Make Believe Ballroom - 4/24/26 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 Believe ballroom time and free to everyone. It's no time to friend your Dalis said Bombas. Close your eyes and vis you lie 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.

0:55 We are a sweet romance. You make body. Come on jone, last days, last. Hello world. I'm Jeff Bresler, 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 thirty five. And welcome one and all into the Crystal Studio. And thanks so much for joining me today. Let's get things underway right away with a little early cab callaway.

2:52 City of. That of the tenth Sam said, rest anything. It's given to give him to bump up and you ve pump didn't see didn't did you do done? Lock nudged you did do do? Do you do? Sun? Sound Sunday Sun and so over? He didn't need if you pump money and. Son and so did wilted.

3:34 Con sorrow over he did. He did need you ludge sus sus sus. He didn't winded.

4:17 And on Victor Records, we just heard Cab Callaway and his Cotton Club Orchestra with the interesting title for that record of Father Got his Glasses recorded in New York City back in nineteen thirty three, with the vocal scatting by Cab himself. So you might be asking how died the song title Father Got his Glasses come to be well.

5:28 I mentioned on this show many times the wonderful, unique and Harlem expression filled dictionary called cabs Hepster Dictionary written by Cab Callaway, which had two publishings with tens of thousands of copies distributed, who was the first dictionary ever credited to an African American. So the title of the record is a nod to one of the band's arrangers, that being trombonist Harry White, who co authored the chart. We just heard with Redman Eddie Barfield. Now Harry White needed his cheaters, he needed his reading glasses for writing arrangements.

6:19 And according to CAB's Hepster's Dictionary, if you've got your glasses on quote unquote, you are ritzy or snooty. You fail to recognize your friends. You are upstage. So that's the fun explanation to an interesting title. Let's play another early Cab callaway when he led his Cotton Club Orchestra in the early nineteen thirties.

7:00 You dirty dog, you better stop your sniff being round like that. I'm not just what you're dripping now, are you dog? Dirty? Dirty dirty? You stiff and snapping? You've been japping all you don't.

7:44 Say. They got the news all over town. You and my wife been running round. Stop it for you down hi, you joke. Deacon Green's been talking to He said that he saw you. Here's my wife interphew. I you do myny. You don't, you dirty, dirty, dirty dirty dog. Stop your sniffing rap back back. Not just what you drop now, my you dop, you dirty, dirty, dirty dirty dog. You sniff and snapping, nipping yipping all you don't.

9:20 You dumb you don't you. Sip in Stamn? From Victor Records. I You Dog, recorded in nineteen thirty two. I'm Jeff Bresler and this is the weekly edition of the Make Believe Ballroom. Let's spin another disc than a listener's request.

10:25 When you think that's sense that sense that study, ah, then you spring down down, don't you see when you play, dont do that? Do that study? That's the way that is. Don't you see me? Did you sing as we? Then you riff? But I'm not down when you think that that's not study? Ah? Thank you s bringing. Loud tr Don't you see?

12:36 That? Was trumpet player and bandleader Freddie Jenkins and his Harlem seven with Swinging Them Down, recorded on Victor Records in New York City back in nineteen thirty six. Freddie Jenkins was very talented. He played with Duke Ellington starting in nineteen twenty eight. He stayed with Duke until nineteen thirty five, when a chronic lung ailment certainly not beneficial to a trumpet player, sidelined him. By nineteen thirty six, he recovered enough to record a number of sides for Victor and eventually felt well enough to go back to Duke for another stint, starting in nineteen thirty seven, but unfortunately, by nineteen thirty eight the lung ailment returned and he retired and went on to work in songwriting. He became a popular disc jockey. He worked as a music journalist and became interestingly enough, a deputy sheriff in Fort Worth, Texas.

13:50 Now the great British music journalist Stanley Dance, who was very close to Duke Ellington, related a story that Duke once told him about Freddy. So Duke recalled the time when he was leading the orchestra when Sarah vaugh As a matter of fact, two we featured a few weeks back, was his vocalist and they were playing in Dallas Fort Worth, Texas. So Duke told Stanley that there was a good crowd in the huge auditorium that night. The promoter, we were told, had a problem because of ticket counterfeiting. Deputy Sheriff Freddie Jenkins came in dressed Texas style with a big hat on his head and a gun on his hip. He looked a picture of health as he made an on stage speech and special presentation to his former employer whether the ticket counterfeiting part was a ruse of the truth.

14:58 We don't know, but a great reunion between Duke Ellington and Deputy sheriff former trumpeter Freddie Jenkins. I'm Jeff Bresler, and you're listening to the one, the only, the original Make Believe Ballroom to reach me, I'm Jeff at Make Believe Ballroom Radio dot com. That's Jeff at Make Believe Ballroom Radio dot com. And one of those folks who reached out to us is our friend Michael Fusco in New York City, ballroom historian extraordinaire, and he writes, Hi, Jeff, can you play Benny Goodman's La Rosita that was recorded in nineteen forty one? The music from this was used on a nineteen sixty one song You and Your Love by Italian American crooner Julius LaRosa. Thanks Jeff, and keep up the good work keeping alone live the greatest music of all time, and that is signed by Michael Fusco.

16:06 Thanks Michael, and I will play the record in just a moment, But first I must acknowledge that the vocalist Julius la Rossa was, believe it or not, a past host of this very Make Believe Ballroom. We just heard

19:19 from Columbia Records La Rosita, recorded in New York City on June the eleventh, nineteen forty one, with Benny Goodman and his orchestra. Why don't I now play for you? And Michael the B side of that nineteen forty one Columbia recording.

20:33 They asked me how I knew my true love was true? I, of course replied, something here inside cannot be denied. They said, some day fine and all who love are blood. When your heart's on fire, you must real life smoke gets your arm. So whatcha and I get in last to think.

21:21 Love you to day? My love is blown away and I'm will love my laughing friends right USA? Can the fly? So I smile and say when a lovely flamel smoke gets. Your the standard smoke gets in your eyes. Benny Goodman

22:57 and his orchestra vocal by Helen Fast the Columbia B side to the song La Rosita. So thank you, Michael Fusco for your request again to reach me. I'm Jeff at Make Believe Ballroom Radio dot com. That's Jeff at Make Believe Ballroom Radio dot com, and I have another listener's email coming up in just a little while. I'm no crude, I'm no being, I'm the drummer. Man. That's wing trumpet, sexophones.

23:40 That is where I get.

24:22 Whats inst ghost a cow bells, be stock about. Side. Don't plays a role as you can here, don't don't plays a break because you're very clear. All Romba, all a Gray Listen, Oh that's Gray.

25:08 The recorded in London, England, on July the fifteenth, nineteen thirty six, for Parlophone Records. We just heard Joe Daniels and his hot shots. Drummer goes to town. Why don't we now let me see if I have this record?

26:24 Hold on here I do. Why don't we now go from the drums of Joe Daniels to the drums of Buddy Rich. There's our own sentimental gentleman of swing. Tommy Dorsey is tombone and his band.

27:36 Step Step Step sep second Stepping.

29:01 Sud from the nineteen forty three film Du Barry was

30:56 a Lady. Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra with Buddy Rich playing the drums, and the tune was well get it. So there's this old story about Buddy Rich. I don't know if it's true or not, but it's been told for over forty years. When Buddy passed away back in nineteen eighty nine, I think it was from a brain tumor. Allegedly, he kept his wit right up until the last moment, because, according to the Los Angeles Times obituary for Buddy, when a nurse asked if he was allergic to anything before surgery, he said yes, quote unquote country music. Well maybe he said that, maybe he didn't, but I'm sure in the nineteen thirties and forties Buddy must have heard country music like this, country music that had some swing.

32:48 You within. My heart loves a melody, a. Song of all seantom wearing dreams. I live with the memory beneath the stars all along. It was there I've found beside the Alamo, en chant and strange as. The glow up above a moon lit path. And only she would know still he is my broken song of love, mooning all your slender. Only my heart, all back my road.

33:31 Rows of sand, tom lips of sweet and tender, like petals falling apart, speak once again. Of my long. Road, open song, empty words I know still live in my heart, all along. For that moon litpath by the Lamo Hen Rolls, My Rows of Sand and Tom.

34:40 We just heard on Okay Records Bob Wells and his Texas Playboys with the New San Antonio Rose, recorded on April nineteenth, nineteen forty and featuring the fiddle of Bob Wells and the vocal by his longtime singer Tommy Duncan and the friends. If you ever have the time, try to listen to some Bob Wills Western swing favorites. I guarantee you you won't be disappointed. Waylon Jennings, As a matter of fact, the great country singer. Many of you who enjoy country music might know his recording a hit song titled Bob Wills is Still the King. I think he recorded that back probably sometime in the mid nineteen seventies.

35:33 Another listener's email coming up after this recording. Hey, listen to my story. Her disposition is rather sweet and charming, at times alarmy, so they say that down not outa da dada.

36:18 She had a mad restolear handsome, large jetstrong to whom she used to sing this song. Hey, Daddy, I want to die but ring race. Let's have everything, Daddy, you want to get the best for me? Uh, hey, daddy, Gee, won't Alexwell get sables close with parabless labels? Daddy, you want to get the best for me? It's an amazing repolation with a bit of stimulation. I'd be a great sensation. I'd be your insportation, Daddy.

37:04 I want to brand new card Champagne ca me. Daddy, you want to. Get the best for me? Hey, Daddy, I want to dive and ring grace Let's Sam Brings.

37:46 Daddy, you want to get the best for me? Yeah? Yeah, Hey daddy, Gee what alex Well in sables close with farms labels? Daddy, you wanna get the best for me? Da? Da Da. It's an amazing revolation with a bit of stimulation. I'd be a great sensation. I'd be your insvotation, Daddy. I'm on a Brandy Champaign heavy young Daddy. Daddy, you wanna get the best for me.

38:30 One of the year's top discs Back in nineteen forty one, this song spent eight weeks parked at number one on the Billboard Sales chart. Daddy by Swinging Sway with Sammy Kay, recorded on Decca Records in New York City, You Know Friends. Each week after the radio version of the Ballroom is distributed and clears all of the public, university and community radio stations who are our beloved affiliates of this program. We put the Ballroom in podcast form. You can hear over two hundred and fifty past shows in the series, with more at it all the time by going to Make Believe Ballroom dot Com. Let's MakeBelieve Ballroom dot Com, or you could just go to your favorite podcast provider.

39:26 We are on all of them. And I received let me pull us up on monitor two. I received an MP three attached to an email this past week, and it was a revelation to me because it contained the fact that I never knew. It came from Rich Carlisle, who listens in Austin, Texas, and he wrote, Jeff, I continue to enjoy the Ballroom each week and contribute to you when I can some music with history behind it. And I thank you Rich, you have indeed done that in the past. He goes on to write. Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong were two iconic legends of jazz. Yet despite their enormous influence and the fact that their careers overlapped for decades, the two legends rarely recorded together. That's part of what makes this MP three, I attached from the Ed Sullivan Show in nineteen sixty one so fascinating to listen to today. They hadn't corroborated for thirty years until this CBS performance. I sent you the MP three with the hope you can share it with the large Make Believe Ballroom audience. I'll continue to share with the listener.

41:00 And that signed Rich Carlisle from Austin, Texas. So thanks for sharing, Rich, and now I will share with the audience this. Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington tonight, for the first time in thirty years, work together in a number from their ruled album Duke's Place. So let's have a tremendous hand. For SUNNMO. Baby.

41:41 Take me down to Duke's Place. Wilace Spot in town is Duke's Place. That piano sound and Duke's Place sexes dude its Dukes Place, plas swing that chicks in due Place. Man, get their licks. And chicks and Dupe Place. And take it down.

42:46 If you never been in Dutch Place, take you chisies down to du Place like this in the spin Duke's.

43:41 Duke Ellington Louis Armstrong Duke's Place from the December seventeenth, nineteen sixty one broadcast of The Ed Sullivan Show and Ed Sullivan In the opening to Duke and Louis, the introduction mentioned a Roulette Record label album. In nineteen sixty one, Duke and Louie recorded the celebrated album The Great Summit, which featured Louie Is the guest soloist with Ellington's orchestra performing the Duke's compositions. Let me play one from that celebrated album.

45:29 Drop me off in Harlem. Yeah, good old Harlem. You have your fun under the Harlem sun. Drop me off in Harlem. There's Duke Callington up in Harlem. He writes all his tunes in Harlem. And old Sachemo is still swinging way up in Harlem. All the cats are still up there. They're beating out those rips and the bottlebr a Waco give you a bad big live Yes, shut me off in Aleum yay man, beautiful Hallum. You get red beets and nice very nice dam dam and alum.

46:16 That is.

47:11 I'm gonna turn to have. A pro. Husband.

48:14 Dropped me off and Harlem. Duke and Satchmo, originally written recorded by Duke Ellington and his famous orchestra back in nineteen thirty three. And you know, as I'm speaking to you, and while our record was playing, I was looking on monitor number two here in the Crystal studio for a story of how dropped Me Off in Harlem got its name, and I just found it and I'm copying and pasting it. I didn't put too much pressure on myself there to come up with a story. So it reads A. H. Lawrence, who wrote a biography on Duke Ellington entitled Duke Ellington and His World, wrote that the song originated from an off the cuff remark from Ellington. Nick Kenny, his songwriter, had held a cab and offered to share it with Duke.

49:14 Kenny asked where to Duke, and Ellington replied, dropped me off at Harlem. Kenny then fashioned lyrics from Ellington's remark and presented him with them a few days later at the Cotton Club, and the rest is history. So an interesting story about the title dropped Me Off in Harlem, And that leads me back to a record I held over from last week that also has a very interesting title.

50:49 Eleven sixty and eleven sixty and looklock with dry again. One in three four five pick eleven eight nineteen eleven sixty p m. The moon was high and the sky you had that look in your I tried to kiss you. One to three four five sick eleven. Eight nineteen eleven, twelve hundred time. We had fancy evening walking around.

51:30 It was grand to wind. Up closer together than twelve. I gotta see you again and hold your post, and o'clock is dry again. One three four five. Sick seven eighth nineteen eleven sixty pm, eleven sixty M, eleven sixty p m. Good night.

52:27 Unplumb the records we just enjoyed eleven sixty PM by Harry James and his orchestra, vocal by Kitty Calein and recorded in Los Angeles, California, back in nineteen forty five. So how did the song eleven sixty PM get its name? Well, eleven sixty pm is a non standard time representing midnight or twelve am. Essentially means sixty minutes. It's after eleven PM. Interesting. I think we have time to play one more record before we close up the Crystal studio.

54:03 Finish the s B Man parl.

54:53 To BUDM, recorded in New York City on June the twenty sixth, nineteen thirty nine. We just heard Red Nichols and his orchestra with parade of the pennies and folks.

55:51 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 much for joining me today to reach me, I'm Jeff at MakeBelieve Ballroom Radio dot com. That's Jeff at MakeBelieve Ballroom Radio dot com. Just want to take this opportunity 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 program's flagship affiliate is Jazz ninety point one WGMC in Rochester, New York.

56:39 The Ballroom is also heard on your favorite podcast provider, So Friends until next week. This has been Jeff Bresler Asportation Lush