It’s as hot as one of Gatsby’s parties, it’s The Gin Mill Social! The fun never stops as live swing musicians play all night long and vaudeville performers pop up to entertain when you least expect it.
“A night of glamour, food, drinks and entertainment…. Don’t forget your dancing shoes.” – Broadsheet
The first of those swing bands is singer Greg Poppleton’s real 1920s trio with Geoff Power on cornet doubling sousaphone and Paul Baker, banjo. Read, see, book the Band.
On Saturday November 10, the band and I returned to our favourite venue in Sydney’s outer west, Penrith RSL, for an afternoon of 1920s – 30s jazz and swing.
There was lots of dancing, lots of laughing and lots of jazz.
Here’s a very personal version of ‘I Can’t Give You Anything But Love’ which I sang to myself as a selfie live in front of the Penrith club audience.
It was like singing into the bathroom mirror, but with a band behind me, which included Grahame Conlon guitar, Dave Clayton double bass and Bob Gillespie drums. Enjoy!
Why is the focus on cows in this clip about bananas?
That’s a good question. Particularly since cows aren’t mentioned in the song.
THE STORY IS THIS
I took the film you see in the clip while walking between the towns of Kiama and Gerringong in New South Wales.
I saw this small herd sheltering from the hot sun under some small trees in the green, green grass.
I perched my pocket camera on the thickest branch of a bush and filmed them. It was a little bit breezy, so the branch swayed, hence the unsteady clip.
These cows look so contented!
ALBUM
Six months later, when I released this song in the album Back In Your Own Backyard, I chose the film to accompany this upbeat version of ‘Yes, I Have No Bananas’ because of the tension between the fast tempo of the song and the laid-back ‘tempo’ of the cows.
I also like that, to my not pitch-prefect ears, that where I placed the moos the cows make in the beginning of the mix, the note seems to be close to the same note as the banjo makes, just a bit flat and an octave down.
The song is in Bb. The cow is mooing in B very b
BAND
Greg Poppleton – 1920s vocals
Geoff Power – sousaphone, trumpet and trombone
Paul Furniss – alto sax and clarinet
Grahame Conlon – Spanish guitar
Lawrie Thompson – drums and washboard
I’ll be swinging at the hip Django Bar with my band, Sunday 16 July and I’d love to see you there.
It’ll be a cheeky, barnstorming, high energy show featuring a sunny collection of upbeat songs from the Prohibition and Swing Era.
It’s called Swing Night with Greg Poppleton at the Django Bar.
And I’ll be joined by the All About Swing dancers. All dancers welcome! TICKETS
$17 pre, $20 door | 6pm doors, 8pm show
Delicious food (including pizza!) available.
Fully licensed – NO BYO
Limited table bookings for groups of 8 or more only are available – email us for table reservations AFTER you have prebooked.
Please book carefully – as no refunds, credits or exchanges on tix! All ages welcome (but under 18′s must be accompanied by an adult)
Here I am improvising on Margie to two of the All About Swing dancers at a gig in April…
And here’s the band and I with Siobhan and Katrina Jane from the All About Swing crew…
In my swinging trio for the Django Bar, Sunday 16 July, will be: ARIA nominee Geoff Power on sousaphone and trumpet, Ricky May alumnus Grahame Conlon grooving guitar and banjo, and high school alto sax up-and-comer Damon Poppleton. Damon has already performed on stage with Anna Vriend (Canada) and Denis di Blasio (USA).
Damon is way underage, so under 18s are welcome accompanied by a responsible adult.
On the song list will be The Charleston, My Blue Heaven, The Way You Look Tonight, Falling in Love Again and On The Road to Gundagai.
Come along have dinner, have a dance and have fun! See you Sunday 16 July at Swing Night with Greg Poppleton @ Django Bar.
Doors open 6pm. Show 8pm. Finishes 10pm.
I returned with my band, Greg Poppleton, to The Basement in the Master Builders’ Club, Wollongong, for a cosy afternoon of 1920s – 1930s swing and a few laughs.
It was good to see so many old friends of the band in the audience and nice to make some new acquaintances, too.
And it was also very nice to be invited by the Illawarra Jazz Club to play at one of their Corrimal Hotel jazz afternoons later in the year. I’ll keep you posted for time and date.
We’re back at The Builders Club, 61 Church St Wollongong, 2;30-5:30pm on Sunday 22 October.
We’re also playing:
30 June – Gin Mill Social. Tix
16 July – Django Bar, Marrickville. Pre-book $17. $20 door. Tix 29 July – Gin Mill Social. Tix 30 July – Sydney Rowers club, Abbotsford 3pm
In the band was:
Greg Poppleton – 1920s-30s vocals
Grahame Conlon – guitar and banjo
Dave Clayton – double bass
Damon Poppleton – alto and soprano saxes
Greg Poppleton, authentic 1920s-30s singer and band leader with Damon Poppleton alto sax and Dave Clayton double bass.The Greg Poppleton 1920s-30s jazz swing trio with Damon Poppleton alto sax, Grahame Conlon guitar and Dave Clayton double bass.Grahame Conlon with the Greg Poppleton band on guitar doubling banjo.Dave Clayton with the Greg Poppleton band blissing out on the double bassThe Builders Club, jazz every Sunday in The Basement 2:30-5:30pm. 61 Church St Wollongong.
Here’s your Phantom Dancer radio show play list and Video of the Week for Tuesday 4 July.
Your two hour non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV.
Presented by Greg Poppleton on Radio 2SER 107.3 Sydney since 1985.
If you missed the show live and streaming, it’s now online for you to hear over the next month at Radio 2SER
In this week’s Phantom Dancer mix listen to a set of early Frank Sinatra from 1943-44 radio, jump jive by Louis Jordan on 1940s radio and the King of Corn, Spike Jones, on 1949 radio.
The last hour is all vinyl.
Live-streamed and archived online at 2ser.com, your Phantom Dancer is heard on over 22 radio stations.
Your Phantom Dancer Video of the Week this week is Part 2 of the 1940s Republic serial, ‘Radar Men from The Moon’
Enjoy!
Make sure you come back to this blog, Greg Poppleton’s Radio Lounge, every Tuesday, for the newest Phantom Dancer play list and Video of the Week!
Thank you.
Play List – The Phantom Dancer
107.3 2SER-FM Sydney, Live Stream, Digital Radio Community Radio Network Show CRN #269
107.3 2SER Tuesday 4 July 2017 After the 2SER 12 noon news, 12:04 – 2:00pm (+10 hours GMT)
National Program:
2RRR Gladesville Thurs 11am – 12
ArtSoundFM Canberra Sunday 7 – 8pm
and early morning on 22 other stations.
Set 1
Spike Jones 1949 Spotlight Review
Ghost Riders In the Sky
Spike Jones and his City Slickers (voc)
’Corn’s A’Poppin’’
AFRS Re-broadcast
21 May 1949
By The Sea
Spike Jones and his City Slickers (voc) Trio
’Corn’s A’Poppin’’
AFRS Re-broadcast
30 Jan 1949
Carolina Moon + When Yuba Played The Rhumba On The Tuba (theme)
Spike Jones and his City Slickers (voc) Professor Beetlebaum
’Corn’s A’Poppin’’
AFRS Re-broadcast
27 Feb 1949
Set 2
Louis Jordan Jive on 1940s Radio
Caldonia (theme) + You Was Right, Baby
Louis Jordan Tympani 5 (voc) LJ
Cafe Zanzibar
WOR Mutual NY
15 Oct 1945
Nagasaki + One O’Clock Jump
Louis Jordan Tympani 5 (voc) LJ
’Jubilee’
AFRS Re-broadcast
1943
Don’t Worry ‘Bout That Mule + Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie
Louis Jordan Tympani 5 (voc) LJ
’Here Comes Mr Jordan – Pilot Show’
Radio Transcription
1946
Set 3
Sinatra on 1943 – 44 Radio
Theme + With A Song In My Heart
Frank Sinatra
’Treasury Star Parade’
Radio Transcription
New York
1944
Where or When
Frank Sinatra
’Vimms Vitamins Show’
CBS Van Nuys CA
7 Jun 1944
That ‘Ol Black Magic + Put Your Dreams Away (theme)
Frank Sinatra
’Songs By Sinatra’
WABC CBS NY
31 Dec 1943
Set 4
Stan Kenton 1941-44 Radio Transcriptions
Artistry in Rhythm + Two Guitars
Stan Kenton Orchestra
Radio Transcription
Los Angeles
20 Sep 1941
Tabby The Cat
Stan Kenton Orchestra (voc) Anita O’Day
Radio Transcription
Los Angeles
Dec 1944
Blues in F Minor
Stan Kenton Orchestra
Radio Transcription
Los Angeles
20 Sep 1941
Set 5
Eddie Condon Town Hall Jazz Concerts
Singing’ The Blues
Eddie Condon Group featuring Bobby Hackett tp
’Eddie Condon Town Hall Jazz Concert’
WJZ Blue NY
16 Sep 1944
St Louis Blues
Eddie Condon Group
’Eddie Condon Town Hall Jazz Concert’
WJZ Blue NY
16 Sep 1944
Wolverine Blues
Eddie Condon Group
’Eddie Condon Town Hall Jazz Concert’
WJZ Blue NY
15 Jul 1944
Heebie Jeebies + Impromptu Ensemble
Eddie Condon Group
’Eddie Condon Town Hall Jazz Concert’
WJZ Blue NY
9 Sep 1944
Set 6
Early Jazz and Dance on the Radio
Ja, ja die Frau’n Sind mine schwache Seite
Jack Hylton Orchestra (voc) Austin Egen
Comm Rec
Berlin
26 Jan 1928
Nobody’s Sweetheart
Mills Hotsy Totsy Gang
’Brunswick Brevities’
Radio Transcription
New York City
Oct 1929
That’s A Plenty
Red Nichols and his Five Pennies
’Brunswick Brevities’
Radio Transcription
New York City
27 Aug 1929
I’m Through With Love
Gus Arnheim Orchestra (voc) Loyce Whiteman
’Cocoanut Grove’
Radio Transcription
Los Angeles
1931
Greg Poppleton sang with his 1920s-1930s trio at the unusual music venue, Central Station, every day of the June Long Weekend for the Transport Heritage Expo.
The band drew a big semi-circle of onlookers at a location people normally rush through to catch their train.
At one point in the second set, I spied a group of six dressed in fine vintage fashion, hesitating outside the semi circle of onlookers.
When I called out to them that they might want to dance to the next song, Somebody Loves Me, it turned out they were swing dancers!
So I took some snaps as they took to the terrazzo to swirl and twirl to the band’s swinging authentic 1920s – 1930s swing.
After the gig, my agent, Tony Jex, from OzManagement, texted me this nice message from a person who was in the audience,
“Greg, thanks for the dedication of Avalon today. By the way, On The Sunny Side of the Street is my funeral song and always gets me teary. Thanks again,” Craig and Baby Steven.
In the Greg Poppleton band:
Greg Poppleton – Australia’s only authentic 1920s – 1930s singer
Geoff Power – sousaphone and trumpet
Grahame Conlon – guitar
Adam Barnard – washboard, snare, bells, blocks and choke cymbal.
Swing dancing to Greg Poppleton
Swing dancers took the chance to dance to Somebody Loves Me
On the way home, I snapped the same green steam train chugging through Redfern Station
Steam train waiting at Central for the Transport Heritage Expo
Grahame Conlon, guitar
Geoff Power, playing Sunday on cornet
Greg Poppleton 1920s – 30s singer leads his trio: Geoff Power sousaphone and cornet, Grahame Conlon guitar, Adam Barnard washboard and snare
Children love dancing to Greg Poppleton’s 1920s-30s music. lots of high fives.
And please visit Greg Poppleton’s website at www.gregpoppletonmusic.com with lots of band videos, photos and gig guide.
Greg Poppleton sang with his 1920s-1930s trio at the unusual music venue, Central Station, every day of the June Long Weekend for the Transport Heritage Expo.
The band drew a big audience on the station concourse.
In fact, we were the first jazz band to ever attract an audience at a Heritage Transport Expo.
Sousaphonist Cazzbo Johns joined the band for the Sunday session of 1920s – 1930s music
And I invited Cy Chen, a jazz singer from China, holidaying in Australia, to sing two songs – All of Me and Autumn Leaves. And the crowd loved her.
I took some snaps, plus I’ve found some snaps online of the gig for you to see.
In the Greg Poppleton band:
Greg Poppleton – Australia’s only authentic 1920s – 1930s singer
Cazzbo Johns – sousaphone
Grahame Conlon – guitar
Adam Barnard – washboard, snare, bells, blocks and choke cymbal.
And please visit Greg Poppleton’s website at www.gregpoppletonmusic.com with lots of band videos, photos and gig guide.
We play for weddings, corporate events and parties, too.
Action pix:
Screenshot of Chinese jazz singer Cy Chen with Greg Poppleton band. Cazzbo Johns sousaphone, Grahame Conlon guitar, Adam Barnard washboard and snare
Screen Shot of Greg Poppleton singing Tip Toe Through The Tulips with his band Geoff Power sousaphone, Grahame Conlon banjo and Adam Barnard washboard and snare
Greg Poppleton with visiting jazz singer from China, Cy Chen
Adam Barnard is a blur of action on the washboard
Cazzbo Johns on the sousaphone
Dancing to Greg Poppleton and his 1920s – 1930s music
Please visit Greg Poppleton’s website at www.gregpoppletonmusic.com with lots of band videos, photos and gig guide.
Actor - Singer - Voiceover 