Our Lindy 3 and 4 teachers this block are a rotating cast of teachers from the Amsterdam-based collective The BackBeat. Just like two years ago when we had Julia and Peter (also sometimes known as DJ Syncopeter) they will share an album of the week (approximately) every week by artists they care about, including some historical context and fun trivia. This made us really enthusiastic about learning more about the cultural background and music, so we thought we’d share the love by putting all of them on our website.
This week’s album pick is a best-of collection of the great James “Trummy” Young (1912–1984), one of the defining trombone voices of the swing era:
Listen to the album on Spotify
Listen to the album on YouTube
Trummy made his name in the big-band world, most famously with Earl Hines (1933–37) and Jimmie Lunceford (1937–43), where he became a featured star and even co-wrote the classic “’Tain’t What You Do” with arranger Sy Oliver. He later played with Benny Goodman and spent twelve years in Louis Armstrong’s All-Stars, helping shape that irresistibly swinging, melodic sound.
For dancers, Trummy is a treat: a warm, round, grounded tone and melodies that make every beat count. This collection includes a version of “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” from a 1950s all-star jam-session performance (with Buck Clayton on trumpet, Woody Herman on clarinet, Coleman Hawkins on tenor, Jo Jones on drums), featuring longer solos and a warmer, more modern palette. It also has two of my personal favorites: “Good ’N Groovy” and “Rattle and Roll”, perfect examples of Trummy’s relaxed style and rock-solid swing feel.
Thank you very much for sharing this with us Juan!
