The Swing Era

A new WKMS special series will be presented in conjunction with Murray State University’s Department of Music Special Topics Course: THE SWING ERA (MUS 530) for the fall semester 2012. Many examples are highlighted in Gunther Schuller’s book – THE SWING ERA. The show will begin with the bands of the 1920s including Fletcher Henderson and Paul Whiteman, will include the popular groups of Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Jimmie Lunceford, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington and many less well known bands – and will conclude with the progressive jazz groups of Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Boyd Raeburn and others. In all, great music from fifty eight of the most outstanding big bands will be represented during the one hour programs of the sixteen week series.

“This music is a particular passion for me – I have thoroughly enjoyed researching and putting this program together. The clarity of many of the recordings is quite startling – They could record bands very well back in the 1930s and 1940s – but the media on which the recordings were issued didn’t sound so great!” said Hill. “I think there’s something here that everybody will enjoy – whether the stories, the history, or the music itself. Putting this together has really been a labor of love.”

The opening program of the series will air on Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 9pm. Hill added “It’s appropriate that Count Basie’s Birthday will be the first night we air the new series. I’ll be putting together a special ‘Basie Birthday Bash’ for the rest of Café Jazz that evening.”

Dr. Hill is the Director of Jazz Ensembles at Murray State University. He also teaches trombone, euphonium and tuba, directs the Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, assists with the Racer Band and is the Director of the new MSU Town & Gown Community Band. For many years, he has led his own professional jazz groups throughout the region.