"He was a very fine pianist and had an orchestra which played at
Since the above was written, we have heard from Mr. Joe A A Silmon-Monerri ("Joe Silmon"), who (in private correspondence) has recalled:
"In the early-mid 1920s (between December 1924 and 1926), the Julian Niman
"Jack Tucker, who had already played with Henry Hall for some time,
"Between 1928 and possibly 1930-31, Jack Tucker led the Levenshulme
"Jack was 81 in 1983 when a newspaper article [no periodical name
'... The BBC's recent bout of self-congratulation over 60 years of broadcasting,
"Blackfriars St. is just between Manchester and Salford, where the River Irwell
".... So, it was from these new and more spacious premises that the "Julian
"Eddie Calvert the trumpet player who played not in the Scarlet Syncopators
"Ted was a little "weird" and used to dress up all in black and in a Dracula
SIDENOTE: Mr. Joe Silmon has spent almost 50 years on the Manchester Jazz Scene, has played with most Jazz bands around since approximately 1959; some musicians, vocalists and bands are still going. He is writing a 3-part Rolls-of-Honour series and a largish book all about the Manchester Jazz Scene between 1919 and the 1990s, when a new wave takes over. In addition to his own memory, Mr. Silmon has found some of the above information at the Greater Manchester Archives, Marshall Street, off Oldham Road, Ancoats, Manchester.
Julian Niman was also seen in the British made 1937 film, 'Penny Pool'.
Mr. Paul Wilson, of the British Library, utilizing various articles and advertisements in the "London Times" has been able to work up a small timeline for the band during the 1921 to 1923 period. In private correspondence, Mr. Wilson has advised that his research indicates that in:
--- Sept. 24 1921, "under the direction of Bert Ralton ... will play in the Savoy Ballroom". (appearing also was a Mr. King of the Ziegfeld Follies)
"Then on April 13, 1923 they make what I believe is probably their first BBC Radio broadcast. The programme schedule for that day noted that: 9:30 to 10:30,- Dance music by the "Savoy Havana Band", playing from the ballroom of the Savoy Hotel."
At end of year, Ralton left for Australia, and Reginald Batten, the violinist, became the leader. (By this time, the band had Rudy Vallee on sax, and Billy Mayerl on piano.)
Listen to the Ray Noble Orchestra playing "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails", a huge hit for Fred Astaire who sang it in the film "Top Hat"
"If You'll Say Yes Chérie", was a lovely dance tune of the period, as was the song
"Must It End Like This". Another great song of the era was "In The Still Of The Night"
The 1933 band had Tiny Winters, Nat Gonella, Al Bowlly, Harry Berly, Lew Davis, Bob Wise, Freddy Gardner, Cecil Norman, Bill Harty, and Alfie Noakes. This was the only band that Ray led in public prior to leaving for the U.S. He did lead a band upon arriving in the U.S.A. The band had been put together for him by Glenn Miller, but there was some difficulty and shortly thereafter, left and this time worked in the Hollywood "studios".
In 1951 the BBC formed the Northern Variety Orchestra, and coincidentally, this (2001) year is that ensembles 50th anniversary. However, seeking a new
and different sound, in 1956, the BBC disbanded the NVO strings and the Northern Dance Orchestra (the NDO) was born.
The Orchestra, under its inspirational MD, Alyn Ainsworth, quickly established an enviable reputation as an ensemble to be reckoned with in an enormous range of BBC programmes. It quickly became, in the view of many both inside and outside broadcasting, arguably the finest ensemble of its kind in the United Kingdom.
However, it was the advent of the show "Make Way For Music" which made the NDO a household name, with announcer Roger Moffat, together with vocalists Sheila Buxton and Les Howard. The programmes were unbelievably laid back, and with the musicians joining in the fun with Roger, a cult following quickly developed.
Then, Barney Colehan took "Make Way For Music" lock, stock. and barrel - warts and all - on to television and from the moment Roger Moffat made his opening announcement: "Ladies and Gentlemen, whoever you are, wherever you are, Make Way For Music" the programme became a "must watch" icon.
There then followed a whole plethora of radio and TV programmes in which the Orchestra distinguished itself, - like: "The Morecambe and Wise Show", "Little Miss Music", "Variety Fanfare", and "Dee Time", in which the legendary
Stan Kenton said he could "use the NDO musicians en bloc".
The early 1960's saw a change of NDO Music Directors when flutist Bernard Herrmann took over from Alyn Ainsworth. About the same time, the BBC asked Bernard to take on board the rise of the "Rock and Pop" industry. He did so with great professionalism with shows like "Pop North" and "Here We Go With The NDO", a show in which the Beatles made their radio debut in 1962.
An interesting sidenote is that during this time, famed Hollywood composer
Bernard Herrmann, was resident and working in England, as was the flutist/leader "Bernard Herrmann" of the NDO. Because the names were exactly the same, Very often these two men were mistaken for one and another. A lot of people made the mistake. Even the newspapers, and the staid BBC made the mistake. Today, their identities still criss-cross, although composer Bernard Herrmann is certainly more widely known around the world. (In fact, the BBC's "Bernard Herrmann" is somewhat obscure today. How fleeting is fame!)
But by 1969 the continued existence of the Orchestra was threatened by the "Mansell Committee", which proposed that the NDO should be disbanded. To say that an uproar followed would be a masterly understatement. The public campaigned for its survival and "The NDO Must Not Go", became a demonstration of national concern. Virtually every significant figure in the music world and "show biz" signed a petition calling upon the BBC to amend its decision. The Musicians' Union threatened a national musicians' strike if the BBC did not withdraw its proposals; and throughout the UK musicians assembled to voice their disapproval.
The House of Commons proposed an early day motion, signed by twenty three M.P.'s, stating that "This House views with concern the British Broadcasting Corporation's proposal to disband the Northern Dance Orchestra .....and calls for its retention"; and the Corporation's Symphonic musicians threatened to assemble outside Broadcasting House and perform Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture", using live ammunition
But perhaps the most effective element in the campaign was a car sticker proclaiming that the "The NDO Must Not Go" which eventually seemed to be carried by every motor vehicle in the North of England. Indeed one NDO musician, Peter Husband was stopped by a police car on his way home to Leeds. In fear and trepidation Peter waited for one of the police officers to reach his car and was astonished when the policeman asked him "where can we get hold of those stickers you've got in your rear windscreen?". Peter promised to pass on the request and in due course most of the vehicles on Yorkshire Police station car parks sported the emblem of support for the NDO.
Predictably, and almost inevitably, the BBC found a formula whereby, without losing face, it could maintain the NDO, and finally, peace and good will to all men returned to the old Hulme Hippodrome (which had been used as a studio for many years).
But even though the NDO carried on making successful broadcasts for a few years after, it came as no great surprise when, in 1975, the BBC changed the NDO instrumentation and renamed the new ensemble the BBC Northern Radio Orchestra. The NDO appeared to have met its nemesis and disappeared into BBC folk lore.
[ Julian Niman and his Boys]
b.1894, Upholland (Nr. Wigan), Lancashire, Eng. UK. d. June 15, 1953, Prestwich Manchester, Eng. UK.
né: Julian Leon Niman
Instrument: Piano.
In private correspondence, Mr. Mark Niman, Julian Niman's son, has recalled that:
concerts and events (such as wedding receptions) mainly in Manchester
and the surrounding districts. He also had his orchestra in films such
as 'Penny Pools', withDuggie Wakefield in the 1930s. In his early days,
the orchestra was called "The Scarlet Syncopators". His brother, Archie,
was the drummer and I rememberthat one of the saxophone players was
actually a policeman, Frank Kitchen, and I recall him being on point duty
at Waterloo Road, Cheetham Hill Manchester. I also remember that one of
the trumpeters in the band becamequite famous, his name was Nat Gonella.
Another great trumpet player, Eddie Calvert, also played on occasions
(before becoming famous) in dad's Band, and as Eddie was at that time
in uniform, my brother who was about the same build used to lend him one
of his suits,to go on stage. Dad made some recordings but I can't
remember any details."
SCARLET SYNCOPATORS broadcast from Manchester on Station 2ZY - a
station among the "Big Six" in the 1920s. The station's first broadcast,
following prior tests took place on 15 November 1922. Station 2ZY was
located at thefactory premises of Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Company,
at Dickinson Road, Trafford Park. The band was a five-piece, and its
trumpeter at that time was Jack Tucker, who went on to lead his own bands
on the Palais de Danse circuit between approximately 1926and about 1930,
but had started out in Scotland before moving southwards. From what I have
read on the Internet, local Archives, local newspapers, etc., about the
BBC, only the Classical side of music was broadcast at The Trafford Park
Studios Therefore, the "Scarlet Syncopators" did not broadcast from
Station 2ZY at that location. So, where could the studio have been located?
It was in the City, as anewspaper claims ... "
broadcast with the Scarlet Syncopators from Manchester (but see below),
had in his band Solly Niman. I have no idea what instrument Solly
played, but I think he could have been Julian's brother. If so, he would
have been the drummer ..... described by Julian's son, Mark ... "
Palais de Danse de Luxe at Levenshulme, Manchester M19. This was an
eight-piece band and was one of the earliest 'Jazz' bands in Manchester,
but obviously Julian's Syncopators preceded Jack's band. There are three
pictures of Jack Tucker's band at the Greater Manchester Archives:
Ref. 1738/3, 4 &-5, all showing Solly Niman and several others
(all named - but no instruments indicated) ... "
given, but date must be 1983, as Jack's birth year is 1902] ... was
written about him and his career, and where Station 2ZY is mentioned
in connection with the Scarlet Syncopators. However, the following is
an extract from the text, showing that the Syncopators broadcast from
a very different location from Metrovick's Works in Trafford Park.. "
took 80-year old Jack Tucker unerringly back in his mind to a poky cellar in
Blackfriars Street. ...'
forms a natural border between these two cities. I had first thought that the
' ... poky cellar ... ' was possibly under the Black Lion Hotel, which later
became a famous Jazz venue (1950s-60s), home of the famous Southside
Stompers, Joe Silmon's Jazzmen and later the very famous Zenith Six]. Well, I
was quite wrong! However, the newspaper in question got it wrong, too, since
the ' ... poky cellar ... ' was at Orme Buildings, No 14, The Parsonage,
which is parallel to Deansgate and joins up with Blackfriars Street. It is
easy to see how the confusion arose. Blackfriars House stands imposingly on
the corner of the Parsonage and Blackfriars Street. This side is the North
Side. At first, it seemed logical to me that if the studio referred to was
on Blackfriars Street, as reported by the unidentified newspaper. However,
on consulting Kelly's Directories for the mid-late 1920s, it soon became
clear that the incumbents at Blackfriars House didn't include the new-fangled
British Broadcasting Company, or even Station 2ZY at that time. As luck would
have it, the adjoining building down the Parsonage, going away from
Blackfriars, the adjoining building Orme Buildings at No 14, appeared in
Kelly's Directories as including the British Broadcasting Company Ltd., to
which address the organisation had moved its offices and studios only, with
effect from December 1924. The Transmitter -- by now a 5 kW RCA --
remained at the Dickinson Street premises at Trafford Park, where the Water
Tower, resembling a smaller version of the Blackpool Tower was used as a
mooring post for the all-important aerial. Transmission from Trafford Park
to Orme Buildings was achieved via General Post Office telephone cable.
There were another fourteen organisations occupying Orme Buildings at the
time, but the B.B.C. was said to have:' ... Two studios in the basement,
one for orchestral and other music and a smaller one, more heavily damped,
for talks and drama ... '
["2ZY TO N.B.H. -- An informal history of the BBC in Manchester and the
North West., by Ian Hartley, Willow Publishing, Timperley, Altrincham.
p.31]
Niman Scarlet Syncopators", including trumpet-player Jack, used to broadcast
live music to crystal-set listeners on Radio 2ZY in the early-mid 1920s.
We can assume, therefore, that the Syncopators had broadcast from the
smaller studio of the two, since it had been referred to as 'poky'...
This was also probably because the building backed onto the Irwell, and
being in the basement, it more easily at that low level captured all the
"aromas" of the water -- which were said to bequite pungent, particularly
during the Summer months. ... "
but with Julian Niman and his Boys, in the 1930s, was the first cousin of
Ted Calvert, a Jazz ukulele player/vocalist on the Manchester Jazz scene
in the 1950s/60s. He used to sing and play frequently with the 'Saints
Jazz Band', 'Pete Haslam's Collegians' (which was also the 'Crescent Jazz
Band') and 'Eric Batty's Jazz Aces' ... ".
type cape for gigs, but was always the epitomy of elegance. I backed him
once or twice, mainly at the 'Bodega' (a famous Jazz haunt on Cross Street,
Manchester). He died tragically in the mid-1960s, after being attacked by,
what we now call, a "yobbo" on the top deck of a bus, while going home
from a gig, happily playing his ukulele and singing to passengers. He was
a friendly, inoffensive and thoroughly nice the person. During day he
worked as a window-dresser ... ".
He is currently trying to find out if, even for some of the time, either the Syncopators or Jack's Palais band were actually playing Jazz, as distinct from dance music. Certainly their instrumentation indicates that they did: trumpet;
trombone; alto/soprano/tenor saxophones; clarinets; banjos; drums and sousaphone.
The Big Bands Database Plus thanks both Mr. Mark Niman and Mr. Joe A A Silmon-Monerri, for their kindness in contributing the above entry on the "Julian Niman and His Boys" band.
[ Ivor Novello Orch.]
Please see the "Novello" entry in our Tunesmiths Database The very popular composer, actor,
writer, director, producer in many films and shows including the British made 1930 picture 'Symphony In Two Flats'.
[ New York Havana Band]
One of the great pioneer British bands.
Please 'click' on this Bert Ralton and His Havana Band prompt to view still more information.
In 1919, Bert Ralton an American Saxophonist, left Art Hickman's band in New York City, formed his own band, and traveled to Havana, Cuba for an engagment. Circa 1920/1 he arrived in England.
--- Mar 13, 1922, A Times advertisement showed - "The Famous N.Y.Havana Band" will appear at the Coliseum."
--- Mar 21, 1922, A Times article noted that they are appearing at BOTH the Coliseum and the Savoy Hotel.
--- Apr 17, 1922, An article noted that the band is appearing at the Alhambra Ballroom.
"There are many other references to the band throughout the year but all seem to refer to theatre and music hall appearances."
The BigBands Database Plus thanks Mr. Paul Wilson for the above timeline.
[ Ray Noble Orch], (1930's)
Please 'click' on this American Database Ray Noble Entry, for full information)
In the late '20's and into the 1930's, Ray was one of the "Studio" conductors. "His" orchestras were actually owned by the record companies. For example, Ray was Musical Director for HMV from July 1929 to Aug 1934. His records are historically important.
[ Northern Dance Orch.]
Although never a touring band the BBC Northern Dance Orchestra warrants a mention here. In its heyday, it rivalled the
Ted Heath Orch. for being the best in the land, Syd Lawrence was a member for many years and always talked about how good The NDO were - and how they inspired him to form his own.
The Big Bands Database Plus thanks Mr. Stephen Garner for his kindness in contributing the above entry on the Northern Dance Orchestra.
[ Jack Nathan Orch.]
b. August 23, 1910, London, England, UK, d. March 23, 1990, London, England, UK.
bandleader/composer,
Currently no information available.
Contributed original compositions to the 1971 film " The Abominable Dr. Phibes "
Jack Nathan's band also appeared at the Edmundo Ros nightclub