Rags, Hops And Live Music Next Week

The Tiger Rag continues tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. at Rhitts on Rex with a $7 cover.  You can sign up now for the next round of Progressive Lindy Hop Lessons starting in February on Wednesday nights at 7:00.

Rhitts on Rex

5683 Rex Road

Memphis, TN 38117

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday night at the Rumba Room with free admission and lesson before 7:00 p.m., and $5 at the door afterwards.  The lesson will be by Jaredan and Erin, with music by Jaredan.  Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

Live music next Friday night with J. Thomas and the Swinging Monkeys!

Sunrise Serenade: Brazil

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Brazil" by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra, featuring Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell on vocals.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Turner Classic Movies In February

The Hollywood Revue once again provides a preview of the Turner Classic Movies schedule for February.  As it does every year, February starts TCM's "31 Days of Oscar," featuring academy award winners and nominees.  This year's theme is "Around the World in 31 Days," with movies grouped together by location.

Sunrise Serenade: Route 66

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Route 66" by the Nat King Cole Trio.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

The Playful Polar Bears

Fleischer Studios pre-empted Coca Cola by a few years with this 1938 color animated short about a prodigal polar bear cub.  From the Internet Archive, here is The Playful Polar Bears. 

The Jazz Era In India

The BBC posted a really interesting audio slideshow about Bombay's Jazz Age in the 1930s-40s, when American musicians came to India, and Indian musicians began playing jazz.  It features some fascinating images and stories of the people and style during this "East meets West" era. 

Sunrise Serenade: Kickin' The Gong Around

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was inspired by the pair of feral cats we feed.  They are a male and female that are very loyal to each other, so I named them Minnie the Moocher and Smokey Joe.  Here is another episode in the continuing saga of Minnie and Joe by Cab Calloway and His Orchestra:   "Kickin' The Gong Around."  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

How A (Large) Sign Was Painted In 1946

Modern Mechanix posted this article from the October 1946 issue of Popular Science, which explained how artists would "scale up" advertising images for painting on the sides of buildings in the days before digital billboards or even the large scale, pre-printed sheets hung on billboards today.

Sunrise Serenade: Brotherly Jump

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Brotherly Jump" by the combined orchestras of Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Playlist For January 25, 2012

The playlist for the January 25, 2012 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

World War II Bomber Jacket Art

Bomber crews during World War II not only decorated the nose of their aircraft ("nose art"), they also decorated their jackets.  The Jalopy Journal posted a series of photos from late in the war documenting the jacket designs.  As with some nose art, pretty girls feature prominently.  Bear in mind that bomber crews were males mostly between the ages of 18 and 23, a long way from home, and risking their lives every mission.  By today's standards, only one of the images is even the slightest bit risque, but no more than a PG rating.  My personal favorite is this one.  The design is a copy of a well known pin-up from one of the major artists whose name escapes me, but the name is the key.  What better name for a plane that has to fly through enemy anti-aircraft and fighters than "Mister Completely?"

Sunrise Serenade: Stompin' At The Savoy

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Stompin' At The Savoy" by Judy Garland.  Enjoy the video below from YouTube.

Rags And Hops Abound

The Tiger Rag continues tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. at Rhitts on Rex with a $7 cover.  You can sign up now for the next round of Progressive Lindy Hop Lessons starting in February on Wednesday nights at 7:00.

Rhitts on Rex

5683 Rex Road

Memphis, TN 38117

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday night at the Rumba Room with free admission and lesson before 7:00 p.m., and $5 at the door afterwards.  The lesson will be by Mike T. and Kimmie, with music by Bethany.  Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

Sunrise Serenade: It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

The Eiffel Tower As An Automobile Advertisement

I'll bet that if you picture the Eiffel Tower in your mind, it will not look like this photo.  Retronaut posted several pictures of the Paris landmark when it served as an advertisement for Citroen motorcars.  Apparently, the company rented the tower from 1925 to 1934, so for nearly nine years, the City of Light earned that name (at least in part) thanks to Citroen.

Way Down Yonder In New Orleans

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans" by the Spirits of Rhythm.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Popeye The Sailor: Blow Me Down

According to comments on the Internet Archive, this 1932 Popeye cartoon by Max Fleischer was one of the earliest made featuring the violent, spinach munching sailor.  Here is Blow Me Down.

1940s Ancestor Of The B2

Jack Northrop built a series of "Flying Wing" aircraft in the late '30s and early '40s.  Although they never went into military or commercial service, they did provide much of the groundwork for what eventually became the B-2 stealth bomber.  Modern Mechanix posted this article from the January 1942 issue of Mechanix Illustrated about one of Northrop Aircraft Company's prototypes.

Sunrise Serenade: Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!" by the Andrews Sisters.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Communist Cartoons By New Yorker Artist

I originally saw a post about this topic on Boing Boing, but forgot about it until Retronaut posted about it as well.  Syd Hoff did hundreds of cartoons for The New Yorker, and also illustrated childrens' books.  In the mid-1930s, however, while his work was published in The New Yorker, he was also publishing as "A. Redfield" in The Daily Worker, a communist party newsletter.  Talk about playing both sides of the fence.  He did a series of cartoons called The Ruling Clawss with all of the wit of his New Yorker stuff, but coming from the other end of the political spectrum.

Sunrise Serenade: My Kinda Love

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "My Kinda Love" by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra with Bing Crosby on vocals.  Enjoy the video below from YouTube.

Playlist For January 18, 2012

The playlist for the January 18, 2012 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Dog Lifeguard

And I do not mean a lifeguard that saves dogs.  Modern Mechanix posted this article from the January 1942 issue of Mechanix Illustrated about Ace, a 5 1/2 year old Alsation shepherd that was trained to rescue distressed swimmers.

Sunrise Serenade: Cherry

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Cherry" by Louis Armstrong and the Mills Brothers.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Tigers Ragging And Lindys Hopping

The Tiger Rag continues tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. at Rhitts on Rex with a $7 cover. 

Rhitts on Rex

5683 Rex Road

Memphis, TN 38117

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday night at the Rumba Room with free admission before 7:00 p.m., and $5 at the door afterwards.  The lesson will be by Meghan and Jaredan, with music by Jaredan.  Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

Sunrise Serenade: It Had To Be You

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "It Had To Be You" by Bing Crosby.  Enjoy the video below from YouTube.

Superman: Volcano

One sometimes wonders why, at least in the classic Superman cartoons, that the Man of Steel ever cared so much for Lois Lane.  After all, she was always trying to steal stories from Clark Kent, and then she would get herself into dangerous situations from which only Superman could save her.  Case in point, Supes has to save Lois and an entire island city from a volcano.  From the Internet Archive, here is the 1942 animated short, Volcano.

Metallic Streamlining Extravaganza

In the 1940s, the Bohn Aluminum and Brass Corporation produced a series of print advertisements that, based on the examples posted by Retronaut, were positively dripping with sophisticated streamlined design.  Where is the future these ads promised us?

Beer Barrel Polka

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Beer Barrel Polka" by the Andrews Sisters.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

The Superman-Tim Club!

Why doesn't somebody tell me these things?  Four Color Shadows posted a scan of a Superman-Tim comic book from 1947, and linked to an article on Dial B For Blog which describes the origins of the "Tim" series of comics.  This is a concept I can appreciate.  It appears that my boyhood adventures with the Man of Steel were apparently erased from my memory, no doubt by some evil fiend bent on the destruction of truth, justice and the American way.  As Dial B explained,

Way back in 1942, a company called Tim Publications, Inc. used to print small, 6" x 9" booklets in black with a single color. These booklets were issued monthly, and the stores that sold them created “clubs” for younger kids.

The club you belonged to depended on how old you were. Older children had the “Tim in Space” club and the "Gene Autry-Tim" club, while younger kids had the "Superman-Tim" club, and its companion comic book: Superman-Tim comics.

Sunrise Serenade: Let's Have Another One

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Let's Have Another One" by the Andrews Sisters.  Enjoy the video below from YouTube.

Playlist For January 11, 2012

The playlist for the January 11, 2012 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Color Footage Of Hollywood 1948

I found this post and video on The Jalopy Journal, which features articles about vintage hot rods and associated culture.  It is color footage of a drive around Hollywood in 1948.  Aside from the great shots of the old cars, we pass several theaters and movie studios, as well as the famous Hollywood Hotel.  My personal favorite, however, is the straight-outta-classic-cartoon stop light at 1:12, complete with the mechanical "stop" and "go" banners.  Enjoy. 

Sunrise Serenade: Sugar Blues

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Sugar Blues" by Ella Fitzgerald.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Tiger Rag Wednesday And Lindy Hop Friday

The swing dance opportunities have doubled for 2012.  The Tiger Rag will be every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. at Rhitts on Rex with a $7 cover. 

Rhitts on Rex

5683 Rex Road

Memphis, TN 38117

The weekly Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday night at the Rumba Room with free admission before 7:00 p.m., and $5 at the door afterwards.  The lesson will be by Becky and Kirk, with music by Becky.  Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

Sunrise Serenade: Stompin' At The Savoy

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Stompin' At The Savoy" by the Benny Goodman Sextet.  Click n the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Art Deco Motor Racing Posters

Have you ever seen those classic, Art Deco style posters advertising mostly European motor races in the 1930s (Le Mans, Monaco, etc.)?  The Jalopy Journal advises us that many of them were the work of Georges Hamel, a/k/a Geo. Ham, and posts several neat examples.

Sunrise Serenade: When A Prince Of Fella Meets A Cinderella

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "When A Prince Of A Fella Meets A Cinderella" by the Andrews Sisters.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Red Hot Riding Hood

In this cartoon, Tex Avery once again brings a classic fairy tale to the sophisticated Swing Era in his own inimitable style.  From the Internet Archive, here is the 1942 animated short, Red Hot Riding Hood. 

Nashville Billboards From The 1940s

Here are some neat color photographs of billboards and other advertising in the Nashville area from the 1940s on Retronaut.  The subjects include soda, whiskey, hotels, laundry and pesticides.

Sunrise Serenade: So Soon

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "So Soon" by Andy Kirk and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Cindy Comics - Starring Tommy Dorsey

I tend to prefer action comics over light humor, but this posting on Four Color Shadows caught my eye.  Apparently, Cindy was a comics character in the late 1940s.  In this issue, she is hit by a boy riding a bicycle as she walked out of a music store with her new Tommy Dorsey record.  The record is broken, which upsets Cindy far more than the slight physical injury.  When the story of her broken record makes the paper, Tommy Dorsey himself sends her a copy of every record he ever made.  TD appears in the last two panels on this page.

Sunrise Serenade: Look Away Into Heaven

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Look Away Into Heaven" by the Golden Gate Quartet.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Playlist For January 4, 2012

The playlist for the January 4, 2012 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Tiger Rag With Live Music Tonight! Lindy Hop Friday

Opening night of The Tiger Rag is tonight, featuring live music from Jeremy Shrader's Quintessentials.  The Tiger Rag will continue every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. at Rhitts on Rex with a $7 cover.  Top RHLH DJs will spin the tunes. 

Rhitts on Rex

5683 Rex Road

Memphis, TN 38117

The first Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session of 2012 is this Friday night at the Rumba Room.  The lesson will be taught by Michael Q and Michelle, with music by Michael Q.  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

Sunrise Serenade: Let That Be A Lesson To You

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Let That Be A Lesson To You" by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, featuring various vocalists, from the 1937 film Hollywood Hotel.  Enjoy the video below from Daily Motion.

Let That be a lesson 2 U by NilbogLAND

Woody Guthrie's New Year's Resolutions For 1942

Iconic American folksinger/songwriter Woody Guthrie had ambitious and noble New Year's resolutions for the year 1942.  Boing Boing recently posted the list, and it seemed a timely item to repost.  They are all good, but I think I like 18, 19 and 20 best:  Stay glad, keep hoping maching running, and dream good.

Sunrise Serenade: Swing Down Chariot

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Swing Down Chariot" by the Golden Gate Quartet.  Enjoy the video below from YouTube.