Listening with Leckrone

Welcome to the Listening with Leckrone Podcast, a pop and jazz music history show hosted by the legendary music educator and former director of th University of Wisconsin marching band, Mike Leckrone. I'm Sam Taylor, the producer of the podcast. In this episode, we spotlight three unique singers, Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, and Joe Williams, who all spent time as vocalists for the Count Basie Orchestra. We hope you enjoy.  For an episode guide for this and other episodes, visit fourseasonstheatre.com

In today's episode, we compare the careers of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, bandleaders and renowned clarinetists of the Big Band era. For more information on this episode, and to check out Four Seasons Theatre's 2024-2025 season announcement, visit fourseasonstheatre.com.

In this episode, Mike explores the illustrious life and career of one of music's greatest entertainers, Cab Calloway. Check out more information, including podcast guides, at https://fourseasonstheatre.com/onstage_on_air/listening-with-leckrone/

In this episode, Mike spotlights big band leaders Bennie Moten and Jimmie Lunceford. Though they may not be household names, we hope this episode will inspire you to listen to more from these swinging orchestras and perhaps make new discoveries within the Big Band Era. 

Happy Holidays! To offset the same old holiday songs playing through your head, Mike has curated a playlist of Holiday Hits you may not have heard before. Enjoy arrangements from Fats Waller, Harry James, Stan Kenton, and more! Find transcripts and podcast guides at fourseasonstheatre.com.

In this episode, Mike explores the career and music of Wisconsin's own Les Paul, legendary guitarist and inventor. In addition to having an impact on the industry through his musicianship, he also greatly influenced physical guitar models and recording techniques through his own inventions and explorations. Whether you are listening to his early jazz trio, his collaborations with Mary Ford or Chet Atkins, or his country roots, Les Paul's personality and love for his instrument always shines through.  For a transcript of this episode, along with a podcast guide, visit fourseasonstheatre.com.

In today's episode we explore the music of Jack Teagarden, a trombonist and vocalist whose superior technique and relaxed singing style found him playing with the biggest band leaders of the day. Check out fourseasonstheatre.com for more info and a transcript of this episode.

In this episode of Listening with Leckrone, Mike focuses in on one of Jazz's most charismatic and skillful pianists, Fats Waller. From his infamous playing style to his renowned compositions, there was something for all to enjoy when Fats Waller took the stage. Enjoy.

In this episode of Listening with Leckrone, Mike showcases the unique style and talents of The Boswell Sisters, a highly influential vocal group that helped popularize swing for a larger audience.

In this episode of Listening with Leckrone, Mike details the career of Bing Crosby, one of the world's first multimedia stars. From radio to television to movies, Bing's voice reached an unprecedented audience and his influence on music and culture is still felt to this day. 

In Episode 5 of "Listening with Leckrone," Mike unpacks how the "Duke Ellington Sound" wasn't simply the doing of the legendary pianist and composer, but largely due to the talents and contributions of his many bandmates, folks like Johnny Hodges, Bubber Miley, and Tricky Sam Nanton. This show is all about them. 

In today's episode, Mike takes us through the life and music of two jazz giants, Joe Venuti and Eddie Lane. This duo revolutionized their instruments and shaped the sound of jazz guitar and violin playing for decades to come.

In this episode of Listening with Leckrone, we focus on a single song, Hoagy Carmichael's legendary "Stardust." With over 1,500 recordings, "Stardust" lends itself to a wide range of musical styles and interpretations. Mike guides us through a handful of these renditions, exploring how each artist put their own spin on the iconic song. 

When people hear the term “Crooner,” they often think of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, or Bing Crosby. Although these singers could be categorized as the crooning type, their music was largely influenced by the works of an even earlier set of singers who popularized “Crooning” as a genre. In this episode, Mike focuses on these earlier Crooners, from Gene Austin, to Russ Columbo, to Rudy Vallée to Whispering Jack Smith.

Our debut episode takes us back to the early career of Louis Armstrong. Host Mike Leckrone follows a young Louis' journey as a gigging musician, bouncing from band to band, from to Chicago to New York then back to Chicago. In listening to his earliest recordings, we begin to hear Louis find his voice as an artist and witness the makings of a legend.