Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen - "Midnight in Moscow" (original)

[sauquoit13456]

On this date in 1962 {Feb. 3rd} "Midnight In Moscow" entered Billboard's Top 100 chart; eventually it would peak at No. 2 {for 1 week} and spent a total of 14 weeks in the Top 100...

[mcflay76]

Плять,ну скажите ещё что и эту мелодию спиздили у вас батальён медведей с балалайками наперевес ....

[arcoto86]

what is the genre?

[VinylToVideo]

@arcoto86 Dixieland

[MLP88]

This song may just save my life tonight.

[kronski75]

I heard this song played at the end of a funeral service. It was completely surprising to hear it erupt out of the speakers - joyous, celebratory and fun! The moment will stay with me for a long time. What a tribute to a life.

[TheEricwithAK]

the only bad part of this song is its too short!!! I want more haha

[treebee2]

best parts: trumpet @ .47, 1.25 and trombone slide @ 2:30 yeah!

[treebee2]

brings back great memories of us 4 sisters listening to this song on our new transistor radio after the lights were out and we were supposed to be asleep... listening to WLS in Chicago.. and we were in Owensboro KY! loved it then 7 now!

[Reggie1010101]

I love this recording, it's about as happy as a Russian song could get..

[22kateg]

This was popular when I bought my first transistor radio- it would be on the radio every night-it reminds me of my youth- love it.

[Rothesaygirl100]

Wonderful music that stands the test of time !

[TheCoverHeaven]

By The way this is not the original recording but a cover version!

[nv7103]

PS Vinyl, smart recording! ;)

[nv7103]

sexicon, don't let that foot stop. If only the world had more joy like this, we'd probably forget the politicos in their little bunkers and feel very happy. Well, whatever happens, this is fantastic and totally timeless. :))

[TheChevroletnova]

what do you call these macines

[VinylToVideo]

@TheChevroletnova Tape decks, lol.

[131pavel]

@TheChevroletnova

Tape recorders DUH!!!!!!!!!

[sexcjon]

i am 17 years old and i am madly in love with this song... my foot just won't stop tapping! love it!

[lag1946]

Wonderful wonderful Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen. You bring back the sweetest memories of my teenage years.

[Scottdickens103]

It was my Mums favourite and me

God bless kenny and all his jazz men

[DaveWollenberg]

Kenny and the Jazzmen hit #2 in Billboard, 3-17-62. God bless ya, for postin' it. Thanx!

[ensconse]

My Dad brought the single home in 1961. Thanks.

[mkl62]

The 11th #1 song on Billboard's newly formed Easy Listening (Adult Contemporary) charts.

[BroKEnCaPSLoCk1]

i found out the other day that these guy where the first band i ever saw live, at the age of about four. so it dawned on me jazz was my first musical love.

[venskus2009]

notice how asians cant play jaz.z. :)

[artwleb]

I remember this beautiful song from 1962, Never forgot it. Years later I got the LP. Another great song in 1962 (geez, there were so many!) was Telstar.

[chasms1]

I SAW kENNY AND HIS MOB PLAY THIS LIVE IN THE 60S AT THE oLYMPIA bALLRIIM IN rEADING

cLIVE

[venskus2009]

i got to play this bass. so sick im in love.

[difa2ol]

We were very eclectic back then. Jass, rock, instrumentals, even broadway musicals, opera selections, and folk! This is one of my all time favorites!

[tinkmarz1]

I remember when this song was popular in 1962. Not too long before it's release, Nikita Khruzchev (then premier of the then Soviet Union) had visited the USA. Upon attending a jazz performance, Mr. Khruzchev pronounced jazz as decadent. Because of his statement, I don't it's a coincidence that Kenny Ball did this song...being it's a very old Russian folk song, much loved by Russians.

[VinylToVideo]

@tinkmarz1 Too bad he couldn't hear rap.

[tinkmarz1]

@VinylToVideo

lol...lol...lol...I couldn't even imagine what his response would be!

[buenosaires4u]

This style resembles also a 60's band : The Village Stompers.

[mkl62]

A Top 5 hit for Kenny Ball in March of 1962. To my knowledge, this was the first act from the UK to make the Top 5. It got as high as #2.

[MrDjh66]

Wow I am really learning about cool jazz band reading that Keith Richards book

[PJDooWop]

Interesting that they recorded this at 7 1/2 IPS. Most prerecorded reels I find are recorded at 3 1/4. Great looking and sounding machine. It'll look even sexier with some 10.5 inch reels on it.

[VinylToVideo]

@PJDooWop I usually find later releases to be 3 1/4 and the sound is noticeably poor.

[Higbby]

THANK YOU !! THANK YOU! THANK YOU !!

[ArthurKaletzky]

This is great ! I've been fishing around for ideas on how to jazz up this song which I've done quite a few times as a ballad in Russian. Couldn't think of any way of swinging or bebopping it, but doing it New Orleans style, like this great track, seems feasible. Might even get a scat in.

[Nickeladen]

My life gets a little better every time I hear this song

[sludgefingers]

I know this from when I was a kid but never appreciated the strength of the musical performances before.

[AIexandrusMegus]

Fallout 3...

[VinylToVideo]

@AIexandrusMegus ???

[NEXKAIL]

@VinylToVideo thanks for you video, is wonderfull, saludos desde Mexico

[gregb1120]

I love the tape deck, and Midnight in Moscow (of course)..

[131pavel]

@gregb1120

I had a reel to reel Grundig tape deck, similar to that one in 62, paid the fortune of £50 from my mums little woods catalogue. Boy did I have some fun with that. I could dub and mix with it.

[DrOlds100]

For me, This is the ONLY version of this song. Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen were born to play this. PERIOD

[andreabaker2]

Thank you very much for posting this. One of my few happy memories of Sundays as a kids was that at least my old man would play oldies in the car on the way home from church after having to suffer through the sermon. This was one of them (along with Suki Yaki) and it made up for the foretaste of eternity on very hard benches experienced shortly before.

[RoadNasty]

Great song- I remember it was it was all over AM radio back in the early 60's when I was a kid.

[HCthecat]

Oddly enough, I had the idea of looking up billboard hits for 1962, as I believe that was roughly the era this song hailed from. Imagine my surprise when I found it was listed as the third song from a recorded broadcast from Melbourne, Australia circa 1962-1963 New Years Eve broadcast. Selah.

[HCthecat]

I first heard this song about nine years ago, driving my old work truck home from a job out of town. It only had an AM radio in it, and I was surprised to hear a song come on that I had never heard before. I listened to this song on that station for 3 years before the station went off the air. The song was never named, nor was the recording artist. It has been 6 years since I have heard this song, and I just happened to stumble onto it tonight. Thank you so much for posting this song!!!!!!!

[VinylToVideo]

@HCthecat Glad you found it. I know how difficult it is finding the names of songs you don't know, especially when there's no words. I'm surprised you stumbled on it. There's some I haven't heard in a couple years that I never knew the names of.

[DancingSpiderman]

@VinylToVideo I heard this song for the 1st time just now on Radio Veronica oldies online station from iTunes.

Wow ! Cool song, can't believe I've never heard it. Sounds like a great tune to jamm to on any instrument, especially the trumpet.

[Theagchm]

@HCthecat I was brought up with this song and thought it was a kenny ball composition. Then Michael Palin heads out accross Russia and the 1st peasant he meets starts singing the song! Low and behold it is a very old russian song. The world is a very small place for us humans.

[UlfilasUk]

@HCthecat I saw them perform about 25 years ago. My Dad is a huge fan and booked them for an event!

[Stewbob112]

@HCthecat lol i heard it at my grandpas and used song i.d. on my phone and got its name in like 15 seconds XD im 16 and I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!

[Derwentcub]

Thanks for this amazing recording. reminds me of my late Dad who loved Kenny Ball. I love most things Russian, so this is perfect - thanks so much VinylToVideo. Hugs from Matlock in Derbyshire.. :-)

[metalbucket2]

I love this, Wogan played it on his breakfast show one day in the 1980s just before I was about to leave for school and I've always wanted to hear it again ever since. You made it happen and you've made my day!

[jrbuck9669]

I liked this song enough to find a very nice and clean LP, it is great! I also have the same reel to reel, the rt-1020-L. Awesome deck, yours looks nice and clean!

[gemini1100]

How can a girlfriends grandad play trumpet in this band!!! He must have been Kenny Ball cos he was the trumpeter!!

[Larry1djl7]

I found this by coincidence on iTunes and I fell in love with it. Kenny Ball deserves praise. 5 stars all the way. Such sound can't be duplicated. I'll go around the world with this song until I wind up in Moscow!

[steffers2000]

This is brilliant, i'm actually taking my grandad to see Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk and Chris Barber in February. MY grandad used to go jazz banding and has met kenny ball, and acker bilk, as well as playing with monty sunshine and glenn miller and he brought me up to play the clarinet and listen to these muscians! I think they're fantastic!

[kouklia9]

Why do I not hear instrumentals anymore that are a joy to listen to and fabulous to dance to ? Come back The Shadows , The Ventures, The Hurricanes etc - need I go on ?

[cosworth6nut]

Thank you for posting this fab tune. I really, really like the reel-to-reel tape recorder - I have not seen one of these in 30 years, god I wish they were still around, well better than the clinical CDs that we have to tolerate these days. Thank you again for the memory.

[CypriotVibez08]

My Girlfriends Granddad played the trumpet in this band !

[gemini1100]

@CypriotVibez08 well it must have been Mr Kenny Ball, he was the trumpeter!!!

[buddyeagle]

nICE TAPE REELCORDER, FANTASTIC TUNE, I LOVE THE RAGTIME STYLE!

[chalyminx]

Hi how did you get the sound onto your computer??

[VinylToVideo]

@chalyminx My sound card has RCA inputs.

[chalyminx]

@VinylToVideo Hi My dad left a lot of reel to reel recordings of Jazz which I would like to get onto cd...he also left lots of assorted leads..if you get time please could you email me with a brief instruction on whch leads to use....just basic description will be enough. Grateful thanks, in advance

[VinylToVideo]

@chalyminx What do you mean exactly? First off I would not recommend you buy the sound card I did.. it was a waste of money as I never use it for the reason I bought it. Instead buy a CD recorder; Teac makes a decent one called the CD-RW880.

[madamcaz1]

@VinylToVideo

This song reminds me of my dear departed mum I can remember her dancing around our little living room to this, those were the days, god bless her & thankyou for posting this wonderful tune

[chalyminx]

love this xx

[VinylToVideo]

@weightfeather1 Thanks, will do.

[VinylToVideo]

@weightfeather1 This machine died on me about 6 months ago. Might of been a power surge or something because I recall my Pioneer SX-1050 flickering on and off the same day with too many items plugged into the same outlet I guess. After that the machine just wouldn't turn on and there was no indication that power was even getting to it. What do you think it might be? I've never had it looked at or opened it up or anything. It's just been sitting there and I miss listening to my tapes!

[Modonaut57]

I well remember the 'Trad Jazz Fad' of the early 60s. This is very evocative of that era.

A great band!!

[javernot]

Ball knows how to handle a mute for max pop effect.

[MrAussierocker]

This is a perfect Quickstep if you into ballroom dancing

[MightySaturn5]

lol, just look at that stereo seperation

[Carvinter]

Hot Dog!  Don't it still make ya feel good?

[snowcool1]

excellent jazz song to play at Jewish weddings

[snowcool1]

excellent song to play at a bar mitzmah and a Jewish Wedding .

[nancyfloressantos]

Lovely tune......

[rsrtaipoo]

Could you find me the Al Ciaola version of this song..... was around but now has been removed........

[dejff444]

One, fantastic masterpiece. It seems that it is easy to make such a cover, but it isn't

[benfleminc]

Is This 7 1/2 IPS, or 15?

[VinylToVideo]

@benfleminc 7 1/2

[RUBYMUNRO]

Truly wonderful !!

[animagus1]

Because of this, I have an ambition to spend a midnight in Moscow. This is one of the few songs that will forever be classy and cool. Thanks Kenny!

[swtypieln]

No matter what the time is here in OKC, it is always Midnight In Moscow.

Larry N. Boyington, aka Larry Neal, former curator of the Wax Museum on the big 1520 KOMA

[hackberryflat]

@swtypieln As a fan of Dixieland, this rendition is fresh every time I hear it - by now several hundred times - maybe in the thousands. Can you advise me where to get YELLOW DOG BLUES by the 7th Ave Stompers, circa fall of 1958? I heard it on KOMA when in the hospital (what is now St Anthony's) I've looked for it ever since - I have the version by the Dukes of Dixieland.

[60046]

There aren't many songs that freeze a moment in time. First time I heard this one I was with my parents driving through the Mississippi night on a 1000-mile road trip going to see relatives. Whenever I hear this song I'm transported, what, 48 years back to that night. I remember thinking how it was kind of a New Orleans sound but it made you feel like you were in Russia, a truly exotic concept. The sound was just so rich, bright, and distinctive. As the other poster said, it whisked you away.

[ianjcameron]

@60046 In my case it was in a cafe in Salmon Arm B.C., where I was working as a forest surveyor on summer break from university We ate there, and this was on the jukebox. I played it every time we went in. What a great song.

[weenerfier]

kenny balls my new favorite i think! awsome!!!

[TheSweetwaterJones]

Dude, enable the rating so we can give this the five stars it deserves :(

[jaime52]

@TheSweetwaterJones Agree!!!

[sjcliff]

I just love the key change back to the home key at 2:30 with the trombone glissando. Always gives me goose bumps....

[crwlddotorg]

Extraordinary!

Thank you.

[blagger56]

Thank you. Watching the R2R is almost as satisfying as listening to this piece. I recall hearing this for the first time in (I think)on either the light or home service on the BBC, one evening when my older brother was home on leave from the Royal Navy, and all the talk at the time was ban the bomb, Moscow was always on the news. Just listening to this used to whisk a 5 year old off to exotic places that I never ever dreamed I would see. Memories...

[TheLoto13]

I like cds, records became too scratchy the older they got but Tape keeps it fidelity if the player is in good repair. this reel to reel sounds great!!!! thanks

[TheLoto13]

it is my fave version as well

[newmediaformat]

Reel to Reel Rules. Great Sound ! *****

[Viimane]

My favourite version of the song!

[witchikah]

I enjoy this song :D

[anthony342]

the ballmeister

[Q8117]

Greeaat sound, much better than my CD copy. Thanks so much for posting for those who still love "the good old days and the music".

[walsham]

Artistic Magic!

Thanks for posting - I'd forgotten what a wonderful time we had.

[RayBushfox]

Great stuff!!

It looks about 7½" p/s

I have 3 reel to reel tape recorders (2 still working and still producing great sound), tapes are hard to come by these days.

Most kids would laugh at these machines nowadays, but they were the 'bee's knees' back when I was growing up in the 50's and 60's.

[TheLoto13]

@RayBushfox look on the internet at google search for reel to reel tapes

[marsvltor2]

Yep - names such as 'Ferrograph' and 'Ampex' were magic back then...

[auctionmusic]

I had many tapes and a few players were destroyed in a flood argh!...this was so good, I always remember this song from the spinning reels....

[cosworth6nut]

It has been many years since I have seen a reel to reel player - thank you for this quality recording - way better than CD!

[paulhallart]

Back in '07, when I was sleeping in the car in the Redwood Forrest, I checked out a cd of vintage hits from the Saratoga Library out in the Bay area of California and it included this Kenny Ball number, that's how I learned it and got it into my harmonica repertoire. My version is on the tube at: "Moscow Nights." (Harmonica by Paul.)

Great post. Tks for the work. Love the idea of the video of the reel-to-reel on the wooden chair.

[Froggy19510]

If you like this you might like "Washington Square" by the Village Stoppers Circa 1963.

It's all good music. I love the old tape recorders I have several including Re-Vox, Sony, Wilcox Gay,

Teac, and a couple more i can't remember I think Akai. I am always looking for tape. reels and hubs. Any way good luck and thanks for posting Midnight in Moscow.

[VinylToVideo]

I'm surprised to hear there was WilcoxGay tape products. I have several of their acetate 78 discs. Doubt their tape would be much better!

[mrspivvy]

good heavens, a working reel to reel!

[VinylToVideo]

Unlike modern electronics these things were built to last. This machine is an absolute tank.

[Beatven]

Sencillamente espectacular esta cancion de kenny ball, Hi from Venezuela....

[generalbullmoose]

Any more from this particular album - or from "It's Trad" - would be great.

[generalbullmoose]

Thank you! Kenny Ball was my inspiration for picking up the trumpet. Really!

[hayk7]

thanxxxxx

[Rome41jm]

I think it was recorded in 1961 and still sounds great...Thanks for posting..

[simnebrael]

Kenny and his Jazzmen are still alive and playing they have three dates on their tour list for 2009. This great piece was released the year before I was born in 1962; but they have been playing since about 1958. Thanks for posting this and if you like trad and dixieland look for more by Kenny and his men

[jack1be2]

Great!! takes me back, Lol!

[sospello]

Not a group I know--sounds as if they have some old-fashioned New Orleans influence though. Thanks for the fun trip back in time.

[ShawDAMAN]

Great music and a very fine looking and sounding machine. They don't make Jazz like they used to either. :-|