CBS Sunday Morning: Timeless Allure Of Swing Dancing

I saw this great story on last weekend's CBS Sunday Morning about the continued interest in Swing Dancing.  The story featured Norma Miller, one of the original Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, who at 17 appeared in dance sequences from the Marx Brothers' A Day At The Races and other movies of the era.  Now 94, she continues to tour, spreading the joy of Swing Dance.  I have to admit this story made an old Swing DJ feel good. 

Sunrise Serenade: Down South Camp Meeting

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Down South Camp Meeting" by Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

October On TCM

It is time once again for the Hollywood Revue's monthly preview of programming on Turner Classic Movies.  Being October, there will be plenty of Halloween fare, including ghost stories every Thursday.  Janet Leigh will be the Star of the Month, with her films airing every Wednesday.  For fans of animation, October 6 will be a night to remember, as TCM will air 28 shorts from Windsor McCay, Bray Studios and Van Bueren Studios, all pioneers in 20th Century animation. 

Sunrise Serenade: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" by the Andrews Sisters.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Sunrise Serenade: Dr. Watson and Mr. Holmes

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Dr. Watson and Mr. Holmes" by the Spirits of Rhythm.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Sunrise Serenade: Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie" by Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Playlist For September 24, 2014

The playlist for the September 24, 2014 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

Ice Bucket Challenge, 1940's Style

In the days before air conditioning, people in large urban areas took to their roofs to cool off, and maybe get a tan, as demonstrated by these young ladies circa 1940. With all the "ice bucket challenge" coverage in the media, this image, posted on Rivet Head, seemed timely.

Sunrise Serenade: Song Of The Volga Boatmen

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Song Of The Volga Boatmen" by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

First Fall Hop

 

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues at the Rumba Room this Friday night.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00 and $5 thereafter.  Lesson by Justin and Camille, with music by DJ Alexis.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

The Tiger Rag lessons and guided practice sessions are in full swing at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here. 

Sunrise Serenade: Sing, Sing, Sing

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Sing, Sing, Sing" by the Andrews Sisters.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

Captain Marvel

It has been a while since I posted any Captain Marvel stories, so here is a tale from 1940 posted on Four Color Shadows.  Boy Radio Reporter Billy Batson (a/k/a Captain Marvel) goes undercover to find a criminal mastermind who hypnotizes young boys to steal for him. 

Sunrise Serenade: Sweet Sue

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Sweet Sue" by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

Playlist For September 17, 2014

The playlist for the September 17, 2014 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

Taking A Break

I'm taking a bit of a break again, but I'll be back next Monday. 

I'm In The Army Now

This encore from 2011 features a tale of two sailors fighting to join the Army. From the Internet Archive, starring Popeye the Sailor and Bluto, here is the 1936 animated short: I'm In The Army Now.

Sunrise Serenade: My Kinda Love

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

Pouring Der Atlantik Wall

The construction scenes continue in the Nazi propaganda filmstrip Der Atlantik Wall, with these two photos showing workers preparing to pour concrete for presumably what became part of the fortifications on the Atlantic Wall.

Sunrise Serenade: At An Arabian House Party

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "At An Arabian House Party" by Raymond Scott.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

Playlist for September 10, 2014

The playlist for the September 10, 2014 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle - the Raymond Scott Special - has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

Happy Birthday Raymond Scott! Special SSS Tonight!

On September 10, 1908, Harry Warnow was born in Brooklyn, NY.  A musical prodigy who was playing piano by age two, he grew into Raymond Scott, composer, bandleader and inventor whose influence reached into everything from popular music of the swing era to cartoons (both classic and modern), electronic music, Jim Henson, Motown, advertising, film and television.  A mostly unheralded genius, Scott is probably best known as the composer of approximately 20 tunes that ended up in many classic Warner Bros. cartoons, although he did not write them for that purpose.  In honor of Scott's birthday, we will feature some of his most interesting music on tonight's broadcast of the SSS.  Hope you can join us.

Sunrise Serenade: Posin'

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

Back To School Hop

 

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues at the Rumba Room this Friday night.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00 and $5 thereafter.  Lesson by Phil and Erin, with music by DJ Kimmie.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

The Tiger Rag lessons and guided practice sessions are in full swing at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here. 

Sunrise Serenade: I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling" by Ella Fitzgerald.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Norman Bel Geddes: The Father Of Streamlining

As noted by the author of this post on the Hemmings blog,

Norman Bel Geddes didn’t design a single vehicle that entered production. He didn’t hold down any job with an automaker for more than a few years, and in fact, he much preferred designing theater sets over designing anything else, cars included. Yet he proved immeasurably influential to automotive and transportation design . . . .

The article provides an interesting look into the work of this (relatively) little known designer.  Included in Bel Geddes work, he convinced GM to let him develop his vision for a city of the future (1960) into a centerpiece of the GM pavilion at the 1939-1940 New York World's Fair.  Although it was costly, it was the fair's most visited attraction.  The video below gives a tour of the exhibit.

Sunrise Serenade: Downhearted Blues

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Downhearted Blues" by Mildred Bailey and Her Alley Cats.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

The Underground World

In this encore from 2011, the Man of Steel, disguised as Clark Kent of course, joins Lois Lane and an explorer to venture into a vast underground world, which they discover to be inhabited.  From the Internet Archive, here is The Underground World.

Sunrise Serenade: At The Woodchopper's Ball

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "At The Woodchopper's Ball" by Woody Herman and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Large Scale Construction On Der Atlantick Wall

As we continue through the images on the Nazi propaganda filmstrip Der Atlantik Wall, the construction scenes start to show the massive scale of the projects.  Although the photos below provide little clue as to what is being built where, they show the extent of excavation at the site, and the overall size of the area presumably to be filled with concrete, considering the number of reinforcing steel bars in view. 

 

Sunrise Serenade: Saint Vitus Dance

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Saint Vitus Dance" by Louis Jordan And His Tympani Five.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Playlist For September 3, 2014

The playlist for the September 3, 2014 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

Post Labor Day Hop

 

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues at the Rumba Room this Friday night.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00 and $5 thereafter.  Lesson by Josie and Pip, with music by DJ Josie.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

The Tiger Rag lessons and guided practice sessions are in full swing at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here. 

Sunrise Serenade: Two Little Squirrels

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Two Little Squirrels" by Louis Jordan And His Tympani Five.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Turner Classic Movies In September

I am a little late posting the Hollywood Revue's monthly preview of programming in September on TCM, but better late than never.  Melvyn Douglas is the Star of the Month, and every Friday will feature a 24 hour marathon of pre-code movies. 

Sunrise Serenade: King Porter Stomp

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "King Porter Stomp" by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.