Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra

Trackimage Playbut Trackname Playbut Trackname
For Dancers Only 03:15 Tools
Organ Grinder's Swing 50:33 Tools
Rhythm Is Our Business 03:14 Tools
Margie 47:55 Tools
Stratosphere 02:14 Tools
'T'aint What You Do 03:04 Tools
Mood Indigo 02:53 Tools
Stomp It Off 03:17 Tools
Swingin' Uptown 02:39 Tools
Dream Of You 03:21 Tools
My Blue Heaven 03:12 Tools
Uptown Blues 50:33 Tools
Four Or Five Times 03:04 Tools
Miss Otis Regrets 02:43 Tools
White Heat 02:29 Tools
Harlem Shout 02:56 Tools
Sophisticated Lady 03:06 Tools
Rose Room 03:00 Tools
Because You're You 03:23 Tools
I'm Nuts About Screwy Music 03:06 Tools
Black And Tan Fantasy 02:46 Tools
Nana 03:05 Tools
Sleepy Time Gal 03:09 Tools
Easter Parade 02:42 Tools
Flaming Reeds And Screaming Brass 03:00 Tools
Rain 03:11 Tools
He Ain't Got Rhythm 02:43 Tools
Jazznocracy 02:42 Tools
While Love Lasts 03:07 Tools
Runnin' Wild 03:10 Tools
Avalon 03:06 Tools
I'm Walking Through Heaven with You 03:14 Tools
For Dancers Only [1937] 02:40 Tools
Shake Your Head (From Side To Side) 02:44 Tools
Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down 03:21 Tools
You Let Me Down 02:49 Tools
Living From Day To Day 03:04 Tools
The Melody Man 03:03 Tools
(If I Had) Rhythm In My Nursery Rhymes 03:04 Tools
Running a Temperature 03:12 Tools
Count Me Out 03:12 Tools
Bird Of Paradise 03:15 Tools
Hittin' The Bottle 03:05 Tools
Charmaine 02:52 Tools
Solitude 03:12 Tools
Swanee River 02:45 Tools
Me And The Moon 03:05 Tools
Rhapsody Junior 03:18 Tools
Babs 03:07 Tools
Slumming on Park Avenue 02:49 Tools
Oh Boy 03:09 Tools
Call It Anything (It Wasn't Love) 03:19 Tools
Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan) 02:55 Tools
Mandy 02:54 Tools
Belgium Stomp 02:31 Tools
Thunder 03:02 Tools
Annie Laurie 03:10 Tools
The Best Things In Life Are Free 03:22 Tools
Jealous 03:00 Tools
Linger Awhile 02:33 Tools
I'll See You in My Dreams 02:44 Tools
Blue Blazes 02:52 Tools
Oh Why, Oh Why 02:51 Tools
I've Only Myself To Blame 02:48 Tools
Honest and Truly 03:00 Tools
I Used To Love You (But It's All Over Now) 02:47 Tools
I Can't Escape From You 02:59 Tools
On The Beach At Bali-Bali 02:58 Tools
The Lonesome Road 02:33 Tools
You're Just A Dream 02:53 Tools
Baby Won't You Please Come Home? 02:52 Tools
Blues In The Night 02:43 Tools
'Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It) 03:06 Tools
I Love You 02:48 Tools
You Can Fool Some of the People (Some of the Time) 02:23 Tools
I Want The Waiter (With The Water) 02:45 Tools
Sassin' The Boss 02:47 Tools
Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away) 02:39 Tools
Shoemaker's Holiday 02:53 Tools
Lunceford Special 02:48 Tools
Posin' 03:01 Tools
Well, All Right Then 02:43 Tools
You Set Me On Fire 02:39 Tools
Think Of Me, Little Daddy 02:44 Tools
Coquette 03:12 Tools
I'll Take The South 02:39 Tools
Mixup 02:21 Tools
Blues In The Groove 02:33 Tools
What's This Thing Called Swing? 02:28 Tools
Hell's Bells 03:08 Tools
Breakfast Ball 02:59 Tools
Organ Grinder’s Swing 02:38 Tools
Ain't She Swwet? 02:29 Tools
Remember When 02:59 Tools
Who Did You Meet Last Night? 02:37 Tools
Rainin' 03:00 Tools
Chillun, Get Up 02:59 Tools
My Last Affair 02:48 Tools
Unsophisticated Sue 03:11 Tools
Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet 03:14 Tools
Pigeon Walk 02:39 Tools
Chillun' Get Up 03:10 Tools
T'Ain't What'cha Do, It's the Way How'cha Do It 03:08 Tools
Ragging the Scale 02:21 Tools
Le Jazz Hot 02:42 Tools
Stardust 03:14 Tools
Chillun Get Up 03:11 Tools
Bugs Parade 02:29 Tools
By The River Sainte Marie 03:14 Tools
Here Goes (A Fool) 03:11 Tools
Rhythm Is Our Business (1st Take) 02:29 Tools
Down By The Old Mill Stream 02:56 Tools
Cheatin' On Me 02:47 Tools
Frisco Fog 03:10 Tools
The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down 03:11 Tools
Yard Dog Mazurka 03:14 Tools
It Had To Be You 03:11 Tools
T'ain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It) 03:05 Tools
Please Say The Word 02:41 Tools
Blue Afterglow 03:14 Tools
It's Time To Jump And Shout 02:53 Tools
You Ain't Nowhere 02:56 Tools
Sweet Rhythm 02:29 Tools
Leavin' Me 02:29 Tools
I'm Alone With You 02:40 Tools
I Ain't Gonna Study War No More 02:55 Tools
Posin' - Original 02:59 Tools
The Love Nest 03:00 Tools
Flight Of The Jitterbug 03:11 Tools
The First Time I Saw You 02:45 Tools
Honey, Keep Your Mind On Me 03:08 Tools
'Tain't What You Do 03:07 Tools
Whatcha Know Joe? 02:40 Tools
Battle Axe 03:01 Tools
Minnie the Moocher Is Dead 02:29 Tools
'Tain't Good (Like A Nickle Made Of Wood) 02:29 Tools
My Melancholy Baby 03:03 Tools
Life Is Fine 02:41 Tools
I'm In An Awful Mood 02:48 Tools
Swingin' On C 02:41 Tools
Like a Ship at Sea 03:10 Tools
Barefoot Blues 02:42 Tools
Pavanne 02:46 Tools
'Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That Cha Do It) 03:01 Tools
(This Is) My Last Affair 02:56 Tools
I Got It 02:54 Tools
Monotony In Four Flats 02:52 Tools
Okay For Baby 02:56 Tools
Strictly Instrumental 02:36 Tools
I'm Laughing Up My Sleeve (Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha) 02:54 Tools
Let's Try Again 02:52 Tools
Put It Away 02:40 Tools
Well, All Right, Then 02:41 Tools
Organ Grinders Swing 02:35 Tools
In Dat Mornin' 02:29 Tools
Ain't She Sweet? 02:29 Tools
Pretty Eyes 02:42 Tools
Blue Prelude 02:56 Tools
Impromptu 03:03 Tools
Twenty-Four Robbers 03:12 Tools
Rock It For Me 02:38 Tools
Siesta At The Fiesta 03:00 Tools
Teasin' Tessie Brown 02:54 Tools
Red Wagon 02:35 Tools
I Had a Premonition 02:52 Tools
Flamingo 02:54 Tools
Le Jazz Hot - Original 02:41 Tools
Hi Spook 02:35 Tools
I Wanta Hear Swing Songs 02:57 Tools
Peace And Love For All (Prayer For Moderns) 02:39 Tools
Wham (Re Bop Boom Bam) 02:51 Tools
Buzz-Buzz-Buzz 02:54 Tools
‘Tain’t What You Do 03:03 Tools
Keep Smilin', Keep Laughin', Be Happy 02:48 Tools
The Honeydripper 02:45 Tools
(You Take the East, Take the West, Take the North) I'LL TAKE THE SOUTH 03:04 Tools
Blues In The Night - Part 1 02:39 Tools
Chopin's Prelude No. 7 02:49 Tools
Chocolate 02:54 Tools
Ain't She Sweet 02:49 Tools
What's Your Story, Mornin' Glory? 03:13 Tools
Who Did You Meet Last Night? 02:49 Tools
Time's A-Wastin' 02:35 Tools
I Dream A Lot About You 02:38 Tools
You're Always In My Dreams 02:39 Tools
Gone 02:49 Tools
'Tain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It) - Original 03:04 Tools
White Heat - DJ Wuthe am Grammophon 02:35 Tools
Easy Street 02:49 Tools
This Is My Confession To You 02:49 Tools
Knock Me A Kiss 02:49 Tools
Star Dust 02:49 Tools
Time's a Wastin' 02:39 Tools
'Tain't What You Do (It's The Way That Cha Do It) (Album Version) 03:01 Tools
Leaving Me 02:49 Tools
I'm Losing My Mind (Because Of You) 02:49 Tools
Back Door Stuff - Part 1 03:04 Tools
Organ Grinder's Song 02:51 Tools
Sonata By L. Van Beethoven ("Pathetique" Op. 13) 03:17 Tools
Blues In The Night - Part 2 02:51 Tools
HERE GOES 02:16 Tools
Jeep Rhythm 02:49 Tools
I'm Gonna See My Baby 02:49 Tools
Sweet Sue - Just You 02:49 Tools
Call The Police 03:04 Tools
I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town - Part 1 02:41 Tools
Back Door Stuff - Part 2 02:49 Tools
Dinah - Part I 02:41 Tools
That Someone Must Be You 03:10 Tools
Baby, Are You Kiddin'? 03:13 Tools
Sweet Sue, Just You 03:13 Tools
Tain't what you do 02:16 Tools
ROSE ROOM (In Sunny Roseland) 02:16 Tools
I'm In A Jam With Baby 03:04 Tools
I Need A Lift 03:17 Tools
I Want The Waiter (With The Water) - Original 02:44 Tools
I'm Nuts About Screwy Music - DJ Wuthe am "Grammophon" 03:04 Tools
I Wanna Hear Swing Songs 03:04 Tools
It Had To Be You (1942) 03:10 Tools
Well all right then 03:10 Tools
I'll Take the South - DJ Wuthe am "Grammophon" 02:41 Tools
Blues in the Night, Pt. 1, Pt. 2 03:10 Tools
Life Is Fine - Original 02:39 Tools
Well Alright Then 02:35 Tools
The Merry Go Round Broke Down 03:17 Tools
Swinging Uptown 03:17 Tools
Jazznocrazy 03:17 Tools
Oh Boy - Original 03:10 Tools
'Taint What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It) 03:10 Tools
I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town - Part 2 03:10 Tools
Baby, Won't You Please Come Home? 02:49 Tools
Raggin' the Scale 02:49 Tools
Here goes (2) 03:10 Tools
Twenty-Four Robbers - Original 03:10 Tools
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James Melvin “Jimmie” Lunceford (June 6, 1902 – July 12, 1947) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and bandleader in the swing era. Lunceford was born in Fulton, Mississippi. Little is known about his parents, though his father was a choirmaster in Warren, Ohio, before the family moved to Denver. He went to high school in Denver and studied music under Wilberforce J. Whiteman, father of Paul Whiteman, whose band was soon to acquire a national reputation. After high school he continued his studies at Fisk University. During 1922, Lunceford played alto saxophone in a local band led by George Morrison which included Andy Kirk, another musician destined for fame as a bandleader. In 1927, while teaching at Manassas High School in Memphis, Tennessee, he organized a student band, the Chickasaw Syncopators, whose name was changed to the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra when it began touring. Lunceford was the first high school band director in Memphis. This band recorded in 1927 and 1930. After a period of touring, the band accepted a booking at the Harlem nightclub The Cotton Club in 1934. The Cotton Club had already featured Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway, who won their first widespread fame from their inventive shows for the Cotton Club’s all-white patrons. Lunceford’s orchestra, with their tight musicianship and often outrageous humor in their music and lyrics made an ideal band for the club, and Lunceford’s reputation began to steadily grow. Comedy and vaudeville played a distinct part in Lunceford’s presentation. Songs such as “Rhythm Is Our Business”, “I’m Nuts about Screwy Music”, “I Want the Waiter (With the Water)”, and “Four or Five Times” displayed a playful sense of swing, often through clever arrangements by trumpeter Sy Oliver and bizarre lyrics. Lunceford’s stage shows often included costumes, skits, and obvious jabs at mainstream white jazz bands, such as Paul Whiteman’s and Guy Lombardo’s. Despite the band’s comic veneer, Lunceford always maintained professionalism in the music befitting a former teacher; this professionalism paid off and during the apex of swing in the 1930s, the Orchestra was considered the equal of Duke Ellington’s, Earl Hines’ or Count Basie’s. This precision can be heard in such pieces as “Wham (Re-Bop-Boom-Bam)”, “Lunceford Special”, “For Dancers Only”, “Uptown Blues”, and “Stratosphere”. The band’s noted saxophone section was led by alto sax player Willie Smith. Lunceford often used a conducting baton to lead his band. The orchestra began recording for the Decca label and later signed with the Columbia subsidiary Vocalion in 1938. They toured Europe extensively in 1937, but had to cancel a second tour in 1939 because of the outbreak of World War II. Columbia dropped Lunceford in 1940 because of flagging sales. (Oliver departed the group before the scheduled European tour to take a position as an arranger for Tommy Dorsey). Lunceford returned to the Decca label. The orchestra appeared in the 1941 movie Blues in the Night. On July 12, 1947, while playing in Seaside, Oregon, Lunceford collapsed and died from cardiac arrest during an autograph session, aged 45. Allegations and rumors circulated that Jimmie had been poisoned by a fish-restaurant owner who was unhappy at having to serve a “Negro” in his establishment.[citation needed] This story is given credence by the fact other members of Lunceford’s band who ate at this restaurant were sickened within hours of the meal. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis. Band members, notably Eddie Wilcox and Joe Thomas kept the band going for a time but finally had to break up the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra in 1949. In 1999, band-leader Robert Veen and a team of musicians set out to acquire permission to use the original band charts and arrangements of the Jimmie Lunceford canon. The Jimmie Lunceford Legacy Orchestra officially debuted in July 2005 at the North Sea Jazz Festival. The Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival was founded in 2007 by Ron Herd II a.k.a. R2C2H2 Tha Artivist and Artstorian, with the aim of increasing recognition of Lunceford’s contribution to jazz, particularly in Memphis, Tennessee. The Jimmie Lunceford Legacy Awards was created by the Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival to honor exceptional musicians with Memphis ties as well as those who have dedicated their careers to excellence in music and music education. On July 19, 2009, a brass note was dedicated to Lunceford on Beale Street. Prior to Lunceford’s success on Decca (beginning September 1934), he made the following recordings: “In Dat Mornin’”/”Sweet Rhythm” (Victor V-38141)- recorded Memphis, June 6, 1930 “Flaming Reeds and Screaming Brass”/”While Love Lasts” (Columbia tests - not issued until the late 1960s on LP) - recorded New York, May 15, 1933 “Jazznocracy”/”Chillen”, Get Up (Victor 24522) “White Heat”/”Leaving Me” (Victor 24586) - both recorded New York, January 26, 1934 “Breakfast Ball”/”Here Goes” (Victor 24601) “Swingin’ Uptown”/”Remember When” (Victor 24669) - both recorded New York, March 20, 1934 The Decca recordings Stomp it Off (1934-1935 Decca recordings) (GRP CD) Swingsation (1935-1939 Decca recordings) (1998 GRP CD) Lunceford Special (1939 Columbia recordings) (ca 1975 Columbia LP) Rhythm is Our Business (1933-1940, both periods and record companies, successively) (ASV CD) For Dancers Only (GRP/Decca) (1994) Jukebox Hits: 1937-1947 (Acrobat) (2005) Life is Fine or Quadromania (Membran/Quadromania Jazz) (2006) Read more on Last.fm. 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