked
His name sounds at least a little familiar to those of us who have been around a while, and it's a pretty good bet that you've heard a lot of his music through the years, but Ralph Marterie is not someone who comes to mind when you think of cutting-edge orchestral jazz. Nevertheless, he sold … Continue reading Ralph Marterie Knew What People Liked
Syd Lawrence – Glenn Miller’s Biggest Fan?
Glenn Miller had a lot of fans in his heyday. Probably still does for that matter, even though he's been gone for a long time. But how many of those fans were so dedicated to his musical style that they'd end up leading their own band built around the Miller sound? That's what British trumpeter … Continue reading Syd Lawrence – Glenn Miller’s Biggest Fan?
Anatomy Of A Song – “At Last”
You would be hard-pressed to find a greater connection between a song and a performer than the one shared by the late Etta James and her classic "At Last." The song earned her a special Grammy Hall Of Fame award, and the feisty singer fiercely fought for her right to perform it even as her … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – “At Last”
Dick Stabile — Dino’s Go-To Guy
One of the things I enjoy about reading biographies of entertainment legends is learning about the less famous people whose lives revolved around the stars, like the guy I ran across in a book about Dean Martin. An accomplished saxophonist who'd gotten his start in the early big band era, Dick Stabile was the musical … Continue reading Dick Stabile — Dino’s Go-To Guy
Anatomy Of A Song – “And the Angels Sing”
It would be difficult to find a song with a more unusual history of success than the swing era classic, "And The Angels Sing." Originally an instrumental with a Jewish klezmer-style segment, it would later have lyrics added and become a hit record for a famous big band, while at the same time turning into … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – “And the Angels Sing”
Anatomy Of A Song – “Moonlight Serenade”
I've decided to formalize a type of post that has already shown up a number of times on the GMC, and by formalize I mean that I'm going to give it a name and add it to the 'categories' tab in the left column (like I did a while back for Fantastic Foursomes). It's the … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – “Moonlight Serenade”
A ‘Thoughtful’ Fantastic Foursome
Something a little different on today's Fantastic Foursome. I'm still giving you four different versions of a song and asking for you to vote for your favorite, but I'll tell you right up front that I'll be voting for Nat King Cole. His rendition of "The Very Thought Of You" is one of my all … Continue reading A ‘Thoughtful’ Fantastic Foursome
Benny’s Buddy Was A Virtuoso Too
I'm pretty sure that legendary clarinetist Benny Goodman didn't require his life-long friends to be virtuosos of his caliber, but at least one of them was just that. Pianist/composer Mel Powell might not have been quite as famous as Benny but he was every bit as talented, and over the course of their long careers … Continue reading Benny’s Buddy Was A Virtuoso Too
Geezer Music Club 