18 May 2021
(Until 18 May)Barbara James, Australian 1930s-60s Swing Singer – 18 May 2021 Phantom Dancer
Greg Poppleton's Phantom Dancer swing jazz radio show
Barbara James, Australian dance band singer features on this week’s Phantom Dancer with some of her broadcasts from the 1930s and 1940s. This is a repeat of a 2018 mix as I’ll be filming this Tuesday.
Presented every week by, Greg Poppleton, The Phantom Dancer, is your non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV.
It’s recorded live at 107.3 2SER Sydney, Tuesdays 12:04 – 2pm, and sent to 23 radio stations of the Community Radio Network and online.
Hear this week’s Phantom Dancer (after 1 May), and plenty of past Phantom Dancers for your enjoyment, online at radio 2ser.com
In the mix this week, live 1930s-60s radio by Glenn Miller’s Army Air Forces Band, Lee Konitz, Charlie Parker in Boston, a Frank Sinatra aircheck from 1939 (singing his first record release), singer Loyce Whiteman (daughter of ‘King of Jazz’ Paul Whiteman), and Australian dance band singer, Barbara James.
See the full play list below.
BARBARA JAMES
Born in Sydney in 1907 (some sources say 1908), Barbara James was a jazz and swing singer. Her parents were entertainers Will James and Malvena Moore. Her father, Will, taught her to play the saxophone, xylophone and banjo. She also played violin and danced. She was married to musician and band leader, Reg Lewis, who we’ll also here on this week’s Phantom Dancer.
Over her career, James performed and recorded with numerous jazz bands in Australia such as Frank Coughlan’s Trocadero Orchestra, Dick Freeman and his Trocadero Orchestra and Johnny Tozer and his Swing Band.
From 1921, she was contracted by Harry George Musgrove to Musgrove’s Theatres, appearing at theatres in Sydney and Melbourne, including the Tivoli circuit and Trocadero, and on ABC radio.
She first appeared on the Tivoli theatre circuit billed as a ‘child wonder xylophonist’.
This week’s Phantom Dancer presents a selection of her radio broadcasts from 1937-45.
Barbara toured Hong Kong in 1946. From 1949 to 1955, Reg and Barbara Lewis toured Europe and Britain.
In London, they performed in the West End at Café Anglaise and the Windmill Theatre.
London variety shows featuring Reg and Barbara Lewis included, ‘Stars, Songs and Society’ Windmill Theatre London, 1950, ‘Nudes of the East’ 1951, ‘The Talk of the Town’ Tribe Bros Ltd London, 1950-1951 and ‘Midday Music Hall’, 1953.
They appeared on BBC radio and TV.
They had a regular 15 minute vocal and piano show on Sydney radio in the 1960s called, ‘Between You and Me’.
18 MAY PLAY LIST
Play List – The Phantom Dancer | ||
107.3 2SER Tuesday 18 MAY 2021 | ||
Set 1 | Swing Bands on 1943-44 Radio | |
Theme + The Carioca | Richard Himber Orchestra | ‘Spotlight Bands’ Aniston, Alabama Blue Network 13 Nov 1943 |
I’m Beginning To See the Light (theme) + The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else | Enoch Light and the Light Brigade | ‘One Night Stand’ New Park Casino Palisades Park NJ AFRS Re-broadcast 1944 |
One Night Stand + Close | Denny Beckner Orchestra | ‘Spotlight Bands’ Norfolk, Virginia AFRS Re-broadcast 30 Mar 1944 |
Set 2 | Charlie Parker in Boston | |
Ornithology | Charlie Parker | ‘Symphony Sid Show’ Hi-Hat Club WCOP Boston 18 Dec 1953 |
Laura | Charlie Parker | ‘Symphony Sid Show’ Hi-Hat Club WCOP Boston 1954 |
Out of Nowhere + Jumping with Symphony Sid | Charlie Parker | ‘Symphony Sid Show’ Hi-Hat Club WCOP Boston 24 Jan 1954 |
Set 3 | Barbara James | |
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love | Barbara James (voc) Reg Lewis and his Trocadero Orchestra | Comm Rec Sydney 1941 |
It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing | Barbara James (voc) Frank Coughlan Trocadero Orchestra | Radio Transcription Sydney June 1937 |
Small Town Boogie | Barbara James (voc) Albert Fisher Orchestra | ABC Sydney 1944 |
Set 4 | 1950s Swing on Radio | |
It’s All In The Game | Ray Anthony Orchestra | ‘One Night Stand’ Cafe Rouge Hotel Statler NYC AFRS Re-broadcast 1952 |
Disorder at the Border | Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Horace Silver | ‘Stars in Jazz’ Birdland WNBC NBC NY 1952 |
Everything Happens To Me | Matt Denis Trio (MD voc) | ‘All Star Parade of Bands’ Chi Chi Club WRCA NBC NY 15 Jun 1955 |
Set 5 | Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra 1943-44 | |
Jeep Jockey Jump | Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra | ‘Uncle Sam Presents’ AFRS Re-broadcast Oct 1943 |
Theme + Flying Home | Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra | ‘I Sustain The Wings’ Chicago Theatre WMAQ NBC Chicago 10 Jun 1944 |
Don’t Be That Way | Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra | ‘Uncle Sam Presents’ AFRS Re-broadcast Feb 1944 |
There Are Yanks + Close | Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra (voc) Ray McKinley and the Crew Chiefs | ‘I Sustain The Wings’ WEAF NBC New York City 15 Apr 1944 |
Set 6 | Early Harry James Orchestra | |
Cirribirribin (theme) + Tuxedo Junction | Harry James Orchestra | Southland Cafe WNAC NBC Red Boston 19 Mar 1940 |
FRom The Bottom Of My Heart | Harry James Orchestra (voc) Frank Sinatra | ‘America Dances’ WABC CBS NY and BBC London 19 Jul 1939 |
Andalucia (The Breeze and I) | Harry James Orchestra | Blue Room Hotel Lincoln WABC CBS New York City 22 May 1941 |
Feet Draggin’ Blues + Close | Harry James Orchestra | Aircheck Chatterbox Club Mountainside NJ 1940 |
Set 7 | Loyce Whiteman 1930s Cocoanut Grove | |
Sweet and Lovely (theme) + I’m Through With Love | Gus Arnheim Orchestra (voc) Loyce Whiteman | ‘Cocoanut Grove’ TRANSCO Radio Transcription Los Angeles 1931 |
Rain On The Roof | Jimmie Grier Orchestra (voc) Loyce Whiteman | ‘Cocoanut Grove’ TRANSCO Radio Transcription Los Angeles 1932 |
Whistling in the Dark | Gus Arnheim Orchestra (voc) Loyce Whiteman | ‘Cocoanut Grove’ TRANSCO Radio Transcription Los Angeles 1931 |
You Could Have Been the One, Baby | Jimmie Grier Orchestra (voc) Loyce Whiteman | ‘Cocoanut Grove’ TRANSCO Radio Transcription Los Angeles 1932 |
Set 8 | Lee Konitz 1954 Radio | |
Open + Hi Beck | Lee Konitz | Storyville Copley Square Hotel WHDH Boston 5 Jan 1954 |
Subconscious Lee | Lee Konitz | Storyville Copley Square Hotel WHDH Boston 5 Jan 1954 |