Billy Butterfield Plays “Moten Swing”

Billy Butterfield was one of those big band musicians who honestly tried to make it as a big band leader. He had everything to gain with one of the most glorious trumpet styles in the world of music. He started way too late as a bandleader in 1947 but continued to lead studio bands for radio, television and records for years and was known for his perfect technique and well-timed solos. His early career stemmed from the big bands of the 1930's, going from the small time territory groups led by Andy Anderson, Austin Wylie before hitting it big with Bob Crosby's band in 1939 before going to Bob Strong's orchestra in 1940. He then joined Artie Shaw's great band in 1940 and stayed until Shaw disbanded in 1941 which left Butterfield a chance to play with Benny Goodman for a year before linking up with Les Brown before serving in the Army in 1944-45, taking time off to play at Eddie Condon's Town Hall jazz concerts in NYC. After his discharge in 1945, Butterfield became one of the in-house band leaders for the ABC radio network before deciding to hit the road with his own big band with his longtime friend Bill Stegmeyer who became the band's chief arranger along with band member Bob Peck. Early in 1947, the band took up residency at the Donahues, Mountain View, NJ which was a favorite spot for New Yorkers who were returning from New Jersey. As early as August 1946, Billy Butterfield and his band began making broadcast recordings which were meant to be played exclusively by radio stations as time fillers. During this first group of sessions, we hear the style of the Billy Butterfield big band by listening to Benny Moten's "Moten Swing," popularized by Count Basie. Listen for Mickey Crane playing a sparse Basie styled piano. Also heard are Bob Levine on tenor sax, Cliff Wiley on guitar and Bill Stegmeyer on alto sax who wrote this lightly swinging, amiable chart which features Butterfield's brilliant trumpet solo that leads into a slowly escalating swinging finale.