This playlist is dedicated to the Swing record label. All tracks have been transferred from records released on this label. The first half of the playlist has a focus on swing music, the second half shifts to bop. Five tracks feature Django Reinhardt.
Swing was a French record label, founded in 1937 by jazz connoisseur and writer Charles Delaunay. It was the first label in the world that solely focused on releasing jazz records. At the age of 23, Delaunay became chief of the Hot Club de France organization and, together with a few likeminded people, he would make the club world famous. In 1935, in cooperation with Hugues Panassié, the Jazz Hot magazine was published. It was the world’s very first magazine devoted exclusively to jazz.
Advertisement for Swing & Django on a Parisian cinema
Delauney, also a concert promoter, became manager of the newly formed houseband: le Quintette Du Hot Club De France. This group, founded by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, would become world famous.
The first record Swing put out was Coleman Hawkins & His All-Star “Jam” Band, playing “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Crazy Rhythm”. The band consisted, among others, of Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli.
By the end of the 1930s, records were released by the Quintette Du Hot Club De France, Mezz Mezzrow, Eddie South, Rex Stewart, Bill Coleman,…
Quintette Du Hot Club De France – Minor’s Swing
After the war, records were released that featured American artists living in France, like Kenny Clarke, Don Byas, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie… French jazz artists were releasing music on Swing as well.
Swing also released records licensed from American labels with artists like Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk and Art Pepper.
The Swing label existed until the mid-1950s.
Tracklist:
- Django Reinhardt Et Son Quintette Du Hot Club De France – Minor Swing
Label #: SW. 439
Recorded in Paris for the national French radio RTF (Radiodiffusion-Television Française) on August 29, 1947.
Personnel: Django Reinhardt & Eugène Vées (guitar), Maurice Meunier (clarinet), Emmanuel Soudieux (bass), André Jourdan (drums).
–> Django on electric guitar!
- Stephane Grappelly Acc. par Django Reinhardt – Baby
Label #: SW. 199
Recorded June 30, 1939.
Personnel: Stephane Grappelly (violin) & Django Reinhardt (guitar).
- Gus Viseur’s Music – Automne
Label #: SW. 60
Recorded October 20, 1938.
Personnel: Gus Viseur (accordion), Jean Ferret, Pierre Ferret & Challain Ferret (guitar), Maurice Speileux (bass).
- Alix Combelle Et Son Orchestre – Rockabye Basie
Label #: SW. 73
Recorded Febrary 20, 1940.
Personnel: Alix Combelle (tenor saxophone), Django Reinhardt & Joseph Reinhardt (guitar), Guy Paquinet (trombone), Albert Piguilhem, Alex Renard, Philippe Brun & Pierre Allier (trumpet), Charles Lewis (piano), Marceau Sarbib (bass), H.P. Chadel (drums).
- Noël Chiboust Et Son Orchestre – Le Sheik
Label #: SW. 86
Recorded October 22, 1940.
Personnel: Noël Chiboust & Alix Combelle (tenor saxophone), Django Reinhardt (guitar), Aimé Barelli (trumpet), Raymond Wraskoff (piano), Max Blanc (alto saxophone), Pierre Fouad (drums), Francis Luca (bass).
- Eddie Brunner Et Son Orchestre – In A Little Spanish Town
Label #: SW. 55
Recorded June 13, 1938.
Personnel: Eddie Brunner (clarinet, tenor saxophone), Oscar Alemán (guitar), Bill Coleman (trumpet), Alix Combelle & Noël Chiboust (tenor saxophone), Herman Chittison (piano), Roger Grasset (bass), Tommy Benford (drums).
- Coleman Hawkins & His All-Star “Jam” Band – Crazy Rhythm
Label #: SW. 1
Recorded April 28, 1937.
Personnel: Coleman Hawkins & Alix Combelle (tenor saxophone), André Ekyan & Benny Carter (alto saxophone), Django Reinhardt (guitar), Stephane Grappelly (piano), Eugène d’Hellemmes (bass), Tommy Benford (drums).
–> very first Swing release!
- Robert Mavounzy Be-Bopers – Sweet And Bebop
Label #: 265
Recorded July 4, 1947.
Personnel: Robert Mavounzy & Hubert Fol (alto saxophone), Allan Jeffreys (trumpet), Jack Carman (trombone), André Persiany (piano), Emmanuel Soudieux (bass), Benny Bennett (drums).
- Be-Bop Minstrels – I’ve Got Be-Bop
Label #: SW. 278
Recorded March 17, 1948.
Personnel: Hubert Fol (alto saxophone), Dave Van Kriedt (tenor saxophone), Dick Collins (trumpet), André Persiany (piano), Georges Hadjo (piano), Kenny Clarke (drums).
- Kenny Clarke & His 52nd Street Boys – A La Colette
Label #: SW. 277
Recorded March 2, 1948.
Personnel: Benny Bailey (trumpet), John Brown (alto saxophone), Cecil Payne (baritone saxophone), Ralph Schecroun (piano), Al McKibbon (bass), Kenny Clarke (drums).
- Dizzy Gillespie – Tin Tin Daeo
Label #: SW. 374
Recorded in Detroit, MI, March 1, 1951, for Dee Gee Records.
Personnel: Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), John Coltrane (tenor saxophone), Kenny Burrell (guitar), Milt Jackson (vibraphone), Percy Heath (bass), Kansas Fields (drums).
- Art Pepper Quartet – Brown Gold
Label #: SW. 391
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA, March 4, 1952. Licensed from Discovery Records.
Personnel: Art Pepper (alto saxophone), Hampton Hawes (piano), Joe Mondragon (bass), Larry Bunker (drums).
- The Gerry Mulligan Quartet – Carson City Stage
Label #: SW. 415
Recorded for Pacific Jazz Records in Los Angeles, CA., February 24, 1953.
Personnel: Chet Baker (trumpet), Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone), Carson Smith (bass), Larry Bunker (drums).
- Charlie Parker Sextet – Schnourphology
Label #: SW. 382
Recorded (as “Bird Feathers”) for Dial Records, in NYC, November 4, 1947.
Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet), Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Duke Jordan (piano), Tommy Potter (bass), Max Roach (drums).
Sources: Wikipedia, Keep (it) Swinging, London Jazz Collector, Patrus.
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