Can anybody recommend some music?

[RadiationSkank]

So when I'm watching old movies and such from around the 30s or 40s, I often hear music that I like, but can never find out what it is. Then when I try to find music from that era, I can't find a lot that I like, because what I find is always a lot slower etc, but maybe I'm just not looking in the right places, and thought this would be perfect. I'm usually listening to 70s punk rock, like Blondie or the Ramones, the Clash, or ska, and sometimes oldies. So I like more upbeat, faster music. Can anybody recommend some things for me?
This post was probably unnecessarily long, so I'm sorry for that, and thank you.

 

[Brian Sheridan]

Well if you want an online variety of 20s, 30s and 40s music...check out online radio stations.

Two of the best are: Radio Dismuke

Or if you have Itunes - The 1920's Radio Network (look under Radio/Electic)

The names of the artists scrolls at the top so if you hear a piece you like, you can then hunt the 'net for more.

Welcome to the Lounge.

 

[C-dot]

You have to look at the score composer for the movie you're watching. The legendary George Gershwin, for example, composed the score for Shall We Dance, An American in Paris, and Porgy and Bess, to name a few.

Some popular Big Band orchestras of the 30's through 50's are:

Artie Shaw;
Benny Goodman;
Count Basie;
Duke Ellington;
Glenn Miller;
Les Brown;
Tommy Dorsey; and
Woody Herman.

I recommend the torrent Giants of the Big Band Era to get a good base of the genre.

 

[jwalls]

You have to look at the score composer for the movie you're watching. The legendary George Gershwin, for example, composed the score for Shall We Dance, An American in Paris, and Porgy and Bess, to name a few.

Some popular Big Band orchestras of the 30's through 50's are:

Artie Shaw;
Benny Goodman;
Count Basie;
Duke Ellington;
Glenn Miller;
Les Brown;
Tommy Dorsey; and
Woody Herman.

I recommend the torrent Giants of the Big Band Era to get a good base of the genre.

Amen, sister, but don't forget Art Tatum.

 

[C-dot]

Amen, sister, but don't forget Art Tatum.

'Scuse me for a second, I have to pound my head with a brick lol

 

[Chas]

I'm usually listening to 70s punk rock, like Blondie or the Ramones, the Clash, or ska, and sometimes oldies. So I like more upbeat, faster music. Can anybody recommend some things for me?
This post was probably unnecessarily long, so I'm sorry for that, and thank you.

What are you apologizing for? I was a willing and enthusiastic participant in that era, and in my opinion it was the last truly diverse, creative and exciting era in popular music.

Recommendations? Listen to my radio show (podcast address in my sig.). Or tell me more about what you find interesting about 'the Golden Era'.

If you want names -

1920's:

Duke Ellington
Benny Moten's Kansas City Orchestra
Fletcher Henderson
Jean Goldkette & His Book Cadillac Orchestra
Bix Beiderbecke
Louis Armstrong & His Hot Fives & Sevens
Ted Weems & His Orchestra (pop-py but fun)
Thelma Terry & Her Playboys
Check out This Website
Ray Miller & His Hotel Gibson Orchestra
Sidney Bechet
Jelly Roll Morton
King Oliver
Roger Wolfe Kahn
Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians

1930's

Duke Ellington
Benny Moten's Kansas City Orchestra
McKinney's Cotton Pickers
Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra
Fletcher Henderson
Count Basie & His Orchestra
Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra
Erskine Hawkins & His Orchestra
Andy Kirk & His 12 Clouds Of Joy
Charlie Barnet
Fats Waller
Art Tatum
Jack Purvis
Bunny Berigan
Django Reinhardt
The Cats & The Fiddle
Cab Calloway
Billie Holiday
Chick Webb
The Boswell Sisters
The Mills Brothers

1940's:

Duke Ellington (the 1940's band was the BEST)
Count Basie
Lionel Hampton
Lester Young
Dizzy Gillespie
Lucky Millinder
Buddy Johnson
Big Joe Turner & Albert Ammons (hear the genesis of Rock N Roll, here)
Ella Fitzgerald
Coleman Hawkins
T.J. Fowler
Dave Bartholomew
Illinois Jacquet
Oscar Peterson
Errol Garner

So now you have a trip to your local library to organize. Sign it out, rip, burn and return. Enjoy your journey!

 

[23SkidooWithYou]

So when I'm watching old movies and such from around the 30s or 40s, I often hear music that I like, but can never find out what it is. Then when I try to find music from that era, I can't find a lot that I like, because what I find is always a lot slower etc, but maybe I'm just not looking in the right places, and thought this would be perfect. I'm usually listening to 70s punk rock, like Blondie or the Ramones, the Clash, or ska, and sometimes oldies. So I like more upbeat, faster music. Can anybody recommend some things for me?
This post was probably unnecessarily long, so I'm sorry for that, and thank you.

Ah, you sound a lot like me! I'm listening to The Damned Final Damnation right now, but I just came off a 1930's bender. lol

I fell in love with the upbeat song "The Continental" (I think Fred and Ginger sing it in the movie The Gay Divorcee) several years ago. I found an orchestra conductor who covered the song. His name was Ambrose and I think he was British and extremely popular in his day. If memory serves, he ended up nearly broke and living in obscurity. (makes me sad just thinking about it)

Here's a link to Ambrose and His Orchestra: The Continental
http://www.amazon.com/Continental-A...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1257369589&sr=1-1
There are some slow songs, but some upbeat ones too. "The Continental", "I'm All In", "Lost My Man", "My Kid's a Crooner" were all worth the purchase price imho. With lyrics like, "You may be Dutch, you may be Danish, you may be French, you may be Spanish, I don't know what you are but this I know is true, after kissing you...I'm all in", how could you miss?

The other CD was an import and I'm not sure you can buy it new anymore. Again, I got it because They Continental is on it, but with Fred and Ginger singing the lyrics, "...you kiss while your dancing...The Continetal". Turns out I also enjoyed "Needle in a Haystack" and my favorite "Let's K-nock K-nees" which features a very, very young Betty Grable (before she became the nations pin-up girl).
http://www.amazon.com/Ginger-Fred-V...=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1257369401&sr=1-8

 

[Shangas]

Go to imdb.com (International Movie DataBase).

Type in the name of the movie you saw and find it in the Database.

Having found the movie's profile, scroll down to the bottom. There SHOULD (in most cases, anyway) be a link there, which says: "SOUNDTRACK".

Click on it.

It should give you entire soundtrack listing for the movie. Then you just need to search for the songs. Or if you're not sure what the songs are, you could probably list them here and we could tell you and probably where to find them.

 

[Wash In Lux]

Chas, (that's my son's name, but with a period, Chas. - abb. Charles) if somebody, anybody, can't find something to like in your lists, something's wrong! Certainly a good start right there. Gonna add a few more (to include the 50's and in no particular order):

Jack Teagarden
Rudy Vallee
Will Bradley
Vincent Lopez
Ella Mae Morse
Larry Clinton
Amos Milburn
Louis Jordan
Joe Liggins
Jimmy Liggins
Chuck Willis
Slim Gaillard
Roy Milton
The Treniers
Eddy Duchin (might be a little slow for you, a 1930's dance band)
The Flairs (discovered them a couple months ago - Look for "The Ultimate Flairs", 29 tracks of uptempo 50's goodness)

 

[skyvue]

Check out my online radio station, Cladrite Radio, when you get a chance. We play a wide variety of music from 1925-1955. Not all of it's up-tempo, but much of it is, and based on the feedback we've gotten, our listeners seem to be really enjoying what they're hearing.

 

[VintageVixie]

There are some great recommendations here. Based on your mentions, I want to second or third (or whichever) the Ella Mae Morse, Cab Calloway, as both rocked out long before their time. You can find both on lastfm.com easily enough.

 

[Aristaeus]

Harry James of course.

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[Mickey D]

I can recommend a 2 CD set called Supper Club that was put out by Potterybarn. It's a wonderful collection of '30-'40s music including some big band era tunes.