Dance Band era publications, recordings?

[tinpanalley]

Just looking through the acknowledgments in a published complete discography I have of Rudy Vallee's music and it occurred to me to ask here on a similar note... Is there not ANY publication in print or online that at least attempts to list a chronology or database of the dance band 20s-40s era? It seems such a shame. I really treasure this Vallee discography from 1985 because it's not something that would ever get printed today but also because I'm sure that this information is gone forever if it doesn't get compiled somewhere like this book. I'd love a site or book that attempts to be a catalogue of the bands and the 78s recorded during that time.

While we're on the subject, I have an almost complete set of the Franklin Mint Big Band Era vinyl set that came out in the late 70s and was wondering, has nothing that thorough and that expansive EVER been done on CD? I've captured all my vinyl of that set, about 75% of the complete set, but I've never been able to buy the remaining 25% of the records in the set.

[jeffcrom]

I use Brian Rust's two-volume American Dance Band Discography 1917-1942 several times per week. It's not perfect, but it's very useful, especially when used in conjunction with other sources. It's out of print, but there are sets for sale on Amazon US for around $70, which doesn't seem too bad to me.

[JSngry]

While we're on the subject, I have an almost complete set of the Franklin Mint Big Band Era vinyl set that came out in the late 70s and was wondering, has nothing that thorough and that expansive EVER been done on CD? I've captured all my vinyl of that set, about 75% of the complete set, but I've never been able to buy the remaining 25% of the records in the set.

There's been some micro-labels that have specialized in really, really obscure music of this era. Some examples of what you've not been able to find, perhaps?

[tinpanalley]

There's been some micro-labels that have specialized in really, really obscure music of this era. Some examples of what you've not been able to find, perhaps?

I'm not sure, you'd have to tell me what they're called so I could look into it.

[Big Beat Steve]

While these books are no discographies, they should be useful to outline the overall picture and flesh out pure discographical details and provide input for additional research according to your tastes:

"The Dance Band Era" by Albert McCarthy

"Big Band Almanac" by Leo Walker

"The Wonderful Era of the Great Dance Bands" by Leo Walker

(plus, obviously, George T. Simon's "The Big Bands", in case this needs to be mentioned at all )

[JSngry]

There's been some micro-labels that have specialized in really, really obscure music of this era. Some examples of what you've not been able to find, perhaps?

I'm not sure, you'd have to tell me what they're called so I could look into it.

I meant what tunes have you not been able to locate. Sorry for not making that clear, my bad.

[tinpanalley]

What I meant was that 25% of that set is what I don't have at all so I have no idea what is on them and therefore what I'm missing and furthermore no sites online seem to document this set at all, even places like AMG.

What I was getting at was wondering whether anything that thorough and that expansive had ever been done on CD? I've never seen it so I thought someone might know of something worth trying to buy. This set was 100 2-LP boxes so I'd be shocked but thrilled to know something like it exists on CD.

I meant what tunes have you not been able to locate. Sorry for not making that clear, my bad.

Edited March 19, 2015 by tinpanalley

[bichos]

here are two online sites that are maybe of interest for you:

http://bbdb.us/

and

http://www.jazz-on-line.com/

keep boppin´

marcel

[tinpanalley]

here are two online sites that are maybe of interest for you:

http://bbdb.us/

and

http://www.jazz-on-line.com/

keep boppin´

marcel

Those sites are fantastic, thank you. I guess the hope of anyone ever releasing a comprehesive box set is rather unlikely.

[Big Beat Steve]

here are two online sites that are maybe of interest for you:

http://bbdb.us/

I came across this site years ago and haven't looked at it for ages but apparently the layout (prehistoric by website standards) hasn't changed much.

The contents are instructive and really a very nice effort by the compilers and will definitely be useful to complete other sources (books etc. and flesh out the picture of the more obscure bands).

What I do regret, though, is that the depth of the contents varies enormously and in rather an erratic manner (including some rather imbalanced bios). Both back then and now I've only glanced at various random entries but even there I am a bit puzzled.

Just barely glimpsing at the "European bands" section, the entry on the Harry Arnold band is just abysmal! After all this band is VERY well documented in many places and therefore easily researchable, and U.S. compilers certainly ought to be aware of the connection between this band and the "Jazztone Mystery Band", for example, to rate some mentioning.

And to readers over here the distinction between "British dance bands" on the one hand and "European dance bands" on the other certainly is mildly amusing. "Splendid isolation" rearing its head again?

I may be wrong but I am under the impression the compilers of this site went all out in their attempts at gathering information on pre-swing era bands but sometimes were less zealous with later bands. A bit like Brian Rust in his works?

And what also baffles me a little is that the contents are relatively imbalanced when it comes to white AND black bands (what?? No Red Calhoun??). If you include even the sloshiest of white sweet bands you might do well to dig just as deeply into black territory bands, I think.

In short, if you use that site as a starting point for further explorations you will be fine.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Big Beat Steve

[tinpanalley]

I wish there was a way to download in batches from that jazz-online site.

Edited April 20, 2015 by tinpanalley

[king ubu]

And to readers over here the distinction between "British dance bands" on the one hand and "European dance bands" on the other certainly is mildly amusing. "Splendid isolation" rearing its head again?

Well, all links in the European section seem to be dead - so there's that. Sir Winston's revenge, I guess, and right on time, too