News

Southern Louisiana music, off the radio is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature. You’ll hear Cajun and New Orleans jazz from 1950s and 60 radio. Read the story, see Hal Kemp videos, read play list and hear show here…

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

Clifford Brown is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature. Clifford Brown was an outstanding jazz trumpeter who in a career spanning only a few years became a jazz sensation. See playlist, story, watch Clifford Brown videos, hear show here

Shuffle Rhythm is featured on this week’s Phantom Dancer with 1944-45 broadcasts by Henry Busse and Jan Savitt

John Kirby, double bassist, tuba and trombone player, 1930s proponent of ‘Chamber Jazz’, Bach fan, and band leader is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist with Greg Poppleton. Read his story, see videos, see the radio playlist and listen to the show here

Benny Goodman goes Bop from live 1948-49 radio is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist with Greg Poppleton. Read the story, see videos, hear the show from 24 August 2021 on 2SER

Phil Harris is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Wonga Phil Harris was a drummer, band leader, singer, comedian, actor, Academy Award winner and voice-over artist.

Martha Tilton is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. She was a US pop singer during the Swing Era and into the 1960s who found fame as Benny Goodman’s singer from 1937-39.

Doc Cheatham is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. He was an American jazz trumpeter, singer and bandleader. You’ll hear a set of bands he played in from live radio broadcasts, and a set of 1930s Cab Calloway in which band Cheatham played 1st trumpet. This is another classic Phantom Dancer as Sydney stays in lockdown. Also read the Doc Cheatham story here.

Baby Rose Marie, singer, stage, film and TV star had an extraordinary 91 year showbiz career. See videos of Rose Marie from age 5 onwards. Read a short bio, play list, hear the show from 20 July

Happy 500th National show, Phantom Dancer! This week’s show mixed by Greg Poppleton features Bob Crosby, Cab Calloway, Afro-Cuban Machito, Women in Jazz and WW2 Russian swing.

Sam ‘The Man’ Taylor, influential 1940s jump and 1950s rock tenor saxophonist, is this week’s Phantom Dancer non-stop swing jazz feature artist. You’ll hear him from two 1956 Rock ‘n’ Roll Dance Party broadcasts on this week’s mix.

Alix Combelle, French 1930s-40s swing saxophonist and band leader, is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. The Phantom Dancer, produced weekly by Greg Poppleton, is your non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV.

Bud Freeman, is the Phantom Dancer feature artist this week. You’ll hear his Summa cum Laude Orchestra from a 1940s radio broadcast. He was known for his improvisations on tenor sax and I quote from his tips on improvisation here. Read the story, play list, watch videos and hear the radio show here.

Hal Kemp, is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. You’ll hear his dance orchestra in broadcasts from 1934 to 1939. Read his story, see Hal Kemp videos, read play list and hear show here…

Linda Keene, is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. You’ll hear two songs by Linda singing with Jack Teagarden’s Orchestra in an aircheck from 1939. See links to her story compiled throgh extensive research by The False Ducks Blahg

Edmundo Ros, Rumba King, led a highly popular Latin American orchestra, made over 800 records, and owned one of London’s leading nightclubs. He’s this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Read his story, play list, see videos and listen to the show here

What are you doing this Saturday? We’ll be having fun with songs from the 1920s-30s at Penrith RSL. It’s free and you’re invited. 2-5pm, this Saturday 11 December. First 5,000 at door get in FREE.

Louis Prima, band leader, composer and trumpeter is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Read his story, see videos, read the play list and hear the show from 25 May here.

Barbara James, Australian dance band singer features on this week’s Phantom Dancer with some of her broadcasts from the 1930s and 1940s. This is a repeat of a 2018 mix. Read the Barbrara James story, Phantom Dancer play list and hear the show after 18 May here.

Sorcery and Swing at the Sydney Solstice Speakeasy, Cellos, Castlereagh Boutique Hotel. 1920s songs by Greg Poppleton. Magic by Bruce Glen. Champagne, canapes on arrival. Sumptuous 3 course dinner. Bar and dance floor.

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.

Ray Miller, popular 1920s band leader and trombonist, whose jazz band was the first to play at the White House (in 1924) is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Visit for story, videos, play list and show here.

Turk Murphy, San Francisco Great Revival trad trombonist, singer, composer, arranger, and union band leader who looked after his musicians is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist with Greg Poppleton.

Max Roach was one of the most important drummers in history. The bebop pioneer was also a composer and is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Read his story, show play list, hear show and see videos here…

Penrith RSL Saturday Jazz has 1920s-30s singer, Greg Poppleton, and his swinging trio, back for a laid-back afternoon of music and dancing

Lester Young, jazz tenor saxophonist called ‘The Prez’, is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist from live 1940s-50s broadcasts. Young was one of the most influential saxophinists, playing “a free-floating style, wheeling and diving like a gull, banking with low, funky riffs that pleased dancers and listeners alike”. Alcohol killed him.

Ruth Etting was a US singer/actress of the 1920s and 1930s. She never had voice lessons and had over 60 hit recordings. She worked on stage, radio and film. She was known as ‘America’s Radio Sweetheart’ and was also involved in a famous case of domestic violence with her mobster first husband. Read her story, Phantom Dancer play list, see videos and listen to the show here

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

Clifford Brown is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature. Clifford Brown was an outstanding jazz trumpeter who in a career spanning only a few years became a jazz sensation. See playlist, story, watch Clifford Brown videos, hear show here

Shuffle Rhythm is featured on this week’s Phantom Dancer with 1944-45 broadcasts by Henry Busse and Jan Savitt

John Kirby, double bassist, tuba and trombone player, 1930s proponent of ‘Chamber Jazz’, Bach fan, and band leader is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist with Greg Poppleton. Read his story, see videos, see the radio playlist and listen to the show here

Benny Goodman goes Bop from live 1948-49 radio is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist with Greg Poppleton. Read the story, see videos, hear the show from 2 March 2021 on 2SER

Deco Park Picnic, Valentines’ Day, Sunday 14 February 2021: the 1920s Greg Poppleton Trio with Paul Baker on banjo, Adan Barnard on washboard (and myself singing), serenaded revellers with songs of the 1920s.

Phil Harris is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. Wonga Phil Harris was a drummer, band leader, singer, comedian, actor, Academy Award winner and voice-over artist.

Hear him on Greg Poppleton’s award-winning Phantom Dancer radio show. Every Tuesday on 107.3 2SER Sydney and online.

Martha Tilton is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. She was a US pop singer during the Swing Era and into the 1960s who found fame as Benny Goodman’s singer from 1937-39.

Doc Cheatham is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist, suggested by a regular listener. Doc Cheatham was an American jazz trumpeter, singer and bandleader. You’ll hear a set of bands he played in from live radio broadcasts, and a set of 1930s Cab Calloway in which he’s 1st trumpet.

Rosemary Clooney, 1950s pop star and post 60s jazz singer had an incredible voice despite heavy smoking which finally made the end of her life painful before killing her.

Rudy Vallée was an American singer, composer, musician, actor and radio host. He was one of the first teen idols, the first to sing into a PA, the first to use a theremin and an electric banjo in a dance band, and one of the first to admit to using recording equipment in his daily music practice. He’s this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist.

Fred Astaire – singer – is your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week. You’ll hear him singing and tap dancing on a special edition of The Packard Hour radio show. The transcription you’ll hear has a bit of wow and flutter but is still listenable.

First nighters, radio premiers from 1940s-50s radio feature on this week’s Phantom Dancer. Music by Morton Gould, Lucky Millinder and Duke Ellington

Sweet Sue video. Sound track is from the album Tin Pan Alley Vol. 2. Video is from shows Greg and his 1920s-30s band/orchestra have played

Eddie Heywood is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist in a non-stop mix of swing and jazz from New Years broadcasts from the 1930s, 40s and 50s.

Chico Hamilton and his Quartet spread Christmas cheer on this week’s non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV – The Phantom Dancer – with Greg Poppleton.

Barbara James, Australian dance band singer features on this week’s Phantom Dancer with some of her broadcasts from the 1930s and 1940s.

Bob Chester, swing band leader and tenor saxophonist, is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist from live 1939 and 1944 broadcasts. Presented by Greg Poppleton

Jan Savitt, child prodigy classical violinist and popular dance band leader is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. You’ll Jan Savitt and his Top Hatters in broadcasts from 1937-39.

Charlie and his Orchestra, the WW2 German English language propaganda orchestra is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. You’ll also hear in the videos 1940s pop swing by the Lutz Templin Orchestra which was booked by the Nazi Government to record as Charlie.