Make Believe Ballroom - podcast cover

Make Believe Ballroom



Hosted by Jeff BresslerThe Make Believe Ballroom, each week, brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s.

The program has been broadcast almost continuously since 1935. Each program mixes beloved 78 rpm records, stories, listener requests, and special guest features, all geared to bring you the music and history of the big band era.
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Episodes

Make Believe Ballroom 5/16/22 Edition

Join Jeff Bressler for this week's Make Believe Ballroom featuring some paranoid 1940s DJs, a practical joking music legend, an enormous Chicago 1930s dance party, a comedian's checkered songwriting past, plus emails from listeners, and as always some of the swingingest records from the 30s and 40s.

May 15, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 5/9/22 Edition

On this week's Make Believe Ballroom - Are there still Big Band era luminaries with us today? A battle between a bandleader and a radio celebrity. A scandalous tale. Join us for this and much more wonderful music and stories from the Big Band era of the 1930s and 40s.

May 08, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 5/2/22 Edition

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom: how the show saved someone from hard time, a little remembered Glenn Miller tune, a titanic battle for clarinet supremacy, a strange concert hall featured act plus lots of wonderful music from the big band and swing era of the 1930s and 1940s.

May 01, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 4/25/22 Edition

A famous comedian's connection to the big band era, can you guess the theme song, Fox Movietone records, a 1947 jam session, plus plenty more music and stories.

Apr 25, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 4/18/22 Edition

On this week's Make Believe Ballroom - A popular recording artist, or not? A dog story. A record company by any other name. In addition, loads more music and talk.

Apr 17, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 4/11/22 Edition

On this edition of the Make Believe Ballroom a look at a record where some sidemen are set loose, different types of albums, a salute to a beloved comic, plus some wonderful music of the 1930s and 1940s.

Apr 10, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 4/4/22 Edition

On this week's show, Glen Miller and the Andrews Sisters joined forces. Listen to how it ended! The worst day in Palomar Ballroom history plus plenty of great music for your enjoyment.

Apr 03, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 3/28/22 Edition

On today's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom Jeff Bressler looks at three giants of the big band era, Toots Mondello, Gene Krupa, Benny Goodman, and how they interacted together. The program also looks at some listener emails, great records, a special guest in the audience, and why early color films looked so vibrant.

Mar 28, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 3/21/22 Edition

On this edition of the Make Believe Ballroom a look at three bandleading giants who had something in common, a Hungarian tale, and a whole lot more treasured music of the big band era.

Mar 20, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 3/14/22 Edition

On this week's Make Believe Ballroom some War Bond tunes, Hudson-Delange history, Montgomery Ward records, a famous theme song, Lenny from Down the Block stories, a bizarre bandleader tale, more music and talk.

Mar 14, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 3/7/22 Edition

On this week's show, Jeff Bressler takes a spin around the big band era with a look at a different size record, why the recording industry didn't want to play music on the radio, plus a whole lot of music, stories, and reminiscence.

Mar 07, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 2/28/22 Edition

This week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom takes us back to a look at some of the big band music that was featured in the Big Broadcast movies series of the 1930s. Join us for this and some other great music and stories.

Feb 27, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 2/22/22 Edition

On this weeks edition of the Make Believe Ballroom Jeff Bressler looks at a listeners list of top crooners of the 1930s, reads an email about the early days of big bands performing in movie theaters, Cab Calloway, and Black History Month, and a look at Ralphie from Canarsie's Record Club list.

Feb 19, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 2/14/22 Edition

Jeff Bressler and Lenny from Down the Block review a listeners email about a very special musical list of favorite songs from the 30s and 40s

Feb 13, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 2/7/22 Edition

This week is a very special 87th Anniversary Edition of the Make Believe Ballroom. Join Jeff Bressler as he takes us back to present the history of the show which began its broadcast odyssey on February 3, 1935 via WNEW 1130 AM in New York.

Feb 06, 202258 min

Make Believe Ballroom - 1/2/22 Edition

Today's edition of the Ballroom features a look at the beloved old-time radio program Your Hit Parade. Some great Frank Sinatra stories related to his stint on the program.

Jan 04, 202258 min

Make Believe Ball Room - 8/23/21 Edition

On this week's MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM we break down a Fats Waller song to figure out and discuss its meaning. Also, a look at some of the top-selling sheet music from the big band era.

Aug 30, 202158 min

Make Believe Ball Room - 8/30/21 Edition

On this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM we look at an interesting fact about purchasing sheet music in the early 20th Century and some music we didn't get a chance to play on past shows.

Aug 30, 202158 min

Make Believe Ball Room - 8/2/21 Edition

On this week's MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM a look at the legendary AMATEUR NIGHT IN HARLEM at the Apollo Theatre in NY with some great history, stories, and music.

Aug 04, 202158 min

Make Believe Ball Room - 7/19/21 Edition

This week's MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM looks at the origin of song names, songs that sound the same, movie and Broadway musicals, and songs from the legendary Benny Goodman Carnegie Hall concert that were never recorded.

Jul 19, 202158 min

Make Believe Ball Room - 7/12/21 Edition

On this week's MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM. A look at a famous tuxedo, a heroic WWII bandleader, Sinatra's long-lost cousin, a famous bandleader meets a famous accordionist, many more stories and music on this program.

Jul 13, 202158 min
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