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Henry ‘Red’ Allen was an American trumpeter and singer,. He was the first to incorporate Louis Armstrong’s trumpet innovations and he was a Downbeat poll winner for both trad and modern trumpet. He’s your Phantom Dancer featured artist this week.

Get your Tickets now for the Saturday 10 August 6:30-10pm Sorcery & Swing Show 19290s jazz, magic and dinner show at the Castlereagh Boutique Hotel, 169 Castlereagh St, Sydney

Lena Horne was an American singer, actor, dancer, and civil rights activist. Her career spanned more than seventy years and covered film, television, and theatre. She recorded and performed into the 1990s, retiring from public view in 2000. She’s your Phantom Dancer featured artist this week.

Jim Davidson was a drummer who lead the ABC Radio Dance Orchestra in Sydney 1936 – 41. It was Australia’s most popular swing orchestra and dance band. After World War Two he was head of light entertainment at BBC London. He’s your Phantom Dancer feature this week.

Toni Harper was a child singer in the 1940s-50s with a remarkably mature voice. She is your Phantom Dancer feature this week.

Kay Starr was a jazz singer who started professional at age 15 and sang into her 80s. She also sang country and pop. The lyrics to ‘Bonaparte’s Retreat were written for her. She is your Phantom Dancer feature this week.

Bob Rogers, Australian radio legend, died this week aged 97 after almost 80 years of radio and TV broadcasting. Your Phantom Dancer feature this week is arranger Bill Holman who also died in his 90s in May 2024. He was the arranger who created the definitive Stan Kenton progressive jazz sound in the early 1950s and continued in music till this year.

Helen Forrest was a big band singer with Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Harry James. She was the most popular female singer in the U.S and recorded over 500 songs. She guided her own career to longevity and success and is your Phantom Dancer feature this week.

Shortwave broadcasting by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra from New York to Latin America in 1940 is your Phantom Dancer Feature this week. Hear the Tommy Dorsey Swing Orchestra broadcasting from New York in Spanish in 1942…

Jazz Harpsichord first appeared around 1940 when pianist Johnny Guarnieri played harpsichord in swing band leader Artie Shaw’s quintet “Gramercy Five”. 1940s Jazz harpsichord, by Primo Angeli, Sylvia Marlowe (born Sapira) and Ernesto Romanoni, is your Phantom Dancer feature this week.

Greg Poppleton 1920s – 30s vocals with piano, double bass and alto sax playing vintage swing jazz for a private party.

The Carrington Hotel Katoomba, known for its Timeless Elegance, is holding the famous Great Art Deco Ball on Saturday 8th March 2025. On the bandstand, playing 1920s jazz for dancing, will be Greg Poppleton, in a 15 year residency at the Art Deco Ball.

Boyd Raeburn was an American jazz band leader, tenor and bass saxophonist. No major label wanted to record him because his arrangements were considered “too weird” for dancers. He’s your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week.

2SER radio, Sydney Educational Radio, celebrates 45 years of continuous, quality broadcasting this year. The Phantom Dancer has been on 2SER for thirty-nine of those years. Jazz birthdays live on 1950s radio for Duke Ellington and Sarah Vaughan feature on this week’s Phantom Dancer.

Oran Thaddeus “Hot Lips” Page was a US jazz trumpeter, singer and band leader. He played swing and trad, but also was key in the development of bop and r’n’b. Hot Lips Page was known as “Mr After Hours” to his many friends for his ability to take on challengers in late-night jam sessions. He’s your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week.

Raymond Stanley ‘Ray’ Noble was a swing band leader, composer, arranger, radio host, television and film comedian and actor in both this native England and the United States. He is your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week.

Immerse yourself in the opulence and glamour of “Gatsby: A Roaring Soiree”, a moment that resurrects the extravagant spirit of the Roaring 20s

Marie Magdalene “Marlene” Dietrich was a German and American actress and singer whose career spanned from the 1910s to the 1980s. She was known for her humanitarian efforts during World War II, housing German and French exiles, providing financial support and even advocating their American citizenship. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Dietrich the ninth greatest female screen legend of classic Hollywood cinema. She is your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week.

Horrie Dargie was an Australian harmonica player and clarinetist, television compère (Personally Yours (1959), BP Super Show (1959–1962) and The Delo and Daly Show (1963–1964)), talent manager, music label founder (Go!! Records) and music arranger. His Horrie Dargie Quintet was awarded the first gold record in Australia for ‘Horrie Dargie Concert’ (1952). Horrie is your Phantom Dancer feature artist again this week.

Horrie Dargie Quintet was awarded the first gold record in Australia for ‘Horrie Dargie Concert’ (1952). Horrie is your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week.

Joseph Christopher Liggins, Jr. was an American R’n’B, jazz and blues pianist and vocalist who led Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers in the 1940s and 1950s. His band appeared often on the Billboard magazine charts. Joe Liggins was the older brother of R’n’B performer Jimmy Liggins. Joe is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist.

Hurry, Book Now! Saturday August 10, 6:30-10pm Sorcery and Swing. Greg Poppleton 1920s Band and The Gentleman Magician Bruce Glen bring you a Sorcery & Swing dinner show of music and dazzling magic. All in Sydney’s only authentic 1920s room, Cellos, Castlereagh Boutique Hotel. Swing into the roaring 20s. Dress the part ◆ Feel the rhythm ◆ Experience the magic! Check out the show here. Book Now!

Wingy Manone (Joseph Matthews Manone ) was a one-armed New Orleans, American jazz trumpeter, composer, singer, and bandleader. He is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Listen…

Art Tatum was an American jazz pianist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever. From early in his career, fellow musicians acclaimed Tatum’s technical ability as extraordinary. Tatum also extended jazz piano’s vocabulary and boundaries far beyond his initial stride influences, and established new ground through innovative use of reharmonization, voicing, and bitonality. He is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist.

The Phantom Dancer is your weekly non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV every week.

Rex Stewart was an American jazz cornetist, composer and chef. You’ll hear him on live 1920s-40s radio on this week’s Phantom Dancer. Listen here…

Rhapsody in Blue is a 1924 musical composition written by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band. It premiered at Aeolian Hall NYC on 12 February 1924, 100 years and one day ago today, and for that reason its your Phantom Dancer feature this week. Commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman, the famous opening clarinet glissando has become as instantly recognizable to concert audiences as the opening of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Listen…

The Eskimo Pie Orchestra is one of a number of US orchestras named for commercial products in the 1920s. These include the B. F. Goodrich Silvertown Tyre Orchestra, The Ipana Troubadours, Michelin Tyre Orchestra, and The Studebaker Champions. The Eskimo Pie Orchestra is your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week. Listen…

Billie Holiday was an American singer. Around 1927 she first heard the records of Louis Armstrong and she cited his “West End Blues” as an influence, saying the scat vocal duet with the clarinet was her favorite part. You can hear Louis Armstrong performing ‘West End Blues’ for her and dedicating ‘Kiss to Build a Dream On’ to her in a 1952 KCBS San Francisco broadcast in one of the videos on this page. Billie Holiday is your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week.

Henry Hall was an English pianist, composer and the director of the BBC Dance Orchestra from 1932-37. He’s your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week. Listen…

Hans Rehmstedt was a 1930s-40s German swing band leader and violinist. He is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. He recorded some moody atmospheric sides in the late 30s- early 40s, some of which you’ll hear on this week’s Phantom Dancer Listen here…

Jack Hylton was an English pianist, composer, band leader and impresario. Called the “British King of Jazz” and “The Ambassador of British Dance Music” because of his worldwide popularity, unusually large ensembles and polished arrangements. After 1940 he became a successful theatrical businessman. He’s your Phantom Dancer feature artist…

George Olsen, was a U.S musician and bandleader. He was most popular in the years 1924-35, beginning with his recording of ‘The Hottest Man in Town’ becoming a hit. He’s your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week. Listen…

Happy New Year! Enjoy this New Year’s mix of swing and jazz from 1930s-50s New Year Radio. And marvel at how Wynn the Astrologer on his live-to-air 1936 radio predictions got 1937 so wrong. Listen…

Christmas music from 1930s-60s Christmas radio on this week’s Phantom Dancer. Hear Kid Ory, Charlie Parker, Patti Page and more. Listen…

Freddie Rich, born in Poland, was a US pianist and band leader who lead dance bands then jazz bands in the 1920s, radio bands in the 1930s, and movie studio bands in the 1940s-50s.  Freddie Rich was co-writer of the song ‘I’m Just Wild About Animal Crackers’. He’s your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week. Listen…

“We recently booked the Greg Poppleton Band for our Hills Turns 100 Celebration at Hills Marketplace, Terrey Hills. A frequently heard comment at the end of the day was “great day….and the music was the best part!” Yes, Greg and his very talented band, and I mean VERY talented band, entertained and got people dancing […]

1940 Shortwave radio by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra from New York to Latin America is your Phantom Dancer Feature this week. And below are some relevant paragraphs on shortwave broadcasting taken from a 1942 article in ‘RCA Review’.

Get your Free Tickets now to see Greg Poppleton sing the songs of the 1920s and 1930s in a one hour concert, Wednesday 10 April 1:30-2:30pm, Bondi Pavilion

Sam ‘The Man’ Taylor, influential 1940s jump and 1950s rock tenor saxophonist, is this week’s Phantom Dancer non-stop swing jazz feature artist. You’ll hear him from two 1956 Rock ‘n’ Roll Dance Party broadcasts on this week’s mix.

Tune in, tomorrow, Thursday 23 November, to enjoy Greg Poppleton and his Broadcasters sing and play the songs of the 1920s for the 100th Anniversary of Radio in Australia.

Harold ‘Scrappy’ Lambert was not a scrapper nor scrappy. He was a US dance band singer who recorded over 1,500 records between 1926 – 1931 as well as radio transcriptions and musical movie shorts.  He is your Phantom Dancer Feature Artist this week. Tune in…

Ginny Simms was a US singer, radio star and Hollywood actress. She sang with big bands, Dinah Shore, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald and Jo Stafford. As an MGM and Universal film actress she appeared in 11 movies from 1939 to 1951. Ginny Simms is your Phantom Dancer Feature artist this week. Tune in…

Greg Poppleton with his 1930s Trio play at the launch of the Merrigong Theatre 2024 season, Wollongong, Tuesday night 28 November

Del Courtney was a pianist, bandleader, actor and composer whose career spanned 70 years. He played for four US presidents. He is your Phantom Dancer Feature artist this week. LISTEN here…

Red Nichols was a cornetist, songwriter and band leader.
He is this week’s Phantom Dancer Feature artist.
The Phantom Dancer is your weekly non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV every week.
LISTEN here…

Jack Fina was a pianist, songwriter (“Bumble Boogie”), composer and conductor. He is this week’s Phantom Dancer Feature artist.

Horace Heidt produced some of the best-known tunes of the Big Band Era including the 1941 international hit, The Hut-Sut Song. He is this week’s Phantom Dancer Feature artist.