The Lindy Hop Is Back

With the Thanksgiving break over, the weekly Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session returns this Friday.  The lesson will be by Mike and Erin, with music by Mike.  Free admission before 7:00 p.m., and $5 at the door afterwards. 

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

U of M Swing every Monday, Fieldhouse Room 254 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.  Free taster lesson from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Topics vary from week to week and include East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Blues and Balboa. All are welcome and no partner is required. Open practice from 8-9:30 pm. Improve your moves during this dance time. Ask questions, come practice your swing dancing and have fun with other Memphis swing dancers!

Sunrise Serenade: Santa Claus Got Stuck In My Chimney

Now that the holidays are here, it was inevitable that songs of the season would make their way into my unconscious.  This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Santa Claus Got Stuck In My Chimney" by Ella Fitzgerald.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Sub-Mariner

Here is another Golden Age comic book character with whom I was not familiar:  Sub-Mariner.  He was the mutant son of a human sea captain and a princess from Alantis, who was apparently one of the first comic book superheroes.  Pappy's Golden Age Comics Blogzine posted this 1948 issue.

Sunrise Serenade: A Kid Named Joe

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "A Kid Named Joe" by the Mills Brothers.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Gold Rush Daze

This Warner Bros. cartoon about folks rushing about in a frenzy of materialism seemed appropriate for yesterday's "Black Friday" shopping event.  From the Internet Archive, here is Gold Rush Daze.

Be Careful - And Courteous - On Black Friday

As many venture out into the frenzy of consumerism that is Black Friday, please be careful in the crowds and traffic, and courteous to your fellow shoppers.  After all, one of the themes of the season (in more than one faith) is supposed to be PEACE. 

Window shoppers looking at a toy display in downtown Providence, Rhode Island in 1944 - From the Library of Congress American Memory Collection:  America From the Great Depression to World War II.

Happy Thanksgiving!

From myself and the rest of the Swing Shift Shuffle crew at the WEVL Music Factory, have a Happy Thanksgiving! 

Thanksgiving 1944 in the home of a family in Neffsville, Pennsylvania - From the Library of Congress American Memory Collection:  America From the Great Depression to World War II.

Playlist For November 24, 2010

The playlist for the November 24, 2010 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Hard To Lindy With All That Turkey (And Shopping)

The Red Hot Lindy Hop takes a Thanksgiving holiday break this Friday night to let everyone recover from the feasting and Black Friday, but it will be back next Friday, December 3. 

Sunrise Serenade: Jeepers Creepers

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Jeepers Creepers" by Bert Ambrose and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title for a sample courtesy of emusic, or click here for the album page. 

Roy Rogers: Under The California Stars

Over at the [Matinee At] The Bijou Blog, there is a great article about Republic Pictures' 1948 release, Under The California Stars, featuring the "King of the Cowboys," Roy Rogers.  In addition to information about the movie itself, this post provides a nice history of Rogers, Dale Evans, the Sons of the Pioneers and, of course, Trigger.  By the way, the rider in Trigger's first movie appearence was not Rogers, or any other cowboy for that matter.  He was the mount for Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland) in the 1938 film, The Adventures of Robin Hood when Errol Flynn swung in to welcome her party to Sherwood Forest.

Sunrise Serenade: Hi Ho Trailus Boot Whip

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Hi Ho Trailus Boot Whip" by Anita O'Day.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Rare (Very Rare) Autos On The Block

The Hemmings blog noted that two extremely rare cars will be offered at the Goodings & Company auction in Scottsdale, Arizona in January 2011.  The first is an all original Tucker 48, with only 10,000 miles, that has apparently been resting quietly in a private barn for over 50 years.  Considering that Preston Tucker built less than 50 of his namesake cars, this story falls into the ultimate "barn find" category.  The other is one of only five surviving 1941 Chrysler Newports with LeBaron coachwork.  Expected sale price on each?  Over $1,000,000. 

Sunrise Serenade: Flyin' Home

This morning's Sunrise Serenade seemed appropriate for Monday before Thanksgiving.  It was "Flyin' Home" by Woody Herman and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Jerky Turkey

For Thanksgiving, we invite the great Tex Avery to tell the story of a simple Pilgrim looking for that first Thanksgiving Day meal, and throw in a pack of World War II era jokes to boot.  From the Internet Archive, the 1945 animated short, Jerkey Turkey.

The Gypsy Hombres Help Put A New Face On An Old Broad

The Gypsy Hombres return to Memphis as part of the Broad Avenue Arts District urban renewal event:  A New Face For An Old Broad, this Saturday, November 20, 2010.  The Hombres will play from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m., and there are plenty of other things to see, hear and do.  Below is a video from an Hombres performance earlier this year. 

Sunrise Serenade: Wrappin' It Up

Today's Sunrise Serenade was certainly appropriate for the end of a work week:  "Wrappin' It Up" by Fletcher Henderson and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Train Travel: Getting There Is Half The Fun

This item from Vintage Ads depicts train travel in the days before airlines took over as the prevalent means of transportation.  This 1947 advertisment promotes the "low cost luxury" of the New York Central Pacemaker.

Sunrise Serenade: Music Makers

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Music Makers" by Harry James and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Playlist For November 17, 2010

The playlist for the November 17, 2010 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Raymond Scott Documentary On DVD

Thanks to Boing Boing for letting me know that Deconstructing Dad, a documentary about composer and inventor Raymond Scott, is out on DVD.  In a related family note, John Williams' dad, Johnny Williams, was a member of the Raymond Scott Quintette. 

The film, which was directed by Scott's only son, features movie-music legend JOHN WILLIAMS ('STAR WARS'), producer HAL WILNER, MARK MOTHERSBAUGH of DEVO, jazz clarinetist DON BYRON, archival footage of EDWARD R. MURROW, and DJ SPOOKY, aka Paul D. Miller.

Sunrise Serenade: Dreamer's Holiday

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Dreamer's Holiday" by Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Keep Warm With The Lindy Hop

As the cool weather arrives, keep warm with the weekly Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session Friday.  The lesson will be by Jaredan and Erin, with music by Jaredan.  Free admission before 7:00 p.m., and $5 at the door afterwards. 

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

U of M Swing every Monday, Fieldhouse Room 254 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.  Free taster lesson from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Topics vary from week to week and include East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Blues and Balboa. All are welcome and no partner is required. Open practice from 8-9:30 pm. Improve your moves during this dance time. Ask questions, come practice your swing dancing and have fun with other Memphis swing dancers!

Sunrise Serenade: Exactly Like You

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Exactly Like You" by Louis Armstrong.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Drive-In Movie Car Speakers From 1948

The fact that this advertisement, posted on Vintage Ads, promoted "in car" speakers as "new" made me wonder what sort of sound system drive-in movies used before their invention.  I just assumed that in car speakers existed since the beginning of the drive-in.  Anyone know how folks heard the sound before in car speakers?

Sunrise Serenade: I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm

As cooler weather finally arrives in Memphis, this morning's Sunrise Serenade was "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" by Red Norvo and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Porky's Pooch

This 1941 black & white cartoon, directed by Bob Clampett, seems like a rough draft for Warner Bros.' later release, Little Orphan Airdale, directed by Chuck Jones.  The underlying story is the same, but with different gags.  The placement of animation over what appear to be photographed backgrounds is interesting, and I like the Carman Miranda reference.  From the Internet Archive, here is Porky's Pooch.

Bucky Fuller's Dymaxion Car Lives Again

On the other end of the three wheel vehicle spectrum from the little Morgan trike was Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion car.  Boing Boing posted that a British architect has commissioned his own. 

In 1933, Buckminster Fuller designed the Dymaxion car, a concept vehicle that could hold 11 passengers and had a fuel efficiency of 30+ miles per gallon. Three prototypes were built, but the only survivor is in the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada. Recently though, renowned UK architect Norman Foster, one of Fuller's colleagues late in his life, commissioned construction of his own Dymaxion car.

Sunrise Serenade: I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Veterans' Day

On Veterans' Day, one often sees photos or images of military personnel in dress uniforms, in parades, etc.  I came across this photo from the Library of Congress American Memory collection:  Depression Era to World War II.  According to the caption, it depicts an operation on a wounded American soldier by Major George Marks. The soldier was wounded in the arms and shoulders by shrapnel from a Japanese mortar as he was storming a pillbox in New Guinea in 1944.  This picture reflects the realities of why we have Veterans' Day. 

Sunrise Serenade: The Woodpecker Song

As often happens on a Thursday, this morning's Sunrise Serenade was a song I played on the show last night:  "The Woodpecker Song" by the Andrews Sisters.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Playlist For November 10, 2010 - Fall Pledge Drive Special!

The playlist for the November 10, 2010 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle, the Fall Pledge Drive Special celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Billboard record sales charts, has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet. 

The Lindy Hops On This Friday

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this week with a lesson by Matt and Amanda and music by Amanda.  Free admission before 7:00 p.m., and $5 at the door afterwards. 

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

U of M Swing every Monday, Fieldhouse Room 254 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.  Free taster lesson from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Topics vary from week to week and include East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Blues and Balboa. All are welcome and no partner is required. Open practice from 8-9:30 pm. Improve your moves during this dance time. Ask questions, come practice your swing dancing and have fun with other Memphis swing dancers!

Sunrise Serenade: Ah, Your Father's Mustache

Today's Sunrise Serenade was an encore from October:  "Ah, Your Father's Mustache" by Woody Herman.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Swing Shift Shuffle Fall Pledge Drive Special Tomorrow!

For the Swing Shift Shuffle Fall Pledge Drive Special, we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Billboard record sale charts by featuring songs and tunes from Billboard charts for the year 1940.  Tune in, and remember to call 901-528-1990, or go online with your pledge of support to WEVL!

Sunrise Serenade: Believe It, Beloved

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Believe It, Beloved" by Fats Waller.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Jive Takes a Holiday With The Kilroys

Over at Pappy's Golden Age Comics Blogzine, Pappy combines comics and swing with this post of an issue of The Kilroys.  In this story, Mr. K expresses his frustration over his daughter's fascination with the nonsensical music of the modern age (1947!), stuff like "Cement Mixer, Putti, Putti" by Slim Gaillard.  It has some fun swing reference details like a poster for "Gene Trupa."

Sunrise Serenade: Riverboat Shuffle

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Riverboat Shuffle" by Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

You Don't Know What You're Doin'

If I had a nickel for every time someone said that to me . . . .  Anyway, this cartoon is a very early Looney Tunes/Merry Melodies short from 1931.  Our hero, Piggy, picks up his girl for a night of hot jazz at the theater, and he gets into a show-off contest, first with one of the musicians, then with an inebriated audience member.  Throw in some bootleg liquor (Prohibition was in effect when this cartoon was released), and things get a bit wild.  Nice early jazz soundtrack.  From the Internet Archive, here is You Don't Know What You're Doin'. 

Support The Swing Shift Shuffle! Support WEVL!

The Swing Shift Shuffle would not exist without WEVL 89.9, the radio station that airs the show.  WEVL is independent, nonprofit, noncommercial, and listener-supported, and we need your support.  The WEVL Fall Pledge Drive began this morning, and we are trying to reach a goal of $60,000 by 6:00 p.m. Saturday, November 13.  Show your support for the Swing Shift Shuffle by making a pledge.  You can pledge online at wevl.org, or you can call the pledge hotline at 901-528-1990.  For more information on WEVL, see the Radio Show FAQ page, and thanks for your support!

Sunrise Serenade: Big John's Special

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Big John's Special" by Fletcher Henderson and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtey of Jazz On Line. 

Candid Camera Cops Of 1939

Nowadays, almost everyone has a camera (i.e. cell phone) handy for documenting evidence in an emergency, but this Modern Mechanix post from a 1939 issue of Mechanix Illustrated reveals an early official use of portable photography. 

It is pointed out that the policemen will collect pictorial records of traffic violations to refresh the memories of careless drivers when they are hailed into court. The cameras will also be used by the officers to take pictures at the scene of a crime for use with court testimony.

Sunrise Serenade: There'll Be Some Changes Made

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "There'll Be Some Changes Made" by Woody Herman and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Playlist for November 3, 2010

The playlist for the November 3, 2010 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Linda Darnell With U.S. Pilot

In this post from Film Noir Photos, we find actress Linda Darnell (The Mark of Zorro) with U.S. Army pilot Captain Fred Hargesheimer, who followed up his wartime experiences with some assistance to those who helped him during the war.  From Film Noir Photos:

Fred Hargesheimer was flying the photo-reconnaissance version of the P-38 when bullets from a Japanese plane hit his left engine and he was shot down over the Japanese-occupied island of New Britain in 1943.  With the help of island natives he eluded capture for eight months before being rescued.  In 1963 Hargesheimer returned to New Britain and helped establish a school for the villagers that helped him during the war.  (AP Photo/Courtesy of Fred Hargesheimer)

Sunrise Serenade: Danny Boy

Considering the misty conditions in Memphis this morning, today's Sunrise Serenade was an appropriate encore from back in September:  "Danny Boy" by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Swinging With The Lindy Hop

The weekly Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues Friday night with a lesson by Kirk and Michelle and music by Alexis.  Free admission before 7:00 p.m., and $5 at the door afterwards. 

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

U of M Swing every Monday, Fieldhouse Room 254 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.  Free taster lesson from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Topics vary from week to week and include East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Blues and Balboa. All are welcome and no partner is required. Open practice from 8-9:30 pm. Improve your moves during this dance time. Ask questions, come practice your swing dancing and have fun with other Memphis swing dancers!

Sunrise Serenade: Manhattan Minuet

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Manhattan Minuet" by the Raymond Scott Quintette.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Aluminum Overcast

This weekend offers a rare opportunity to experience one of the most famous aircraft of all time.  Chapter 182 of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) will host the Beoing B-17G Flying Fortress, Aluminum Overcast, at the Olive Branch Airport from Friday, November 5 through Sunday, November 7.  In addition to ground tours from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. each day, you can book a flight on this piece of history. 

EAA is offering historic flight experiences in its beautifully restored B-17G Flying Fortress “Aluminum Overcast.” One of only 14 Fortress's still flying, this aircraft is an icon of the Allied strategic bombing effort that helped turn the tide of battle in World War II. Unlike reading a history book, you can actually fly a mission back in time and feel the might of this magnificent machine, just as those brave young men did more than 60 years ago. Contact: EAA, Phone: 800-359-6217, B17@eaa.org

Sunrise Serenade: Two Sleepy People

Today's Sunrise Serenade was appropriate for a Monday morning:  "Two Sleepy People" by Hoagy Carmichael and Ella Logan.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.