Volume 198: Big Band Themes

Here’s an album filled with some of the biggest big band jazz orchestra leaders there ever were. And they’re the songs that each leader was most identified by.

It’s also a special promotional copy with a Cleveland area connection, which is probably why it’s in my dad’s collection. Plus it brought back some memories of TV commercial gold.

So get ready to hear tunes that introduced the bands that played them in Volume 198: Big Band Themes.

Correction: Lawson's Milk Company was founded in Cuyahoga Falls, not Chagrin Falls, which is what I said in the episode.

More information about this album, see the Discogs webpage for it. 

Credits and copyrights

Various – Dance To The Themes Of The Greatest Bands
Label: Columbia Special Products – XTV 68511
Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Released: 1963 
Genre: Jazz
Style: Big Band

Les Brown–Leap Frog
written by Joe Garland, Leo Corday in 1942
Recorded by Les Brown and his Orchestra in October 1945

Woody Herman and his Thundering Herd - Blue Flame
written by Leo Corday, Joe Bishop, James A. Noble
First recording on February 13, 1941 by Woody Herman

Claude Thornhill - Snowfall
written by Claude Thornhill, Ruth Thornhill
First recording on May 26, 1941

Kay Kyser - (I've Grown So Lonesome) Thinking Of You
written by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby
recorded New York, NY, January 9, 1939 but not released until 1941.

Gene Krupa - Starburst
Composed by Eddie Finckel and Gene Krupa
Recorded February 8, 1947

Count Basie - One O'Clock Jump
written by Count Basie
First recording on July 7, 1937

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.