[ Sid Catlett Orch ]
Sidney "Big Sid" Catlett
b: January 17, 1910, Evanston, IN; d: March 25, 1951, Chicago, IL
"Some say drums have no part of the melody, they just provide the rhythm. I look at it like this, swing is my idea of how a melody should go. Now I ask you what is swing without drums?" ---Big Sid Catlett.

At the age of 17 Catlett played his first professional gig, with Darnell Howard's Band at the Club Arlington in Chicago. He developed his talents in a number of bands with various styles before making it to New York and the Benny Carter band in 1931. The Catlett drumming style in the early days helped form the hot tempo of such recordings as Fletcher Henderson's, "Jangled Nerves," and "Stealin' Apples," as well as Louis Armstrong's, "Jeepers Creepers."

After leaving Armstrong, Bid Sid was immediately hired by Benny Goodman, where he really 'sparked' Goodman's great 1941 orchestra. (Peggy Lee and Art Lund, Vocs; Mel Powell on piano; Sid Weiss on bass; Vito Musso, Clint Neagley, Julie Schwartz, George Berg and Chuck Gentry on Saxes; Lou McGarity and Cutty Cutshall on trombones; Billy Butterfield, Jimmy Maxwell and Al Davis on trumpets; Catlett on drums; and Guitarist Tommy Morgan.)

He worked with Don Redman, Armstrong, Roy Eldridge and Eddie Condon before he formed his own band in 1944. The quartet played from coast to coast and recorded a handful of sides while in Los Angeles.

Catlett teamed up with Armstrong as a member of the All-Stars from 1946 to the end of 1949. A year later he had a number of solo's during John Kirby's Carnegie Hall Concert.

In March 1951 he played at the Chicago Opera House. It was during a performance, while he was talking with Slam Stewart, that Catlett collapsed and died of a heart attack.

"Let me say this, anyone today who does not say they were influenced by Big Sid, must not play the drums." ---Louis Bellson, 1995.
Notes via Mr. Dan Del Fiorentino

        [ CATO'S VAGABONDS ]
Theme: "Huguette Waltz"
In 1921, the first band (six men) was started in Des Moines, IA. The band's real manager was Cato Mann, while Lester Rhode usually fronted the orchestra. The band played in the Twin Cities - Minneapolis and St. Paul - and surrounding area. The Vagabonds also played several summer seasons at Interlaken Park in Fairmont, Minnesota.

In 1926, Radio Station WOAW aired the orchestra during their stay at the Kelpine Ballroom in Omaha, NE. At this time, the band's original six musicians had grown to ten and had a really fine girl vocalist named Nedra Gordonier. This airtime, further increased their popularity.

During the next ten years they continued to be extremely active in Iowa and the surrounding states, with trips to Georgia and Florida. In later years, Lawrence Welk recalled his own touring of the Nebraska-Iowa area in the mid-twenties. He often said that the Cato Vagabonds were his greatest competition.

The band did tour as far east as New York, making a 1928 appearance in New York City's Roseland Ballroom. The Vagabonds played extended engagements at the Syracuse Hotel in 1931, and The Marigold Restaurant in Rochester, NY in 1932.

In 1936, Cato Mann disbanded the Vagabonds and devoted his time to other interests in his Des Moines home town area.

        [ Johnny Catron Orch ]
B: Sept. 24, 1916 (Boston, MA ?), d. Oct. 31, 1998, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Themes:
"Just a Memory" (1939 in Boston)
"Love Day" (1946 in Texas)
In the fall of 1995 Johnny Catron summed up his life by saying, "I was born on September 24, 1916. I worked as a salesman for automobiles for 36 years. I had a big band for 40 some years. And I wrote a few good songs. Not bad for a guy that never knew what he wanted to do when he grew up!"

After World War II, Catron has financial problems and could not raise the funds to reorganize a band such as the one he had before the war. He took a job at a Volkswagen dealership in Pomona, California in order to finance a band. He soon discovered he had two loves, making music and selling cars. "I know the two careers don't really go together, but I really loved both. A few years later I found a way I could link these two jobs. I wrote a song and had my band perform it, it was called "The Volkswagen Song Polka."

In 1941 when Mr. Catron starting working with Ben Pollack he began to arrange and write songs. "Pollack really encourage me to write, so I did, after all I realized even at that young age how talented Pollack was." When Catron landed a job with the "Union Oil Company Radio Program" he took over as head arranger. Years later he was head arranger and writer for a KFI (Southern California radio station) program with Lawrence Welk and Freddy Martin, the show ran from 1963 to 1966. During this time he wrote some remarkable songs such as "Valerie," "A Little Affection," and "There's a Time and a Place for Everything."

In 1964 he wrote a poignant song about the asassination of John F. Kennedy. The song was entitled "The Big D" and a recording of the song is located at the Dallas Museum.

"Some people have a hard time making sense of my career, to them I say: I got to do what I loved!"
Above Notes courtesy of Mr. Dan DelFiorentino

        [ Bob Causer and His Cornellians Orch ]
Bob Causer was a hotel manager in Ithaca, New York. After a few months without booking a band to the hotel's ballroom, Causer visited the local university, Cornell, to hire a few young musicians. Bob Causer and His Cornellians recorded extensively in the 1930's, however there is little information on the band's touring schedule. It is thought that perhaps the band only played at the hotel in Ithaca and the studio recordings were a form of advertisement. Nevertheless, a review of the bands recordings reveals a soft sound with light tones. Mr Glen Miller has reported that a very young Russ Morgan sang with this band. The Mercury label released a 78 in 1934 with , "Flowers For Madame," and the very melodic, "Seein' Is Believin'."
Notes by Mr. Dan Del Fiorentino

        [ Carmen Cavallaro Orch. ]
b: May 6, 1913, New York, NY, USA. d: Oct. 12, 1969. Columbus, OH, USA. (Cancer)
A classically trained Pianist. Known as "The Poet of the Piano".
Theme Song:
Early On: "Polonaise" (Chopin)
Later On: "My Sentimental Heart".
Here's a photo of Carmen Cavallaro, about whom Roger Kinkle once wrote "The flashy society style pianist had an excellent touch and technique with beautiful chords." Cavallaro was born in New York on May 6, 1913. He was trained in the classics and played many concerts while still in his teens.

The popularity of the dance craze peeked his interest, he first worked with Al Kavelin in 1933 and joined Rudy Vallee four years later. He also worked briefly with the Enric Madriguera and Abe Lyman Orchs. In 1939 Cavallaro formed his first band, a five piece combo for a gig at the St. Louis Hotel. (Larry Douglas and Guy Mitchell were among his early vocalists.) Here's another photo showing one of Cavallaro's early bands. That's Irvan Stumph standing and playing trumpet. (Photo reproduced by courtesy of Ms. Bobby Jean Simkins (Irvan Stumph's daughter).

The demand for his piano showcase band allowed him to travel the country playing most every important spot, including the Mark Hopkins in San Francisco. The band recorded a string of very popular songs with Decca, and in 1944 landed the first of many motion picture performances in "Hollywood Canteen." In 1956, he recorded the soundtrack for the film, "The Eddie Duchin Story." He also had a million seller in 1963 with the song "Sukiyaki."

In the early 1980's, a San Francisco Bay Area Radio Station (KCEA FM) polled their listeners for the band most closely associated with the area. The two top bands were clearly ahead of the other 52 bands listed on the poll. Paul Whiteman (who formed his first band in San Francisco in 1918) and Carmen Cavallaro!

The "Poet of the Piano" indeed still has a buying public in Northern California, even decades after his last recording. A local radio show paid tribute to the maestro after his death in 1989 by saying Cavallaro showed other men how to be a showman! Liberaci said he stole everything from Cavallaro, "except the fancy rings."

Hal Pruden, who was a contemporary of Cavallaro's and said, "He had amazing fingers! He really did. Those of us that had similar piano showcase bands knew he was a genius. The best part of all was that he was also my best friend."
Above notes courtesy of Mr. Dan DelFiorentino

        [ Oscar "Papa" Celestin 's Tuxedo Band ]
b. Jan. 1, 1884, Napoleonville, LA, USA, d. Dec. 15, 1954.
One of the "Black" Brass Bands in New Orleans, LA, active at the turn of the XX century. (Also see: Our Dixieland Jazz Page.
Here's a picture of Papa Celestin's 1926 Band, working on a Mississippi River Steamboar, and here's another photo of Papa Celestin, in his later years.
A major player in the development of Jazz, and one of the most popular of New Orleans cornetists. In 1906,he arrived in New Orleans, and, in 1908, joined Henry Allen Sr.'s Excelsior Band. In 1910, Celestin formed his own Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra which soon became one of the most enduring bands with musicians like Peter Bocage, Louis Armstrong, Bebe Ridgley, Lorenzo Tio, Jr and Isidore Barbarin (guitarist Danny Barker's grandfather). He began recording with his own groups for Okeh until the depression forced him to give-up the group. During World War II he was found working in a shipyard. After the war Celestin reformed his band and began recording for various companies and doing live broadcasts from local radion stations. He was also a mainstay and tourist attraction on New Orleans' Bourbon Street until his death. In view of the tremendous contribution Celestin made in jazz throughout his lifetime, the Jazz Foundation of New Orleans had a bust made and donated to the Delgado Museum in New Orleans.
Brief Chronology:
=================
b. Napoleonville, LA., 1-1-1884 d. 12-15-54
Cornet.
1906 Came to New Orleans
1908 Played with Henry Allen Sr's Excelsior Brass Band
1910 Led his own Tuxedo Band
Inactive throughout the Depression years.
Worked in Shipyard during WW2
1947 Formed a band and recorded for Deluxe
1953 Special Presidential performance for Dwight David Eisenhower
1954 Jazz Foundation of New Orleans presented a bust of Papa to the Delgado Museum, commemorating Papa's role as a Jazz pioneer.

        [ Champion Dance Kings. ]
Please see our Elmer Grosso, entry.

        [ Frank Chacksfield Orch ]
Frank Chacksfield was a tall, thin man with a smile a mile long. I was saddened to hear of his passing on June 9, 1995, but recalled his excitement on his profession and the enjoyment he had making music. In 1983 he told me, in his thick British ascent that, ""Orchestra's are more than just a combination of sounds, they are not unlike people. Orchestra's have moods and feelings and above all they can express those feelings. The best orchestras can make you angry and sad and even fall in love."

The son of a motorcycle engineer's assistant, Francis Charles Chacksfield was born at Battle, Sussex, on May 9, 1914. Frank showed an early talent for music and at the age of seven he was educated in piano, giving his first solo performance at the age of 14. "I was rather fearful that my life would be spent as a soloist, but about the age of 22, I was given the opportunity to lead a full orchestra. I then realized much more was in store for me."

That opportunity came after Frank joined the Royal Signals at the beginning of World War II. Just as he was assigned a post overseas he became ill. While he was recovering he was allowed to make a BBC broadcast. The broadcast led to his being posted to the Army's entertainment section at Salisbury. Over the next few years he had regular radio programs, many heard overseas. During his time he met a follow musician, Charlie Chester. After the war the two co-lead a host of radio and studio bands before landing a record contract.

Frank Chacksfield is best known for the group he formed in 1953, called the Tunesmiths. The orchestra signed a deal with Parlophone Records the same year. After a string of hits, including "Red Monkey," he assembled a larger band, adding strings. Chester and Chacksfield also became noted arrangers during this time for their bands and other popular bands. With the new band came a new sound, "Some people called it a lavish, sweeping style of violins, patterned after Mantovani. To tell you the truth, I am not quite sure how the sound developed, I am only glad it had!" Frank went on to say that, "We recorded "Limelight" and "Ebb Tide" and had no idea that years later they would still be requested on both sides of the Atlantic."

During the 1950's his orchestra continued to have success with movie themes and ballads such as "On the Beach," "Flirtation Waltz" and "Memories of You." The advent of Rock and Roll meant that Frank would never again enjoy such popularity with single recordings. However, he found a new medium, "mood records" (long playing records dedicated to soothing sounds and romantic themes). His "easy-listening" style helped established the era of mood music that won devoted fans the world over.

Record after record sold millions upon millions of copies, "We recorded more than we even thought we would, and people enjoyed what we were doing." Indeed the audiences did love his recording, albums such as "In Old Lisbon", "Donkey Cart" and those devoted to the works of particular composers (Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, and even the Beatles) achieved Gold Records.

In the spring of 1993, Frank told me, "There has not been a day (since 1953) when I did not have a band. I am not sure I would know what to do without one." He broke most every engagement record in England, touring and recording until the 1990's. When Frank passed a way, he was survived by his beautiful wife, Jeanne, whom he married in 1946.

"If you remember nothing else that I have told you, do remember this: I had a fascinating life!"
Above notes from Mr. Dan DelFiorentino

        [ Doc Cheatham Orch ]
Adolphus Anthony Cheatham b: June 13, 1905, Nashville, TN, USA.
'I worked on my own style very hard, After I stopped playing lead horn with the bands. I had to bear down, it took me a long time, long, long time to change over from being just a straight player into a style of free improvisation. Now I feel very comfortable with what I am doing now. I seem to create more now than ever, and that's whats keeping me going. I'm very happy with my playing now.' --Doc Cheatham at the age of 90 (November 1995).

Doc began playing trumpet, for money, as early as the age of 13. By the mid 1920's he toured with Albert Wynn, recorded with Ma Rainey, and lead his own band in Chicago! 'You know I went overseas [Europe] with Wooding, Sam Wooding for a year in '29. While we were over there we recorded, 'Downcast Blues,' which is one I really enjoyed. Thats about the time I decided I was going to keep playing until someone told me to stop. No one ever did.' Doc went on to explain that after the European tour he joined McKinney's Cotton Pickers and then Cab Calloway in 1932.

Bassist Milt Hinton recalled, 'Doc joined with Cab and stayed until '38 or '39. Oh that was such fun. It was a wonderful time, 'cause Doc had some of the most fantastic solos you would ever want to hear. Jonah [Jones] and I used to wonder where he stored all that wonderful energy.'

After a job with Teddy Wilson in the early 1940's, Doc formed another band. He continued leading in intervals, in between trumpet jobs with most of the giants of jazz, including Billie Holiday (check out Doc's solo on the recording of "Come Back To Me"). He enjoyed great popularity in the 1950's with Perez Prado, in the 1960's with his own big band in New York, in the 1970's with Benny Goodman, in the 1980's with a European tour, and in the 1990's with a highly successful recording on Columbia.

Doc's 1985 performance at the Bern Jazz Festival was recorded and released with surprising sales in the United States. The disc lead to a wonder of fantastic dates, most of which included, "Limehouse Blues," and "Swing That Music." The latter became a staple song in his performances. Columbia released a disc entitled "Legendary Pioneers of Jazz" for Doc's 87th Birthday, which included a few vocal solos as well as samples of his trademark style of horn playing.

In 1994, Doc said, "People keep trying to find my place in history, I say, if you close your eyes and enjoy what you hear, then that is all the history I need to be a part of."
Above notes courtesy of Mr. Dan Del Fiorentino

        [ Bob Chester Orchestra ]
b. March 20, 1908
InTheme : "Sunburst"
OutTheme: "Slumber"
Here's a photo of Bob Chester, whose mother's husband (#2) was head of GM's Fisher Body Works (Detroit, MI), - so Bob did not want for money.
He led the band at the Detroit Athletic Club for a while. Here's a hand written list of the sidemen in Bob Chester's band, -showing each man's signature. (The photo is dated July 9, 1930 at the very bottom.) The signatures are (as best as I can read them):
Leader Bob Chester (with photo)
Saxes
      1. Eddie Scalzi -clarinet
      2. Marni Girshman -alto
      3. George Brodsky - alto
      4. Harry Schuckman - tenor
Trumpets
      1. Al Stuart
      2. Alec Fila
      3. Garner Clark
Trombones
      Al Mastren
      Sy Schaffe
Piano
      Buddy Brennan
Bass
      Ray Leatherwood
Guitar
      Bobby Domenick
Drums
      Bob Bass
Vocals
      Dolores O'Neill
The date looks like: July 8 or 9, 1930. The "0" seems clear on a 'blow up' of the photo, but perhaps it is 1939.)

After his 1st band failed, he came east and lived with Tommy Dorsey, who helped him start his 2nd orchestra (1939, to compete with the Glenn Miller Orch).
This band's vocalists were Dolores "Dodie" O'Neil and Kathleen Lane (prev. with Glenn Miller and "Bunny" Berrigan). Listen to Dodie singing one of the hit tunes of the day "With The Wind And The Rain In Your Hair". (563 kb). Among the other vocalists that appeared with the band were Gene Howard; Betty Bradley and Bob Haymes, (Dick Hayme's younger brother).
He also had a great young trumpeter name Alec Fila. Eventually Alec and Dodie got married. And ,eventually they left the Bob Chester Orchestra. Fila went to the Benny Goodman Orch. and Dolores joined the NBC show "Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street" (musical director: Henry "Hot Lips" Levine) after Dinah Shore had left that show. Also, eventually Alec and "Dodie" O'Neill got divorced. And, also eventually Bob Chester and his wife Edna got divorced.
Band eventually faded, and Chester went into the automotive business back in Detroit (where he was quite successful).
Above notes contributed by Alan Popow.

        [ The Cats and The Fiddle ]
CAUTION: DO NOT CONFUSE with the 1960s group "Three Cats and a Fiddle", comprised of Tony Rizzi (guitar/leader), Fred Valdez (piano), Roland Bundock (bass), and John Berry (baritone violectra), The group only issued one album, "Gentle Jazz " (1964 ). Rizzi spent most of his career as a studio musician. In the 1970s, Rizzi formed "Tony Rizzi and His Five Guitars",

In 1937, Vocalist and guitarist Austin Powell founded the group called 'The Cats and A Fiddle', comprised of Powell (lead vocals, guitar), Jimmy Henderson (tenor vocals, tipple), Chuck Barksdale (bass vocals, upright bass), and Ernie Price (tenor vocals, guitar, tipple) (The "tipple" is a small 12-string Spanish guitar); After working school proms, and such, the group had a successful engagement on New York's 52nd Street after which they toured in various Black clubs. Interestingly, even before they began to record, they were seen (in very minor roles) in two Hollywood movies, "Too Hot to Handle" (1938) and "Going Places" (1939).

In the late spring of 1939, "The Cats and A Fiddle" were discovered Lester Melrose, a producer/agent who got them signed to RCA Victor's Bluebird label, for which they made their first recordings in August of 1939 with "Nuts to You" backed with "Killin' Jive". They would eventually record 42 sides for Bluebird. In 1940, they scored their biggest hit with "I Miss You So", composed by Jimmy Henderson, Bertha Scott and Sid Robbin (as Sid Robin) Sadly, Henderson never had a chance to enjoy the royalties. Just as the song was released, he contracted meningitis, and died later in 1940. .
      "We Cats Will Swing You":, (359 kb) played by " The Cats and A Fiddle" quartet.
      "Another Day":, (364 kb) played by " The Cats and A Fiddle" quartet. (Bluebird ca 1939)

Here's a photo of one edition of the "Cats" that had 1940 Cats And The Fiddle, (Top L-R) Ernie Price (tipple), Chuck Barksdale (bass), Herbie Miles (Bottom) and their leader, Austin Powell. The 1946 group that recorded for the Regis label had George Steinbeck (not Barksdale) and "Pee Wee" Branford (not Powell). When Austin rejoined the group later in 1946, Branford departed. In late 1940, Tiny Grimes, was playing electric guitar with this group.

In a re-organized 1951 "The Cats and The Fiddle" group (NOTE: the name change from "A Fiddle" to "The Fiddle"), Dottie Smith was a vocalist and may have also played the drums. Both Austin and Dottie also recorded with Louis Jordan's Tympani Five group. The 'Cats' did appear in a Hollywood production 'The Duke Is Tops' (not related to Duke Ellington) that starred Lena Horne singing, and Ralph Cooper singing and leading the band, but the film flopped, and has only recently (2004) been released on video cassette.