At The Fat Man's - Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra w/ Charlie Shavers ~ 1945

Описание: Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. was born on November 19, 1905 in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania to a bandleader father. He was two years younger than brother Jimmy Dorsey. They had two other siblings that died young. Tommy's original instrument of choice was the trumpet like his dad, but he eventually switched to trombone. At just 15, Jimmy recommended Tommy take Russ Morgan's seat in the Scranton Sirens (see yesterday's history about Russ Morgan). The brothers would go on to work in bands led by Tal Henry, Rudy Vallee, Vincent Lopez, Nathaniel Shilkret, Jean Goldkette and the California Ramblers. Most notably, the duo joined Paul Whiteman in 1927. By 1929, they had their first hit with OKeh Records.

In 1934, the Dorsey brothers signed with Decca, getting a hit with "I Believe In Miracles". Glenn Miller joined the band in 1934 and 35, composing multiple songs for the group. Friction would develop between the two brothers causing Tommy to leave and form his own band in 1935. It became known for covering ballads at dance tempos, often featuring singers like Jack Leonard and Fran Sinatra. It immediately became popular almost the second it signed with RCA Victor Records. Their first year would bring the orchestra four hits. Sadly, Victor did what Victor did best and make musicians to play to common denominator rather than their own style or preference. Tommy was forced to abandon the Hot Jazz sound and focus on pop and vocal tunes. He did as told with his main orchestra, but he had a side project with the "Clambake Seven" that he kept as a Dixieland band.

By 1939, Tommy was already facing criticism for his music's lack of feeling. He decided to bring in fresh blood with arranger and trumpeter Sy Oliver. While he was at it, he hired singer Frank Sinatra away from Harry James and with this new energy, the group produced 80 songs between 1940 and 1942. He brought on arranger Bill Finegan from Glenn Miller's civilian band who would stay with the group for eight years. He would often use the Pied Pipers for backing vocals, but in 1944, replaced them with "The Sentimentalists" (who were actually The Clark Sisters, but he didn't want anyone to know). He gave Gene Krupa a job after his drug possession arrest, and he would swoop in for Artie Shaw's string section after Shaw had to disband.

All that growth took a toll on the finances and by 1946, Tommy was forced to disband as many bands did after the war. Luckily, the group had such a back catalog of recordings, their 1946 "All Time Hits" album made it into the top 10 best selling of 1947, and their song "How Are Things In Glocca Morra?" released in March 1947 and became a top ten hit in itself. This allowed the group to get back together.

In the early 1950's, Tommy switched back to Decca who promised $2,000 to do so. The brothers began making amends slowly but surely and when Jimmy broke up his band in 1953, Tommy invited him to join his as a featured attraction. The pair then focused their efforts on television. They would appear on the Jackie Gleason television show, reunited in the same band. audiences loved it and the pair started their own show "Stage Show" from 1954 to 56. It was on that show that Elvis made his television debut.

That TV show ended in 1956 due to Tommy's death at just 51 years old. Jimmy took over the band but would die of throat cancer the following year. Now being led by trombonist Warren Covington, the group still reached number seven on the Billboard shat and earned a gold record in the fall of 1958. Covington would leave in 1961, leaving the band with tenor saxophonist Sam Donahue until 1966. Tommy Dorsey had a run of 286 Billboard chart hits including 17 No. 1's and in fact, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra is still around today being led by Jeff Bush.

Today's song, "At The Fat Man's", is a great bluesy jazz number and one of the songs written by Sy Oliver. Recording took place on September 20, 1945 in New York.