Playlist For February 29, 2012

The playlist for the February 29, 2012 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Playlist For February 22, 2012

The playlist for the February 22, 2012 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

SPECIAL Sunrise Serenade: Stand By For Further Announcements

Today's Sunrise Serenade is special because it was not unconscious.  It was quite deliberate.  This morning's selection is "Stand By For Further Announcements (And More Good News)" by Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

The SSS blog will be temporarily reducing (but not stopping) production for a brief period.  Listen to the last verse of today's song for a clue, watch this space and stand by for further announcements (and more good news). 

Captain Marvel - Whiz Comics

Staying true to its name, Golden Age Comic Book Stories posted two complete issues of Whiz Comics, featuring Captain Marvel, from 1941.  When reviewing the scans to find an appropriate page to post, I could not resist this title page for this South American adventure, "Capt. Marvel and the Temple of Itzalotahui" (pronounced "it's-a-lot-a-hooey").  Also interesting in this post are the ads for the Captain Marvel serial by Republic Studios. 

Sunrise Serenade: I've Heard That Song Before

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "I've Heard That Song Before" by Harry James and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Peeping Penguins

In this Fleischer Studios cartoon, four young penguins discover the dangers of curiosity.  From the Internet Archive, here is the 1937 animated short, Peeping Penguins.

Wartime Soho Shop Windows

This collection of photographs, posted on Retronaut, is another example of the history most people do not think about.  These pictures of shop London shop windows in 1939 epitomize the slogan from a British War Office poster of the time:  "Keep Calm and Carry On."  From the tailor made uniforms available for British military personnel, to blackout supplies, to a polite request from the management of a theater for patrons to carry their gas masks into the cinema; these photos show how the British kept a stiff upper lip.  My personal favorite is this one from the music store.

Sunrise Serenade: Jeepers Creepers

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Jeepers Creepers" by Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club Quintet of France.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Incredible, Handmade, Working 1932 Duesenberg Model

I first learned about this unbelievable modeling accomplishment on The Jalopy Journal, but it has apparently made the rounds to the Hemmings blog.  Louis Chenot hand built a completely functional, 1/6 scale model of a 1932 Duesenberg SJ from mostly raw materials.  The Jalopy Journal provided detail.

It took Louis six years to build, with over 15,000 hours invested to make every single hand-built detail 100% accurate and completely functional. The car has over 6,000 parts (966 just in the wheels and over 300 in the head, for example), and almost every part was built from raw materials like brass, wood and stainless steel. The supercharged motor runs on propane from it’s fuel tank, through the fuel pumps, and into it’s twin carburetor set up, turning 4100 rpm. Event the starter motor works. The clutch operates and the transmission shifts through all 3 gears and reverse.

It makes one wonder what he could do if you sent him enough materials for a 1/1 scale model.  Hmmmm.

Sunrise Serenade: Willie

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Willie" by Elliot Lawrence.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Playlist For February 15, 2012

The playlist for the February 15, 2012 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Weekly Rags And Hops

The Tiger Rag continues tonight 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 March on Wednesday nights at 7:00 before the Rag.  Pre-register for a 4 week progressive lesson and get a discount on admission. 

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 cover at the door afterwards.  The lesson will be by Kirk and Amanda with music by Amanda.  Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

Sunrise Serenade: Big Chief De Sota

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Big Chief De Sota" by Fats Waller and His Rhythm.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Happy Valentine's Day

From the Library of Congress American Memory Collection:  a newly married soldier and his bride with family in Chicago, February 1943. 

Sunrise Serenade: It Had To Be You

Appropriately enough for Valentine's Day, today's Sunrise Serenade was "It Had To Be You."  This song has appeared in this space before, but this time it was by Helen Forrest and Dick Haymes.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Heavily Armed Flying Police Patrol

After the gang wars of the depression, and before the advent of practical helicopters, a heavily armed gondola towed by a speeding aircraft may have seemed like a good idea.  At least, that was the opinion of the author of this article from the February 1936 issue of Science and Mechanics, posted on Paleofuture.  The gondola was supposed to have the ability to steer itself within the limits of the cable, but I still cannot help thinking that trees or tunnels would be problematic.

Sunrise Serenade: El Choclo

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "El Choclo" by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Gabby: Fire Cheese

Gabby was the Lilliputian town crier in the 1939 animated feature film, Gulliver's Travels.  Fleischer Studios made several shorts based on the character.  In this cartoon, Gabby tries to help the local fire fighters, with unfortunate results.  From the Internet Archive, here is Gabby in Fire Cheese.

Radiophonic Beauty

Talk about iconic style.  Dieselpunk posted this photo of a Pilot Radio from 1936.  I have a couple of old radios, and the variety of styles from the 1930's is impressive.  This particular set really has a classic look for the period.

Sunrise Serenade: Love Is Just Around The Corner

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Love Is Just Around The Corner" by Johnny Mercer.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Professor Pipp's Post-War Predictions (1944)

Four Color Shadows has quickly become one of my favorite sources for little known (at least to me) comic books.  In this issue from 1944, Prof. Pipp gives his predictions of how civilian life will be affected by the industrial changes wrought by World War II.

Sunrise Serenade: Moonglow

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was - ironically for sunrise - "Moonglow" by Benny Goodman.  Enjoy the video below from YouTube.

Playlist For February 8, 2012

The playlist for the February 8, 2012 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Jazz In Times Square 1947

To promote a jazz concert in 1947, Art Hodes and some of his musicians played while being hauled around Times Square horse drawn wagon.  Retronaut posted several interesting photos of the event.  The backgrounds are as interesting as the band, with theater marquees displaying films of the period and automobile dealership signs. 

Sunrise Serenade: You're A Lucky Guy

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "You're A Lucky Guy" by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Regular Rag And Live Music Lindy Hop

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 March on Wednesday nights at 7:00 before the Rag.

Rhitts on Rex

5683 Rex Road

Memphis, TN 38117

The Red Hot Lindy Hop will have live music from J. Thomas and The Swinging Monkeys this Friday night at the Rumba Room with free admission and lesson before 7:00 p.m., and $7 band cover at the door afterwards.  The lesson will be by Bekcy and Jaredan.  Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

Sunrise Serenade: Begin The Beguine

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Begin The Beguine" by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

High End Rubber Band Airplane

According to the February 1930 issue of Modern Mechanics, posted on Modern Mechanix, this toy airplane had a "steering wheel, gauges, levers, in fact about everything that is found on a regular machine. The windows are of celluloid and the passenger department is luxuriously upholstered."  The rubber band-powered airplanes that I enjoyed as a kid were never so fancy, nor did they have 150 rubber band power, which I suppose is for the best; since mine always ended up in splinters on the pavement or in a nearby tree.  On that note, how did one keep this large and luxurious toy aircraft in one piece?

Sunrise Serenade: Ko Ko

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Ko Ko" by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Nursery Scandal

In this 1932 Van Beuren animated short, characters from fairy tales come out to frolic and put a damper on Mother Goose's night on the town with her beau, the scarecrow.  From the Internet Archive, here is Nursery Scandal.

She Was In The Army Then

There is a tradition among the British royal family of serving in the armed forces, and the current monarch was no exception.  Retronaut posted two pictures of then 19 year old future Queen, then "Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth," in her uniform while she was serving with the British Army in April 1945.  Bear in mind, the war was still ongoing, although close to its end in Europe. 

Sunrise Serenade: At Least You Could Say Hello

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "At Least You Could Say Hello" by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra with Helen O'Connell on vocals.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

The Doll Man

The list of comic book heros previously unknown to me continues to grow.  The latest addition is The Doll Man.  Apparently, this hero had the gravitational-physics-defying power to shrink himself down to a doll-like size, yet still retain the strength, inertia and momentum of a full sized human being.  In this issue from 1943, posted on Pappy's Golden Age Comics Blogzine, the Doll Man helps save a refuge from a relentless Nazi agent.

Sunrise Serenade: Benny's Coming Home On Saturday

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Benny's Coming Home On Saturday" by Ella Fitzgerald.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Playlist For February 1, 2012

The playlist for the February 1, 2012 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Fisk Safety-Flight Tire Short

Ah, the 1930s - when a company could create a short film with a basic storyline, use it as a 10 minute advertisement, and show it to a (more or less) captive audience in a theater.  I found this 1939 short, America's Safest Tire, on the Jalopy Journal.  Aside from all the obviously unbelievable stuff in this film, like the complete lack of any safety precautions or controlled testing, there are a few points in the storyline I find interesting.  First, the stuntman drives a Duesenberg SJ!  That was one of the most expensive cars of its day.  Granted, in 1939 this Duesy would necessarily have been a "used" car, since the company stopped production in 1936, but a 3 year old Duesenberg was still worth some serious dough.  Gary Cooper would have driven a Duesenberg.  Next, the stuntman gladly offers to let the older, tire company executive drive his Duesy in a wet pavement traction test, while he drives the standard Ford test sedan.  Remind me never to loan that stuntman my car.  Finally, I love the sophisticated syntax of the narrator at the end "Different from any tire heretofore offered to motorists . . . ."  Enjoy.

Sunrise Serenade: Boy Meets Goy

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Boy Meets Goy" by the Benny Goodman Sextet.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.