News

Greg Poppleton talks about 1930s-composer Raymond Scott on Sonic Jouney with Simon Marnie, ABC radio Sydney

Jean Sablon was the most widely acclaimed male French singer of his generation in the world after Maurice Chavalier. He’s this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist.Listen here…

At Bondi Pavilion, Classic Hits celebrate Make Music Day with Greg Poppleton singing the swing jazz songs of the 1920s and 1930s

Carson Robison was a two-tone whistler, guitarist, banjoist, singer and composer. He recorded the first country record, early rap, and popularised radio via his radio shows. And he is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Listen here…

Hans Rehmstedt was a 1930s-40s German swing band leader and violinist. He is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. He recorded some moody atmospheric sides in the late 30s- early 40s, some of which you’ll hear on this week’s Phantom Dancer Listen here…

Enoch Light swing band leader, violinist, lounge music wizard and recording engineer, inventor of the ‘ping-pong sound’ on 1950s-60s hi-fi records, gatefold albums and distinctive commissioned album art, is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist.. Listen here…

Greg Poppleton returned by popular demand to the Great Art Deco Ball – celebrating 13 years, 4th February 2023 – in the timeless elegance of Katoomba’s wedding cake Carrington Hotel

Chubby Jackson is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. He was an American jazz double-bassist and band leader. Listen here…

Ernest Hutcheson is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist in a broadcast from 1936. He was an internationally renowned concert pianist born in Australia and was president of Juilliard, the prestigious Arts school in New York City. Listen here…

Bud Freeman was an American jazz musician, bandleader and composer. He is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Bud Freeman was one of the first tenor saxophonists in jazz along with Coleman Hawkins. Read his story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

The King’s Jesters, billed as America’s ‘biggest little band’ is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artists. They were a vocal group who accompanied themselves on guitar, banjo and other instruments and with orchestra. They were household names in the 1930s and early 1940s. Read their story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Flip Philips is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Joseph Edward Filippelli aka Flip Philips was a jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinettist who played swing, big band and Stravinsky. Listen here…

Harry & Edna, Britain’s ‘1940s Radio Sweethearts’ interview Greg Poppleton about his latest album on the Harry & Edna Wireless Show

Waltzing Matilda in swing from World War 2 is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature. Listen here…

New Year’s Eve radio from live 1945-71 swing & jazz radio

New Year radio from NBC’s ‘All-Star Parade of Bands’ radio plus Swing and jazz programming from the Christmas season is the focus for the first part of this week’s Phantom Dancer. Listen here…

Christmas radio carols from 1930s – 50s radio plus pop music programming from the season is the focus for the first part of this week’s Phantom Dancer. The first part of the Phantom Dancer is nationally networked and will be on radio across Australia from 19 November. Listen here…

Sorcery & Swing – magical illusions, 1920s jazz band for listening and dancing, champagne & canapes on arrival + 3-course dinner! Book now

Sorcery & Swing – magical illusions, 1920s jazz band for listening and dancing, champagne & canapes on arrival + 3-course dinner! Book now

Gus Arnheim was a popular US band leader, composer and pianist. Bing Crosby first achieved solo popularity singing with the Arnheim band. You’ll hear Bing sing live with Arnheim on live 1931 radio on this week’s Phantom Dancer. Gus Arnheim is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Listen here…

Freddy Martin was a U.S band leader and tenor saxophonist. His singing saxophone and his orchestra became one of the most popular and musical sweet bands. He made his first recording in 1930 and was leading bands until 1983. He is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Read his story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Tony Bennett, singer, is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. You’ll hear him and his music in a 1955 interview. Bennett has released over 70 albums during his career. The biggest selling of these in the U.S. have been I Left My Heart in San Francisco, MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett, and Duets: An American Classic, all of which went platinum for shipping one million copies. Read his story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Spike Jones is this week’s Phantom dancer feature artist. He was a US drummer, percussionist and bandleader specializing in spoof arrangements of popular songs and classical music. Read his story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Greg Poppleton’s 1920s-30s band entertain, Friday 2 December at Sydney Town Hall for the 2022 Christmas Concert.

Billy Maxted, U.S jazz arranger, and pianist, is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. He wrote for Benny Goodman, Red Nichols and Claude Thornhill and led his own Dixieland band in the 1950s which we’ll hear live on this week’s Phantom Dancer.Read his story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Tadd Dameron, U.S jazz composer, arranger, and pianist, is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. He was the most influential arranger of the bebop era. He also wrote charts for swing and hard bop players. Read his story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Come join me and my friends for two great jazz shows 6pm Saturday 19 August & 1pm Sunday 20 August at Sunshine Coast Jazz Club. Book now In keeping with the Sunshine Coast Jazz Club’s motto, “Putting Sunshine into Jazz”, the SSJC brings you Australia’s only authentic 1920s-30s singer Greg Poppleton and 6-piece swing band […]

Come join me and my friends for two great jazz shows 6pm Saturday 19 August & 1pm Sunday 20 August at Sunshine Coast Jazz Club. Book now In keeping with the Sunshine Coast Jazz Club’s motto, “Putting Sunshine into Jazz”, the SSJC brings you Australia’s only authentic 1920s-30s singer Greg Poppleton and 6-piece swing band […]

St Louis Blues features on this Tuesday’s annual 2SER radiothon Phantom Dancer. Time to subscribe and support 2SER community radio. Now is your moment to win great prizes when you pledge your support to 2SER which has been bringing you The Phantom Dancer with Greg Poppleton since 1985.

A live Saturday Phantom Dancers swing mix for the 2022 2SER Radiothon – your chance to win great prizes when you pledge your support to this community radio station. 2SER has been bringing you The Phantom Dancer with Greg Poppleton since 1985. This week’s show is a Big Band-a-thon – all from 1944-51 radio.

2SER Radiothon comes by but 2 weeks a year. It’s your chance to win great prizes when you pledge your support to this community radio station. 2SER has been bringing you The Phantom Dancer with Greg Poppleton since 1985. This week’s show is a Honeysuckle Rose-a-thon – all from vinyl 1930s-60s radio transcriptions.

Lenny Herman accordianist and xylophonist led what was dubbed ‘The Mightiest Little Band in the Land’ in the 1940s and 50s. For fans of 1950s Lounge Music albums, here’s one of those bent easy listening orchestras live on 1948 and 1957 radio as this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Read his story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Chiemi Eri was a Japanese actor and singer of folk songs and jazz. She is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist, on which she even sings a Turkish folk song.Read her story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Johnny Ace, R’n’B star from the early 1950s, known as ‘The Tear Beat on the Blue Note’, is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Read his story and play list, see videos, hear the radio show here

Ted Fio Rito band leader, composer and pianist, is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist in a 1934 Cocoanut Grove radio transcription. Read story, play list, watch Cocoanut Grove videos and listen to show here.

Sorcery and Swing comes to Melboirne, 7 October. The Kelvin Club will tranform into a “Roaring Twenties” speakeasy for this not-to-be-missed event! Book Now: pearls@kelvinclub.com or (03) 9654 5711

Dinah Washington, The Queen of the Blues, the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s, is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature. Read the story and play list, see videos, hear the radio show here

Charlie Shavers was an American jazz trumpeter. He played with Dizzy Gillespie, Nat King Cole, Roy Eldridge, Johnny Dodds, Jimmie Noone, Sidney Bechet, Midge Williams, Tommy Dorsey. and Billie Holiday. He was also an arranger and composer. One of his songs, “Undecided”, is a jazz standard. Read his story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Bud Freeman was an American jazz musician, bandleader and composer. He is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Bud Freeman was one of the first tenor saxophonists in jazz along with Coleman Hawkins. Read his story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Sonic Journey with Simon Marnie, 10 September, I chat about obscure women swing and jazz singers who broadcast live on 1930s-50s radio.

The King’s Jesters, billed as America’s ‘biggest little band’ is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artists. They were a vocal group who accompanied themselves on guitar, banjo and other instruments and with orchestra. They were household names in the 1930s and early 1940s. Read their story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Great Art Deco Ball – Greg Poppleton brings authentic 1920s music to the timeless elegance of the Carrington Hotel in Katoomba

Jones and Hare, Billy Jones and Ernie Hare, were a vocal duo who sang novelty songs, popular on radio in the 1920s and continuing on radio up to 1939. Billy Jones (1889-1940) was a tenor and Ernie Hare was a bass/baritone (1883-1939). They’re this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artists. Read their story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Phil Napoleon, pioneer jazz trumpeter and band leader is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Read his story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Sammy Davis Jnr, singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and tv director is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Read his story, watch videos, see playlist and listen to show here…

Don Redman is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Don Redman was a U.S jazz musician, arranger, bandleader and composer. The inventor of swing. Hear him in a rare, static-filled 1933 home radio disc recording. Read his story, watch videos, see the play list and listen to the show here…