[ Håkan von Eichwald Dance Band ]
b. April 2, 1908, Turku, Finland d. May 1, 1964, Malmö, Sweden. Age: 55
Håkan, a child prodigy, was raised in Turku with his Finnish-Russian parents, and even gave a piano recital at just age 5. He subsequently studied music in both Vienna, Austria and Würzburg, Germany, before relocating to Sweden in 1926. From 1929-1935, he was the husband of Maritta Marke, and from 1936, with the dancer Ingrid Tunér. He started his career leading theater pit orchestras, most notably at Vasateatern during the last of the 1920s. His own band, which was active during the 1930-1934 and the 1936-1940 periods, was a very busy studio orchestra, recording more than 300 dance band numbers between 1930 and 1939. During the WW2 years, Håkan returned to leading theatrical pit orchestras. In the post WW-II years, during 1946-1959, he worked as the conductor for northwestern Skåne's Orchestra association In addition to his other work, Eichwald also contributed music to about 10 films between 1949 and 1956. In 1962, he conducted pit orchestras in Malmö theatres, as well as leading a symphony orchestra in Helsingborg, Sweden, up to his death in Malmö, in 1964, age 55.

      [ Albert Vossen Orch. ]
b: May 22, 1910, Aachen, Germany, d: August 10, 1971, Koeln, Germany.
Instruments: Piano; Accordion.
From 1925 to 1930, Vossen studied Piano at the Cologne college of music, and in Berlin during 1930. But then changed over to playing the piano accordion. Here's a photo of Vossen and his Accordion. In 1932, he formed a band for a residency at Berlin's famed Ciro Bar. Starting in 1942 Vossen became a Soloist with the German Dance and House Orchestra. After World War II ended, he resumed his musical career and was again active a player and a composer in Cologne.

      [ Ray Ventura et ses Collégiens ]
Here's a photograph of Ray Ventura and His Collegians. Ray started this best known of all French bands in the 1920's. Here's 'Ray Ventura et ses Collégiens' playing a couple of tunes "If I Had You", and then "Making Whoopee", both recorded in 1929.

In 1931, the American Bassist Spencer Clark was in the band. Four years later, Ventura formed a new band with sidemen that included trumpeters Philippe Brun and Gus Deloof; trombonist Guy Paquinet, and bassist Louis Vola, a long time member of the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Alix Combelle, saxist joined him in late 1930's. During the WW2 years, Ventura lead a band in Argentina.

Many of the numbers that the orchestra played were in the classical style that a Chopin or a Ravel might have played them. Ray was really the French equivalent of England's Jack Hylton, inasmuch as both men had show-type orchestras, and Ray's band always haad a jazz contingent within it.

      [ Lex Van Spall and His Chocolate Kiddies ]
Around 1920, Lex emigrated to Holland from the former Dutch colony. His racially mixed background allowed him to move easily between 'Black' and 'White' bands. His parents had sent him to Holland to study banking, but instead he became one of Holland's earliest jazz musicians.

His first instrument was the guitar and he picked up the alto saxophone after neeting pianist Theo Uden Masman, some 5 years before Masman would form the longest living Dutch dance band, 'The Ramblers'. With Sax players in great demand, Lex toured all over Europe. In the 1930s, Lex formed an orchestra called "Lex van Spall and his Chocolate Kiddies", that included trumpeter Johnny Dunn and Horace Eubanks, a somewhat obscure clarinetist who had played on some of Jelly Roll Morton's and Charlie Creath's recordings. Lex had sat in with Sam Wooding's Chocolate Kiddies a few years earlier and when Wooding gave up the name, it became free for use by anyone. At the time, Black musicians were then much in demand, and such a name was quite attractive to promotors. The very same name was also used by reed player Jascha Trabsky for his band, and for the band led by drummer/vocalist Bobby t'Sas

During his long career, Lex toured all over Europe, Asia and Africa, while playing with such stars as Sidney Bechet, Louis Mitchell, James Boucher, Sam Wooding, Arthur Briggs, Jack Hamilton, Fats Waller and singer Alberta Hunter. Unfortunately he was rarely recorded. However, he was photographed. He can be seen (and heard playing guitar) in the night club scene with Sidney Bechet's band in the movie "Einbrecher", the German film made in Berlin, starring Lilian Harvey and Willy Fritsch.

      [ Jaako Vuormaa Orch. ]
Currently No Information Available.

      [ Karel Vlacha Orch. ]
Here is a photo of Karel Vlach, a dance orchestra leader/arranger who recorded prolifically for the Supraphon label, including both light classical and orchestral as well as Jazz and Pop arrangements for big band with strings. From 1940 to 1980, he was busy, writing, arranging and conducting in the Czech film studios. He greatly helped the singing careers of Czech artists Yvetta Simonova (they later married) and, in 1958, Milan Chladil. In the late 1950's,,Vlach - working with Dalibor Brazda, (b. September 9, 1921 - d. August 17, 2005), and Gustav Brom, also arranged and recorded many titles for British singer Gery Scott

      [ Eraldo Volonte e la sua Orchestra ]
Volonte was born in 1918, and started his professional career in the 1930s.
Some of his work can be heard on a recent RJR CD release.
For more information on this recording, please contact:
Riviera Jazz Records, P.O. Box 8031 - 00188 Rome, Italy eMail: montefalasco@tiscalinet.it

      Alexander Varlamov, (1930's-1940's).
Currently No Information Available.