big_band videos Site

Betty Boop/Louis Armstrong - You Rascal You (1932)

Length: 7:9
Rating Average: 4.87 from 166 people
View Count: 53808' favoriteCount='575
Author: WhenSwingWasKing

Tags: animation Betty_Boop big_band Dave_Fleischer jazz Louis_Armstrong Max_Fleischer swing trumpet

One of the classic Depression-era musical cartoons created by Max and Dave Fleischer. Satchmo's soundtrack obviously inspires the artists - even if the visuals aren't in any way "politically correct" 70-plus years later.

Benny Goodman - Medley (1937)

Length: 2:7
Rating Average: 4.89 from 308 people
View Count: 192760' favoriteCount='1039
Author: WhenSwingWasKing

Tags: Benny_Goodman big_band clarinet Harry_James jazz Lionel_Hampton Rudy_Vallee swing vibes

Filmed during "Hollywood Hotel," this unusual medley combines the mighty Goodman band of 1937 ("I've Got a Heartful of Music" and "House Hop") with the BG Quartet ("Avalon"). The young Harry James takes solos on "Heartful" and "Hop," while Rudy Vallee serves as the on-camera emcee.

Artie Shaw - Shoot the Likker To Me John Boy (1939)

Length: 4:8
Rating Average: 4.76 from 79 people
View Count: 30365' favoriteCount='244
Author: WhenSwingWasKing

Tags: Artie_Shaw big_band Buddy_Rich clarinet jazz swing

From "Artie Shaw's Class in Swing," it's the powerhouse Shaw unit of 1939 - propelled by the 21-year old Buddy Rich on drums. Tune your ears past the dated voiceover and enjoy one of the landmark big bands of the entire Swing Era!

Artie Shaw - Everything is Jumpin' (1940)

Length: 2:0
Rating Average: 4.79 from 106 people
View Count: 73689' favoriteCount='439
Author: WhenSwingWasKing

Tags: Artie_Shaw big_band clarinet jazz swing

This number is probably best remembered as one of the standout performances from the classic RCA Victor "Artie Shaw at the Blue Room/Cafe Rouge" aircheck set, capturing the 1938-39 Shaw band at its apex. The short "Second Chorus" performance featured here gives us a sense of what the chart...

Paul Whiteman - King of Jazz trailer (1930)

Length: 3:43
Rating Average: 4.79 from 34 people
View Count: 16957' favoriteCount='93
Author: WhenSwingWasKing

Tags: big_band jazz musical Paul_Whiteman swing

In all its 2-strip Technicolor glory, here's the original trailer for the mega-musical that captured Paul Whiteman's finest band for posterity (although Universal's inability to get its act together resulted in the lost opportunity to film the full Whiteman troupe with Bix Beiderbecke still on...

Kay Kyser - Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me (1943)

Length: 2:25
Rating Average: 4.81 from 64 people
View Count: 19609' favoriteCount='147
Author: WhenSwingWasKing

Tags: big_band Georgia_Carroll Harry_Babbitt jazz Julie_Conway Kay_Kyser Lucky_Strike Sully_Mason swing

Another clip from the "Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco" promo short (available in its entirety at www.archive.org). As with "Your Hit Parade," Kay Kyser's radio "Kollege of Musical Knowledge" was sponsored by American Tobacco/Luckies...hence Kay's appearance, along with Kyser regulars Harry...