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Bebop Big Bands - Earl Hines, Billy Eckstine, & Woody Herman (1940 - 1947)

By Russell Perry | Jazz at 100
April 2, 2019
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Although Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Woody Herman soldiered on, mostly keeping bands on the road into the 1970s (Ellington) and 1980s (Basie and Herman), the era of the big band effectively ended with the American Federation of Musicians' strike and World War Two shortages of gas, rubber and players. A leaner combo-oriented music emerged in night clubs after the war. Several band leaders sought to find common ground with the new music and the big band format, but as dance halls faded, the economics of the large ensemble no longer worked.

Playlist

Host Intro 0:00
Billy Eckstine with Earl Hines Orchestra. "Jelly Jelly" from The Jazz Singers (Smithsonian) 2:30
Host speaks 5:56
Billy Eckstine. "Rhythm in a Riff" from Billy Eckstine: 1944 -1945 () 7:27
Billy Eckstine & His Orchestra. "Second Balcony Jump" from Bebop Story: Vol. 008, The Early Years Vol. 8 -Billy Eckstine (1945-47) (Encyclopedia of Jazz) 10:15
Billy Eckstine & His Orchestra. "Oo Bop Sh'Bam" from Bebop Story: Vol. 008, The Early Years Vol. 8 -Billy Eckstine (1945-47) (Encyclopedia of Jazz) 13:05
Host speaks 16:04
Billy Eckstine and his Orchestra. "Blue 'n Boogie" from Bebop Story: Vol. 007, The Early Years Vol. 7 -Billy Eckstine (1945) (Encyclopedia of Jazz) 16:59
Billy Eckstine and his Orchestra. "Opus X" from Bebop Story: Vol. 007, The Early Years Vol. 7 -Billy Eckstine (1945) (Encyclopedia of Jazz) 18:12
Billy Eckstine and his Orchestra. "One O'Clock Jump" from Bebop Story: Vol. 007, The Early Years Vol. 7 -Billy Eckstine (1945) (Encyclopedia of Jazz) 21:15
Host speaks 22:25
Earl Hines and His Orchestra. "At the El Grotto" from Bebop Story: Vol. 043, Wardell Gray Vol. 1 (1945-46) (Encyclopedia of Jazz) 23:35
Earl Hines and His Orchestra. "Straight Life" from Bebop Story: Vol. 043, Wardell Gray Vol. 1 (1945-46) (Encyclopedia of Jazz) 26:36
Host speaks 29:23
Woody Herman and his Orchestra. "Down Under" from Blowin' Up a Storm: The Columbia Years 1945-1947 (Columbia) 31:36
Woody Herman and his Orchestra. "Caldonia." from Blowin' Up a Storm: The Columbia Years 1945-1947 (Columbia) 34:23
Host speaks 37:23
Woody Herman and his Orchestra. "Kean And Peachy" from Blowin' Up a Storm: The Columbia Years 1945- 1947 (Columbia) 38:04
Woody Herman and his Orchestra. "The Goof and I" from Blowin' Up a Storm: The Columbia Years 1945-1947 (Columbia) 40:54
Host speaks 43:43
Woody Herman and his Orchestra. "Four Brothers" from Blowin' Up a Storm: The Columbia Years 1945-1947 (Columbia) 44:55
Host speaks 48:08
Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra. "Donna Lee" from Bebop Spoken Here (Proper) 50:40
Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra. "Yardbird Suite" from Bebop Spoken Here (Proper) 53:42
Host Outro 57:01

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About Billy Eckstine

Instrument: Vocals

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