Time Life - The Swing Era 1944-1945 Part 1

Time Life - The Swing Era 1944-1945 Part 1

Author: Frank Miller September 13, 2025 Duration: 57:53
This week we return to the Time-Life series, "The Swing Era", with the volume from the years of 1944-1945. These were still the war years but there were still some great recordings made. As I have done in previous shows from the Time-Life series I am playing the original recordings. We'll be hearing from Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Les Brown and more. There are a few more sets in this series and hopefully we will get to listen to them all. I hope you enjoy this volume in the series, "The Swing Era".

Frank Miller hosts Big Band Bash, a journey into the vibrant world of swing and the cultural moment it defined. This isn't just a playlist of classics; it's a deep and affectionate look at the music, the personalities, and the stories that made the big band era so unforgettable. Each episode focuses on a specific thread, perhaps unpacking the legacy of a legendary bandleader like Duke Ellington or Glenn Miller, or exploring a particular theme that shaped the sound from the 1930s through the 1950s. You'll hear the iconic recordings, of course, but you'll also get the context behind them-the rivalries, the innovations, and the social history that this music both reflected and inspired. Tune in to this podcast for a richly detailed portrait of an era, where the driving rhythm of a brass section could lift a nation's spirit. Frank's passion is evident in every carefully curated episode, aiming not just to inform but to make your feet tap along to the timeless energy of the great bands. It's a must-listen for music lovers and history buffs alike, offering a fresh appreciation for the artistry that continues to resonate decades later.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Big Band Bash
Podcast Episodes
Gene Krupa Revisted [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:57
Well I apologize but I ran into some family problems and was not able to finish part two of the Reader's Digest set I promised for this week. So to substitute I have chose a show I previously produced on the Late Gene Kr…
Reader's Digest: The Late 1940's Part One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:57
This is another set I managed to get a copy of. It was produced by Reader's Digest records and called These Were Our Songs, The Late 1940's. This was a seven vinyl album set and rereleased as a four cd set. Featuring mus…
Victory Parade of Spotlight Bands [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:24
From the patriotic show, The Victory Parade of Spotlight Bands, I am playing three radio remotes. The bands we will be listening to are Les Brown, Gene Krupa, and Charlie Spivak. The Les Brown show is from April 25, 1945…
Reader's Digest: The Late 1930's Part Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:14
We continue this week with Part Two of a Reader's Digest collection called These Were Our Songs, The Late 1930's. This featues music from the years of 1936 -1939. This set was originally released as a seven vinyl lp set…
Reader's Digest: The Late 1930's Part One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:47
I managed to get a copy of this set from Reader's Digest Records. It is called These Were Our Songs, The Late 1930's. This was a seven vinyl album set and rereleased as a four cd set. Featuring music from the years of 19…
September Songs and Others [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:20
September 21st is right around the beginning of Autumn. I thought I would do something different this week and celebrate the Autun time of the year with songs about September and Autumn. There were several songs with Sep…
Time Life - The Swing Era 1944-1945 Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:35
This week I am following up with Part 2 of the Time-Life series, The Swing Era, with the second half from the years of 1944-1945. I had so much fun tracking down the originals in this series. As I have done in previous s…
The Vocal Groups [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:26
This week on Big Band Bash I'll be taking a look at many of the vocal groups that sang with the big bands and on their own. There were several popular groups back then and we'll be hearing from The Andrews Sisters, The I…
My Big Band Revival Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:17
We continue this week with Part two of my Big Band Revival. I got the ides from the many churches I see having revivals. I needed to get excited again about the great bands I fell in love with when I was a teenager disco…
My Big Band Revival Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:59
Every now and then I need to revive my love of the Big bands. This program and the next are ones where I have picked out some of the recordings that made me a life long fan of the Big Bands. I loved discovering the geat…