Dorsey Brothers Orchestra

Both Dorsey brothers were major figures in the development of jazz music and especially, swing. Tommy Dorsey is the man who gave a young Frank Sinatra’s burgeoning career a major boost. 

Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. was born in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, in 1905. He was the younger brother of Jimmy Dorsey, who was born in Shenandoah the previous year. Both brothers would become huge big band music stars. Both boys studied music as children, with Jimmy playing saxophone, trumpet, and clarinet, while Tommy concentrated on trombone. At Jimmy's recommendation, 15-year-old Tommy replaced Russ Morgan in the Scranton Sirens. 

As an absolute master of the trombone and a fiercely disciplined bandleader, Tommy Dorsey earned the nickname "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" due to his signature seamless, breath-defying legato phrasing. He refined the role of the trombone, transforming it from a rhythmic, tailgate instrument into a soaring, highly expressive lyrical vehicle. His unmatched instinct for commercial orchestration and talent scouting allowed him to steer one of the most commercially successful and musically elite big bands of the twentieth century, permanently anchoring the architecture of the swing era.

 

The brothers worked with many bands during the Twenties, including a stint with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, before recording their first side, “Coquette,” on the Okeh label in 1928. They were signed to Decca Records in 1934 and enjoyed a major hit with “I Believe in Miracles.” 

Conflict between the brothers, which at times escalated to fistfights, resulted in Tommy dissolving the partnership and forming his own orchestra in 1935. Teaming up with former members of the Joe Haymes Orchestra, he signed with RCA/Victor in 1935 and released the first in a string of major hits, “On Treasure Island.” 

In 1940, Tommy Dorsey acquired Frank Sinatra from The Harry James Orchestra, resulting in more hits and the establishment of Sinatra as a star. 

During the forties, Tommy Dorsey’s orchestra featured some of the best musicians in swing, such as Bunny Berigan and Gene Krupa. Jimmy Dorsey dissolved his own band in 1953 and joined Tommy’s band, with the two becoming “The Dorsey Brothers” once more.

 

In 1956, Tommy Dorsey died of choking. His former orchestra has continued into the 21st century, with Jimmy Dorsey taking charge until he died in 1957. 

Compilations of the recordings and those of the bands of Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey are easily found and include,

The Fabulous Dorsey Brothers & Their Orchestra (1928-1935) 

Essential Compilation Review: The Fabulous Dorsey Brothers & Their Orchestra (1928–1935) 

This essential historical collection chronicles the volatile yet brilliant early partnership between the two brothers before their famous 1935 split. The tracking beautifully captures the energetic, transitional bridge between late-1920s hot jazz and the smooth, highly commercialized syncopation of early swing. Tommy’s pristine technical execution on the trombone is already on full display here, laying down the early parameters of big band ensemble precision. 

• Compilation Era: 1928–1935 
• Label: Columbia Records / Decca Archival 
• Producer: Jack Kapp, Staff 
• Core Personnel: Tommy Dorsey (Trombone), Jimmy Dorsey (Clarinet, Alto Saxophone), Glenn Miller (Trombone, Arranger), Bob Crosby (Vocals) 
• Key Tracks: "Coquette", "I Believe in Miracles", "Stop, Look and Listen" 

Essential Compilation Review: Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra - The Dorsey/Sinatra Sessions (1940–1942) 

Widely recognized as one of the most culturally significant vocal recording blocks in popular music media, this definitive multi-LP compilation documents the legendary alignment of Dorsey’s orchestra and a young Frank Sinatra. Dorsey’s seamless trombone breath-control directly informed Sinatra's own revolutionary vocal phrasing techniques. The tracking represents the absolute zenith of romantic, sophisticated swing, serving as a flawless audio blueprint for mid-century American pop. 

• Compilation Era: 1940–1942 (Archival Box Set) 
• Label: RCA Bluebird / Victor 
• Producer: Dave Dexter Jr., Archival Assembly 
• Core Personnel: Tommy Dorsey (Trombone, Conductor), Frank Sinatra (Vocals), Jo Stafford (Vocals), The Pied Pipers (Vocal Group), Buddy Rich (Drums) 
• Key Tracks: "I'll Never Smile Again", "In the Blue of Evening", "Stardust" 

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Sidney Bechet: Clarinet Genius

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Sidney Bechet: The Primal Force and Soprano Pioneer of Early New Orleans Jazz 

Sidney Bechet stands out as one of the most brilliant, intense, and fiercely competitive soloists in the foundational history of jazz music. Possessing a wide, passionate vibrato and an explosive technical delivery, he was one of the few early twentieth-century masters whose improvisational genius could directly challenge the dominance of Louis Armstrong. As a multi-instrumentalist who transitioned from the clarinet to become the first true virtuoso of the soprano saxophone, Bechet infused his lines with an urgent, blues-drenched authority. His turbulent personal life and extensive European travels helped transform jazz from a regional New Orleans phenomenon into a celebrated international art form, cementing his legacy as an immortal pioneer of hot jazz.

 

Sidney Bechet was a musical child prodigy born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1897. Bechet was so musically advanced as a child that he had already played with many of the top bands in New Orleans. Bechet was one of a few jazz musicians of his generation who could rival Louis Armstrong’s brilliance as a soloist.

 

In 1917, Bechet moved to Chicago. After a tour of Europe, Bechet returned to America with a new instrument, the soprano saxophone, and he soon established himself as a master of the instrument. Bechet made his recording debut in 1923 with Clarence Williams. He appeared with Louis Armstrong on a classic session with the Clarence Williams Blue Five that produced superb sides such as “Cake Walkin’ Babies from Home.” 

From 1925 to 1929, Bechet lived and played in Europe. While in Paris, Bechet became involved in a daylight gunfight with another musician that resulted in injuries to innocent bystanders. Bechet was imprisoned for a year as a result and was deported upon release.

 

During the depression, Bechet supplemented his income by running a tailor shop with trumpeter Tommy Ladnier. Bechet and Ladnier subsequently recorded several outstanding sides of New Orleans jazz under the name “New Orleans Feetwarmers.” In 1938, Bechet scored a big hit with his stirring rendition of the standard, “Summertime.”

 

Bechet returned to France in 1952 and continued to record hit jazz records. Bechet died in Paris in 1959

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Bechet’s recordings can be found on a number of fine compilation albums, including the great two-volume "Jazz Classics" (1950) and "Chronological Classics."

 

Technical Catalog Spotlight: Jazz Classics Volume 1 and 2 (1950) 

This essential two-volume archival collection captures Bechet during his spectacular mid-career renaissance with Blue Note Records. The tracking highlights his unmatched authority on the soprano saxophone, most notably featured on his legendary 1939 hit rendition of Summertime, which practically put the fledgling Blue Note label on the cultural map. Supported by an elite group of traditional jazz revivalists, these recordings show off a pristine audio fidelity that beautifully preserves Bechet's piercing, deeply emotional solo style for the high-fidelity era. 

• Released: 1950 
• Label: Blue Note Records 
• Producer: Alfred Lion 
• Core Personnel: Sidney Bechet (Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet), Frankie Newton (Trumpet), Meade Lux Lewis (Piano), Teddy Bunn (Guitar), Johnny Williams (Bass), Sid Catlett (Drums) 
• Key Tracks: Summertime, Blue Horizon, Dear Old Southland 

Technical Catalog Spotlight: Chronological Classics (1923-1936) 

Serving as an indispensable historical reference work, this volume aggregates the earliest studio master sessions of Bechet’s legendary recording career. It features his groundbreaking 1923 acoustic sides alongside the historic, high-voltage 1924 and 1925 collaborations where he went head-to-head with a young Louis Armstrong. Listening to these tracks in sequence reveals the exact technical blueprint of early New Orleans ensemble playing, showcasing how Bechet's driving polyphonic lines helped forge the structural language of modern jazz improvisation. 

• Released: 1990 
• Label: Classics Records (France) 
• Producer: Gilles Pétard 
• Core Personnel: Sidney Bechet (Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone), Louis Armstrong (Cornet), Clarence Williams (Piano), Tommy Ladnier (Trumpet), Charlie Gaines (Trumpet) 
• Key Tracks: Cake Walkin' Babies from Home, Texas Moaner Blues, Maple Leaf Rag 

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