25 March 2025
(Until 25 March)Jan Savitt The Stokowski of Swing – Phantom Dancer
Greg Poppleton Swing Radio Show
Jan Savitt, The Stokowski of Swing, he played violin in Leopold Stokowski’s Orchestra, was an American bandleader, musical arranger, and violinist. He’s your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week in a broadcast from the new KYW Philadelphia studios in 1938.
The Phantom Dancer is your weekly non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV every week.
LISTEN to this week’s Phantom Dancer mix (online after 2pm AEST, Tuesday 25 March) and weeks of Phantom Dancer mixes online at, at https://2ser.com/phantom-dancer/
JAN SAVITT
Jan Savitt was a classical violin prodigy, who was offered the position of concert master in Leopold Stokowski‘s Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, but turned it down, preferring to continue his studies at Curtis Institute.
About a year later, believing himself ready, he joined Stokowski and the association continued for seven years, during which time Savitt gained further laurels as a concert soloist and leader of a string quartet.
In 1938, Jan Savitt & His Top Hatters broadcast from 5–5:30 pm every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday as the KYW staff orchestra at KYW/NBC in Philadelphia. Saturday’s weekly broadcast was one hour, coast-to-coast. The group also played at the Earl Theatre and performed with The Andrews Sisters and The Three Stooges.
He evolved the unique “shuffle rhythm” which remained his trademark. Numerous sustaining programs created such a demand for the “shuffle rhythm” that Savitt left KYW to form his own dance orchestra.
Savitt’s band was notable for including George “Bon Bon” Tunnell, one of the first African American singers to perform with a white band. Tunnell’s recording with Savitt included Vol Vistu Gaily Star (co-composed by Slim Gaillard) and Rose of the Rio Grande.
Savitt and his orchestra had a bit role in the 1946 film, High School Hero.
25 March PLAY LIST
Play List – The Phantom Dancer 107.3 2SER-FM Sydney LISTEN ONLINE Community Radio Network Show CRN #703 | ||
107.3 2SER Tuesday 25 March 2025 | ||
Set 1 | Bernie Cummins | |
Open + Everybody Loves My Babt | Bernie Cummins Orchestra (voc) Bernie Cummins | ‘Spotlight Bands’ AFRS Re-broadcast 28 Apr 1944 |
I Love You | Bernie Cummins Orchestra | ‘Spotlight Bands’ AFRS Re-broadcast 28 Apr 1944 |
Milkman Keep Those Bottles Quiet | Bernie Cummins Orchestra (voc) Jean Bennett | ‘Spotlight Bands’ AFRS Re-broadcast 28 Apr 1944 |
Liza + Jumpin’ at the Woodside + Close | Bernie Cummins Orchestra (piano) Hal Deems | ‘Spotlight Bands’ AFRS Re-broadcast 28 Apr 1944 |
Set 2 | NBC Bandstand Part 1 | |
Open + The Song is You | Marvin Hughes and the WSM Orchestra | ‘NBC Bandstand’ WSM Nashville 5 Dec 1958 |
Somebody Stole My Gal | Anita Kerr Quartet | ‘NBC Bandstand’ WSM Nashville 5 Dec 1958 |
Oh, Lonesome Me | Don Gibson | ‘NBC Bandstand’ WSM Nashville 5 Dec 1958 |
Almost Like Being in Love | Dottie Dillard | ‘NBC Bandstand’ WSM Nashville 5 Dec 1958 |
Set 3 | Jan Savitt | |
Quaker City Jazz (theme) + Have You Got ant Castles, Baby? | Jan Savitt and his Top Hatters (voc) Bon Bon | KYW NBC Red Philadelphia 14 Sep 1937 |
If You Ever Should Leave | Jan Savitt and his Top Hatters (voc) Carlotta Dale | KYW NBC Red Philadelphia 14 Sep 1937 |
Josephine | Jan Savitt and his Top Hatters | KYW NBC Red Philadelphia 14 Sep 1937 |
Stardust on the Moon | Jan Savitt and his Top Hatters | KYW NBC Red Philadelphia 14 Sep 1937 |
Set 4 | NBC Bandstand Part 2 | |
Easy to Love | Marvin Hughes and the WSM Orchestra | ‘NBC Bandstand’ WSM Nashville 5 Dec 1958 |
The Sugar Foot Rag | Hank Sugar Foot Garland | ‘NBC Bandstand’ WSM Nashville 5 Dec 1958 |
Fare Thee Well | The Jordanaires | ‘NBC Bandstand’ WSM Nashville 5 Dec 1958 |
Mama’s Gone Goodbye + Close | Tne Anita Kerr Quartet | ‘NBC Bandstand’ WSM Nashville 5 Dec 1958 |
Set 5 | Louis Armstrong | |
Open + Louise + Dance with a Dolly | Louis Armstrong Orchestra (voc) Louis Armstrong | ‘Spotlight Bands’ AFRS Re-broadcast 26 Oct 1944 |
I’ll Walk Alone | Louis Armstrong Orchestra (voc) Jimmy Ross | ‘Spotlight Bands’ AFRS Re-broadcast 26 Oct 1944 |
Up a Lazy River | Louis Armstrong Orchestra (voc) Louis Armstrong | ‘Spotlight Bands’ AFRS Re-broadcast 26 Oct 1944 |
Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby + Groovin’ | Louis Armstrong Orchestra (voc) Velma Middleton and Louis Armstrong | ‘Spotlight Bands’ AFRS Re-broadcast 26 Oct 1944 |
Set 6 | Sweet Band Records | |
Hand in Hand | Lew Stone Band (voc) Al Bowlly | Comm Rec London 2 May 1934 |
I Hear a Rhapsody | Jan Garber Orchestra (voc) Lee Bennett | Radio Transcription 1939 |
She Didn’t Say, Yes | Ambrose Orchestra (voc) Sam Browne | Comm Rec London 23 Feb 1932 |
Moonlight and Shadows | Russ Morgan Orchestra | Radio Transcription 1939 |
Set 7 | 1940s Swing | |
Open + Hamp’s Got a Duke | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | ‘Treasury Show’ Traianin Ballroom Southgate Ca KFI NBC LA 20 Jul 1947 |
Mam’selle | Lionel Hampton Orchestra (voc) Roland Burton | ‘Treasury Show’ Traianin Ballroom Southgate Ca KFI NBC LA 20 Jul 1947 |
Holiday for Strings | Erskine Hawkins Orchestra | ‘One Night Stand’ Blue Room Hotel Lincoln NYC AFRS Re-broadcast 1 May 1946 |
Trinidad | Erskine Hawkins Orchestra | ‘One Night Stand’ Blue Room Hotel Lincoln NYC AFRS Re-broadcast 1 May 1946 |
Set 8 | Post War Swing | |
| One O’Clock Jump (theme) + Why Not? | Count Basie Orchestra | Birdland WNBC NBC NYC 31 Aug 1952 |
| Out of Nowhere | Count Basie Orchestra | Birdland WNBC NBC NYC 31 Aug 1952 |
| Limelight | Stan Kenton Orchestra | ‘Concert in Miniature’ Moonlight Gardens Coney Is. WLW NBC Cincinnati 26 Aug 1952 |
