October 17, 2025 • 58 mins
The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s.
On this week's program: A song from the 1700s that was swingin in the 1930s and 40s, a questionable Fats Waller tale, Frank Sinatra's first record with Tommy Dorsey - plus many more great records and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's broadcast.
On this week's program: A song from the 1700s that was swingin in the 1930s and 40s, a questionable Fats Waller tale, Frank Sinatra's first record with Tommy Dorsey - plus many more great records and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's broadcast.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
It's make believe ballom time.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Put all your cares away.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
All the bands are here to bring good cheer your way.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
It's make believe ballroom time and free to everyone.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
It's no time to friend your Dalis.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Said bombs, close your eyes and visual lie in your solitude.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Your favorite bands are on this stance, and mister Miller,
what you in the wood?
Speaker 1 (00:52):
It's make believe ballroom time.
Speaker 5 (00:55):
We are a sweet romance.
Speaker 6 (01:00):
As you make room.
Speaker 7 (01:01):
Come on, Jo, last dance, last, Hello world. I'm Jeff Bresler,
turning on the lights of the make Fully Ballroom and
welcoming you into my Crystal studio for another program of
classic big band hits from the nineteen thirties and forties.
Get ready as I play for you some amazing big
(01:25):
band jazz, swing, blues, and boogie woogie favorites. Folks, you're
listening to the Make Believe Ballroom, broadcasting almost continuously since
nineteen thirty five. Hi friends, thanks for joining me in
the Crystal studio today for another show featuring seventy eight
(01:47):
RPM recordings. Fascinating story He's of legendary band leaders, musicians, composers,
and vocalists of the big band era, as well as
listeners emails and re quests along the way and speaking
up along the way. Let's boogie on down the road
(02:07):
and stop along the way to listen to this.
Speaker 8 (02:44):
In Harlem, there's a little place where everyone goes to
see the way I wash a woman washes her clothes.
If you like boogie woogie rhythm, she's gotta be let
the boogie woogie wash a woman give you a treat.
On every afternoon, I won the sessions begin and all
the bus from all the bands come.
Speaker 7 (03:00):
Down and sit in.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
They sit around and knock each other out when.
Speaker 8 (03:03):
They play it while the boogie woogie wash.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
A woman washes all day.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Roughly ub dub.
Speaker 8 (03:08):
That's just the way she rubs.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
Roughly ub dub.
Speaker 8 (03:11):
That's just the way she scrubs.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Roughly up dub.
Speaker 8 (03:13):
She wears out all her touch. She rubs and rubs
her knuckles right on down to the nubs.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Roughly ub dub.
Speaker 9 (03:19):
That's how she kicks it off.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Roughly ub dub. She keeps it nice and soft.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Roughly ub dub.
Speaker 8 (03:24):
Because someone hollers, all scrub me, mama, with a booget beat.
You really ought to visit there. If you've never been
it doesn't cost a penny.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Just come down and walk in.
Speaker 8 (03:34):
If you like boogie woogie rhythm, you'll get a tree.
He'll let the buget will get wash a woman give
you the beat.
Speaker 10 (04:18):
It exploded, exploring.
Speaker 6 (04:26):
Leading ing.
Speaker 10 (04:55):
Lady Lady.
Speaker 7 (05:16):
On Columbia Records from nineteen forty one, Scrub Me Mama
with a boogie beat, written by Don Ray and performed
by Will Bradley and his orchestra, vocal by drummer Ray McKinley. Now,
the song we just heard was well. It was a
follow up to another Don Ray composed Will Bradley and
(05:38):
Ray McKinley, jem that reached number two on the Billboard Charts.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Daddy Ain't to the.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Bar and a little honky Donkey village in Texas. There's
a guy who plays the best, being by ball. He
(06:23):
can play, and I ain't the way you like it.
Speaker 8 (06:25):
You part the kandy, Please the best.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
He ain't to the bar.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Whenny jams, it's the ball.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
He's a daddy of them. All the people gather.
Speaker 11 (06:34):
Brown when he gets on the stand, and when he plays.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
He gets a hand. The rhythm heat places, put the
cats in the tram. Nobody there, Father's dude dance and
Wendy jams with the basic guitar.
Speaker 12 (06:45):
They all old, feat Me Daddy into the Bar, A.
Speaker 11 (06:49):
Blink a blank a blank blank blank blank, plunking on
the kids, A rip a rap a riff, rap rip rap,
ripping out with ease and Wenny Cham, I'm with the
basic gutchall that all the world.
Speaker 12 (07:02):
Beat me that into the bar, Oh.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Beat it ready into the barn.
Speaker 7 (10:50):
Also on Columbia Records, beat Me Daddy Ate to the
Bar by Will Bradley and his orchestra featuring a Ray
McKinley vocal with the great Freddy Black playing the eighty eights,
And that was an extended tune took up both the
A and B side of that Columbia record, and a
(11:11):
little boogie woogie to get things underway today on the
Make Believe Ballroom, Let's play another record, then a listener's email.
Speaker 11 (11:30):
Like a Masters in his chestra present Alice bluegown.
Speaker 13 (12:36):
In my sweet little linest blue gold.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
When I first.
Speaker 6 (12:45):
Wandered down and too time, I was both drown and
shiny as I felt every eye.
Speaker 13 (12:58):
But in every shop window, my drink passing by than
in manner on bashom My Raw and the word seemed
to smile.
Speaker 6 (13:20):
Till I always.
Speaker 13 (13:26):
Adorn my sweet little Ey spoke of was Sweet Little U.
Speaker 7 (14:07):
From Vocalian Records. That was a nineteen nineteen tune revived
in nineteen forty Alice Blue Gown by Frankie Masters and
his orchestra with a lovely vocal by Marion Francis, And
that was a little bit of a cool down from
my grand boogie woogie opening to the show. Frankie Masters was,
(14:32):
as you could tell by Alice Blue Gown, a proponent
of what would you call it? I guess you would
call it back then it was easy listening music, pleasant
music with an agreeable vocal here provided by Marion France's
very nice record. I really enjoyed listening to that, and
(14:55):
I hope you are agreeable to listening to the rest
of the show and to this point, enjoying the music
I am providing for you today in the Make Believe Ballroom.
I'm going to read the email I promised in a
few moments, but first I forgot to mention when I
played the opening song for the program today, scrubbed Me
(15:17):
Mama with a boogie woogie beat. Don Ray, the composer
of that piece, provided us with his boogie woogie take
on an Irish jig called the washer Woman, which goes
all the way back to the late seventeen hundreds. I
want to play another song that used the theme of
the washer Woman. But first, if you have no idea
(15:40):
what the washer Woman sounds like as its original jig,
well take a quick lesson. Oh that jack, many of
(16:12):
you must be saying. Now, let's listen to the King
sisters take.
Speaker 9 (16:24):
Sure of fine, I engish lady, the poorly and humble
and Miss Molly O. Brady is not to do grumbles
she sails to in Washington is just so much fun.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
She never complains when washingt ain't done to Molly in
love with Murder dot Com when he returns farm has
beat on the flock. Here's Molly king and over Dada
and he swings along with.
Speaker 14 (16:48):
The robo dub dug rabada dadut rod bra rabata dab
dab da dot d rabata dub dub dunrat fa rabata
dub dub da blasa.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Moll's busy ring and bugineer singing. Shoot the bo into me.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Murphyy Boll, Molly that tight pants.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
The bells all golfers, and they ever a comes.
Speaker 9 (17:14):
To try to stop sover to Murphy dot com, shoot,
she gets on her time because he helps her hang.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Out the goods of the line.
Speaker 14 (17:22):
To Molly, the fell lost.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
The billy game and there is no reasons the people.
I'll say, she hangs the Washington on at least day.
We can't never have.
Speaker 14 (17:32):
That tabletal brain Robin love dot rod rub love dutt
rub dub dub dut rides from rubber dub dut ba
bah Molly's busy ring.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
And bagin here sing and look out, you get your finger.
Speaker 6 (17:50):
In the ringer.
Speaker 14 (17:52):
Celia outside Celia dut.
Speaker 9 (18:00):
Dudeli out media guys like you can't you bring around
the ringer?
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Look be careful, was wasse do ride do rub rub rub.
Speaker 9 (18:25):
Flash flash, Oh boy, wash away you tumble turn them
into bubble right out of.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
The key thing and I let it go wrong as
long as you are ring And don't forget this. She's
in a bottle all the time.
Speaker 7 (18:47):
From Bluebird Records. Back in nineteen thirty nine, the King's
Sisters with Alvin o'ray and his orchestra with their swinging
version of the washer Woman that they the Irish washerwoman.
I'm Jeff Bresler, and you're listening to the one, the only,
the original Make Believe Ballroom and to reach me, I'm
(19:09):
Jeff at make Believe Ballroom Radio dot com. That's Jeff
at MakeBelieve Ballroom Radio dot com. And one person that
reached out to me was a longtime listener from Cleveland,
one Dan Rockover, who sent an email that reads, Jeff,
your show is on here now at two a m.
(19:34):
I am a dedicated listener, but won't lose sleep over you.
I now am listening to the Spotify show at my leisure. Uh,
that's the Spotify podcast. I prefer to have listeners join
us on the radio. But Dan, I certainly don't want
you to lose any sleep. He goes on to write,
(19:58):
on many recent programs, you have told great stories where
you say that you don't know if it is totally
true or not. What about a story you are not
sure about so you don't tell it? And he signs that, Dan, Dan,
I think I get the gist of what you're writing.
(20:19):
Let me play a record first from Fats Waller, and
then a story that probably is embellished or well, who knows.
Speaker 15 (21:06):
Be sure it's true when you say I love you.
It's a sense you tell alive beings upon have been broken. Yes, yes, yes,
because these words were spoken.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
You know the words that were spoken.
Speaker 15 (21:23):
It is I love you, I love you, I know you,
I love you. Yes. But if you break my heart,
I'll break your join then I die.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Don't be shure.
Speaker 15 (21:32):
It's true when you say I love you. It's a
sense to tell a lie. Now get on out there
and tell you lie?
Speaker 8 (21:39):
What is it?
Speaker 6 (22:15):
People? He gone through?
Speaker 2 (23:14):
What an I love you? Anne?
Speaker 7 (23:20):
I'm from Victor Records. It's a sin to tell a
lie by Fats Waller and his Rhythm Vocal by Fats,
recorded in New York City, June the fifth, nineteen thirty six.
So as the story goes back to the nineteen twenties,
the late nineteen twenties, Fats was working at a club
(23:45):
in Chicago, so he finished his set and he headed
out the stage door. Must have been frightening because as
he got out the stage door, he was quickly surrounded
by a number of really tough looking guy and pushed
into the backseat of a car. So Fats obviously thought
(24:07):
that he was in real trouble. But instead of being
brought to a height out or something. The car pulled
up to the very busy Hawthorne Hotel, which happened to
be the notorious gangster al Capone's headquarters. It was located
in Cicero, Illinois, and that's near Chicago. So Fats has
(24:30):
moved inside where it's all wall of wall, gangsters, women
in glittering dresses, you get the picture, bottles of champagne,
all the stuff you would imagine. And at the center
of the room there was a piano. So al Capone,
as it ends up, was throwing a birthday party for
(24:53):
himself and Fats Waller, it appeared, was the surprise guest
of and some guest of honor, because, as the tale goes,
at gunpoint he was pushed to the keys. But if
anyone knew how to turn a bad break into a
(25:14):
good time, it was certainly Fats Waller. He allegedly sits down,
rolls into a stride rhythm, and suddenly everybody is captivated
in the room is all his. The gangsters laughed, the
crowd dances, al Capone beams and applauds, Drinks flow, money
(25:35):
rains down, and Fats allegedly keeps the party swinging into
the early hours of the morning. By the end of
the night, this quasi kidnapping turned into the best paying
gig of Fats Waller's life. And if Fats then is
driven back to his hotel in Chicago, his pockets stuffed
(25:59):
with cash and stories of al Capone playing in his mind.
So Dan, the first time I heard this story, actually
I didn't hear it. I read the story and I
read it in a book that was written and I
think I still have the book around somewhere. It was
(26:22):
written by fat Son, and I'm trying to remember his
first name, Maurice, Maurice Waller. And I remember, after I
read it that story, this was a number of years ago,
I did some research. So I searched the Chicago newspapers
from the late twenties for a story about this, and
(26:46):
I googled the police records. I remember I looked at
the Hawthorne Hotel to see what kind of unusual stories
came out of the hotel during that era, you know,
stuff like that thing came up that seemed official to
verify it that Fats was quasi kidnapped and brought to
(27:07):
the Hawthorn for al Capone's birthday. Well, you know, over time,
stories told in retold tend to grow more dramatic, comical,
and embellished. It is indeed a great story. But on
a scale of one to ten, i'll give it. I'll
give it a three. But when it comes to tens,
(27:29):
this song would not have been the truth in the
late twenties because it was written by Fats Waller in
nineteen thirty seven. But I score it a ten because
I think it seems like something Fats would have played
for the occasion.
Speaker 15 (27:51):
They have a new expression along old holloway that then
you went a body at the time, all gage to
say these things.
Speaker 8 (28:01):
The jumping leaves not.
Speaker 15 (28:03):
A single dime that everything is in for swing. But
you hear somewhat shouting. It is the John is jumping.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
It's really jumping.
Speaker 15 (28:14):
Coming cats, and check your hats.
Speaker 9 (28:16):
I'm meeting this.
Speaker 15 (28:17):
Johnny is jumping the pianos something, the dancers up up
and this is smart a small than the heart in fact,
that John is jumping. Check your weapons at the door,
be sure to pay your father, burn your leather on
the floor, grab anybody's daughter. The roof is rocking, the
(28:39):
neighbors knocking. We're all bumps when the wagon comes. I'm
meeting Johnny is jumping. Let it see yay, there's the
nerve bar.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
Yes, ah my, yeah, don't you hear that?
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Rick?
Speaker 16 (28:56):
That's tip wrong.
Speaker 15 (28:57):
Why'd you get that struck? H Why I knock you?
Speaker 16 (28:59):
Do your please?
Speaker 2 (29:00):
What?
Speaker 15 (29:01):
What this gut out of here?
Speaker 9 (29:06):
Get rid of that crystal?
Speaker 16 (29:07):
Get rid of that crystal.
Speaker 10 (29:08):
Yeah, he went over again.
Speaker 15 (29:11):
That's what I'm talking about it.
Speaker 9 (29:13):
I oh man, it's matty ready.
Speaker 15 (29:16):
No, maybe not now I can't come over there right now.
Speaker 16 (29:24):
Yes, they wake my mind.
Speaker 6 (29:42):
Saying now.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
Coming, we're coming.
Speaker 15 (29:56):
The Johnny's jumping's really jumping, even most honors tol us.
I mean that Johnny's jumping. No time for topping. This
place is walking again. Get the jumping. Cut the ruck
I did to Johnny jumping. Listen, get your pipe pingein
this many in the kitchens?
Speaker 9 (30:18):
Who is that that just came in?
Speaker 15 (30:19):
Just look at the way he's switching off.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
Man, don't mind, I'm in bad.
Speaker 9 (30:26):
I got playing.
Speaker 15 (30:27):
If we go to jail, I did this Johnny jumping.
Don't maave me right name, no, no.
Speaker 7 (30:32):
No, The classic the joint is jumping. Fats Waller in
his rhythm recorded on Victor Records back in nineteen thirty seven.
I'm Jeff Bresler, and you're listening to the weekly edition
of the Make Believe Ballroom and other email a little
later on, perhaps two emails from our friend Mexicatani, who
listens each week in Italy, and if I forgot, thank
(30:57):
you Dan rock Over for your email about the veracity
of some big band era stories. Let me play a
record while I think about any other stories that people
may think were true but were actually kind of fictacious.
(34:03):
Recorded in New York City on the first of November
nineteen thirty nine, Jack Tea Garden and his orchestra with
Swinging on the Tea Garden Gate via Parlophone Records. So
I told you before Jack Tea Garden that I would
think of some other stories that perhaps were embellished and
(34:24):
not necessarily true. I was at an event a few
months ago and I was introduced to this guy who
sold life insurance. And no one can feel more alone
when you're trapped with someone you know wants to sell
(34:44):
you something. Actually he wasn't a bad guy. He knew
that or somebody told him that. I hosted to Make
Believe Ballroom so as an icebreaker to the I guess
prelude for his life insurance pitch to show me we
were bros, he said that Gene Crooper was the first
drummer to do solos and used as an example Benny
(35:07):
Goodman Sing Sing Sing, which, by coincidence, I happened to
play on a recent show. Now, this guy was not
a big band fan, just well, you know, in the
mood sing Sing Sing, begin the beginning the standards, that
was sort of his knowledge of things. So I told
the guy nicely that that wasn't true about Crouper and
(35:31):
ran off the names of you know, chickweb Baby, Dodd,
guys like that, who certainly were on recordings doing solos
during Crooper's career. So with the theme of embellishment that
I have been discussing, Crooper's solo in Sing Sing Sing
(35:54):
certainly wasn't first, but it was the most famous and
ultimately most commercially successful. So I guess it entered the
annals of big band and jazz lore as the beginning
of a drum solos And that's what this insurance guy
(36:16):
had believed. But there is a happy ending to the story.
The insurance guy's wife called him over and he said
he would catch up with me later, which fortunately he
never did.
Speaker 10 (37:08):
Hing and Lucky laughing and lame on.
Speaker 7 (39:21):
Columbia Records that Drummer's Band by Gene Krupa and his
Orchestra recorded in New York City July the thirteenth, nineteen
forty two. Wow, that was one of those late recordings
right before the devastating musician strike took place, one of
(39:41):
the first nails in the coffin that unfortunately led to
the demise of the Big band era. And I'm thinking,
you know, I just smacked myself on the side of
the head. It's funny. I'm telling these stories of the
Big band era effect versus fiction, and I just remembered
(40:04):
one that was about this very Make Believe Ballroom. There
was an old story that the Make Believe Ballroom, which
started back in nineteen thirty five, as I usually mentioned
during the show, really hit its peak in the late
thirties into the early forties. And it's recorded and actually
(40:28):
verified that over twenty five percent of New York's radio
audience tuned in to the Martin Block version of this program.
And that was quite remarkable at the time, as it
would be today, just phenomenal numbers. It turned Block into
(40:49):
a major celebrity. So as the story I want to
tell you goes, the show was so popular that New
York City traffic was said to stop while people were
listening to the broadcast of the Make Believe Ballroom. But
the image of the entire city of New York halting
(41:10):
is almost certainly an exaggeration. But what was true, and
I think it was written in a Walter Winchell column
at the time that Block, Martin Block, when he entered
or left the WNW studios in New York, which at
the time was located on Fifth Avenue, traffic would slow
(41:35):
on the street so folks could get a good look
at him. He was a massive star, the first true
radio disc jockey and a radio legend from the Big
band era. So that was understandable. So another story that
got a little bit stretched over the years. And just
(41:57):
as in aside, the theme song I play each week
to open the show is titled Make Believe Ballroom and
it was written by Glenn Miller and Martin Block and
performed by Glenn and the Orchestra with vocals by the Modernaires.
It said, and this is a fact also that Glenn
(42:20):
Miller actually paid for the recording session of that song himself,
recognizing the value of having his music associated with Blocks
Make Believe Ballroom. By nineteen forty, when the song was written,
Martin Block was so powerful on the radio that he
(42:42):
could literally make or break a record, so Miller's business
instincts knew the value of his orchestra being heard to
open the show each week.
Speaker 6 (43:16):
Natas MMM.
Speaker 7 (45:57):
Glenn Miller and his orchestra's arrangement of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue,
recorded for Victor Records on July the sixteenth, nineteen forty two,
and that recording was the last commercial session for Glenn's
civilian band before he entered the service. I'm Jeff Bresler,
(46:18):
and I don't think I will ever stop traffic on
the way out of the Crystal Studio. But I am
your humble host of the Make Believe Ballroom, as mentioned
first heard on the air in February of nineteen thirty five,
and almost continuously since then, minus a few gaps over
(46:39):
the years, and I am delighted to occupy the seat
once held by the likes of Martin Block, William B. Williams,
and the Great Steve Allen and speaking of great now.
An email from the Great Max Cateni from Italy, So maxwe,
he writes to us, covers a number of topics, and
(47:02):
in this recent email he discussed the looking at it,
the technical aspect of recording records, and the various quality
of different labels. Max, I'm going to pass this email
onto Lenny from down the block. As I mentioned last week,
he's cruising around or cruising around the world, whatever he's doing.
(47:26):
But eventually he will get back to you on that.
But you mentioned at the end of the email, and
I found it interesting that, to emphasize a point about recordings,
you sent me an MP three of a recording that,
as you stated, Young Blue Eyes Frank Sinatra made with
(47:46):
Tommy Dorsey in February of nineteen thirty nine, the first
time Sinatra recorded with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. So Max,
I will now share that historical record with our listeners.
Speaker 4 (49:27):
The sky fell off when I met you. The green
of the countryside has turned to blue.
Speaker 6 (49:44):
I have the moon.
Speaker 4 (49:48):
Right on my finger tears, and when first we kissed,
there were stars on your limb. As to be with
you just made it seem that walking on snowy clok
(50:14):
was not a dream.
Speaker 17 (50:18):
You gave to me.
Speaker 4 (50:22):
All this and heaven to when the sky fell long
and I met you.
Speaker 7 (51:13):
Frank Sinatra with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra singing for the
first time with Tommy Dorsey a song titled the Song
is You from a collection Max sent us call the
Complete Studio Masters, Volume number one. Thanks for that, Max,
(51:35):
And then a second email you sent us. Let me
just pull us up, you wrote in this email, and
this is cool quote unquote. I attached the short radio
program from nineteen thirty seven with George Hall and his Orchestra,
which I find very interesting. The musical style is typical
(51:57):
from the thirties, and the announcer gives us synthetic curiosities
about each piece that is played a bit in the
Jeff Bresler manner. How fantastic these radio programs are. They
really give me the sensation of using a sort of
time machine. I hope you and Lenny will appreciate it.
(52:21):
So thank you Max for that. And let me just
pull up in this hold on, I lost Max's file.
Hold On, okay, so let me play one of the
cuts you sent me from George Hall and his orchestra
(52:41):
and their radio remote.
Speaker 17 (52:42):
Do you remember back in nineteen eight and nine when
the amusement center in New York was located in Greenwich
Village in fourteenth Street. Since that time, Broadway has become
the crossroads of the amusement world. And just around the
New York corner, oh, a matter of ten blocks or so,
is fifty second Street, about which Dolly Dawn and herd
on Patrol has this to say.
Speaker 18 (53:07):
Every magazine gives attention, every magazine gives a mention to
a street that's really fine.
Speaker 1 (53:15):
Once you listit, there you a door, and once you
visit there you'll be for it.
Speaker 18 (53:20):
Yes, you listen to my story about the street up
saying it was just a normal street until it got
that off time beating. Now it's the street where the
swing cats mean, it's fifty seconds sleep contest and endless
hor where the tor and trumps.
Speaker 1 (53:37):
This floors like the thing.
Speaker 18 (53:38):
When you're feeling more, fifty second Street, have your time
to like the resum rocking making their Rundez mood, and
god that swing is absolutely shocking their mamasable.
Speaker 1 (53:49):
Look cause their mama's wing too.
Speaker 18 (53:51):
It's the world that's set up for it's West Swinging,
got it start. It's like the lead up Swinging Hard
Flush fifty you find them a bat efty second three.
Now listen to swing harmonics coming from the well known
Honnics drama.
Speaker 1 (54:10):
Duck. I will swing you feed.
Speaker 18 (54:12):
You're nailing at the yacht club. We'll go sailing and folks,
here's the latest news. They're even trucking at Rubison's day
gathering that this they close the famous door.
Speaker 15 (54:30):
Why that?
Speaker 1 (54:30):
Don't just don't swing no more.
Speaker 10 (54:36):
I travel to the county A team.
Speaker 18 (54:39):
When they swing, they swing.
Speaker 6 (54:40):
I'm playing draws I.
Speaker 5 (54:45):
Oh boll s money stream operation bout fifty second screen
mean swing on Pasia. It's the world, let's settle for
It's West Swinging God, It's or it's like the be
I'm splaying in hard you find the naughty dam.
Speaker 1 (55:04):
Way Hoorday Hoday.
Speaker 7 (55:12):
Fifty second street. George Hall and his orchestra in this
instance the orchestra being called for that number, Dolly Down
and her Don Patrol. Sort of an interchangeable deal conceived
by George and Dolly. And that's cool that you compared
me to an announcer who broadcast in the heart of
(55:35):
the Big Band era. Thank you so much. Max Again,
to reach me Jeff at MakeBelieve Ballroom Radio dot com.
Jeff at MakeBelieve Ballroom Radio dot com. And now as
I appear at the big bull of a clock here
on the wall in the Crystal studio of the Make
Believe Ballroom, I unfortunately see we are at a time. Boy,
(56:01):
that hour flew by from me. I hope it also
did for you. Thanks for joining me today. The Ballroom
is broadcast to our affiliates across the USA and in
the United Kingdom by the Public Radio Exchange PRX, the
PACIFICA Network, and Global Community Radio, as well as independently
(56:24):
distributed to many stations directly from the offices of the
Crystal studio. To reach me, I'm Jeff at Make Believe
Ballroomradio dot com. That's Jeff at MakeBelieve Ballroom Radio dot com.
And once our shows clear our radio affiliates, they're placed
in archives and podcast form. You can go to MakeBelieve
(56:48):
Ballroom dot com to hear over two hundred past programs
in the series, or go to your favorite podcast provider friends.
Until next week, this has been Jeff Wrestler
It's make believe ballom time.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Put all your cares away.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
All the bands are here to bring good cheer your way.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
It's make believe ballroom time and free to everyone.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
It's no time to friend your Dalis.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Said bombs, close your eyes and visual lie in your solitude.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Your favorite bands are on this stance, and mister Miller,
what you in the wood?
Speaker 1 (00:52):
It's make believe ballroom time.
Speaker 5 (00:55):
We are a sweet romance.
Speaker 6 (01:00):
As you make room.
Speaker 7 (01:01):
Come on, Jo, last dance, last, Hello world. I'm Jeff Bresler,
turning on the lights of the make Fully Ballroom and
welcoming you into my Crystal studio for another program of
classic big band hits from the nineteen thirties and forties.
Get ready as I play for you some amazing big
(01:25):
band jazz, swing, blues, and boogie woogie favorites. Folks, you're
listening to the Make Believe Ballroom, broadcasting almost continuously since
nineteen thirty five. Hi friends, thanks for joining me in
the Crystal studio today for another show featuring seventy eight
(01:47):
RPM recordings. Fascinating story He's of legendary band leaders, musicians, composers,
and vocalists of the big band era, as well as
listeners emails and re quests along the way and speaking
up along the way. Let's boogie on down the road
(02:07):
and stop along the way to listen to this.
Speaker 8 (02:44):
In Harlem, there's a little place where everyone goes to
see the way I wash a woman washes her clothes.
If you like boogie woogie rhythm, she's gotta be let
the boogie woogie wash a woman give you a treat.
On every afternoon, I won the sessions begin and all
the bus from all the bands come.
Speaker 7 (03:00):
Down and sit in.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
They sit around and knock each other out when.
Speaker 8 (03:03):
They play it while the boogie woogie wash.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
A woman washes all day.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Roughly ub dub.
Speaker 8 (03:08):
That's just the way she rubs.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
Roughly ub dub.
Speaker 8 (03:11):
That's just the way she scrubs.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Roughly up dub.
Speaker 8 (03:13):
She wears out all her touch. She rubs and rubs
her knuckles right on down to the nubs.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Roughly ub dub.
Speaker 9 (03:19):
That's how she kicks it off.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Roughly ub dub. She keeps it nice and soft.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Roughly ub dub.
Speaker 8 (03:24):
Because someone hollers, all scrub me, mama, with a booget beat.
You really ought to visit there. If you've never been
it doesn't cost a penny.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Just come down and walk in.
Speaker 8 (03:34):
If you like boogie woogie rhythm, you'll get a tree.
He'll let the buget will get wash a woman give
you the beat.
Speaker 10 (04:18):
It exploded, exploring.
Speaker 6 (04:26):
Leading ing.
Speaker 10 (04:55):
Lady Lady.
Speaker 7 (05:16):
On Columbia Records from nineteen forty one, Scrub Me Mama
with a boogie beat, written by Don Ray and performed
by Will Bradley and his orchestra, vocal by drummer Ray McKinley. Now,
the song we just heard was well. It was a
follow up to another Don Ray composed Will Bradley and
(05:38):
Ray McKinley, jem that reached number two on the Billboard Charts.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Daddy Ain't to the.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Bar and a little honky Donkey village in Texas. There's
a guy who plays the best, being by ball. He
(06:23):
can play, and I ain't the way you like it.
Speaker 8 (06:25):
You part the kandy, Please the best.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
He ain't to the bar.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Whenny jams, it's the ball.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
He's a daddy of them. All the people gather.
Speaker 11 (06:34):
Brown when he gets on the stand, and when he plays.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
He gets a hand. The rhythm heat places, put the
cats in the tram. Nobody there, Father's dude dance and
Wendy jams with the basic guitar.
Speaker 12 (06:45):
They all old, feat Me Daddy into the Bar, A.
Speaker 11 (06:49):
Blink a blank a blank blank blank blank, plunking on
the kids, A rip a rap a riff, rap rip rap,
ripping out with ease and Wenny Cham, I'm with the
basic gutchall that all the world.
Speaker 12 (07:02):
Beat me that into the bar, Oh.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Beat it ready into the barn.
Speaker 7 (10:50):
Also on Columbia Records, beat Me Daddy Ate to the
Bar by Will Bradley and his orchestra featuring a Ray
McKinley vocal with the great Freddy Black playing the eighty eights,
And that was an extended tune took up both the
A and B side of that Columbia record, and a
(11:11):
little boogie woogie to get things underway today on the
Make Believe Ballroom, Let's play another record, then a listener's email.
Speaker 11 (11:30):
Like a Masters in his chestra present Alice bluegown.
Speaker 13 (12:36):
In my sweet little linest blue gold.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
When I first.
Speaker 6 (12:45):
Wandered down and too time, I was both drown and
shiny as I felt every eye.
Speaker 13 (12:58):
But in every shop window, my drink passing by than
in manner on bashom My Raw and the word seemed
to smile.
Speaker 6 (13:20):
Till I always.
Speaker 13 (13:26):
Adorn my sweet little Ey spoke of was Sweet Little U.
Speaker 7 (14:07):
From Vocalian Records. That was a nineteen nineteen tune revived
in nineteen forty Alice Blue Gown by Frankie Masters and
his orchestra with a lovely vocal by Marion Francis, And
that was a little bit of a cool down from
my grand boogie woogie opening to the show. Frankie Masters was,
(14:32):
as you could tell by Alice Blue Gown, a proponent
of what would you call it? I guess you would
call it back then it was easy listening music, pleasant
music with an agreeable vocal here provided by Marion France's
very nice record. I really enjoyed listening to that, and
(14:55):
I hope you are agreeable to listening to the rest
of the show and to this point, enjoying the music
I am providing for you today in the Make Believe Ballroom.
I'm going to read the email I promised in a
few moments, but first I forgot to mention when I
played the opening song for the program today, scrubbed Me
(15:17):
Mama with a boogie woogie beat. Don Ray, the composer
of that piece, provided us with his boogie woogie take
on an Irish jig called the washer Woman, which goes
all the way back to the late seventeen hundreds. I
want to play another song that used the theme of
the washer Woman. But first, if you have no idea
(15:40):
what the washer Woman sounds like as its original jig,
well take a quick lesson. Oh that jack, many of
(16:12):
you must be saying. Now, let's listen to the King
sisters take.
Speaker 9 (16:24):
Sure of fine, I engish lady, the poorly and humble
and Miss Molly O. Brady is not to do grumbles
she sails to in Washington is just so much fun.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
She never complains when washingt ain't done to Molly in
love with Murder dot Com when he returns farm has
beat on the flock. Here's Molly king and over Dada
and he swings along with.
Speaker 14 (16:48):
The robo dub dug rabada dadut rod bra rabata dab
dab da dot d rabata dub dub dunrat fa rabata
dub dub da blasa.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Moll's busy ring and bugineer singing. Shoot the bo into me.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Murphyy Boll, Molly that tight pants.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
The bells all golfers, and they ever a comes.
Speaker 9 (17:14):
To try to stop sover to Murphy dot com, shoot,
she gets on her time because he helps her hang.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Out the goods of the line.
Speaker 14 (17:22):
To Molly, the fell lost.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
The billy game and there is no reasons the people.
I'll say, she hangs the Washington on at least day.
We can't never have.
Speaker 14 (17:32):
That tabletal brain Robin love dot rod rub love dutt
rub dub dub dut rides from rubber dub dut ba
bah Molly's busy ring.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
And bagin here sing and look out, you get your finger.
Speaker 6 (17:50):
In the ringer.
Speaker 14 (17:52):
Celia outside Celia dut.
Speaker 9 (18:00):
Dudeli out media guys like you can't you bring around
the ringer?
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Look be careful, was wasse do ride do rub rub rub.
Speaker 9 (18:25):
Flash flash, Oh boy, wash away you tumble turn them
into bubble right out of.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
The key thing and I let it go wrong as
long as you are ring And don't forget this. She's
in a bottle all the time.
Speaker 7 (18:47):
From Bluebird Records. Back in nineteen thirty nine, the King's
Sisters with Alvin o'ray and his orchestra with their swinging
version of the washer Woman that they the Irish washerwoman.
I'm Jeff Bresler, and you're listening to the one, the only,
the original Make Believe Ballroom and to reach me, I'm
(19:09):
Jeff at make Believe Ballroom Radio dot com. That's Jeff
at MakeBelieve Ballroom Radio dot com. And one person that
reached out to me was a longtime listener from Cleveland,
one Dan Rockover, who sent an email that reads, Jeff,
your show is on here now at two a m.
(19:34):
I am a dedicated listener, but won't lose sleep over you.
I now am listening to the Spotify show at my leisure. Uh,
that's the Spotify podcast. I prefer to have listeners join
us on the radio. But Dan, I certainly don't want
you to lose any sleep. He goes on to write,
(19:58):
on many recent programs, you have told great stories where
you say that you don't know if it is totally
true or not. What about a story you are not
sure about so you don't tell it? And he signs that, Dan, Dan,
I think I get the gist of what you're writing.
(20:19):
Let me play a record first from Fats Waller, and
then a story that probably is embellished or well, who knows.
Speaker 15 (21:06):
Be sure it's true when you say I love you.
It's a sense you tell alive beings upon have been broken. Yes, yes, yes,
because these words were spoken.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
You know the words that were spoken.
Speaker 15 (21:23):
It is I love you, I love you, I know you,
I love you. Yes. But if you break my heart,
I'll break your join then I die.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Don't be shure.
Speaker 15 (21:32):
It's true when you say I love you. It's a
sense to tell a lie. Now get on out there
and tell you lie?
Speaker 8 (21:39):
What is it?
Speaker 6 (22:15):
People? He gone through?
Speaker 2 (23:14):
What an I love you? Anne?
Speaker 7 (23:20):
I'm from Victor Records. It's a sin to tell a
lie by Fats Waller and his Rhythm Vocal by Fats,
recorded in New York City, June the fifth, nineteen thirty six.
So as the story goes back to the nineteen twenties,
the late nineteen twenties, Fats was working at a club
(23:45):
in Chicago, so he finished his set and he headed
out the stage door. Must have been frightening because as
he got out the stage door, he was quickly surrounded
by a number of really tough looking guy and pushed
into the backseat of a car. So Fats obviously thought
(24:07):
that he was in real trouble. But instead of being
brought to a height out or something. The car pulled
up to the very busy Hawthorne Hotel, which happened to
be the notorious gangster al Capone's headquarters. It was located
in Cicero, Illinois, and that's near Chicago. So Fats has
(24:30):
moved inside where it's all wall of wall, gangsters, women
in glittering dresses, you get the picture, bottles of champagne,
all the stuff you would imagine. And at the center
of the room there was a piano. So al Capone,
as it ends up, was throwing a birthday party for
(24:53):
himself and Fats Waller, it appeared, was the surprise guest
of and some guest of honor, because, as the tale goes,
at gunpoint he was pushed to the keys. But if
anyone knew how to turn a bad break into a
(25:14):
good time, it was certainly Fats Waller. He allegedly sits down,
rolls into a stride rhythm, and suddenly everybody is captivated
in the room is all his. The gangsters laughed, the
crowd dances, al Capone beams and applauds, Drinks flow, money
(25:35):
rains down, and Fats allegedly keeps the party swinging into
the early hours of the morning. By the end of
the night, this quasi kidnapping turned into the best paying
gig of Fats Waller's life. And if Fats then is
driven back to his hotel in Chicago, his pockets stuffed
(25:59):
with cash and stories of al Capone playing in his mind.
So Dan, the first time I heard this story, actually
I didn't hear it. I read the story and I
read it in a book that was written and I
think I still have the book around somewhere. It was
(26:22):
written by fat Son, and I'm trying to remember his
first name, Maurice, Maurice Waller. And I remember, after I
read it that story, this was a number of years ago,
I did some research. So I searched the Chicago newspapers
from the late twenties for a story about this, and
(26:46):
I googled the police records. I remember I looked at
the Hawthorne Hotel to see what kind of unusual stories
came out of the hotel during that era, you know,
stuff like that thing came up that seemed official to
verify it that Fats was quasi kidnapped and brought to
(27:07):
the Hawthorn for al Capone's birthday. Well, you know, over time,
stories told in retold tend to grow more dramatic, comical,
and embellished. It is indeed a great story. But on
a scale of one to ten, i'll give it. I'll
give it a three. But when it comes to tens,
(27:29):
this song would not have been the truth in the
late twenties because it was written by Fats Waller in
nineteen thirty seven. But I score it a ten because
I think it seems like something Fats would have played
for the occasion.
Speaker 15 (27:51):
They have a new expression along old holloway that then
you went a body at the time, all gage to
say these things.
Speaker 8 (28:01):
The jumping leaves not.
Speaker 15 (28:03):
A single dime that everything is in for swing. But
you hear somewhat shouting. It is the John is jumping.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
It's really jumping.
Speaker 15 (28:14):
Coming cats, and check your hats.
Speaker 9 (28:16):
I'm meeting this.
Speaker 15 (28:17):
Johnny is jumping the pianos something, the dancers up up
and this is smart a small than the heart in fact,
that John is jumping. Check your weapons at the door,
be sure to pay your father, burn your leather on
the floor, grab anybody's daughter. The roof is rocking, the
(28:39):
neighbors knocking. We're all bumps when the wagon comes. I'm
meeting Johnny is jumping. Let it see yay, there's the
nerve bar.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
Yes, ah my, yeah, don't you hear that?
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Rick?
Speaker 16 (28:56):
That's tip wrong.
Speaker 15 (28:57):
Why'd you get that struck? H Why I knock you?
Speaker 16 (28:59):
Do your please?
Speaker 2 (29:00):
What?
Speaker 15 (29:01):
What this gut out of here?
Speaker 9 (29:06):
Get rid of that crystal?
Speaker 16 (29:07):
Get rid of that crystal.
Speaker 10 (29:08):
Yeah, he went over again.
Speaker 15 (29:11):
That's what I'm talking about it.
Speaker 9 (29:13):
I oh man, it's matty ready.
Speaker 15 (29:16):
No, maybe not now I can't come over there right now.
Speaker 16 (29:24):
Yes, they wake my mind.
Speaker 6 (29:42):
Saying now.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
Coming, we're coming.
Speaker 15 (29:56):
The Johnny's jumping's really jumping, even most honors tol us.
I mean that Johnny's jumping. No time for topping. This
place is walking again. Get the jumping. Cut the ruck
I did to Johnny jumping. Listen, get your pipe pingein
this many in the kitchens?
Speaker 9 (30:18):
Who is that that just came in?
Speaker 15 (30:19):
Just look at the way he's switching off.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
Man, don't mind, I'm in bad.
Speaker 9 (30:26):
I got playing.
Speaker 15 (30:27):
If we go to jail, I did this Johnny jumping.
Don't maave me right name, no, no.
Speaker 7 (30:32):
No, The classic the joint is jumping. Fats Waller in
his rhythm recorded on Victor Records back in nineteen thirty seven.
I'm Jeff Bresler, and you're listening to the weekly edition
of the Make Believe Ballroom and other email a little
later on, perhaps two emails from our friend Mexicatani, who
listens each week in Italy, and if I forgot, thank
(30:57):
you Dan rock Over for your email about the veracity
of some big band era stories. Let me play a
record while I think about any other stories that people
may think were true but were actually kind of fictacious.
(34:03):
Recorded in New York City on the first of November
nineteen thirty nine, Jack Tea Garden and his orchestra with
Swinging on the Tea Garden Gate via Parlophone Records. So
I told you before Jack Tea Garden that I would
think of some other stories that perhaps were embellished and
(34:24):
not necessarily true. I was at an event a few
months ago and I was introduced to this guy who
sold life insurance. And no one can feel more alone
when you're trapped with someone you know wants to sell
(34:44):
you something. Actually he wasn't a bad guy. He knew
that or somebody told him that. I hosted to Make
Believe Ballroom so as an icebreaker to the I guess
prelude for his life insurance pitch to show me we
were bros, he said that Gene Crooper was the first
drummer to do solos and used as an example Benny
(35:07):
Goodman Sing Sing Sing, which, by coincidence, I happened to
play on a recent show. Now, this guy was not
a big band fan, just well, you know, in the
mood sing Sing Sing, begin the beginning the standards, that
was sort of his knowledge of things. So I told
the guy nicely that that wasn't true about Crouper and
(35:31):
ran off the names of you know, chickweb Baby, Dodd,
guys like that, who certainly were on recordings doing solos
during Crooper's career. So with the theme of embellishment that
I have been discussing, Crooper's solo in Sing Sing Sing
(35:54):
certainly wasn't first, but it was the most famous and
ultimately most commercially successful. So I guess it entered the
annals of big band and jazz lore as the beginning
of a drum solos And that's what this insurance guy
(36:16):
had believed. But there is a happy ending to the story.
The insurance guy's wife called him over and he said
he would catch up with me later, which fortunately he
never did.
Speaker 10 (37:08):
Hing and Lucky laughing and lame on.
Speaker 7 (39:21):
Columbia Records that Drummer's Band by Gene Krupa and his
Orchestra recorded in New York City July the thirteenth, nineteen
forty two. Wow, that was one of those late recordings
right before the devastating musician strike took place, one of
(39:41):
the first nails in the coffin that unfortunately led to
the demise of the Big band era. And I'm thinking,
you know, I just smacked myself on the side of
the head. It's funny. I'm telling these stories of the
Big band era effect versus fiction, and I just remembered
(40:04):
one that was about this very Make Believe Ballroom. There
was an old story that the Make Believe Ballroom, which
started back in nineteen thirty five, as I usually mentioned
during the show, really hit its peak in the late
thirties into the early forties. And it's recorded and actually
(40:28):
verified that over twenty five percent of New York's radio
audience tuned in to the Martin Block version of this program.
And that was quite remarkable at the time, as it
would be today, just phenomenal numbers. It turned Block into
(40:49):
a major celebrity. So as the story I want to
tell you goes, the show was so popular that New
York City traffic was said to stop while people were
listening to the broadcast of the Make Believe Ballroom. But
the image of the entire city of New York halting
(41:10):
is almost certainly an exaggeration. But what was true, and
I think it was written in a Walter Winchell column
at the time that Block, Martin Block, when he entered
or left the WNW studios in New York, which at
the time was located on Fifth Avenue, traffic would slow
(41:35):
on the street so folks could get a good look
at him. He was a massive star, the first true
radio disc jockey and a radio legend from the Big
band era. So that was understandable. So another story that
got a little bit stretched over the years. And just
(41:57):
as in aside, the theme song I play each week
to open the show is titled Make Believe Ballroom and
it was written by Glenn Miller and Martin Block and
performed by Glenn and the Orchestra with vocals by the Modernaires.
It said, and this is a fact also that Glenn
(42:20):
Miller actually paid for the recording session of that song himself,
recognizing the value of having his music associated with Blocks
Make Believe Ballroom. By nineteen forty, when the song was written,
Martin Block was so powerful on the radio that he
(42:42):
could literally make or break a record, so Miller's business
instincts knew the value of his orchestra being heard to
open the show each week.
Speaker 6 (43:16):
Natas MMM.
Speaker 7 (45:57):
Glenn Miller and his orchestra's arrangement of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue,
recorded for Victor Records on July the sixteenth, nineteen forty two,
and that recording was the last commercial session for Glenn's
civilian band before he entered the service. I'm Jeff Bresler,
(46:18):
and I don't think I will ever stop traffic on
the way out of the Crystal Studio. But I am
your humble host of the Make Believe Ballroom, as mentioned
first heard on the air in February of nineteen thirty five,
and almost continuously since then, minus a few gaps over
(46:39):
the years, and I am delighted to occupy the seat
once held by the likes of Martin Block, William B. Williams,
and the Great Steve Allen and speaking of great now.
An email from the Great Max Cateni from Italy, So maxwe,
he writes to us, covers a number of topics, and
(47:02):
in this recent email he discussed the looking at it,
the technical aspect of recording records, and the various quality
of different labels. Max, I'm going to pass this email
onto Lenny from down the block. As I mentioned last week,
he's cruising around or cruising around the world, whatever he's doing.
(47:26):
But eventually he will get back to you on that.
But you mentioned at the end of the email, and
I found it interesting that, to emphasize a point about recordings,
you sent me an MP three of a recording that,
as you stated, Young Blue Eyes Frank Sinatra made with
(47:46):
Tommy Dorsey in February of nineteen thirty nine, the first
time Sinatra recorded with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. So Max,
I will now share that historical record with our listeners.
Speaker 4 (49:27):
The sky fell off when I met you. The green
of the countryside has turned to blue.
Speaker 6 (49:44):
I have the moon.
Speaker 4 (49:48):
Right on my finger tears, and when first we kissed,
there were stars on your limb. As to be with
you just made it seem that walking on snowy clok
(50:14):
was not a dream.
Speaker 17 (50:18):
You gave to me.
Speaker 4 (50:22):
All this and heaven to when the sky fell long
and I met you.
Speaker 7 (51:13):
Frank Sinatra with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra singing for the
first time with Tommy Dorsey a song titled the Song
is You from a collection Max sent us call the
Complete Studio Masters, Volume number one. Thanks for that, Max,
(51:35):
And then a second email you sent us. Let me
just pull us up, you wrote in this email, and
this is cool quote unquote. I attached the short radio
program from nineteen thirty seven with George Hall and his Orchestra,
which I find very interesting. The musical style is typical
(51:57):
from the thirties, and the announcer gives us synthetic curiosities
about each piece that is played a bit in the
Jeff Bresler manner. How fantastic these radio programs are. They
really give me the sensation of using a sort of
time machine. I hope you and Lenny will appreciate it.
(52:21):
So thank you Max for that. And let me just
pull up in this hold on, I lost Max's file.
Hold On, okay, so let me play one of the
cuts you sent me from George Hall and his orchestra
(52:41):
and their radio remote.
Speaker 17 (52:42):
Do you remember back in nineteen eight and nine when
the amusement center in New York was located in Greenwich
Village in fourteenth Street. Since that time, Broadway has become
the crossroads of the amusement world. And just around the
New York corner, oh, a matter of ten blocks or so,
is fifty second Street, about which Dolly Dawn and herd
on Patrol has this to say.
Speaker 18 (53:07):
Every magazine gives attention, every magazine gives a mention to
a street that's really fine.
Speaker 1 (53:15):
Once you listit, there you a door, and once you
visit there you'll be for it.
Speaker 18 (53:20):
Yes, you listen to my story about the street up
saying it was just a normal street until it got
that off time beating. Now it's the street where the
swing cats mean, it's fifty seconds sleep contest and endless
hor where the tor and trumps.
Speaker 1 (53:37):
This floors like the thing.
Speaker 18 (53:38):
When you're feeling more, fifty second Street, have your time
to like the resum rocking making their Rundez mood, and
god that swing is absolutely shocking their mamasable.
Speaker 1 (53:49):
Look cause their mama's wing too.
Speaker 18 (53:51):
It's the world that's set up for it's West Swinging,
got it start. It's like the lead up Swinging Hard
Flush fifty you find them a bat efty second three.
Now listen to swing harmonics coming from the well known
Honnics drama.
Speaker 1 (54:10):
Duck. I will swing you feed.
Speaker 18 (54:12):
You're nailing at the yacht club. We'll go sailing and folks,
here's the latest news. They're even trucking at Rubison's day
gathering that this they close the famous door.
Speaker 15 (54:30):
Why that?
Speaker 1 (54:30):
Don't just don't swing no more.
Speaker 10 (54:36):
I travel to the county A team.
Speaker 18 (54:39):
When they swing, they swing.
Speaker 6 (54:40):
I'm playing draws I.
Speaker 5 (54:45):
Oh boll s money stream operation bout fifty second screen
mean swing on Pasia. It's the world, let's settle for
It's West Swinging God, It's or it's like the be
I'm splaying in hard you find the naughty dam.
Speaker 1 (55:04):
Way Hoorday Hoday.
Speaker 7 (55:12):
Fifty second street. George Hall and his orchestra in this
instance the orchestra being called for that number, Dolly Down
and her Don Patrol. Sort of an interchangeable deal conceived
by George and Dolly. And that's cool that you compared
me to an announcer who broadcast in the heart of
(55:35):
the Big Band era. Thank you so much. Max Again,
to reach me Jeff at MakeBelieve Ballroom Radio dot com.
Jeff at MakeBelieve Ballroom Radio dot com. And now as
I appear at the big bull of a clock here
on the wall in the Crystal studio of the Make
Believe Ballroom, I unfortunately see we are at a time. Boy,
(56:01):
that hour flew by from me. I hope it also
did for you. Thanks for joining me today. The Ballroom
is broadcast to our affiliates across the USA and in
the United Kingdom by the Public Radio Exchange PRX, the
PACIFICA Network, and Global Community Radio, as well as independently
(56:24):
distributed to many stations directly from the offices of the
Crystal studio. To reach me, I'm Jeff at Make Believe
Ballroomradio dot com. That's Jeff at MakeBelieve Ballroom Radio dot com.
And once our shows clear our radio affiliates, they're placed
in archives and podcast form. You can go to MakeBelieve
(56:48):
Ballroom dot com to hear over two hundred past programs
in the series, or go to your favorite podcast provider friends.
Until next week, this has been Jeff Wrestler
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