[ Emil Stern et Son Orchestre ]
b: 1913, Paris, France, d. January 14, 1961, Cannes, France (age 48)
Born of Rumanian parents, he grew up in Paris, France where he studied music at the Academy of Paris, earning a first prize for piano. Soon after graduating, he attention turned to "Pop" music. Emil composed songs for Charles Aznvour, Yves Montand, and many others. He conducted orchestras accompanying Edith Piaf and Maurice Chevalier. In the mid 1930's, he played piano on some rare sides recorded by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli.

While in France, he worked with the Quintet of the Hot Club of France, and with other groups including 'Nina Rette et Son Hot Trio' (Nina Rette on vocal) recording such tunes as "Crazy Rhythm" and "The Sheik of Araby". Nina's Trio consisted of Stephane Grappelli (violin), Emil Stern (piano), and Django Reinhardt (guitar).

In Sept. 1935, he recorded two sides with Nane Cholet (vo), Stephane Grappelly (v), Emil Stern (p), Django Reinhardt (g), Jean Tranchant (vo): "Ainsi Soit-il" (Fremeaux FA 303 P 77541), and "Les Quatre Farceurs" (Fremeaux FA 303 P 77542)

On Nov. 19, 1937, Stern recorded in -Paris- with Bill Coleman (tpt), Frank "Big Boy" Goudie (cl and ts), Christian Wagner (cl and as), Emil Stern (p), Django Reinhardt (g), Lucien Simoens (b), Jerry Mengo (d). The four sides cut were "I Ain't Got Nobody" OLA 1979-1, "Baby Won't You Please" OLA 1980-2, "Big Boy Blues" OLA 1981-1, and "Swing Guitars" OLA 1982-1

'Stern and His Orchestra' also accompanied vocalist Serge Lama on some of his recordings, including "+ Quinze Ans" (Serge Lama - Jackie Bayard composition), "Le Bouffon du Roi" (Serge Lama - Guennett composition), "En ce Temps-l+" (Serge Lama - Jackie Bayard composition), "C'+tait ma Femme" (Serge Lama - Cl. Rolland composition). ("+ quinze ans" et "C'Ttait ma femme" ont TtT rTTditTes sur l'anthologie "10 ans de chanson frantaise 48 succFs" -coffret 4 disques Musidisc, CCV 2503)

In 1938, he accompanied famed actor singer Maurice Chevalier, and soon became a 'comic chanteur' in the Ray Ventura orchestra. After WW2, he accompanied stars such as Renee Lebas, and Jean Sablon, before devoting himself to composing songs for a number of vocalists.

In particular, Emil Stern composed songs for Yves Montand, including "To Plant Coffee" (with Eddy Marnay, lyric). For Bourvil, he wrote "The Irish Ballade", and "Lullaby with Frederic" (with a lyric by Eddy Mornay). For RTgine, he composed "Patchouli, Chinchilla", and he also wrote for Frida Boccara and Marie LaforOt.

In America, Peggy Lee recorded one of his songs "Amazing" (Norman Gimbel and Emil Stern composition), and Stern's work was also heard in the film 'Marry Me, Marry Me'. Stern also recorded (for Mercury Records) the song "This Heart of Mine" (an Arthur Freed lyric and Harry Warren tune).

      [ Ochestre Syncopated Six ]
b: June 5, 1887, Liverpool, England, UK, d: 1982, Buenos Aires, Argentina
né: William Masters
Here is a photo (from the book "Some Hustling This" by Mark Mille) of Gordon Stretton, an African-British Jazz drummer was born of Jamiacan and Irish parentage. He began his career in the entertainment business as a member of the "Lancashire Lads", a dance troupe performing the clog dances of his native county. From there, he was able to find work as a singer with various Jazz bands. And, in 1908, Stretton toured Britain as a member of a Jamaican choir. During 1921, Actuelle recorded (in New York City) the Syncopated Jazz Band playing "Satanic Blues"/"Lucky Dog Blues" (Actuelle 10156 E). In 1923, he formed his own 'Orchestre Syncopated Six' for a residency in a Paris France venue, and soon became the toast of Paris cafe-society. In 1923 (in Paris), he recorded "Fate" and "Tu Verras". Sometime in the late 1920s, he relocated to Argentina and there again led his own group - "Gordon Stretton's Symphonic Jazz Band". During the month of July 1929, three great orchestras,- Gordon Stretton Symphonic Jazz Band, Suipacha Classical Orchestra, and the Tfpica Criolla Juan B. Guido, appeared at the Cine Teatro Suipacha. 442 Suipacha Street, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is quite possible that acclaimed Argentine singer Carlos Gardel, accompanied by the guitarists Aguilar and Barbieri, appeared on the same show. Stretton remained in Argentina for the rest of his life.

      [ Jan Sima's Orchestrem Gramoklubu ], 1936
b. Oct. 17, 1911, Prague, Czechoslovakia
Currently No Further Information Available on this Arranger/Band Leader

      [ Ernst "Teddy" Stauffer & The Original Teddies ]
b: May 2, 1909, Murten (Canton Freiburg), Switzerland); d: August 27, 1991, Acapulco, Mexico (some sources claim birthdate is 1902.)
Instruments: Violin, Tenor Sax.
né: Ernst Stauffer
Here's a photo of Teddy Stauffer, a classically trained musician who formed his first band in 1927. Included was drummer Paul Guggisberg, who was with him for many years.

After taking a small band to Berlin in 1929, Teddy toured extensively up to 1939, and may have been the most successful Big Band. They also appeared at the 1939 Olympic games in Berlin, where they played many American Swing songs in the Benny Goodman style. Here's a photo of the The Teddies, the band that was often heard in Germany and Switzerland, USSR, and London in 1938. Listen now to the 'Original Teddies' playing "Jungle Dance" Stauffer left Switzerland in 1941, handing over the baton to Eddie Brunner. In 1939, he returned to Switzerland, but after some failures, he emigrated to Mexico in 1941, where he met and married his feminine hero, actress Hedy Lamarr. Together, they transformed Acapulco into a never-ending holiday paradise.. "Teddy" then went to the U.S.A., and started a new orchestra that toured the better hotel rooms and nightclubs of the USA and Cuba until the end of his career.

      [ Anker Skjoldborg Orch. ]
Currently No Information Available.
Recorded during 1936.

      [ Klaus Salmi's Ramblers ]
In 1932, Klaus made the first Finnish jazz recordings.
The swing craze of the 40's caused two bands to form, but the story of dance bands and dance music in Finland and Norway is obscure.

      [ Eddie Sauter Orch. ]
Currently No Further Information Available
Please see the Sauter-Finegan, listing on the American Bands Database.
Famed trumpeter Ron Simmonds recalls that:
"Eddie Sauter led the band in radio Baden-Baden for about a year in the 1960s. I have a record of that, given to me by my pal Wally Heider. Most of that band later on moved to Cologne to work with Kurt Edelhagen. Dave Hildinger, who later led the band at RIAS, Berlin, was in the Baden-Baden orch., and also played with the Sauter-Finegan band on tour in the States."

      [ Hugo Strasser Orch. ]
Currently No Further Information Available
Here's a photograph of Hugo Strasser, and here's another of Strasser and His Hot Five. This Munich bandleader, very elegant, played clarinet. Trumpeter Ron Simmonds has advised us that: "I played several record sessions with Strasser's big band in the 1970s, and they were all local musicians. A man named Hans Wolff was running the band when I last heard of it."

      [ Alexi Semenov Orch ], (1930's-1940's).
Currently No Information Available.

      Jakov Skomorovsky, (1930's-1940's)
Currently No Information Available.

      State Jazz Orchestra of the U.S.S.R., (1938-1944)
Currently No Information Available.

      [ Michael Schugalté Orch. ]
b: Feb. 20, 1890, Odessa, Russia. d: April 14, 1954, Knokke, Belgium.
né: Moses Schuchhalter, or Schugalter
Instrument: Violin.
Here's a photo of Schugalté, who led a popular concert band, and another of Schugalté's Orchestra, then playing in the 'Konditorei u. Cafe Berlin'. In 1932, he came in second (behind Barnabas von Geczy) in the contest of the "blue violin" (im Wettstreit um die "Blaue Geige"). In 1935, after Schugalté's exclusion from the Reichsmusikkammer, composer and pianist Jo Knuemann (1895-1952) took over leadership of the orchestra. After the close of World War II, Schugalté remained in Brussels, Belgium, where he went on playing in the "ancienne Belgique" (same style as in Berlin), until he died in 1954.
The Big Bands Database Plus thanks Ms. Tania Bernard ( taniabernard@hotmail.com ), daughter of Michael Schugalte for graciously helping with this entry on her father.

      Rosita Serrano
b: June 10, 1914, Vina del Mar, Chile; d: April 6, 1997, Santiago de Chile, Chile
Here's a photo of Serrano, who was born Maria Martha Esther Alduante Del Campo. Also, a reader has sent this newer photo of Rosita Sorrano, source unknown, but appears to be an autographed record label publicity card. In 1937, Rosita made her Berlin debut in the Operetta "Maske in Blau", and soon became one Germany's (and Europe's) most popular female singers. Known as the "Chilenische Nachtigallo" ("Chilean Nightingale"), Rosita spent a good deal of her career working in Germany, - primarily as the "girl" singer with trumpeter Kurt Hohenberger's orchestra. Listen to her singing Geh Ruhig Zu Einer Anderen", ("Go quietly to another") (425 kb). Many of her hit songs were composed by Michael Jary ("Roter Mohn", "Der Onkel Jonathan") and Theo Mackeben ("Bei Dir War Es Immer So Schoen", and "Mein Kleiner Teddyber"). For many years, Serrano had lived and worked in Germany and felt perfectly at home. However, during a WWII concert engagement in Sweden, the Nazi goverment accused her of being a spy. Rosita never returned to Germany, and many years later died in her home country of Chile, South America, where she had first become popular as a singer of beautiful Argentine Tangos.

      [ Orchester Teddy Sinclair ]
né: Ephraim Waxkirsch
b: July 6, 1899, London, d: June 24, 1938, London, Eng. (according to other sources: Copenhagen).
Instruments: Piano, violin
From 1927 to 1928, Sinclair was the co-leader, and managing director, of London's famed Savoy Orpheans orchestra. The Orpheans first conductor was pianist Carroll Gibbons (1903.1954). When the Orpheans disbanded, in 1928, Sinclair, with some of the original musicians, formed his own group, with which he toured to Berlin, as well as to Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and Austria (where he was called "The British Jazz King).

      [ Erwin Steinbacher Orch. ]
b: July 15, 1903, Berlin, Germany; d: May 12, 1988, Schlangenbad, Germany.
Instruments: Violin, tenor sax.
Steinbacher changed from his initial law studies to studying music and was, in early 1920s -'30s, a member of different orchestras, including with Bernhard Ette. At the end of the 1930s, he created his own orchestra, with which he played in many Berlin Cafes (including the Berolina, Europahaus, Haus Vaterland), and on Army (Wehrmachts) tours; also did some recordings. After WW II, Steinbacher operated a music publishing house among other things, and he and his band were heard (together with his vocalist wife) in many Western European countries including Switzerland.

In 1948, Sels appeared at the 'Knokke Jazz Festival', and about this time he became enamored of the music of Ted Heath's orchestra. He was also impressed with the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band that came to Antwerp in 1948. He began playing with such men as pianist Francis Coopieters, trombonist Christian Kellens, bassists Benoît Quersin, Jean Warland, René Goldstein, saxophonists Bobby Jaspar and Jacques Pelzer, guitarist René Thomas, as well as Sadi, and Toots Thielemans. In 1949, he started his own big band with

In 1949, Sels formed a great big band, that made an impressive debut with some excellent players, and with music and arrangements that he wrote. Among the players were:
Trumpets:     Paul Heyndrickx, Charlie Knegtel, Theo Mertens, Herman Sandy and Nick Fissette
Trombones:  Nat Peck, Frans Van Dijk, Jan Mertens and Christian Kellens
Saxes:     Jay Cameron, Marcel Peeters, Gene Verstrepen, Bobby Jaspar and Roger Asselberghs
Bass:       Jean Warland
Piano:      Francis Coppieters
Drums:     John Ward
Bongos:   Bill Vilez
Conga Drums:  Rudy Frankel
The group finally had to disband due to financial difficulties.

In 1951, after listening to the Mile Davis Capitol Records sessions, he was again inspired to form a big band (15 piece) that included:
Trumpets:   Charlie Knetgel and Herman Sandy; Christian Kellens,
trombone;   Francy Boland (mellophone !);
Saxes:        André Coel, Alex Scorier and Roger Asselbergh,
Oboe:          François Van Den Bogaert
Bassoon:   Jerome De Meirleir
Cello:         Hubert Vennesoen
Tuba:         Alphonse Dillen
Piano:        Jean Fanis
Bass:         Benoît Quersin and
Drums:      Rudy Frankel.

Following that disbanding, he formed a small group that found work in occupied Germany.
Trumpets:    Herman Sandy, Nick Fissette
Trombone:  Christian Kellens
Alto sax:      Jay Cameron
Piano:         Jean Fanis
Bass:           Benoît Quersin
Drums:        Rudy Frankel
At different times, other members included: Willy Albimoor (piano), Etienne Verschueren (alto sax), Roger Vanhaverbeke (bass), Cees See (drums). In March 1952, this group opened for Dizzy Gillespie in Brussels.

The 1950s found him still in Belgium. In 1954 and '55, he recorded six sides for the Ronnex label. In 1955, he accompanied visiting American singer Nat King Cole, and Mezz Mezzrow. He also composed the soundtrack for the movie "Meeuwen Sterven in de Haven" (director: Roland Verhavert). In 1958, Sels and his group (including Christian Kellens) played at the Brussels World Fair. He recorded for the Decca label and recorded "Bongo Jazz" with "Lucky" Thompson. In 1959, Sels played in Brussels with saxman Lester Young and drummer Max Roach. He was also heard in a radio series "Levende Jazz".

In the 1960s, he recorded (Sept '61) "Original Studio Recording" with organist Lou Bennett, Philip Catherine (guitar) and Oliver Jackson (drums). (On the original release, Bennett appeared under the nickname "Goliath" -for contractual reasons.) In 1963, financial difficulties again forced him to sadly work as a longshoreman at the Antwerp harbor, loading and unloading boats! Happily, during this same year, BRT radio began a series of concerts and producer Elias Gistelinck enlisted Sels to both write for, and to play, in the series. This resulted in a very successful saxophone series "Saxorama", which ensemble would later become the core of the BRT Jazz Orchestra.

During his long career, Sels wrote many compositions and arrangements for small and large bands, as well as two symphonies. Sadly, his health declined during the last three years of his life, making it very difficult for him to play. The 1993 Belgian produced movie "Just Friends" (by Marc-Henri Wajnberg, and with music by Michel Herr), featured Archie Shepp. That film, although purely fictional, was definitely inspired by the career of Jack Sels.