swing | USPS Stamp of Approval

We’ve had several inquiries lately about Joe DiMaggio‘s stamp in the recently issued set of Major League Baseball All-Stars stamps. Specifically, collectors and enthusiasts have addressed the depiction of DiMaggio’s swing. So, is DiMaggio’s swing correctly portrayed? The answer is yes, and here’s why:

The Yankee Clipper was a right-handed batter, and he is indeed following through on his right-handed swing. However, due to the size of the stamp, you can’t see that his lower torso and legs are twisted as they would be on his follow-through. The stamp artist, Kadir Nelson, also had to slightly change the position of the bat in order to show all of it. If this had been a photograph, you would’ve been able to see that when DiMaggio followed through, his bat was extended fully away from his body and nearly parallel to the ground. (If you’d like to see what we’re describing, check out the photo in this Wall Street Journal article.)

The Major League Baseball All-Stars (Forever®) stamps, as well as many baseball-related philatelic products, are now available. Joining DiMaggio on the roster are Larry Doby, Willie Stargell, and Ted Williams.

In preparation for the joint issue with France’s La Poste, we immersed ourselves in the songs and lives of Miles Davis and Edith Piaf. But just because the First Day of Issue ceremony is over doesn’t mean the music has to be.

Now you can immortalize your love for these two international performers with . This keepsake comes with everything you need to fan the flame of your love for Davis and Piaf, including beautiful images and biographers of each artist, a pane of 20 Miles Davis and Edith Piaf (Forever®) stamps, two cards featuring the First Day of Issue cancellations from the U.S. Postal Service and La Poste, and more.

This folio is a perfect addition to any collection, and it makes a great gift, too! Quantities are limited and they’re sure to go fast, so make sure to get yours today!

The Miles Davis and Edith Piaf (Forever®) stamps are making history. Not only were the stamps the first joint issue with France since 1989, each stamp pane features something very special.

For the first time in U.S. Postal Service history, each of the Miles Davis and Edith Piaf stamp panes include a QR code on the back, linking users who scan the code with their cell phones to songs by, photographs of, and information about both musicians. That’s double the Davis and Piaf all for the price of a pane of 20 Forever stamps!

Have you picked up yours yet?

Released in 1945, the 18-minute short film Caldonia showcased the talents of singer, saxophonist, and bandleader Louis Jordan (1908-1975). In the film, Jordan, playing himself, is lured to New York by Felix Paradise, who promises him a film career. In the process, Jordan loses a promising Hollywood contract and Caldonia, his girlfriend. The short film features four songs by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five: “Buzz Me,” “Caldonia,” “Honey Chile,” and “Tillie.”

Known as “King of the Jukeboxes” or “King of the Bobby Sox Brigade,” Jordan began his career playing big band swing jazz during the 1930s but later became one of the leading players of “jump blues,” a hybrid of jazz, blues, and other elements that included a smaller band, humorous lyrics, and a strong rhythm section. A celebrity who appeared in numerous movies, Jordan was one of the top American recording artists of the 1940s and 1950s. He was known as “the father of rhythm and blues.” He is also remembered as one of the first black recording artists to achieve “crossover” appeal with white audiences.

Although first shown together, the musical performances in Caldonia were also separated into individual “soundies.” Soundies were short films that were played on video jukeboxes in nightclubs and restaurants during the 1940s. Today they are especially remembered for featuring performances by African American artists, and Louis Jordan is often cited for his prominent role in these precursors to today’s music videos.

Intended to evoke a strip of film with perforations, or sprocket holes, running down the left and right edges, the 2008 Vintage Black Cinema souvenir sheet includes twenty stamps: four rows of five different commemorative stamps featuring posters advertising movies produced for African American audiences prior to 1950.

Although the stamps are no longer available, you can still add the to your collection. It features a sheet of 20 stamps plus a page insert for the African American Cultural Diary that includes informative background information about the films, a timeline, and images. What a beautiful way to introduce kids to the history of African Americans in the movies!

USPS Stamp of Approval

Tag Archives: swing

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Bandleader Louis Jordan & 1940s Music Videos

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