Make Believe Ballroom
Hosted by Jeff Bressler, The Make Believe Ballroom, each week, brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s. The program has been broadcast almost continuously since 1935. Each program mixes beloved 78 rpm records, stories, listener requests, and special guest features, all geared to bring you the music and history of the big band era.
Episodes
July 18, 2025 • 58 mins
This week's Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s - a big band leader who had to change his name, a popular bandleader who had a second career as an MC and DJ, this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's program.
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July 11, 2025 • 58 mins
This week's Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s - an email from a 95 year old veteran who played in the Air Force Band, a song written for the legendary disc jockey Al Jarvis, a tip on how Jeff does some of his record research, Lenny from Down the Block's Record Pick of the Week—this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's program.
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July 4, 2025 • 57 mins
This week's Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s - a look at a listener's somewhat controversial list of the most influential jazz musicians and vocalists of the swinging 1930s—this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's program.
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June 27, 2025 • 58 mins
This week's Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s - a special tribute to Angelo Carbone and the Raphie from Canarsie, Brooklyn Record Club, also Lenny from Down the Block with his Record Pick of the Week—this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's program.
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June 20, 2025 • 58 mins
This week's Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s - a game show hosts famous uncle, a longtime listners special playlist, a gambling song, Lenny from Down the Block with his Record Pick of the Week—this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the program.
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June 13, 2025 • 58 mins
This week's Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s -One of the all time great female vocalists first record as a younf teenager, a dubious record company executive, Lenny from Down the Block with his Record Pick of the Week—this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the program.
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June 6, 2025 • 58 mins
This week's Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s - we take a close look at a song that won an Academy Award in 1937, but more importantly, holds a musical world record that has never been broken! Also, listeners' emails and Lenny from Down the Block with his Record Pick of the Week—this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the program.
The Make Believ...
The Make Believ...
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May 31, 2025 • 58 mins
This week's Make Believe Ballroom brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s - a look at what Jeff Bressler feels is the primary reason for the demise of big bands, a story on how opposites attract, listener emails, and Lenny from Down the Block with his Record Pick of the Week—this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the program.
The Make Believe Ballroom is broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90...
The Make Believe Ballroom is broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90...
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May 24, 2025 • 57 mins
On this week's Make Believe Ballroom, bringing you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s – one of those shows where we go totally off script almost as soon as we begin and end up with a list of Ralph Kramden's favorite bands. Also, Lenny from Down the Block with his Record Pick of the Week - this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the program.
The Make Believe Ballroom is broadcast on member-support...
The Make Believe Ballroom is broadcast on member-support...
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May 18, 2025 • 58 mins
On this week's Make Believe Ballroom, bringing you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s – a band vocalist who was second only to Bing Crosby, more listeners submit lists of their favorite big band songs, Lenny from Down the Block with his Record Pick of the Week - this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the program.
The Make Believe Ballroom is broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 WGMC in Rocheste...
The Make Believe Ballroom is broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 WGMC in Rocheste...
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May 8, 2025 • 58 mins
Join Jeff Bressler for some great Big Band Music of the 30's and 40's on this week's Make Believe Ballroom broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 in Rochester, NY, and other fine radio affiliates across the United States and the United Kingdom –the majority of today's program is dedicated to two listners who were so kind in sharing lists of their favorite big band musicians and tunes - this and many more great songs and stories to...
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May 2, 2025 • 58 mins
Hosted by Jeff Bressler, the Make Believe Ballroom brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s
This week's show, broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 in Rochester, NY, and other fine radio affiliates across the United States and the United Kingdom, is dedicated to records from bandleaders we have not featured on the Ballroom over the past year. Also, Lenny from Down the Block has his Record Pick of the Week and many mor...
This week's show, broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 in Rochester, NY, and other fine radio affiliates across the United States and the United Kingdom, is dedicated to records from bandleaders we have not featured on the Ballroom over the past year. Also, Lenny from Down the Block has his Record Pick of the Week and many mor...
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April 25, 2025 • 58 mins
On this week's Make Believe Ballroom broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 in Rochester, NY, and other fine radio affiliates across the United States and the United Kingdom – a long-forgotten New York area Ballroom, a postage stamp series from the 1990's that featured over 20 big band legends, Lenny from Down the Block with his Record Pick of the Week - this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the progra...
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April 18, 2025 • 58 mins
On this week's Make Believe Ballroom broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 in Rochester, NY, and other fine radio affiliates across the United States and the United Kingdom - a recording glitch explained, did Bing and Bob Crosby ever work together? A new listener's record playlist, Lenny from Down the Block, with his Record Pick of the Week - this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the program.
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April 11, 2025 • 58 mins
On this week's Make Believe Ballroom broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 in Rochester, NY, and other fine radio affiliates across the United States as well as in the United Kingdom – a song that took many years to become a hit, bandleaders on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, two prominent vocal groups that sang with the same band, Lenny from Down the Block with his Record Pick of the Week - this and many more great songs to cherish ...
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April 4, 2025 • 58 mins
On this week's Make Believe Ballroom broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 in Rochester, NY, and other fine radio affiliates across the United States as well as in the United Kingdom – more records recorded on the same day, a demanding Frank Sinatra, a listner sends us a special record to play, Lenny from Down the Block and his record pick of the week - this and many more great songs to cherish and enjoy on the program.
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March 28, 2025 • 58 mins
On this week's Make Believe Ballroom broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 in Rochester, NY, and other fine radio affiliates across the United States as well as in the United Kingdom – a Doo Wop surprise, a dancing trivia question, an email from a beloved listener, Lenny from Down the Block's Record Pick of the Week, listeners emails - this and many more great records to cherish and enjoy on the program.
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March 21, 2025 • 58 mins
On this week's Make Believe Ballroom broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 in Rochester, NY, and other fine radio affiliates across the United States as well as in the United Kingdom –a few records recorded on the same day, a big band era musician who appeared in one of the most iconic scenes in motion picture history, Lenny from Down the Blocks Record Pick of the Week, listeners emails - this and many more great records to enjoy...
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March 14, 2025 • 58 mins
On this week's Make Believe Ballroom broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 in Rochester, NY, and other fine radio affiliates across the United States as well as in the United Kingdom –a little known bandleader with a famous wife, a big band baseball fanatic, Lenny from Down the Blocks Record Pick of the Week, listeners emails - this and many more great records to enjoy on the show.
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March 7, 2025 • 58 mins
On this week's Make Believe Ballroom broadcast on member-supported Jazz 90.1 in Rochester, NY, and other fine radio affiliates across the United States as well as in the United Kingdom – It's all Ralphie from Canarsie Record Club list of Big Band Hits all the time as we play selections from the over 800 tunes that comprise this iconic file.
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