Trombonist Will Bradley and Drummer Ray McKinley headed up a swing band in the early 1940’s that specialized in boogie-woogie. Here’s a tune called “Boardwalk Boogie” (the opening piano work is performed by the great Freddie Slack).
Unfortunately, there is no video available of the outfit’s biggest hit, “Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar”, which they recorded in 1940; however, there is a curious little music video of the piece by Ondřej Havelka and His Melody Makers, a Czech swing band that follows the original arrangement very closely (note - Havelka looks and sounds like Wally Cox, so you’ll need to make some allowance for the vocals; but I’ll say this for him: he’s no slouch on the dance floor).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
"a swing band in the early 1940’s that specialized in boogie-woogie."
ReplyDeleteAs opposed to Glenn Miller's unfortunate foray into Gregorian chants...
TW: fultu: My schadenfreude bucket was fultu overflowing when I read that the ACLU in Southern California was laying people off...
Richard: Only a few bands actually specialized in boogie-woogie, although most had at least one number in their repertoire during the height of the craze.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, the Gregorian chants were very hard to dance to.
I've started listening to a lot of Sid Phillips, Paco; great stuff.
ReplyDeleteGregorian chants hard to dance to!
ReplyDeleteThat's just a nasty, viscious rumor planted by the boogie-woogie cabal.
Thanking you in advance;
The Lennon Sisters
Gregorian Chant: the original Rap?
ReplyDeleteCheers
minicapt-- the original rap? Melody Cruise, Warner Brothers, 1933.
ReplyDeleteWhitest thing you will ever see in your life. Even if you have seen wronwright in his 'combat' Bermuda shorts...
richard, re: 'combat' bermudas - ewww!!!
ReplyDeleteI think Gregorian Chant, though widely known at present, was actually inspired by the prayers of the Rabbis LONG before the time of Gregory...
Rapping Jews. That's nearly as funny as rapping Monks!