Negro music in America; 35

Negro music and America. I think we're going to help you hope for the third book of the nine thousand three hundred twenty four Fletcher Henderson's band played engagements at the club Alabama in the Roseland Ballroom among its members was Don Redmond talented as an arranger as well as a musician. The band grew heading brasses raids into the rhythm section. Louis Armstrong played in the band unstimulated Henderson and Redmond who became skilled in his going for the big jazz band. The trend of the big swing bands had begun in the small traditional bands began to fade in popularity. Redmond and Henderson were great forces in molding the swing styles of the big bands with their arranging. Along about this time another musician composer and arranger for his own band Duke Ellington was slowly

forging his way to the top of the band world. The power and beauty of the unique style that he created for his band has never waned and he remains at the top today after almost 40 years which is quite a record. Now we will let the Duke's music speak for itself. His first number was his theme song for many many years and shared a wake memories for all listeners that are in my age bracket anyway. Written in 1926 this version was recorded in 1937. Duke Ellington's knew East St. Louis to the loo. Our second selection is and I went in standard solitude solitude as

one of the three major heads the Duke had in the 1930s. The other being Mood Indigo which originally was known as a dreamy blues and sophisticated lady. This version of solitude was chosen because it was recorded at a later date and gives you some contrast with the early orchestral style solitude by Duke Ellington whose diets alone at the piano a. I am.

I in. For our last number we go back to an earlier written in 1927 that they had

years of vocal without words. Dave is and was a vocal in which her voice becomes a solo instrument of the orchestra. Here is Duke's great love call. Listening to these great numbers by the Ellington band takes me way back in time to the

30s in a sudden flash the memories of sitting up to listen to the late radio broadcast ditching school to catch a stage show at the Chicago Theater. The curtain was slowly opening with the strains of the new way St. Louis to Toulouse wiling to overcome the applause in a full auditorium. I can't help but think of how nice he would be to be able to do all that all over again. Next week we'll bring to you the music of one of the truly great swing bands of the middle 30s Jimi Lunsford's band was one of the most talented capable of a superb job on everything from wild and frenzied stems to sophisticated blues and then for contrasts will play for you done Redmond's memorable chant of the weed as he recorded it in New York in January of 1940. Swing with us again next week to grow music in America with Tony look at Bach president transcribed by the SEIU Radio Network. Got to get into next week as we continue our exploration of the negro and American music.

This is the SEIU Broadcasting Service. This program was distributed by national educational radio. This is the national educational radio network.