Live in 1940-1941

Personnel includes: Will Bradley (leader, trombone); Ray McKinley (vocals, drums); Carlotta Dale, Terry Allen, Lynn Gardner (vocals); Peanuts Hucko (teno saxophone, clarinet); Freddy Slack (piano).
Recorded live at The Famous Door and Hotel Astor, New York, New York on March 15, 1940 and August 22, 1941. Includes liner notes by Campbell Burnap.
Personnel: Will Bradley (trombone); Ray McKinley (vocals, drums); Terry Allen , Lynn Gardner, Carlotta Dale (vocals); Mahlon Clark (alto, clarinet); George Koenig (alto); Steve Jordan (guitar); Peanuts Hucko (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Jo Jo Huffman, Artt Mendelsohn (alto saxophone); Arthur Rollini, Sam Sachelle, Pete Mondello (tenor saxophone); Felix Giobbe (baritone saxophone); James Grimes, Ralph Muzillo, Tom Dicarlo, Joe Wiedman, Herbie Dell, Steve Lipkins (trumpet); Don Ruppersberg, Bill Corti, Jimmy Emert (trombone); Freddie Slack, Billy Maxted (piano).
Liner Note Author: Campbell Burnap.
Recording information: Famous Door, NY (03/15/1940-08/22/1941); Hotel Astor, NY (03/15/1940-08/22/1941).
Arrangers: Freddie Slack; Billy Maxted; Billy Whitney.
Live in 1940-1941 collects two fine performances by the big band Will Bradley, formed with drummer/vocalist Ray McKinley. Bradley sounds wonderful leading the group through swinging numbers like "In a Little Spanish Town" and "This Little Icky Went to Town," and he really shines on "Fatal Fascination," a ballad he co-wrote with pianist Freddie Slack, which serves as the band's intro and outro to both sets. Slack's arrangements, filled with richness and class often lost in modern music, and McKinley's fluid drumming solidify Live in 1940-1941 as a magnificent document of a highly skilled band who unfortunately did not last long due to Bradley's reluctance in the spotlight. ~ Gregory McIntosh