Make Believe Ballroom - 5/15/25 Edition

0:12 It's make Believe ballroom time. Put all your cares away. All the bands are here to bring good cheer your way. It's make Belief. Ballroom time and free to everyone. It's no time to friend your Dalis said bombs. Close your eyes and visualize in your solitude. Your favorite bands are on this dance and mister Miller, but you're in the wood. It's make Believe ballroom time. We are a sweet romance.

0:59 Is make Believe. Come on, Joe. Last dance lest. Hello world, I'm Jeff Pressler, turning on the lights of the Make Belief Ballroom and welcoming you into my Crystal studio for another program of classic big band music from the nineteen thirties and forties. Please get ready as I play for you some amazing jazz, swing, blues, and boogie woogie favorites. Folks, you're listening to the Make Believe Ballroom, broadcasting almost continuously since nineteen hundred and thirty five. And welcome, Welcome, welcome, one and all into the Crystal Studio. And thanks so much for joining me today. How about a little Count Basie to start the hours?

2:15 The stile.

3:48 Who I thought that I.

4:37 From Okay Records What's Your Number? Count Basie and his Orchestra recorded to New York City on October the thirtieth, nineteen forty, and the What's Your Number in the title that referred to draft registration as the US came closer to going to war in World WLD War two. Actually, draft registration started on September sixteenth of nineteen forty, with the first number being drawn as a draft e to number one five eight. Just a little interesting side note there, But equally as interesting is that the B side of that OK seventy eight RPM record was also draft centric.

6:02 He now, if you've got a loving man, you better love him while you gave. Perhaps you'll have to do his share. To help defend this dear old line. They're drafting many. Men right now. To give democracy a hand. Before they call your man, I'll say these words. You are to understand when all concern calls out, ow man, don't die, don't rhyme.

7:07 Called. You can't refuse. To hold him. Bad mind made him slid. Just say you gotta go. Draft Dan Blue.

7:54 Camp Acy and his orchestra with drafting Blues, Jimmy Rushing vocal the B side to the A side. What's your number recorded in nineteen forty. I'm Jeff Bresler, and this is the make Believe ball room. Why don't we stick with Count Basie for a few minutes, the legendary piano player and band later the Count had one specific influence that led him to the piano at an early age. The main guy that really influenced me was Thomas as Sveetzwaller. That was the man that I really did analyzka. FETs taught me how to play what little bit of organ that I do know, and I used to watch him lay around him long enough to try to style a little piano after him, which was quite difficult.

8:48 Mister Fats Waller with a song many do not realize was attributed to him. Mister Christopher Lumbus say, uh see without our comfort when his men began. A rumbers on Christopher Plumber sirs, fad lass time where until we get that we would not go wrong if we sing sing a song since the world is round, though we'll be saying, don't know till our gold is bound over.

9:28 We'll just keep rhythm bound over. Since the crew was making Merry Marry got up and went home. They came up where Isabella, and they brought on the rum and Isabel no morem mutine need no What a time. It seem Wster Blomber. See, Christopher made history gas mister Christopher Lumbus. Uh huh. He used the rhythm as a compass gash gass music ended all the rubbers, guys, Why old Christopher Claus lat y'all Christoper? Yes, I change. No, no, no, well look at that.

11:29 Christie's grandest man of marine and he's going back. Yeah that. In the year fourteen ninety two, Columbus e the Ocean Blue What I think? Fats Waller, in his rhythm recorded their hit version of Christopher Columbus on April the eighth, nineteen thirty six. The song, featuring lyrics by Andy Razoff and music by Chew Berry, recorded for the Bluebird label, quickly became a popular swing hit in thirty six. It was a wonderful version of the song as we just heard, but even though Fats introduced it, it was a tune more closely associated with the Fletcher Henderson and Benny Goodman. So great music and a huge amount of personality from Fats Waller, and a number of years ago his son Maurice Waller, I think it was in the late eighties, commented on his dad's music.

12:35 They did consider him the the epitome of stride piano playing, and he was king. Of the stride. Now, a lot of people they don't realize that my father's biggest thing that made him a real professional that get paid him the money. It was not the fact that he could play stride piano, but it was the fact that he had a personality. So that when my father songs like I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter. I remember distinctly that Victor asked him to record that song. They went to everybody else and they turned it down, and my father said, okay. I'll record it, and he made a hit out of it. But it's the way that he sang the song that made the thing I hit.

14:29 I'm going to say right down and raise myself a lot of love. And make me believe the game from you. I'm going to raise for her own so sweet that all allows me all my. Fead a lot of kisses on the bottom. HI gonna be glad I got home. I'm gonna smile and say, I hope you're. Feeling better.

15:11 Him Cloes with long the way you do. I'm gonna sat right down and let myself, let her him made Believe it came from you, Gonna smile and say, I hope you're feeling better, and load and.

16:18 Loud a way. I'm going look. And write them make. Mad Game from Victor Records. I'm gonna sit right down and write myself A letter by Fats Waller and his rhythm vocal by Fats recorded in New York City May the eighth, nineteen thirty five, So two recordings that were recorded for the first first time ever by Thomas Fats Waller.

17:05 I'm Jeff Bresler, and you're listening to the one, the only, the original Make Believe Ballroom. During Fats, I was thinking about Christopher Columbus and Fletcher Henderson, So I picked a record, not Christopher Columbus, but another Fletcher Henderson that was sort of a novelty tune by him that I think might bring back childhood memories to many of you, because that novelty lasted for many, many years.

18:35 Many. Many many thanks for you. See, she's letting you the word ever she go. If you know how plans of men, didn't you know how this is playing on your mind except go knock knock, knock knock. That'st abate you gotta Why must you get away? Now? High down? How am I doing? Hey? Hey, lets you.

19:52 Let yourself go oh cofee hop man and do nothing. If you know how fun the man, then you know how business me and on your mock getting into goom knock knock knock, not to brid you got no mind out that, no bread, no no the red. An, no mon.

20:35 I think many of us remember the knock knock Who's there? Jokes? Well, that novelty was at its peak back in nineteen thirty six, when Fletcher Henderson and his orchestra recorded a novelty version of Knock Knock, Who's There? For Victor Records? And if you knock knock, I'm there. I'm being me Jeff Bresler, and thanks for joining me today on this week's edition of The Make Believe Ballroom.

22:36 Then and the mess Men and Name then.

24:04 Recorded on the Commodore label. On November the thirtieth, nineteen thirty eight, we just heard the Bud Freeman Trio and their recording of the song three Little Words Bud Freeman Tenor Sachs, the Great Jess Stacey on the piano and George Wetling playing the drums. The standard Three Little Words was written by the legendary Harry Ruby with lyrics by Bert Kalmer. How about I offer you. Here? It is another Harry Ruby standard.

25:58 Oh sorry now? Who's sorrynal. Whose heart is aching? Or preak ing each bom. Who's sad and blue. And crying? Dues? Just like I cried over you bought you off. Right to the end. Just like a friend, I tried to warn you somehow.

26:43 You had your way. Now you must pay. That's why I'm glad that you're sorry now. Anything I.

28:07 Who's Sorry Now? Harry James and his Orchestra recorded for Columbia Records on April twenty ninth, nineteen forty six. Vocal by Willie Smith, music composed by Harry Ruby. I'm Jeff Presler, and this is the weekly edition of the Make Believe Ballroom. To reach me, I'm Jeff at Makebelie Ballroomradio dot com. That's Jeff at Makebelie Ballroomradio dot com. And a listener who did just that. He reached out to us with a request, and we will have that said request played in just a few minutes a song now probably made more famous by the Benny Goodman Sextet, but an admirable version Rose Room Jimmy Lunsford and his Orchestra, recorded on September the fourth, nineteen thirty four four Decca Records.

30:05 A floor. Flooring did.

30:54 Look.

32:09 So you may be asking why Rose Room as the title, Well, it takes us back to nineteen seventeen when the band leader Art Hickman was playing an extended stay at the Saint Francis Hotel in San Francisco, and there he penned that ode to the very room he and his band were performing in the Rose Room. And you know, strangely enough, Hickman died in nineteen thirty not in the Saint Francis Hotel, but eerily enough in Saint Francis Hospital in the city by the Bay Rose Room. And now I think, oh, wait a minute, I forgot earlier I was researching during records something I remembered but needed to confirm. Swaller had a radio program in New York City during the nineteen thirties.

33:05 Fats was big on the radio, both in studio and also doing club radio remotes. He was replaced on one of his shows by a lady who was not only an outstanding vocalist but also a skilled jazz pianist. Let me play one of her records and then a little background. Random number of folks called boogie woogie. It's a funny little song. Now what I tell you to hold it?

33:52 And I want you to move within? And what I tell you to get it? I want you to boogie woogie. Hold it now, Billy, we'll get it. When I tell you to hold it this time, I don't want you. To move a pang. And when I tell you to get it, I want you to mess around or stop stop now now mess around.

34:42 I want that girl with a red dress on any kind of dress will do to come overhead stand by this skill. Now, what I tell you to hold it, I don't want you to move for myself. And when I tell you to get it, I want you. To shape that thing. Now.

35:51 From the decal label Pine Top Boogie Woogie recorded on March the twelfth, nineteen thirty five, vocal by I and piano of Cleo Brown. Yes, Friends, boogie Woogie was indeed alive and well. Back in nineteen thirty five, many thinking boogie woogie was more of a nineteen forties and on phenomenon. In actuality, it goes all the way back to the late eighteen hundreds and Pine Top Boogie Woogie, one of the most famous boogie woogie songs of all time, was first released in nineteen twenty eight by Clarence Pinetop Smith.

36:36 Now Cleo Brown is considered to be certainly the mother of female boogie woogie, one of the earliest innovators, and heard with her wonderful rendition of the song here on the make Believe Ballroom. Cleo was born with a great name, Cleopatra Brown. She could have had a very long and successful career in music, but she decided to go in a different direction. In nineteen fifty three, Cleo was a well She was a deeply religious woman, and she decided that she had another purpose other than music, So she went back to school and then spent the next twenty years of her life as a nurse. Why don't we play another one by Cleo Brown?

37:39 Goodness, gracious me, I'm so excited. I'm so delighted. There's a reason. Won my heat have the holy heya tea goodness graciously Loki Loki, LOOKI here comes Cookie Walking down the street lokal LOOKI LOOKI I call them cookie calls he sweet looking Loki LOOKI. Here comes looking water lucky brain Loki Loki lookie. I call him cookie cause it takes a cake when he's near on My lips say, oh my heart says a try alive when he kisses old, it's t and deep to look a looky looky. Here comes Cookie water fix my tie. Just a little anger playing hockey from having on high on mine so.

38:26 It is compable looking lucky. Here comes to me walking down the street, looking looking.

39:10 I call him cookie House. He's oh looking lucky. Here comes Cooky waterlogging looking looky. I call him cooking cause he takes a cake when he's kneel My lips say, oh my heart says, our trial a lot when it kisses, Oh, it's d n D part too looky looky. Here comes down God afs my tongue. Just a little angel playing looking from heaven on high. Oh my sweet is. Talking Cleo Brown, Lucky, lucky Lucky. Here comes Cookie A great tune off Decca Records, Cleo on piano and vocal, Perry Botkin on guitar, Alreadie Bernstein on bass and gene Krupa with the drums, recorded in New York City, April of twelfth, nineteen thirty five, at.

41:45 His Agar t.

42:30 Everybody man came by a. Man meet me. There with.

44:01 We just heard a test pressing of Charlie Spevac and his Orchestra with Hopskip and Jump recorded in nineteen forty one. Charlie Spevac, a sweet tone trumpet player, owned much of his success to one giant of the big band era. And here is that giant with Charlie Spevac on trumpet as well as Bunny Berrigan.

45:06 The difference. Different. They recorded on April twenty fifth, nineteen thirty five, in

47:14 New York City. It was released by Columbia Records. Glenn Miller and his Orchestra with solo hop, that being one of the earliest efforts by Glenn and his own orchestra, including the sweet trumpet of Charlie Spevac. So, as the story goes, Glenn and Charlie became quick friends and professional collaborators, Miller playing a pivotal role in launching Spevac's career as a band leader. Glenn not only encouraged Spevak to form his own band, but also provided financial backing in nineteen forty to start his own orchestra. It was Glenn that actually coined the nickname that Charlie would use for the rest of him his career. Glenn called him the man who played the sweetest trumpet in the world. We just played for you, some Charlie Spevak.

48:20 If you ever changed your mind, I'll be around where I used to be, lonely heart and love, waiting for your cold if you. Ever changed your mind. Since you've been away at find nobody else means a thing to me, and I miss you so but you'll only know if you ever change your mind. A million times I've wondered how we could have said good goodbye. A million times I've wondered if you feel the same as I. I'm so long to my good cry though you left my love behind, I'd wait an endless ee turnuity makes no difference who once appeal to you.

49:27 I'll be gentle, sweet and kind. If you ever change your mind. A million times I've wondered how we could have said goodbye. A million times I've wondered if you feel the same as I. I'm so long to myke could cry though you left my love behind, I'd waited unless e turning makes no difference who once appealed to you.

50:54 I'll be gentle, sweet and kind, and. If ever change a mind, every ever change a. Mine from Decca Records, if you ever changed your mind with Ella Fitzgerald and her Savoy Eight, recorded back in nineteen thirty nine. Ella and the Savoy Eight a contingent of the Chick Web Band, through which, as many of us know, Ella became a star. And I think on that record the great Tommy Fulford was playing the piano, and what a wonderful piano sound that was. I'm Jeff Bresler, and we are believe it or not, winding down this edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, but still some business to attend to. That being an email request submitted by Walter Coleman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it reads, I am related many times removed to an old baritone singer named Stuart Allen who sang in the nineteen thirties on record and radio. Can you play something from him if you can find it, it would be much appreciated. And that's signed by Walter. And indeed, Walter, I did find the recording by Stuart Allen.

52:24 Just for you.

53:24 You hit the spot like. A bombie breeze on a night in May. You hit the. Spot like a koom in julip on a summer day, you hit a new high. In my estimation, I had you all because you've got so much on the ball. You hit the spot like the first embrace when the night is fine. You hit the spot like a pipe fast nimbers by a fireside. Matter of fact, ME don't know exactly what it is that you've got. But you.

54:48 From Victor Records with Richard Himber and his Ritz Carlton Orchestra, we just heard the Stewart Allen vocal of you hit the Spot, recorded back in nineteen thirty six. In my estimation, an unusual recording in that the song was probably never played in the stodgy Ritz Carlton by Himber. And I think you can hear in the record that Walter Coleman's relatives Stuart Allen had the sound of a Ritz Carlton exclusive New York Hotel band type baritone voice. So thanks Walter Coleman for your request to hear and let our audience enjoy a vocalist. I don't think I ever played here in the Make Believe Ballroom. Stuart Allen and folks, Unfortunately we are out of time. The big hand on the big bull of a clock here in the Crystal studio is approaching the top of the hour. Thanks so much for joining me today to reach me, I'm Jeff at Make Believe Ballroom Radio dot com. That's Jeff at make bel Ballroom Radio dot com. I just want to take a moment to thank our syndicators and distributors for offering the Make Believe Ballroom cost free to commercial, free, public, community and university radio stations. They are the Public Radio Exchange PRX, the PACIFICA Network, and Global Community Radio. The

56:23 program's flagship affiliate is Jazz ninety point one WGMC in Rochester, New York. The Ballroom is also heard on your favorite podcast provider or via make Believe Ballroom dot com. So until next week, this has been Jeff Bressler. With a small room you know. Make me leave All room Utpotition English