Will Bradley
Source: Last FM
Born Wilbur Schwictenberg on 12 July 1912 in Newton, New Jersey, jazz trombonist, Will Bradley, traded NJ for New York in 1928, there to work in bands like Milt Shaw's Detroiters. Bradley first appeared on records in 1931, his debut session with Bob Haring on May 15: 'Building a Home for You' (Banner 32189). Tom Lord's discography, however, qualifies that with "possibly".
'Building a Home for You'
Will Bradley (trombone) w Bob Haring & His Orchestra
Recorded 15 May 1931 in NYC Matrix 10624-3 Banner 32189
Suggested personnel:
Trumpet Bunny Berigan Alto sax: Andy Sannella Vocal: Willian Robyn
Composition: Joseph Santly / Joe Bennett / Gus Kahn
On October 2 of 1931 Bradley laid tracks with Red Nichols: 'Get Cannibal' and 'Junk Man Blues' on Brunswick 6219. November 2 found him backing Connie Boswell on 'Time on My Hands' and 'Concentratin'' (Brunswick 6210), he to finish the year with Nichols on 22 December with Artie Shaw in the band at clarinet and alto sax. He and Shaw would get mixed a few more times in the thirties with the Boswell Sisters, then Bill Challis. Bradley later supported Shaw's orchestra in 1950, 1953 and 1955.
'Time on My Hands' Will Bradley (trombone) backing Connie Boswell
Recorded 2 Nov 1931 in NYC Matrix E-37333-A Brunswick 6210
Suggested personnel:
Trumpet: Manny Klein Clarinet / alto sax: Jimmy Dorsey
Piano: Martha Boswell Violin: Joe Venuti
Guitar: Eddie Lang Bass: Joe Tarto Drums: Chauncey Morehouse
Composition: Joseph Santly / Joe Bennett / Gus Kahn
Bradley began 1932 with Bing Crosby on 'Shine' (Brunswick 6276). Other big names with whom Bradley recorded included Ray Noble in 1935 and 1936 and the Boswell Sisters in 1935. He contributed to the Jack Shilkret Orchestra in 1936. First recording with Benny Goodman's operation in 1937, he worked with Goodman often to as late as 1963. He backed Ella Fitzgerald for the first time in 1938, again in 1947.
'Shine'
Bing Crosby w the Mills Brothers
Recorded 29 Feb 1932 in NYC Matrix 11376-A Brunswick 6276
Suggested personnel:
Trombone: Will Bradley or Charlie Butterfield
Alto sax: Les Dreyer / Benny Kreuger Tenor sax: Max Farley
Piano: Joe Meresco Guitar: Eddie Lang
Tuba: Hank Stern Drums: Larry Gomar or Chauncey Morehouse
Composition: Cecil Mack / Ford Thompson Dabney / Louis Brownstein
Bradley is thought to have changed his name from Schwictenberg when he began to lead his own orchestra in 1939 with drummer / vocalist Ray McKinley in the band. His initial titles as a leader were recorded September 19: 'Forever More' (Vocalion 5237), 'Love Nest' (Columbia 35354), 'Memphis Blues' (Vocalion 5130) and 'Old Doc Yak' (Vocalion 5130). Sessions followed in October and consistently beyond. Bradley's band would become well-known for boogie woogie via which he filled a timely role as a bridge between swing jazz and later rock n roll. Five of his releases reached the Top Ten (my convention) on Billboard's pop charts in 1940 and 1941 [Music VF]:
Beat Me Daddy (Eight to
the Bar) Sep 1940 #2
Scrub Me, Mama, with a Boogie Beat Sep 1940 #2
Down the Road a Piece Dec 1940 #10
There I Go Dec 1940 #5
High on a Windy Hill Feb 1941 #9
'Scramble Two' Will Bradley & His Orchestra
Recorded 16 April 1940 in NYC Matrix 26733-A Columbia 35732
Suggested personnel:
Trumpet: Steve Lipkins / Joe Wiedman / Al Mitchell
Trombone: Will Bradley / Bill Corti / Jim Emert
Alto sax: Joe Huffman / Art Mendelsohn
Clarinet / tenor sax: Peanuts Hucko
Tenor sax / baritone sax: Sam Sachelle
Piano: Freddie Slack Guitar: Steve Jordan
Bass: Doc Goldberg Drums / vocal: Ray McKinley
Composition: Charlie Dixon
'Beat me Daddy, Eight to the Bar' Will Bradley & His Orchestra
Recorded 21 May 1940 in NYC 1 of 2 takes
Piano: Freddie Slack Drums / vocal: Ray McKinley
Composition: Don Raye / Ray McKinley / Hughie Prince
'Rock-A-Bye The Boogie' Will Bradley & His Orchestra
Recorded 16 July 1940 in NYC Matrix 28021 Columbia 35732
Drums / vocal: Ray McKinley
Composition: Hughie Prince / Don Raye / Freddie Slack
'Down the Road a Piece' Will Bradley and his Trio
Recorded 16 July 1940 in NYC Matrix 27872-1 Columbia 35707
Piano: Freddie Slack Bass: Doc Goldberg
Drums / vocal: Ray McKinley Vocal: Will Bradley
Composition: Don Raye
'Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat' Will Bradley and His Orchestra
Recorded 18 Sep 1940 in NYC Matrix 28654-1 Columbia 35743
Piano: Freddie Slack Bass: Doc Goldberg
Drums / vocal: Ray McKinley
Composition: Don Raye
'Chicken Gumboogie' Will Bradley and His Orchestra
Recorded 6 Jan 1941 in NYC Matrix 29413-1 Columbia 35939
Piano: Freddie Slack Bass: Doc Goldberg
Drums / vocal: Ray McKinley
Composition: Joan Whitney
'Boardwalk Boogie' Will Bradley and His Orchestra Short Film
Sometime 1941
Drums: Ray McKinley
Composition: ?
Bradley joined the military in 1942 and spent time as a member of Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band. World War II also made it difficult to keep an orchestra together. Once while playing in Detroit Bradley lost six musicians all at once to the draft.
Bradley got mixed with trumpeter, Billy Butterfield, numerously from 1943 to 1955, again in 1959 and 1960. He backed Mildred Bailey continuously from 1944 into 1945, once again in 1955. Tom Lord has him recording with tenor saxophonist, Jerry Jerome, for the first time in February of 1945 in the band of Yank Lawson. He then joined Jerome's All American Band a few times in 1947. Bradley can be found on a few recordings with Tommy Dorsey from 1945 into 1950. He first got mixed with trumpeter, Neal Hefti, in 1946 with the Metronome All Stars, later supporting Hefti's band from 1951 to 1954. He sat in Ralph Flanagan's orchestra severally from 1949 to 1957, also backing Sarah Vaughan on several occasions from 1949 into 1952.
'Lady Be Good'
Yank Lawson and His Orchestra featuring Will Bradley (trombone)
12 Feb 1945 in NYC Matrix VP1191
V-Disc 217-A (Navy) 437-A (Army) Brunswick BL58050
Trumpet: Yank Lawson / Billy Butterfield / Nat Natoli / Bill Graham / John Owens
Trombone: Vernon Brown / Billy Rauch / Buddy Morrow as Moe Zudecoff
Clarinet: Bill Stegmeyer
Sax: Ray Eckstrand / Paul Ricci / Bill Stegmeyer / Jerry Jerome / John Pepper
Piano: Frank Signorelli Guitar: Carl Kress
Bass: Bob Haggart Drums: Johnny Blowers
Composition: George & Ira Gershwin
Bradley's drummer, McKinley, formed a new configuration of the Glenn Miller ghost band in 1956. Hiring Bradley to help fill it, that orchestra operated for a decade to 1966. Bradley was also a member of the Tonight Show Band during its Carson era. He died on 15 July 1989 in Flemington, New Jersey.
Sources & References for Will Bradley:
arwuf arwulf (All Music)
VF History (notes)
Scott Yanow (Syncopated Times)
Compositions: Music Brainz Second Hand Songs
Recordings: Discographies: 45 Worlds Discogs RYM
Recordings: Compilations:
The Best of Will Bradley with Ray McKinley: Eight to the Bar (1939-41)
Rock-A-Bye the Boogie with the Will Bradley - Ray McKinley Orchestra (1940-41):
Recordings: Sessionographies:
DAHR (1935-55)
Tom Lord: leading 56 of 286 sessions 1931-68
Brian Rust (The American Dance Band Discography 1917-1942 / University of Michigan 1975)
Brian Rust & Malcom Shaw (Jazz and Ragtime Records 1897-1942 / Mainspring Press 2002)
Further Reading: Archives:
Radio and Television Mirror (1941)
Authority Search: VIAF
Other Profiles:
Leonard Feather / Ira Gitler (The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz / 1999)
Classical Main Menu Modern Recording
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