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Sun 1 Jul 2012 00:00 BBC Radio 3

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John Kirby Orchestra

Duration:: 1 hour

First broadcast:: Sunday 01 July 2012

Rather forgotten now, in the Swing Era the John Kirby Orchestra was known as "the biggest little band in the land", famed for witty, swinging arrangements of pop, folk and classical music. Geoffrey Smith surveys its brilliant career and star sidemen.

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

Buster Bailey Dizzy Debutante
Composer: Buster Bailey Performers: John Kirby (b), Frankie Newton (tr), Pete Brown (as), Don Frye (p), James McLin (g) O’Neil Spencer (d) Recorded: 1937
Buster Bailey 1925 - 1940, Classics 904 (1), Tr.8
John Kirby Rehearsin’ for a Nervous Breakdown
Composer: Shavers / Robin Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1938
The Biggest Little Band, ASV CD AJA 5304, S1/5
John Kirby From Ab to C
Composer: Billy Kyle Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1937
John Kirby – The Biggest Little Band 1937 - 1941, Smithsonian R013/A, S1/6
John Kirby Effervescent Blues
Composer: Charlie Shavers Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1939
The Biggest Little Band, ASV CD AJA 5304, S1/1
Billy Kyle Finishing Up a Date
Composer: Billy Kyle Performers: Billy Kyle (p), Dave Barbour (g), Marty Kaplan (b), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1939
The Great Jazz Pianists, Past Perfect PPCD 78107, Tr. 9
John Kirby Front and Center
Composer: Shavers / Kirby Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1939
The Biggest Little Band, ASV CD AJA 5304, S2/7
John Kirby Opus 5
Composer: Chopin arr. Shavers Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1939
And The Angels Sing Over the Rainbow - 1939, Phontastic PHONTCD7667 (1), Tr.18
Maxine Sullivan If I Had a Ribbon Bow
Composer: Trad Performers: Maxine Sullivan (voc), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), John Kirby (b), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1940
Maxine Sullivan 1938 - 1941, Classics 991, Tr. 15
John Kirby Coquette
Composer: Carmen Lombardo / Johnny Green Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1940
John Kirby – The Biggest Little Band 1937 - 1941, Smithsonian R 013/B, S4/5
John Kirby Original Dixieland One-Step
Composer: Joe Jordan / Nick LaRocca / Russell Robinson Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1940
John Kirby and His Band, Jazz Anthology 550252 (1), Tr. 9
John Kirby Tweed Me
Composer: Kyle Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), Specs Powell (d) Recorded: 1941
John Kirby and His Orchestra 1941 - 1943, Classics 792 (1), Tr.8
John Kirby St. Louis Blues
Composer: Handy Performers: John Kirby (sb), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), Specs Powell (d) Recorded: 1942
John Kirby and His Orchestra 1941 - 1943, Classics 792 (1), Tr.16
Bud Powell Fine and Dandy
Composer: Swift / James Performers: Bud Powell (p), Sonny Stitt (ts) Recorded: 1950
So Sorry Please, Proper P1188, Tr.2
Tadd Dameron Tadd Walk
Composer: Dameron Performers: Fats Navarro (tr), Rudy Williams (as), Allen Eager (ts), Tadd Dameron (p), Curly Russell (b), Kenny Clarke (d) Recorded: 1948
The Fats Navarro Story, Properbox 11, D.3, Tr. 11
Don Byron Bounce of the Sugar Plum Fairy/ Charley’s Prelude
Composer: Peter Llyich Tchaikovsky / Louis C. Singer Performers: Don Byron (cl), Charles Lewis (tr), Steve Wilson (as), Uri Caine (p), Ken Davis (b), Billy Hart (d) Recorded: 1992
Bug Music, Nonesuch 7559794382 (1), Tr. 5
Charlie Shavers Flow Gently Sweet Rhythm
Composer: Charlie Shavers Performers: Charlie Shavers ((tp), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Biily Kyle (p), Aaron Bell (b), Specs Powell (d) Recorded: 1955
Horn O’Plenty, Lonehill Jazz LHJ10140 (1), Tr. 6
Buster Bailey Dizzy Debutante
Composer: Buster Bailey Performers: John Kirby (b), Frankie Newton (tr), Pete Brown (as), Don Frye (p), James McLin (g) O’Neil Spencer (d) Recorded: 1937
Buster Bailey 1925 - 1940, Classics 904 (1), Tr.8; 2.41
John Kirby Rehearsin’ for a Nervous Breakdown
Composer: Shavers / Robin Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1938
The Biggest Little Band, ASV CD AJA 5304, S1/5; 2.35
John Kirby From Ab to C
Composer: Billy Kyle Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1937
John Kirby – The Biggest Little Band 1937 - 1941, Smithsonian R013/A, S1/6; 2.31
John Kirby Effervescent Blues
Composer: Charlie Shavers Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1939
The Biggest Little Band, ASV CD AJA 5304, S1/1; 2.45
Billy Kyle Finishing Up a Date
Composer: Billy Kyle Performers: Billy Kyle (p), Dave Barbour (g), Marty Kaplan (b), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1939
The Great Jazz Pianists, Past Perfect PPCD 78107, Tr. 9; 2.37
John Kirby Front and Center
Composer: Shavers / Kirby Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1939
The Biggest Little Band, ASV CD AJA 5304, S2/7; 2.52
John Kirby Opus 5
Composer: Chopin arr. Shavers Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1939
And The Angels Sing Over the Rainbow - 1939, Phontastic PHONTCD7667 (1), Tr.18; 2.45
Maxine Sullivan If I Had a Ribbon Bow
Composer: Trad Performers: Maxine Sullivan (voc), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), John Kirby (b), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1940
Maxine Sullivan 1938 - 1941, Classics 991, Tr. 15; 3.06
John Kirby Coquette
Composer: Carmen Lombardo / Johnny Green Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1940
John Kirby – The Biggest Little Band 1937 - 1941, Smithsonian R 013/B, S4/5; 2.54
John Kirby Original Dixieland One-Step
Composer: Joe Jordan / Nick LaRocca / Russell Robinson Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), O’Neill Spencer (d) Recorded: 1940
John Kirby and His Band, Jazz Anthology 550252 (1), Tr. 9; 2.23
John Kirby Tweed Me
Composer: Kyle Performers: John Kirby (b), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), Specs Powell (d) Recorded: 1941
John Kirby and His Orchestra 1941 - 1943, Classics 792 (1), Tr.8; 2.46
John Kirby St. Louis Blues
Composer: Handy Performers: John Kirby (sb), Charlie Shavers (tr), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Billy Kyle (p), Specs Powell (d) Recorded: 1942
John Kirby and His Orchestra 1941 - 1943, Classics 792 (1), Tr.16; 2.43
Bud Powell Fine and Dandy
Composer: Swift / James Performers: Bud Powell (p), Sonny Stitt (ts) Recorded: 1950
So Sorry Please, Proper P1188, Tr.2; 2.41
Tadd Dameron Tadd Walk
Composer: Dameron Performers: Fats Navarro (tr), Rudy Williams (as), Allen Eager (ts), Tadd Dameron (p), Curly Russell (b), Kenny Clarke (d) Recorded: 1948
The Fats Navarro Story, Properbox 11, D.3, Tr. 11; 4.28
Don Byron Bounce of the Sugar Plum Fairy/ Charley’s Prelude
Composer: Peter Llyich Tchaikovsky / Louis C. Singer Performers: Don Byron (cl), Charles Lewis (tr), Steve Wilson (as), Uri Caine (p), Ken Davis (b), Billy Hart (d) Recorded: 1992
Bug Music, Nonesuch 7559794382 (1), Tr. 5; 4.24
Charlie Shavers Flow Gently Sweet Rhythm
Composer: Charlie Shavers Performers: Charlie Shavers ((tp), Buster Bailey (cl), Russell Procope (as), Biily Kyle (p), Aaron Bell (b), Specs Powell (d) Recorded: 1955
Horn O’Plenty, Lonehill Jazz LHJ10140 (1), Tr. 6; 3.46

BBC Radio 3Sun 1 Jul 2012 00:00 BBC Radio 3

Geoffrey Smith’s Jazz

Geoffrey Smith with his weekly selection of jazz. Each Saturday at midnight, Geoffrey Smith...

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