The Shellac Stack

Shellac Stack No. 199 polkas with Brother Lee Roy and His Band! We hear from percussionist Billy Whitlock, vocalists Freddy Ross, Harry Richman, and Bing Crosby, enjoy the harmonies of the Hayden Quartet, and dance with Ben Selvin, Charlie Kerr’s Orchestra, and the Midway Dance Orchestra (of Chicago). Some good ’40s-era jazz too!

Shellac Stack No. 198 blows bubbles with Shep Fields and explores the Atomic Era with Bud Freeman and Ray McKinley. We hear from “Piggy” Jones and His Orchestra (with a wild xylophone player), and dance along with George Olsen, Ed Farley, Isham Jones, Milt Shaw, the Varsity Eight, and many more. Your contributions through Patreon … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 197 hulas with Margaret Young (and Lou). We hear an assortment of jazz, vocalists, and even some Swiss yodeling! From Mel Torme and Harry James to Ramona and Bennie Krueger; from Wally Rose to Chris Barber and Andres Segovia to Duke Ellington, it’s another musical variety hour on the Shellac Stack!

Shellac Stack No. 196 laughs at the funnies with Ruby Newman and takes tea with the Weintraub Syncopators. Along the way, we hear from Adrian Schubert’s Orchestra, Bruz Fletcher, Earl Hines, the Pickens Sisters, Lil Green, Buddy Clark, Gene Rodemich, and many others. From hot to sweet to “blue” — this episode has it all! … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 195 observes the leaves tumbling down and welcomes the changing seasons with records by Leo Reisman, Clyde Doerr, Barry Wood, the Ipana Troubadours, harpist Robert Maxwell, pianist Harry Snodgrass, Bunny Berigan, Billy Cotton, the Shannon Quartet, and others. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the program, please consider supporting the Shellac Stack … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 194 overhears something in a cocktail lounge with Charlie Barnet. We’ve got some nice records by Claude Hopkins, Fletcher Henderson, Harmie Smith, Shorty Sherock, Marion Shaw with Richard Himber, and even some stellar Soviet-era jazz piano with Alexander Tsfasman. Where else but the “Shellac Stack”? Support the program with a contribution through … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 193 comes on-a your house with Victor Silvester, Guido Deiro, Ginny Simms, Phil Harris, Red Nichols, the Spirits of Rhythm, Artie Shaw, and more in this eclectic mix featuring vocalists, dance bands, virtuoso soloists, marching bands, and more. Feeling generous? Please consider a little contribution to the Shellac Stack Patreon fund: patreon.com/shellacstack … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 192 crafts a musical mixture of bebop, big band, vocals, jazz piano, and… baroque organ! Listen to Teddy Wilson, Mel Torme, Phil Brito, Georgie Auld, Herman Chittison, Dizzy Gillespie, and more in this edition of the Shellac Stack. Support the Shellac Stack on Patreon: patreon.com/shellacstack — Thank you!

Shellac Stack No. 191 jives uptown with the Variety Boys. We share a few laughs with Steve Allen and Homer and Jethro, relax with Carroll Gibbons, saddle up with Jesse Rogers, and dance along with Bert Lown, Ben Bernie, Harry Reser, Roger Wolfe Kahn, and many more. Support the Shellac Stack here: patreon.com/shellacstack

Shellac Stack No. 190 has a ball with records by Ted Weems, Louis Armstrong, Arthur Collins, Jenny Howard, Raymond Scott, Brian Lawrance, the Williams Sisters, and more. Prince’s Band also introduces us to a ghost. Support the Shellac Stack on Patreon: patreon.com/shellacstack

Shellac Stack No. 189 documents some of my favorites: records by Ted Weems, Stan Freberg, Casper Reardon, Lu Watters, Irving Aaronson, Rudy Wiedoeft, Claudio Villa, Fats Waller, and many more! Support the Shellac Stack on Patreon: patreon.com/shellacstack

Shellac Stack No. 188 paddles Madeline home with Whitey Kaufman’s Orchestra. We also hear from Rudy Vallee, Jane Green, Sydney Kyte, Ben Selvin, Ted Weems, Al Jolson, the Three Ginx, and many others in this especially tuneful program. As always, I’m grateful to those who support the Shellac Stack on Patreon: patreon.com/shellacstack — Thank you!

Shellac Stack No. 187 wonders what made Caldonia’s big head so hard. We sample some popular adaptations of operatic melodies, dance with Jack Crawford, Sam Lanin, Don Bestor, and Fred Rich, head south of the border with Morton Gould and the San Remo Dance Orchestra, and hear from Elmo Tanner, Red Norvo, and others. Support … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 186 has the key to JiHoon’s record cellar! Mr. Suk treats us to another stack of musical delights from his eclectic collection, from Bert Williams, Deanna Durbin, Carlos Gardel, and the Rev. J. M. Gates to Kim Kye-seon, Josephine Baker, Li Xiang-lan, Ramon Novarro, and more. Thank you for supporting the Shellac … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 185 travels the world in under 60 minutes! We listen to records about far away places (from the American POV) with Nat Shilkret, Beatrice Lillie, Ray Miller, Lu Watters, Graeme Bell, Ben Selvin, Raymond Scott, and many more. No security lines and no ticket required! Support the Shellac Stack on Patreon: patreon.com/shellacstack … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 184 sizzles — but doesn’t want to set the world on fire! We listen to 78s by Theo Karle, Johnny Hamp’s Kentucky Serenaders, Duke Ellington, Johnny Green, Jane Green, Stan Greening… gee, I just realized I could have had a “Green” theme going! As always, your support of the Shellac Stack through … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 183 turns on the heat… and the sweet! We hear from the orchestras of Jack Albin, Ed Kirkeby, Count Basie, Roger Wolfe Kahn, Ray Miller, and others. We also hear from singers Dinah Washington, Dolly Dawn, Dick Robertson, and more. Support the Shellac Stack: patreon.com/shellacstack Correction: Bandleader Joe Sanders died in 1965 … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 182 makes hay while the sun is shining! We hear from Jay Wilbur, Mike Speciale, Vaughn De Leath, Morton Downey, Earl Gresh and His Gangplank Orchestra, Hazel Scott, Willie Lewis, and many others. Do you enjoy listening to the Shellac Stack? Please consider making a small contribution to help me bring the … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 181 compares and contrasts in another installment of “Same Song, Second Version.” How does Jesse Crawford’s version of “Dinah” stack up against the Quintet of the Hot Club of France? What happens when you pit the Andrews Sisters against the Waikiki Serenaders? Gene Austin vs. Paul Ash? George Olsen vs. Frank Sinatra? … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 180 gets happy… and angry… with Isham Jones, Art Gillham, Ruth Etting, Gene Austin, Coon-Sanders, the California Ramblers, Margaret McKee, the ODJB, and more. NEW! Support the Shellac Stack on Patreon: patreon.com/shellacstack. Your contribution helps offset the cost of bringing these programs to you, and there are some nice little bonuses. Thank … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 179 walks with music. We hear from Buddy Clark, Marion Harris, Adrian Rollini, Ted Lewis, Jaye P. Morgan, Jack Jenney, George Olsen, and many more in a program to get you “walkin’ on air.”

Shellac Stack No. 178 begins again with Midge Williams, tastes okolehao with Dolly Dawn, shakes that thing with Abe Lyman, and visits with some musical Browns (Georgia, Henry, and Mary). This fun-filled musical hour includes performances by Napua Stevens, Van Alexander, Rudy Wiedoeft, Margaret Young, and many others. Join us!

Shellac Stack No. 177 dusts the keys with Frank Westphal, rumbas with Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians, dreams with Jack Shilkret’s Orchestra, and stomps with the Basin Street Six. Along the way we hear from Ruth Etting, Chick Webb, the 5 Red Caps, and more.

Shellac Stack No. 176 strolls along Flirtation Walk with Hal Kemp then waits for the sunrise with Brother Bones. We hear from Earl Burtnett, Arthur Hall, That Girl Quartet (no, I’m not being dismissive — that’s their name!), Mark Andrews, Sophie Tucker, and more.

Shellac Stack No. 175 does the town — well, 14 of them actually! From Boston to Miami to Kansas City to San Francisco and points in between, we enjoy a musical variety hour with the likes of Jimmy Dorsey, Carson Robison, Johnny Maddox, Arthur Gibbs, the Halfway House Dance Orchestra, Bob Haring, and more.