Rare radio broadcast

[big band heaven]

Well, to kick off this section with audio I have posted below a link to a rare radio braodcast from 30th July 1942. Its a familiar song by a familiar artist but this is a live performance in front of GI troops which was recorded to be broadcast overseas to GIs serving all over the world. I have left in the introdution which is done by Cary Grant and also the personal mentions that Judy Garland does to individual troops before the song - although I have slightly abridged this part by taking out a section and cross fading the remaining parts. Her dedications originally went on for over a minute and a half.

This has been taken from a pristine 16" vinyl AFRS (Armed Forces Radio Service) disk which were only circulated to army radio stations during WW2. I think it just goes to show how high the fidelity of recordings from this period can be. Unfortunately I can't reduce the slight swishing from the pressing process without radically affecting the sound but this is only a minor defect so I have left it alone.

I hope you enjoy this - and I think it probably sounds as good today as when it was originally broadcast nearly 70 years ago. I am previewing this here - and I am intending including it as one of the tracks I am preparing for broadcast on a vintage music slot I am currently putting together for a radio station.

Command Performance excerpt AFRS 30th July 1942

[big band heaven]

Here is a link to the finished slot for radio. It now has some intro music - a short spoken introduction and then the song. (EDIT: I accidentally copied the wrong links but have now corrected them - sorry about that)

Vintage music slot number 4

Here is another in the short run i've done featuring a swing recording by Artie Shaw

Vintage music slot number 6

[Aerodyne]

Big Band Heaven. Links don't work for me... all I get is a box asking me to log in...
-Tony

[big band heaven]

Oops, I think I copied the wrong link when I put it in the thread originally. This should work....


Vintage music slot number 4

Here is the Arite Shaw track

Vintage music slot number 6

[Aerodyne]

Great, Richard. I always admired Artie Shaw's amazing technique, speaking as a one-time and mediocre clarinettist! His 'Stardust' and 'Begin the beguine' are true classics too. The Judy Garland track was evocative and one can imagine the lumps in the throats of the listening audience during those dark times.
One question: what is the introductory music, and who recorded it? It sounds a 'modern' recording. Sid Lawrence, perhaps?
-Tony

[big band heaven]

Tony - yes Artie Shaw recorded some great swing classics. The two you mention are particular favourites of mine. The introductory music is modern - the track is called "Moonlight magic" and was used in the film "Tea with Mussolini". Surprisingly it isn't on the soundtrack CD for that film however I sourced it off another film soundtrack CD - an obscure french film called "Sarah" (no, I hadn't heard of it either! But luckily for me Google had). You can also download it from Amazon if you are resident in the UK - however as I am in New Zealand downloading wasn't an option as it's blocked. I had to buy the CD and get it sent to me here. The band is conducted by Alan Moorhouse who also wrote it. He wrote another great track called "Starlight seranade" which was my fall back choice of music for the intro which was also featured in the "Mussolini" film. The only reason I didn't use that track in the end was because I couldn't cleanly edit out the introductory bars of music as a muted trumpet bridged the intro with the main part of the song. With Moonlight magic I didn't have that issue and was able to get a clean edit - so went with that.



Richard.

[Aerodyne]

OK. I Googled Alan Moorhouse and found the tracks you mention on a site offering downloads of mood music for commercials, films and what have you. I was able to play through several of his tracks, all good stuff, in various styles. Still prefer the one you chose, in the Miller style however. Nice to see somebody still composing and recording quality big band music, even if it will never see general release.
Good luck with all your programmes. Really good to hear them.
-Tony