July 17th Show rundown:
My musical director, Bobby Marlette and I have been very busy auditioning performers for the show at the Meridian Lounge, and we are very excited about a potential new crop of people for The Radio Noir Playhouse. If all goes well, we should have new episodes of Radio Noir online very soon! Stay tuned!!
Even with all the hustle and bustle going on, we still had time to come up with a theme for this week. We decided to go to the musical style that gave birth to Jump Blues, Rock-a-billy, Rock-N-Roll, and Rhythm & Blues. Its an off shoot of Swing, Jazz and Gospel - Boogie Woogie, that peculiar piano style that brings the left hand into play on the 88 keys to provide the 8 beat to the bar syncopated rhythm.
When you couldn't afford a whole band, or all you had was a few players and a Stride Rite or flat-top piano, you could get the joint jumping just by playing this infectious rhythm. This bit of American musical culture originated in Texas and spread like wild fire, first to the Left Coast and then back across the Heartland to the Big Apple (thanks to radio and traveling Big Bands).
Here is the list of songs that were played:
- Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B – Andrews Sisters
- Boogie Woogie Came To Town – Louis Jordan and His Tympani 5
- Roll The Boogie – Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
- Boogie Man – Red and The Red Hots
- Jive Mr. Boogie – Mitch Woods and His Rocket 88’s
- Blue Suit Boogie - Indigo Swing
- House of Blue Lights – Ella Mae Morse with Freddy Slack
- Blue Plate Boogie - Asleep at the Wheel featuring Mary Ann Price
- Big D Boogie – Reverend Horton Heat
- Dirty Boogie – Brian Setzer Orchestra
- Mondine – Stompy Jones
- The Calloway Boogie – Cab Calloway and His Orchestra
"It's Martini Time" presented the Blue Sunset by guest mixologist Babs Zarillo from the Expert Village Test Kitchens. This is a variation on the Tequila Sunset or Tequila Sunrise. Our taste-testers at the Meridian Lounge liked it for its lighter, sweet flavor. Assistant Producer and Gopher Shaggy was a dissenting vote, saying "its one for the chicks." We gave this one 3 out of 5 Martini Glasses overall, excellent presentation, nice flavor.
Our special performance of Five Minute Mysteries was the episode Command Performance.
Thanks for all of the e-mails over our last few week's shows. For all of the kinds words about our late friend "Pops" Valdaro, his family wants everyone to know how grateful they are.
See you next week on The Swing Shift!
Tommy Cage
Listen to us Saturdays @ 2pm and Sundays @ 7pm on WGUN 1010 AM Atlanta, or on TuneIn.com, search for WGUN and click connect!
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