"Woodchopper's Ball", also known as "At the Woodchopper's Ball"[ Woody Herman biography] at AllMusic - retrieved on 25 May 2009 is a 1939 jazz composition by Joe Bishop and Woody Herman. The up-tempo blues tune in D-flat major was the Woody Herman Orchestra's biggest hit, as well as the most popular composition of either composer, selling a million records.William Emmett Studwell and Mark Baldin: The Big Band Reader: Songs Favored by Swing Era Orchestras and Other Popular Ensembles. Haworth Press, 2000. . p. 158
The tune has been performed by numerous artists and is considered a jazz standard. It is included in the first volume of Hal Leonard's Real Book.The Real Book, Volume I, sixth edition. Hal Leonard. . p. 447 The song was covered by the British blues/rock band Ten Years After on their album, Undead. The original recording by Woody Herman and His Orchestra received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2002.Grammy Hall of Fame Awards at Grammy.com - retrieved on 25 May 2009
Twistin' at the Woodchopper's Ball
"Twisting at the Woodchopper's Ball" was a hit recording written by Ronn Metcalfe, based on "Woodchopper's Ball". It was recorded by the 19 piece Ronn Metcalfe Orchestra (of St. Catharines, Canada) on the Barry label and distributed by Quality Records Ltd.,Platter Chatter, City Band Leader Hits Big Time With Twist Disk, by George Albanese of Toronto (released on February 19, 1962).Release notice from Quality Records Limited It rose to the top of the charts in Canada (Hit Parade Charts), and made the WLS (Chicago) Top 40 in 1962. The song was the first Canadian single to top the International Charts.RPM Weekly Volume 11 No.13 May 26, 1969, Obituary: Ronn Metcalf
Metcalf released an LP named after the title track, "Twistin' at the Woodchopper's Ball", which garnered him a gold record. The album was a good example of high calibre musicianship combined with well written arrangements.Toronto Daily Star Saturday March 17, 1962, Man About Jazz, Metcalfe Band's 'Twistin Music of High Calibre' by Dave Caplan Metcalfe would ride the success of this album to create a rock and roll scene in Niagara, Canada. Metcalfe, "Canada's King of Swing", paid $7000 to produce the LP, including the single release from the album, which was chosen "Pick of the Week" in Cash Box magazine. Metcalfe said of the song, "This is the way back to the big bands.Teen-age Canada, Twist is a Help to the Big Bands, by Jack Hutton"
See also List of 1930s jazz standards
References