Hefti, Li’l Darlin’ Neal Hefti (1922-2008) was born and raised in Nebraska. He took up the trumpet and, while still in high school, began arranging for the Nat Towles band. Towles’ band was one of the territory bands that played a significant role in spreading … Read more
Mintzer, New Mambo I want to start the New Year with something upbeat and optimistic, and few things deliver that better than big band music. New Mambo was composed by Bob Mintzer (b. 1953), a jazz saxophonist, composer, and arranger who directs the Germany-based WDR … Read more
Cole Porter, Too Darn Hot Professor Carol was in Ljubljana, Slovenia, for the first time earlier this summer. I’ve never been, but she tells me we’re moving there. She described its many attributes, all of which sound nice. But she left out two very important … Read more
Shaw, Concerto for Clarinet Artie Shaw (1910-2004) was one of most famous and successful “big band” leaders of the 1930s and 1940s, along with Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, and Glenn Miller. His proficiency on saxophone and clarinet landed him a job as a studio musician … Read more
Prima, Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing) The King of Swing, Louis Prima (1910-1978), was a singer, trumpet player, and band leader. He first recorded Sing, Sing, Sing in 1936. It was the Benny Goodman Band, however, that made it a hit. Many people refuse … Read more
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Let’s get to know Jeff Hellmer, pianist and director of the Dallas Wind Symphony’s annual Big Band Boogie concert. http://traffic.libsyn.com/professorcarol/Hellmer_interview.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Get ready to swing with Roland Muzquiz, master percussionist with the Dallas Wind Symphony and someone who can help us to learn what swing really is. Take it away, Roland!
What’s this program about? Unless you’ve mastered time travel, it’s pretty hard nowadays to hear these big-band classics played as they were – back when Tommy Dorsey was swinging with the tune “Well, Git It.”But when top-notch players of the Dallas Wind Symphony take on … Read more
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What’s this program about? Carol interviews Dean Bouras, arranger for the Dallas Wind Symphony Big Band concerts, and John Trapani, leader of the John Trapani Big Band about the era, the music, and its popularity today. Works Discussed: Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Benny … Read more
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