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Those who like swing like Tommy Dorsey. Those who like sweet music like Tommy Dorsey. When dance bands were at their height and every body was vocing in popularicy polls, Tommy's band was the only one that used to place consistently among the top three or four in both the hot and the sweet band categories. The reason was obvious. Tommy Dorsey played the sweetest trombone in the world. He featured wonderful ballad Singers like Frank Sinatra, Jack Leonard and Jo Stafford. He played arrangements by two of the most sensitive writers of all time, Paul Weston and Axel Stordahl There was sweetness and light and romance all over the place - except, of course - when Tommy decided to play swing arrangements, like those written by Sy Oliver and Deane Kincaide, and when he let soloists like Bud Freeman and Johnny Mince and Bunny Berigan and Peewee Erwin and Buddy De Franco and Ziggy Elman get off on jazz choruses, backed by drummers like Davey Tough and Buddy Rieh. Dorsey dancers thus got double their money's worth, for in the course of any evening they could dream and they could jitterbug. And you, too, can dream and dance as you listen to some of the greatest of the TD band's recordings from the decade which began in 1935. Im Gettin' Sentimental over You (August 1935) - Tommys trombone is naturally featured on this theme song, with the pretty saxes led by Noni Bernardi, who also wrote the arrangement Marie (January 1937) - Freddie Stulce wrote this classic arrangement that features vocalist Jack Leonard (now Nat Cole's manager), trumpeter Bunny Berigan and tenor saxist Bud Freeman Star Dust (November 1940) - Frank Sinacra and The Pied Pipers are featured in one of their earlier TD efforts. Note Tommy's amazing articulation. Paul Weston did the arrangement I'll Never Smile Again (May 1940) - Another Stulce arrangement. this is one of the great, slow mood sides of all time, with everything beautifully underplayed and sung by Frank and the Pipers, TD and Joe Bushkin's celeste. (Also noteworthy: Glenn Miller recorded this a few months before Tommy did, but the arrangement wasn't this intimace and nothing happened.) Yes Indeed! (February 1941) - This rollicking rouser was scored by

Sy Oliver, who shares vocal honors with Jo Srafford Buddy Rieh supplies the colossal beat that so helps the thrilling trumpet quartet of Ziggy Elman, Ray Linn, Chuck Peterson and Jimmy Blake. Boogie Woogie (September 1938) - Thanks to Deane Kincaide's arrangement, the piano of Howard Smith (now Garry Moore's musical head) and Tommy's warm Jazz trombone, this is one of the all-time top selling records. Little White Lies (December l937) - Freeman's tenor stars for a full Chorus, but clarinetist Johnny Mince, trumpeter Peewee Erwin and Tommy himself also get their ticks on this Stulce script. Song of India (January 1937) - Bunny's open hot trumpet offers great contrast for Tommy's sweet muted trombone on this well-known arrangement that has been credited to trombonist Red Bone, but which Tommy says also includes some head arranging by other bandsmen. Who? (October 1937) - Jack Leonard and his kibitzers - Peewee Erwin, Tommy and Bud - all share the Spotlight on this Paul Weston arrangement. Note the now-famous hesitation beat in Bud's solo. Royal Garden Blues (April 1936) - One of the band's first jazz jobs, this Weston arrangement features trumpeter Maxie Kaminsky leading the Dixieland ensemble, with Joe Dixon playing clarinet, Sid Block playing tenor, while drummer Davey Tough lays down the beat. Once in a While (July 1937) - Arranger Axel Stordahl's contribution to this collection, Once in a While is one of the band's first intimate hits. That's Axel in the vocal quartet, along with Edythe Wright, Joe Bauer and Jack Leonard, who sings lead. Opus No. l (November 1944) - Sy Oliver wrote and arranged this happy jump tune that features a powerful trumpet section, Buddy De Franio playing much like Benny Goodman, pianist Milt Raskin, drummer Rieh, and a string section that didn't last very long in ihe Dorsey band.

George T. Simon, former editor of Metronome, is now a free-lance recording producer and television writer.