1945: Records - Part 1

We're still in 1945, so we're going to look at some of my favorite records from that year.

These are not necessarily records that were recorded or released in 1945, but ones that were most popular during that year.

The year of 1945 is interesting from an historical standpoint, as the record business was changing.

There had been a strike by the American Federation of Musicians that led to a recording ban which lasted from July 1942 until November 1944 when the two biggest labels, RCA Victor and Columbia, finally settled with the the union and everyone was recording again.

Not to get into too much of a history lesson, but a big result of the recording ban was that the singers started taking over from the big bands. Not overnight and it wasn't necessarily obvious in 1945, but it was happening!

In any event, I couldn't limit myself to just ten records, as there were more styles and labels than ever before, so I have twenty. About half are by big bands that were still going strong.

Here are the first ten, alphabetical by artist, with both sides!

First up is Charlie Barnet with his band:

"Skyliner" is one of the catchiest instrumentals of the whole big band era, I think.

Next is Les Brown, who was actually moving into his peak period of popularity, helped in no small part by vocalist Doris Day, whose talent and looks inevitably led to a hugely successful movie career.

Here they are with one of the most evocative hits of the immediate post-war era:

Awesome take on the Three Suns' "Twilight Time" on the flipside too!

Now we have Billy Butterfield, the brilliant trumpeter who had recently signed with the newish Capitol Records. As I understand it, the band is actually Les Brown's as Billy hadn't formed his own group yet.

He's teamed here with another new Capitol artist, Margaret Whiting, who soon had a successful solo career: 

This was the first recording of the standard "Moonlight in Vermont." I have to admit that while I like the song, it's always bugged me a bit that the words don't rhyme at all!

What's funny is that I often hear/read that "Moonlight in Vermont" was a Margaret Whiting record that Billy Butterfield happened to play trumpet on, but a glance at the label indicates otherwise!

We literally go from the sublime to the ridiculous with Jerry Colonna, the wackiest comedian of all, well-known for his appearances with Bob Hope.

Here's his take on a popular song of the day backed with an older standard:

You may recall that Colonna sang "Bell Bottom Trousers" on Hope's Christmas show that we heard a few days ago. What's most interesting is that some of the lyrics needed to be changed to satisfy the ever paranoid radio censors!

It's fascinating how many times Jerry Colonna was referenced in cartoons of the 1940s, either with a caricature or a character imitating him. As time goes by, the pop culture references in cartoons get more obscure, but I know them!

Perry Como is a prime example of the singers who were taking over the music industry. He had made his name with Ted Weems and his Orchestra, but was now in the early stages of a legendary solo career. He had signed with RCA Victor in 1943, right in the middle of the recording ban, so his first records were a cappella with just a vocal background.

But he was recording with an orchestra now and enjoying huge hits like this song from "Carousel," the big new Broadway show of the year:

The two sides really show off Perry's versatility. I always thought he was hip for a square, you know?

Country music was making strides by 1945 and Spade Cooley was offering real competition to Bob Wills as to who was the King of Western Swing (as Spade billed himself). He had some great records on Columbia such as this one:

Spade Cooley had issues (to say the least) and most of the band left with vocalist Tex Williams to back him up as his Western Caravan and they enjoyed a hue hit with "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)" in 1947.

Next is veteran bandleader Tommy Dorsey, who was leading a huge group and still enjoying massive popularity in 1945. Here's a great two-sided record from TD cut right after the recording ban ended:

That's just a great band. I can't think of another band that could play such a pretty ballad then turn around swing out so mightily.

I think "Opus No. 1" is one of the best sides ever, with Sy Oliver's masterful composing and arranging and clarinetist Buddy DeFranco and drummer Buddy Rich in top form!

Vocalist Freddie Stewart only got the chance to make a couple of records with Tommy Dorsey, but he did enjoy a movie career shorty after, starring in the "Teen Agers" series for Monogram Pictures!

Next is Billy Eckstine, the great bass-baritone vocalist, with his band. He's interesting in that he had made his name as a singer with Earl Hines, then formed his own band, then became a solo artist as his vocals were the main attraction of the band anyway.

This record shows off  Billy's chops on both a ballad and jazzier number:

Very cool! "Mr. B" had the pipes!

Billy's band featured a lot of young musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie (above left) and Charlie Parker (above center) who were creating modern sounds, but bands were getting expensive to keep going and Billy was hugely successful as a solo artist, so there you go!

Tommy Dorsey's longtime rival Benny Goodman was still leading a swinging band in 1945, and they cut this remarkable two-sided number:

That record is just a blast! I always find it fascinating that a brilliant musician like Benny Goodman could barely hold it together long enough to croak out a vocal! Woody Herman did not need to worry!

It's all in good fun, though, and BG gets plenty of clarinet in there too.

Side Two highlights bassist Slam Stewart and vibraphonist Red Norvo, Slam's pal from the "Jingle Bells" session we heard a few days ago. They're terrific here!

Part One of our 1945 review wraps up with Benny Goodman's former sideman and Red Norvo's only competition on vibes, Lionel Hampton with a Septet and Octet:

I love when you can hear Hamp grunt while playing!

Side One features Dinah Washington very early in her career and already very accomplished!

Next: Ten more!