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Make Believe Ballroom

Music Podcasts

Hosted by Jeff Bressler, The 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.

Location:

United States

Description:

Hosted by Jeff Bressler, The 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.

Language:

English

Contact:

6317412436


Episodes
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Make Believe Ballroom - 2/22/26 Edition

2/20/2026
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, a macabre big band passing, a listener's letter about Ray Anthony, a forgotten drummer, and more records and reminiscences from the golden age of the American songbook.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 2/13/26 Edition

2/13/2026
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, a look at a bygone record company, movies from the silver screen, how a Bing Crosby financial investment changed audio recording, and more records and reminiscences from the golden age of the American songbook.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 2/6/26 Edition

2/6/2026
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler, a look at how smaller radio markets got their musical programming, two somewhat forgotten big band era stars, two infamous musicians with checkered pasts, and also more records and reminiscences from the golden age of the American songbook.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom -1/30/26 Edition

1/30/2026
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler, a look at a famous jazz club and eatery on an iconic street in New York City, music and discussion about 1930s and 40s small group jazz, and also more records and reminiscences from the golden age of the American songbook.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 1/23/26 Edition

1/23/2026
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom - the greatest public relations stunt in big band history, a story of the early days of the Ballroom hosted by Martin Block, some well-known arrangers, in addition to many more songs and reminisces.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 1/16/26 Edition

1/16/2026
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom - a scholarly way to start a band, a look at two clubs that served military members during WWII with music and cheer, Bing and Andrews Sisters duets history, in addition to many more songs and reminisces.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 1/9/26 Edition

1/9/2026
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom - the evolution of a riff into a best-selling tune, a look at two hugely popular All-Star bands of the 1930s and 40s, in addition to many more songs and reminisces.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 1/2/26 Edition

1/2/2026
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler - a series of first-time ever recorded songs, an obsolete music industry profession, three great clarinetists overshadowed by Goodman and Shaw - all this and more great records and memories for your listening pleasure.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 12/26/25 Edition

12/26/2025
Happy Holiday's! A repeat broadcast as the Make Believe Ballroom crew celebrates. This week's Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s - a big band leader who had to change his name. This popular bandleader had a second career as an MC and DJ, plus many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's program.

Duration:00:58:02

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Make Believe Ballroom - 12/19/25 Edition

12/19/2025
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler, a listen to some fabulous music from the year 1938, a song Artie Shaw absolutely hated, a big band icon writes a dictionary, and the role the vocalist played in music from the 1930s.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 12/12/25 Edition

12/12/2025
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler, we listen to some music and history from On the Bill Savory Collection. Savory was a radio sound engineer who captured for posterity jazz broadcast radio remotes that networks transmitted live from hotel ballrooms and clubs, a staple of programming in the 30s and 40s. During Savory's era, after most live broadcasts ended, they were rarely saved, primarily due to technical issues, budget constraints, or a lack of understanding of the jazz movement's history. Savory dedicated many years to preserving this musical history.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 12/5/25 Edition

12/5/2025
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler: the first time a specific instrument was used in a jazz recording, Jeff’s favorite crooners from the era, a most underrated big band song, plus many more stories and music from the 30s and 40s.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 11/28/25 Edition

11/28/2025
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler: the story behind a Count Basie song title, the economic impact of big bands, were Cole Porter and Frank Sinatra friends, plus many more great records and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's broadcast. The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 11/21/25 Edition

11/21/2025
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler: one of the most touching partnerships in jazz history, jazz music loved by a classical composer, Glenn Miller lends a hand to a fellow musician, plus many more great records and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's broadcast. The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 11/14/25 Edition

11/14/2025
The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s. On this week's program: a historic jam session, a listener's request results in a segment about records and artists rarely played on the Ballroom, a special feature playing songs from the Ralphie from Canarsie Record Club list- plus many more great records and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's broadcast.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 11/7/25 Edition

11/7/2025
The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s. On this week's program: a funny Billie Holiday story, some of the wealthiest bandleaders of the era, an out-of-this-world record - plus many more great records and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's broadcast.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 10/31/25 Edition

10/31/2025
The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s. On this week's program: An introduction to King Garcia, an obscure band with some world-class musicians, the most recorded bandleader of all time, plus many more great records and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's broadcast.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 10/24/25 Edition

10/24/2025
The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s. On this week's program: Two Bandleaders are better than one, some bands that performed at the legendary Onyx Club, tracing a Glenn Miller song, plus many more great records and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's broadcast.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 10/17/25 Edition

10/17/2025
The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s. On this week's program: A song from the 1700s that was swingin in the 1930s and 40s, a questionable Fats Waller tale, Frank Sinatra's first record with Tommy Dorsey - plus many more great records and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's broadcast.

Duration:00:58:01

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Make Believe Ballroom - 10/10/25 Edition

10/10/2025
The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s. On this week's program: A trivia question about a dance enjoyed by young and old alike, a groundbreaking female vocalist, some songs from the 30s that rocked in the 50s - plus many more great records and stories to cherish and enjoy on this week's broadcast.

Duration:00:58:01