Hey all - been a very long time since I have posted. My apologies for the lack of content. Book sales are still active, but I'm now diligently working on the second edition. Thank you to all who have added it to your libraries!
Jimmy Dorsey (famous in his own right and brother of the equally-talented Tommy) appeared in Colorado on more than 50 occasions, performing multi-week residencies in and around Denver, throughout his career, before his death in June 1957.
Up until now, finding any live recordings of his Colorado concerts were believed to be nonexistent. While the shows were broadcast live, radio stations often recorded selections on fragile acetate discs, which lasted about as long as one playback, then usually tossed.
Was recently offered a stack of Colorado 78rpm recordings and radio transcription discs (which I will soon be posting on here). In the batch was this incredible historic audio - Jimmy Dorsey performing at Lakeside Amusement Park. While the label notes a June 8, 1950 date, this could be a slip of the pen. According to Down Beat magazine, the band was booked at Lakeside from June 26 through July 8, 1950. Whatever the date, finding this upbeat bop jazz live recording (due to length, posted on YouTube) is astonishing. Crazy man, crazy solos on this disc.
Enjoy a listen to “Muskrat Ramble,” which includes Dorsey (clarinet and alto sax), Charlie Teagarden (trumpet), Ray Bauduc (drums) and Cutty Cutshaw (trombone). The disc cuts off, but you can hear the announcer's entire locale "From the Patio Ballroom at Lakeside, you've been listing to the new sounds, the new look..."
