Composed by Bunny Berigan. Privately recorded on March 16, 1939 in New York. Bunny Berigan, gelastic (humorous) recitation and trumpet; Joe Bushkin, piano. The story: It is not often that I or anyone gets the opportunity to present a world premier of a Bunny Berigan recording. Nevertheless, through a tangled web of happenstance and my ability to stumble forward occasionally, I am able to do so now. Here is the back-story: 1913 – Fox Lake, Wisconsin. L-R: Bunny’s older brother Don, Bunny, and their cousin, Charles Casey. Notice the scarf and star badge Bunny is wearing. He was already an indiv ..read more

Composed by: Philip Braham (music) and Douglas Furber (lyric); arranged by Benny Carter. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra live in performance on the NBC Raleigh-Kool radio show on January 25, 1937 in New York. Tommy Dorsey, lead trombone, directing: Bunny Berigan, solo trumpet; Bob Cusumano, (lead) Jimmy Welch and Joe Bauer, trumpets; Les Jenkins and Artie Foster, trombones; Freddie Stulce, lead alto saxophone; Joe Dixon, clarinet & alto saxophone; Clyde Rounds clarinet and tenor saxophone; Bud Freeman tenor saxophone; Dick Jones, piano; Carmen Mastren, guitar; Gene Traxler, bas ..read more

Composed by Fred Fisher; arranged by Joe Lippman. Recorded live in performance at the Paradise Restaurant in Manhattan on April 3, 1938. Bunny Berigan, first and solo trumpet; Steve Lipkins and Irving Goodman, trumpets; Thomas “Sonny” Lee and Al George, trombones; Robert “Mike” Doty, first alto saxophone; Joe Dixon, alto saxophone and clarinet; Georgie Auld and Clyde Rounds, tenor saxophones; Joe Lippman, piano; Tom Morganelli, guitar; Hank Wayland, bass; Johnny Blowers, drums. The story: One of the most fortuitous (for Berigan fans) developments to have occurred while the Bunny played at th ..read more

Composed by Dick Howard, Bob Ellsworth and Russ Morgan; probably arranged by Gene Kutch. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for Elite on March 11, 1942 in New York. Bunny Berigan, solo trumpet, directing: Kenny Davis (lead), Bob Mansell, Fred Norton, trumpets; Max Smith, Charlie Stout, trombones; George Quinty (lead alto), Walt Mellor (alto and baritone), Red Lange, Neal Smith (tenors), saxophones; Gene Kutch, piano; Tony Espen, bass; Jack Sperling, drums; Kay Little, vocal. The story: Much of the story of wh ..read more

Composed by Sidney D. Mitchell and Lew Pollack; arranged by Joe Lippman. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for Victor on April 21, 1938 in New York. Bunny Berigan, solo trumpet, directing: Steve Lipkins, first trumpet; Irving Goodman, trumpet; Nat Lobovsky, first trombone; Al George, trombone; Mike Doty, first alto saxophone; Joe Dixon, alto saxophone; Georgie Auld and Clyde Rounds, tenor saxophones; Joe Lippman, piano; Dick Wharton, guitar; Hank Wayland, bass; Johnny Blowers, drums. Ruth Gaylor, vocal. The story: One of the most fortuitous (for Berigan fans) developments to have o ..read more

Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for Victor on August 7, 1937 in New York. Composed by Guy Massey; arranged by Dick Rose, with adjustments by Berigan and his band in performance. Bunny Berigan, first and solo trumpet, directing: Steve Lipkins, first trumpet in first part of performance; Irving Goodman, trumpet; Thomas “Sonny” Lee, first trombone; Al George, trombone; Robert “Mike” Doty, first alto saxophone; Giuseppi Ischia (Joe Dixon), alto saxophone; Clyde Rounds and Georgie Auld, tenor saxophones; Joe Lippman, piano; Tommy Morgan(elli), guitar; Frederick “Hank” Wayland, bass; Ge ..read more

Composed by Juan Tizol and Jimmy Mundy; arranged by Jimmy Mundy. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra live at Manhattan Center, New York City, September 26, 1939. Bunny Berigan, trumpet, directing: Jake Koven, Truman Quigley, Carl “Bama” Warwick, trumpets; Mark Pasco, Al Jennings, trombones; Charlie DiMaggio (as/cl) Joe DiMaggio (as/cl); Larry Walsh (ts/bs); Stuart Anderson (ts/cl), reeds; Edwin “Buddy” Koss, piano; Tommy Moore, guitar; Morty Stulmaker, bass; Paul Collins, drums. The story: In the wake of the maneuvering, legal and managerial, that occurred after Bunny Berigan com ..read more

Composed by Bronislau Kaper, Walter Jurmann and Gus Kahn; arranged by Joe Lippman. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for Victor on June 18, 1937 in New York. Bunny Berigan, trumpet, directing: Steve Lipkins, Irving Goodman, trumpets; Thomas B. “Sonny” Lee, first trombone; Morey Samel, trombone; Sid Perlmutter, first also saxophone; Joe Dixon, alto saxophone and B-flat clarinet; Georgie Auld and Clyde Rounds, tenor saxophones; Joe Lippman, piano, Tom Morganelli, guitar; Arnold Fishkind, bass; George Wettling, drums; Ruth Bradley, vocal. The story: Berigan and George Wettling stroll o ..read more

Composed by Abel Baer and Cliff Heff; arranged by Abe Osser or Andy Phillips. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for Victor on April 21, 1938 in New York. Bunny Berigan, trumpet, directing Steve Lipkins and Irving Goodman, trumpets; Nat Lobovsky and Ray Conniff, trombones; Mike Doty, first alto saxophone; Joe Dixon, alto saxophone and B-flat clarinet; Georgie Auld and Clyde Rounds, tenor saxophones; Joe Lippman, piano; Dick Wharton, guitar; Hank Wayland, bass; Johnny Blowers, drums; Ruth Gaylor, vocal. The story: Arranger Andy Phillips came on the scene in April of 1938 while the Ber ..read more

Composed by Victor Shertzinger; arranged by either Andy Fitzgerald or Frank Crolene. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra from an NBC broadcast on October 14, 1940 from the World’s Fair of 1940, Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York. Bunny Berigan, trumpet, directing: Jack Thompson (lead), Frank Perry, Ray Kranz, trumpets; Ernie Stricker (lead), Max Smith, trombones; Eddie Alcock (lead alto), Andy Fitzgerald (third alto), Johnny Castaldi (second tenor), Frank Crolene (fourth tenor), saxophones; Buddy Koss, piano; probably Tommy Moore, guitar; Morty Stulmaker, bass; and Jack Maisel, drums ..read more