He recorded as the Hot Lips Page Trio for Bluebird in 1940 before joining Artie Shaw where he worked from 1941-1942. Starting in 1944 he recorded for Commodore and Savoy, fronting his own groups (Hot Lips Page Orchestra and Hot Lips Page Swing Seven). During the late 1940's and early 1950's he worked almost exclusively in Europe.
Above notes courtesy of Robin Lenhart

       [ Walter Page and his Blue Devils Orch ]
Musically speaking, In the later 1920s and 1930s, Oklahoma may have been best known for the exploits of Walter Page and his Blue Devils. Page was born in Gallatin, Missouri. In 1920, Page began a band that would become one of the most important of all the early Territory Jazz bands. From 1923 to 1934, his band dominated the Southwest area.

Bands in the Southwest frequently engaged in the "battle of the bands." The Blue Devils so excelled in these battles that other bands were reluctant to face them. The Blue Devils included Walter Page, Eddie Durham, Buster Smith, Charlie Christian, Lester Young, Jimmy Rushing, William "Count" Basie, and an assembly of other musicians who were sidemen from time to time.

Benny Moten, leader of Kansas City band, reportedly tried to acquire the Blue Devils. Moten wanted his name to be used by the band, but offered Page continued leadership - as the 'frontman' of the band. When Page turned down the proposal, Moten made individual offers to Blue Devil musicians. In 1929, Basie, Rushing and Durham left the Blue Devils, and in 1930, Oran "Hot Lips" Page left.

Then in 1932, Page himself joined Moten's band, leaving Buster Smith as leader of the Blue Devils. And still later, Smith and other members joined the Moten band. Accordingly, it can be argued that the "great" Bennie Moten band was actually the "great" Blue Devils band. When Moten died, Basie became the leader. Page went on to become one of the best Jazz bassists of the 1930's. He also created the "walking bass" style.

       [ Raymond Paige Orch ]
b. 1900, Wausau, Wisconsin, USA, d. August 7, 1965, Larchmont, New York, USA.
Currently no information available.
Raymond Paige was a radio and studio conductor in 1930s Hollywood who worked in a very lush, "Pops Orchestra" milieu.

       [ Louis Panico Orch ]
Theme Song: "Wabash Blues"
Louis Panico. A very good jazz trumpeter. He made the mistake of recording "Wabash Blues" in a "wah-wah" style that tagged him as cornball. A tag that, sadly, he never shed.

       [ Anthony "Tony" Parenti Orch. ]
Reeds
Theme Songs: "Cabaret Echoes", "Praline"
b. August 6, 1900; New Orleans LA: d. April 17, 1972, New York, NY
Began career at age of 14. First jobs with "Papa Jack" Laine, Alfred "Baby" Laine, Nick LaRocca, and Jimmy Dedroit. At age 15, he often worked as the Pup Cabaret. In 1921, formed his own band. Played at Bienville Roof from 1921-1922 and, from 1922-1924 at the La Vida Club - both in New Orleans, LA. Listen here to Dizzy Lizzy, a March 24, 1925 Victor recording of Anthony Parenti and His Melody Boys, here digitally re-engineered by Mr. Verne Buland.

Moved to New York city in 1927 (where he often stood in for Benny Goodman in the Ben Pollack band). Played with bands of Paul Ash, Henry Busse, Arnold Johnson, Ross Gorman, Meyer Davis, Mike Markel and served as a C.B.S. staff musician, and occasionally led a saxophone quartet for some radio broadcasts.

He got a radio spot with Ed Wynn on the Palmolive Hour. He also played with 'B.A. Rolfe orchestra' on the Lucky Strike radio shows 1930-1931. From 1932-1934, he appeared on the Kate Smith radio show while at the same time he was playing with both the Fred Rich and Nat Brusiloff bands on other radio shows. For four years, he enjoyed a chair with Erno Rapee's orchestra at Radio City Music Hall. From 1938-1944 he toured with the Ted Lewis Orchestra.

In 1945, he returned to New York and played in several Dixieland Jazz groups, led by Eddie Condon, and Georg Brunis, and later led his Dixie group. From 1947-1949, he was in Chicago playing with Mugsy Spannier (1947) and Miff Mole (1948-'49). In 1950, he was in Miami, FL, and briefly played with the Dukes of Dixieland (1952), and then led his own group. In 1954, he returned to New York, and led house bands at Condon's (1962-3) and Ryan's (1963-9), and his own club till his demise in 1972.

Notable Sidemen: James Archey, trombone-Wild Bill Davison, cornet - Baby Dodds, drums-Pops Foster, bass-Mark Hazel, drums.
We thank Mr. Ken Tidwell for the above entry on Tony Parenti.

       [ Tiny Parham Orch. ]
b. Winnipeg, Canada, d. April 4, 1943. USA.
né: Hartzell Strathdene Pahham
Overview
Here's a photograph of Tiny Parham, and here's "Tiny's" band in the 1920s playing Dixieland Doin's. Born in Canada, his family emigrated to Kansas City, MO where, at an early age, Tiny got his start in Vaudeville. In 1925, he moved to Chicago finding work as a Paramount Records talent scout, organ and piano player in local theatres, and additionally led his own band while still finding time to do some arranging for other bands. In the years between 1928 to 1930, Victor recorded the 'Tiny Parham and his Musicians' 38 times. During his career, he used such other names as: 'Tiny Parham and his "Forty" Five'; 'Parham's Black Patti Band'; 'Tiny Parham's Four Aces', and the 'Dodds And Parham Orchestra'. The band was quite active all throughout the 1930s, and this stocky leader's bands were very popular in Chicago's south side and in the larger night clubs and vaudeville theatres. During 1939 and 1940, he was an organ player in a Chicago Roller Skating Rink. Tiny died in his dressing room during a show, in Milwaukee, WI.

       [ Tony Pastor Orch ]
b. Oct. 26, 1907 Middletown, CT, USA. d. Oct. 31, 1969
Theme Song: "Blossoms"
Here's a photograph of Tony Pastor and Friends, including Harry James and his vocalist wife Louise Tobin, plus fellow leaders Ben Bernie and Jimmy Dorsey. By the time Tony was a teenager, he was already blowing his tenor sax with various east coast bands. He even played with his neighbor, Artie Shaw's band. His own first band,, formed in the early 1930's, was not overly successful, and he then joined Artie Shaw's orchestra as one of the featured soloists, and vocalist, too. After he left Shaw, he formed his second band, he found much more success this time due to the bands radio broadcasts. Even though the big band era was coming to an end, the Pastor band survived the winter of 1947 that saw the disbanding of so many great orchestras. Pastor was able to carry on until the end of the 1950's. Among the singers that worked in the band were Betty and Rosemary Clooney. Here's an early photo of the Clooney Sisters, Rosemary is on the Right side.

After Pastor disbanded, he was able to find work, in the 1960's, with his small group in the Las Vegas, NV, casinos. The group included his three sons.

Tony was 62 years old when he died in 1969. (Note: The photo of Pastor's first orchestra in the early 1930s, is reproduced here by courtesy of the Elmo Mack estate.)

       [ Eddie Paul and The Paramount Orch. ]
Not much is known or written about this group. What is known is that he had a better-than-average society type orchestra. Vocalists with the band were: Tony Sacco, Francis Stevens and Johnny Hauser. All of his recordings were vocals

The band recorded 18 sides for the ARC label (Perfect, Banner, Melotone, Vocalion, etc.) beginning July 16, 1935, through January 6, 1936.

All of their recordings were done in New York, and were the pop tunes of the period. It is just possible that this was another studio band.
Above notes on Eddie Paul courtesy of James B. Zerr.

       [ George Paxton Orch. ]
b. Jacksonville, FL, USA.
Overview
Paxton, a fine Saxist, was easy going, witty, and had a real flair for writing commercial arrangements. Some historians have noted that his musical style was influenced by the Isham Jones Orchestra, as was such other leaders as Gene Krupa; Dick Jurgens; Eddie Howard; and of course, the 'Jones Alumni Association' - the Woody Herman Band. Over the years, in addition to leading his own band, he wrote many arrangements for, and sometimes also played sax in, such well known bands as Charlie Spivak, Vaughn Monroe, George Hall, and Ina Ray Hutton.

While still a child, his family moved to New Jersey where George grew up. In 1933, while in high school, he formed a six-man band with classmates Tony Mottola and Herbie Haymer. This group played at Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook before it became famous for booking big bands.

George, Tony and Herbie moved to NYC where Dailey hired Paxton to write arrangements for his band. Mottola became a famous studio guitarist and Haymer, who played tenor sax, was hired by Red Norvo and later worked for Woody Herman.

Paxton eventually was hired to play sax and do arrangements for the George Hall Orchestra and Dolly Dawn's Dawn Patrol, a sub-group of Hall's. When Hall left the Taft Hotel to tour Paxton remained in NYC arranging for Bea Wain, who had just left Larry Clinton and for Bunny Berigan.

He was hired, along with Sonny Burke and Nelson Riddle, by Charlie Spivak who had just formed his first band in Cincinnati. He was lured back to NY by Ina Ray Hutton, who had just disbanded her 'All-Girl Orchestra' to form an 'all-male' band. She offered him 50% of her band's profits to do arrangements for this band. During this time Paxton also wrote for Vaughn Monroe and Sammy Kaye.

In 1944 he formed a band and got a ten week engagment at NY's Roseland Ballroon which turned into a one year run. Roseland also gave the band exposure through it's network radio broadcasts. After the Roseland stint the band began to tour the eastern states and the college circuit.

In 1945, George dropped the strings and hired some better musicians which enabled the band to play some of New York's better clubs and hotels. In 1949, he was offered the job directing the house orchestra at The Capitol Theater in New York. While there he started a music publishing company. One of his first publications was "There's No Tomorrow" which became a big hit for Tony Martin. But he soon disbanded and went into full-time music publishing. He also headed his own mostly unsuccessful record company.

Vocalists included: Liza Morrow, Alan Dale
Sidemen included: Boomie Richmond, Nick Fatool
Recorded for: Majestic, Hit, Guild, MGM
The BigBands Database thanks Robin Lenhart for the above information on the George Paxton Band.

       [ Ray Pearl Orch ]
Theme Song: "A Kiss From Me To You"
b. July 24, 1913, USA. d. Feb. 25, 1997, Hines (Chicago) IL, USA.
Ray started his band during 1937 in Pennsylvania. As was the custom in those days - and today -, the band toured extensively. Among the venues played were The Casino Gardens in Santa Monica, CA., and Janzen Beach in Portland OR. From an obituary, quoted below, it is interesting to note, that Pearl's band was formed, and originally (at least) promoted by Fred Luther, dance promoter and ballroom owner.

During WW2, Ray was drafted into the Army, but afterwards returned to the Band Business. Pearl's first booking in Chicago was at "The Melody Mill".

Mr John Bauman, has forwarded this obituary (from a Sunset, Pennsylvania newspaper (dated Nov 13, -either 1945 or 1946). Mr Bauman is a relative of Mr. Fred Luther.
    "Fred Luther, Carrolltown, Pa. Dance Promoter, Dies at 47"
    "Fred Luther,47, prominent Cambria Co. dance promoter and owner of
    Sunset Park, died at 5:30 last evening in his home. He had been in
    ill health for the last year. Mr Luther not only operated the Sunset
    Ballroom, but for a number of years operated the Auditorium Ballroom
    in Johnstown, and the Coliseum Ballroom in Greensburg, and brought
    many of the nations outstanding dance bands to this area. Mr
    Luther was the founder and orginal sponser of Ray Pearl's Orchestra
    which since leaving Sunset has gained national fame in Chicago and New
    York, and on nationwide radio hookups. Since the outbreak of war (WWII),
    Luther was engaged in a coal stripping busniess near Carrolltown. A son
    of D. A. and Josephine (Yahner) Luther, he was born Aug.31, 1898 in
    Carrolltown. ....(he is) survived by his widow, Mrs. Agnes (Keenan) Luther,
    and two daughters, Sally and Nancy. Mr.Luther was a brother of Sister
    M. Rosalie, O. S. B., St. Benedicts Home, North Side, Pittsburgh; Mrs.
    Frank Mulligan, McKeesport, Miss Colletta Luther, and Mrs Mary William,
    both of Le Roy, N.Y, and, Miss Marcella Luther, Carrolltown."

Unfortunately, the only music that Ray left behind were electrical transcriptions and the sixteen 78 RPM commercial records that were cut by the band. Ray retired in 1956 after an engagement at "The Peabody" in Memphis.

       [ Santo "Peck" Pecora and his Orch. ]
b: March 31, 1902, New Orleans, LA, USA. d: May 29, 1984
Currently No Information Available.
Here's a photograph of Santo Pecora. Pecora's first important job was with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, with whom he played trombone from 1924-'25. In the late '20s and during the following decade Pecora's early formal studies helped him to obtain work with several theatre orchestras and in such pre-Swing era big bands as that led by Ben Pollack. In the mid-to-late '30s he was often found in 'Dixieland' bands, playing with Sharkey Bonano and others. He went back to his home town in the early '40s and thereafter led bands in and around the city, with occasional trips to Chicago, and sometimes joining forces with Bonano. Pecora's musical training gave him a broader range than he customarily chose to use and he was happy to be heard playing in a rambunctious Dixieland Jazz style.
Among "Peck's" recordings for English Parlophone was:
      "I Never Knew What A Girl Could Do", and "Magnolia Blues"
Thanks to Mr. Verne Buland for this entry on Santo Pecora.

       [ Joe Pica Orch. ]
Currently no information available. Joe's Tagline was "The Wizard of the Keyboard". An excellent pianist, his band toured and was well received on their recordings.

       [ Paul Pendarvis Orch ]
Theme: "My Sweetheart"
Pendarvis was born in Oklahoma. but moved to California for his under-graduate college (UCLA) years. During his stay in California, he had some minor roles in motion pictures.

He moved to Kansas City, KS, and it was here, in the early thirties, that Paul started his band. In addition to club and hotel dates, Paul also had his own radio show. Pendarvis was a violinist. He always started his radio program with the announcement: "When you here the violin, - it's Paul Pendarvis", followed by the theme song.

Paul found some success in Kansas City, and subsequently the band was booked into The Congress Hotel in Chicago. During these years, the band recorded for Columbia Records. Paul gave up the band in the early forties to become musical director of a radio station.

       [ Red Perkins & his Dixie Ramblers ]
About 1925, Red formed a sextet in his home town of Omaha, Nebraska. In time, the sextet grew into a great "territory" band, with good sidemen who were capable of doubling on several instruments.

They were always a very entertaining band and, for over twenty years, their agent, the National Orchestra Service, kept them booked into Theaters, Ballrooms and Hotels throughout Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and the Dakotas. The band also recorded for Gennett Records.

In the mid-forties, when the band business started to decline, Red finally dis-banded. Twenty years of touring and one-nighters had taken their toll. He retired to Minneapolis, MN and became a professional photographer.

       [ Emile Petti and his Savoy Plaza Orch. ]
Currently No Information Available. Petti recorded (for Liberty Music Shop):
      "Rose Room"
      "Look For The Silver Lining"
      "Avalon"
      "La Vida"
      "Just Like A Gypsy"
Another of his recordings was "He's Funny That Way," with vocalist Jane Harvey.

One reader, Mr. Ivan Hiki, has recalled that
"The orchestra was popular in the years running up to World War II when the tempo was kept strictly for dancing. The band was very much in the theme of a society orchestra -- not too large, rather sedate, and with lots of what in those days was called 'class'."

       [ Jack Pettis and his Pets ]
b. 1902, Danville, IL, d.
Instruments: Reeds
Jack can rightfully be called one of the founding musicians in the early world of Jazz. He was self taught on the C-Melody Sax, and by 1918 (age 16) was already working with Elmer Schoebel. In 1919 he became an original member of The Mares's Friars Society Orchestra, which in 1922, made their first recording. In 1923, the band was renamed as the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, -the seminal group introducing Jazz to Chicago and the Mid-West. In 1924, he joined violinist Ben Bernie's orchestra in New York City, playing both tenor and C-melody saxophone as well as clarinet. In early 1925, electrical engineer Dr. Lee De Forest made a sound film of Ben Bernie's Orchestra in which Jack Pettis contributed what is probably the very first jazz solo on film. From 1926 on, Pettis recorded as a leader, with discs being issued under several pseudonyms. His recordings were mostly in Jazz style and his bands had many well-known Jazzmen including Clarinetist Benny Goodman, Adrian Rollini, Eddie Lang, Joe Venuti, Jack Teagarden, and Tommy Dorsey. Pettis remained active into the 1930s. He is also credited with composing some lyrics, including a lyric for the tune "Bugle Call Rag" (with music by composer Billy Meyers), which was recorded by Benny Goodman's band as well as others. (Meyers is also remembered for his song "Nobody's Sweetheart", which he composed with Ernie Erdman, Gus Kahn and Elmer Schoebel.) In 1927, he contributed the lyric to Fats Waller's tune "St. Louis Shuffle", and in 1928 to another Waller tune "Candied Sweets".

Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 10:23:30 +0200
This is what (Mr. Enrico Borsetti) got today from a family member of Jack Pettis, - James Marion Baker.

         "I can tell you a few things that are likely to be true about Jack Pettis,
         the saxophonist, because he is a relative on my mother's side. Jack was born
         about 1891, full name was John Baber Pettis. His father was Samuel Arthur
         Pettis, mother was Cora. He had a sister named Molly. These were Illinois
         people. Jack's father, Samuel Arthur Pettis, born in Alton, IL, spent some
         growing up years in Fayette County, had three siblings."

         "My grandmother, Mattie Pettis Tracy (1870-1967), was a sister of Samuel
         Arthur Pettis; he was about four years older. So Jack Pettis, Samuel
         Arthur's son, was my mother's first cousin. I still have one uncle (my
         mother's youngest sister's husband) who is now about 87 years old and who
         actually knew Jack."

         "Jack, the saxophonist, married a woman named Molly (which was also his
         sister's name, which makes for some confusion). During the 1920s, he
         performed in dance bands, some of which were on the great transatlantic
         liners such as the Leviathan, and was said to have his own dance band for
         some of that time period. With his friend and co-musician Billy Meyers, he
         had a hand (so say the family legends) in writing "Bugle Call Rag" and also
         "I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now." Jack and Molly made Chicago their home. Jack
         died at a fairly young age, --that is, probably before he was 50. And after
         his death, his friend Billy Meyers married Molly, Jack's widow. They also
         lived in Chicago. In time Billy Meyers died, and most certainly by now Molly
         has died as well. It is said that they owned a stylish white baby grand
         piano."

       [ Picou's Independence Band ]
né: Alphonse Floristan Picou, Clarinetist
b: Oct. 10, 1878, New Orleans, LA, USA. d: Feb. 4, 1961, New Orleans, LA, USA. This fine Black clarinetist was one of the "original" New Orleans Jazzmen.
Brief Chronology:
=================
1892 Learned to play Guitar.
1893 Learned to play clarinet
1894 Played in the Acordiana Band
1897 Formed his own "Independence Band"
1899 Played in the Oscar Duconge Band
1900 Worked in the Excelsior Band
1901 Plays in the Olympia Band (taken over by Freddie Keppard in 1905) Later played in bands of Bunk Johnson, Wooden Joe Nicholas, Emmanuel Perez and Dave Peyton. During WW1, Picou was in Chicago.
1920's In New Orleans. Plays with many differernt bands ; Symphony Orchs, and smaller jazz groups.
1932 Played with the Crescent City Orch. Is in retirement
1940 Recorded with Kid Rena.
1947 Recorded with Papa Celestin.
1960 Owned a Bar over which he lived.
1961 Played with the Eureka Brass Band.

       [ Teddy Phillips Orch. ]
b. june 5, 1918, Oak Park, IL, USA. d. March 10, 2001, Canoga Park, CA. USA. (kidney failure) age 83.
Here's a photograph of Teddy Phillips, who, in 1934, graduated from Oak Park River High School, where he had learned to play the sax in school band. After graduation, he joined Bill Bardo Orch. and for next 10 years played and toured with many bands including Ben Bernie, Lawrence Welk, and also worked in radio studio bands for both NBC and CBS in Chicago. IL.

Serving only briefly in US Army during WWII, he formed his own band in 1944, the Teddy Phillips Orch., which played at local Chicago clubs until 1947, when he played the Aragon Ballroom. The band became a fixture there and at the Trianon and Willowbrook Ballrooms becoming the best known band in town. Curiously, his popularity came just as the Big Bands era was closing. It was the last days when three dance bands could be heard nightly at such ballrooms.

Rudy Scafidi, lead trumpet in the Phillips band in those days, has recalled that the band's big hit tunes at the time were "Melancholy Mood", and "Don't Call Me Sweetheart Anymore", which were collaborations with his vocalist Coleen Lovett and with fellow bandleader Al Trace.

In 1956, The Teddy Phillips Orch. Show was seen on WGN-TV via remote telecast from the Aragon. In 1957, he married vocalist, Coleen Lovett, and they moved to Calif where the band was also seen on local TV. By the 1960s, he had transformed the band into the Mexicali Brass - Las Vegas style Mariachi Band. In 1971, he and Coleen were divorced. During the 1970s, he contined performing with the band, and toured the USA briefly in the 1980s as the leader of the Guy Lombardo Tribute Band. In 1984, he and fellow bandleader Al Trace, released a record 'Concert In The Sky' featuring the signature songs of famous dance bands of the past.

His final active years were spent at Benefit Concerts, often alongside well known stars.

       [ Merle Pitt & His 5 Shades of Blue Orch. ]
The band was organized in 1939 as one of the house bands at New York City radio station WNEW, where they were heard through to 1942. (WNEW was the same station that made programs such as Martin Block's "Make Believe Ballroom", and the "Milkman's Matinee" staples of the early broadcasting days.) Vocalist Kay Lorraine recorded "I Don't Want To Walk Without You Baby" with Merle Pitt. Pitt's band was an early Swing small group playing fairly much the same as the John Kirby Sextet. Originally, the band consisted of Merle Pitt (violin), Mac Ceppos (violin), Sammy Frey (accordion), Phil Kraus (vibes), Frank Froeba (piano), and Dick Kissinger (arranger/bass). They made electrical transcriptions that were sent around the country as well as performing live "on the air".

Some other musicians with whom Merle worked during his career include:
Nat Polen; Carl Poole; Maurice Perlmutter; Anthony Perrotti; William Rausch; Elaine Vito Ricci; Arthur Shapiro; Frank Sinatra; Pinky Savitt; Jack Sewell; Kay Lorraine; Frank Siravo; James Skiles; Zelly Smirnoff; Elmer Smithers; James Stagliano; Wolfe Taninbaum; Paul Weigand; Garry White; and Rubin Zarchy.
The BigBands Database thanks Dr. R. David Kissinger, son of bassist/arranger Dick Kissinger, for the above entry on Merle Pitt.

       [ Ben Pollack Orch ]
b. June 22, 1903. Chicago, IL, USA. d. June 7, 1971.
Theme Song: "Song of the Islands"
Tag Line: Ben would very often use the expression "May It Please You" when introducing or ending a song.
Overview
Here's a photograph of Ben Pollack, who in the early 1920s, was playing with the famed New Orleans Rhythm Kings. Ben formed his own orchestra in 1925. And here's a photograph of Ben and the Band. It was to become one of the Finest Big Bands of the '20s. Pollack, a drummer, had, at times, such men as Glenn Miller on trombone (and arrangements); Benny Goodman; Jack and Charlie Teagarden; Charlie Spivak; Jimmy McPartland; Bud Freeman; Fud Livingstone, plus the nucleus of the future Bob Crosby band - Eddie Miller, Matty Matlock, Yank Lawson, Gil Rodin; Ray Bauduc, Nappy Lamare, and Dean Kincaide. The first Bob Crosby band was formed in 1934 when Pollack disbanded. Many musicians at the time referred to Crosby's band as 'The Ben Pollack Alumni Asscociation'. In 1942, Ben put together the short-lived band for Chico Marx, that had a very young Mel Torme as featured vocalist. (Ben also became Torme's manager for awhile.)
Sidenote: A 1930 "Durium - Hit of The Week" paper disc listed:
"BEN POLLACK'S ORCHESTRA [2tp-tb-2cl as-cl ts f-2v-p-g banj-tu-dm]: Rudy Weinstein tp, Charlie Teagarden tp, Jack Teagarden tb, Gil Rodin as, Larry Binyon cl-ts-f, Matty Matlock cl-as, Alex or Ed Bergman v, Al Beller v, Vic Breidis p, Dick Morgan banj g, Harry Goodman tu, Ray Bauduc dm, Ben Pollack vocals.
1026 D I'M FOLLOWING YOU Fox-Trot Dreyer Macdonald - BP vocs.
1027 C "CRYIN' FOR THE CAROLINES" Fox-Trot Lewis Young Warren - BP vocs

Pollack basically lost all his sidemen in 1934, because he grew tired of the band and wanted to devote his time to further the career of his beautiful wife, Doris Robbins. Here's a photo of Doris Robbins

In 1936, he started a new orchestra featuring unknown sidemen such as Freddie Slack, piano; Shorty Sherock and Harry James on Brass; Irving Fazola, Clarinet; and Dave Matthews on sax. In time all of these musicians drifted to other orchestras and found great fame.

Ben settled on the west coast where he started still another band which met with only moderate success. After 1938, he occasionally led small dixieland groups with himself on the drums.

He finished his career in business ventures such as running a small record company and even owned his own club. Growing increasingly bitter, he started instituting law suits against some of the big bands. His tragic death occurred in 1971, when he hanged himself in his Palm Springs home.

       [ Teddy Powell Orch ]
Theme: "Blue Mood"
Teddy organized his first band in 1939,and to get a 'jump start', he hired many first rate musicians; - men with experience in such orchestras as the Benny Goodman; Tommy Dorsey; Bunny Berigan, and Glen Gray bands. In his first band, the sidemen included IRving Goodman; Gus Bivone; Don Lodice; Pete Mondello, and ben Heller. Ruth Gaylor was the 'girl' vocalist and Ben Homer the arranger. In 1940, Ray Conniff did the arranging. Among the men who later appeared with the band were George Paxton, Tony Aless, Mickey Folus, Dave Mathews, Ron Perry, Chuck Gentry, Hal Tennyson (tenor sax and one of 'The Modernaires' - often filling a chair in the Glenn Miller band when there was a vacancy), and Harry Garey on trombone. Still others included Irving Fazola, Johnny Austin, Camen Mastren, Charlie Ventura, Ted Goddard, Jackie Mills, Boots Musilli, Pete Condoli, Milt Bernhart, Lee Castle, Ray Wetzel, Lee Konitz and Skip Nelson vocalist. And, for a short time, Mary Ann McCall was also on vocals.

In 1950, he re-organized with a string section into a 'Society' style of orchestra. A couple of ex Hal McIntyre sidemen were in the group, - John Popa and Billy Robbins.
Thanks to Chas. Steiger for the above notes on Teddy Powell.

       [ Louis Prima Orch ]
Theme Song: "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans"
b: Dec. 12, 1911, New Orleans, LA, USA. d: August 24, 1978, New Orleans, LA, USA.
He switched to the trumpet after studying violin for seven years. Louis, at age 17, was already working in a New Orleans theatre. A good trumpet player, he played a New Orleans jazz style. Here's an interesting photo of Louis playing during a broadcast on the New Orleans, LA, radio station WDSU with his 1934 group called Louis Prima & his New Orleans Gang (aka: Louis Prima and his New Orleans Jazzmen). The band had such sidemen as Ray Bauduc; Sidney Arodin; Eddie Miller; Nappy Lamare and George Brunis. In this picture, Louis is playing trumpet and Irving Fazola is on clarinet.

It is interesting to note that this band, as well as a number of others, though small in comparison to the big bands that were starting to explode across the country, were the groups that initially gave the music its popularity as well as bringing attention to the word "swing". Even more fascinating is the fact that, over 50 years later, a little 30 second "Ad" with his "Jump, Jive and Wail" opened the floodgates for the rebirth of the swing movement as a mainstream phenomenon late in 1999 and early 2000s.

With the advent of the "Swing" era, Louis turned to "pop" music. His first vocalist was Lily Ann Carol. Later, in 1954, it was Keely Smith, Voc and Louis's wife. They were a were a great drawing attraction in the Las Vegas Casinos, as well as a good supperclub act.

Not only did Prima have a band in the 1930s, but he was already writing in the thirties as well. Louis is the original composer of the song "Sing, Sing, Sing", that later became a huge hit for the Benny Goodman orchestra first at the famous Carnegie Hall Concert, and later on records. The song was originally about 3 minutes long (a constriction imposed by the length of time available on a 78RPM record). But with the improvisational nature of the early Jazz and Swing bands it grew in size. Ross Firestone in his book 'Swing, Swing, Swing: The Life & Times of Benny Goodman' has written that Benny originally conceived it as a vocal for Helen Ward, but the band kept changing it in performance, adding solos, incorporating strains from Chu Berry's "Christopher Columbus" and so on, until it bore only the slightest resemblance to the original score. The way Helen Ward remembers it, the process began wholly by accident during the band's return visit to the Palomar that summer. "One night Gene (Krupa) just refused to stop drumming when he got to the end of the third chorus, where the tune was supposed to end, so Benny blithely picked up the clarinet and noodled along with him. Then someone else took it, and it went on from there." By the time Benny recorded the expanded head arrangement in 1937, it had grown to be over eight minutes long and covered both sides of a twelve-inch 78 rpm record.

After the big band era ended, Prima worked with lounge groups. Finally, Louis suffered a massive tumor on his brain stem. He lingered, unconscious and in a coma, for a long time before dying on August 24, 1977, in his native New Orleans. LA. It must have been a very trying time for his then second wife, and also for Keely Smith, who loved him dearly.

       [ Tito Puente Orch. ]
b: April 20, 1923 New York, NY, USA d: May 31, 2000
né: Ernesto Antonio Puente, Jr.
Conga drums and bongos percussion; piano, vibrophone; alto sax and piano.
Early in life, an accident that resulted in a torn ankle tendon, destroyed Tito's dream of becoming a dancer. It also resulted in Tito studying the piano instead of dancing.

Tito has said that his favorite bands were Stan Kenton and Count Basie. Where did this latino get his love of Big Band swing?? Probably from the lessons he had from Charlie Spivak, when they were both sailors during WW2. Spivak gave Tito lessons in composition when they both served aboard the USS Santee. After Tito's discharge from the USNR (1945), he took formal lessons at New York's Juilliard School of Music.

During this period, Tito played with many different 'latin' bands including Pupi Campo; Noro Morales and Machito. In 1949, he formed a group called the "Picadilly Boys" which eventually metamorphosed into the Tito Puente Orchestra. The band featured people such as Willie Bobo; Johnny Pacheco; Ray Barretto and Mongo Santamaria.

In the 50's, Puente did a lot of "crossover" work; combining the la tin 'feel' with American big band sounds. In the late 50's, he helped promote the Cha Cha sound. Tito was able to transform the old Cuban violin and flute Charanga - `chachacha' - music into a big band reeds and brass sound. He continued playing 'crossover' into the 60's with many big band dates playing Bossa Novas and Broadway show tunes interpreted in a latin manner.

In the 70's, Tito made several tours of Europe with "Tito Puente and his Latin Percussion Ensemble". He recorded with Cal Tjader and Ray Barretto for Fantasy and Atlantic records. He was also in a Jeremy Marre TV film "SALSA 79"

In the 80's, the 'band' became an octet and his Concord/Picante CD entitled "Tito Puente and his Latin Ensemble on Broadway" won a 1983 Grammy award. In 1985, another Concord/Picante CD album called Mambo Diablo won another Grammy. Geroge Shearing was featured playing "Lullaby of Birdland". In 1992, Tito was in a film entitled "The Mambo Kings".

       [ Perez Prado Orch. ]
B: Dec. 11, 1916, Matanzas, Cuba. D: Sept. 15, 1989, Mexico City, Mexico.
né: Damaso Perez Prado
Instruments: Piano, Organ
Tag Line: "The Mambo King" ("El Rey del Mambo")
While attending school Damaso Perez Prado studied classical piano and played both organ and piano in movie houses. By the late 1930's he had moved to Havana where he worked the nightclub circuit eventually getting a job with one of Cuba's most popular bands, 'La Orquestra Casino de la Playa'. Perez claimed to have gotten the idea for Mambo rhythm while playing in after-hours jam sessions with other members of the band but most sources give credit for the mambo to two other Cuban musicians, Orestes Lopez and Aresenio Rodriquez.

He left Cuba in 1947 and toured Latin and South America performing his Mambo rhythm with local musicians. It has been reported that young fans were so impressed with the sound that near riots occurred wherever he played. By 1948 Prado had settled in Mexico where he formed his first band. Based at the 'Club 1-2-3' he became so popular he was dubbed "the Mexican Glenn Miller". During this time he made his initial recordings for a Cuban label but by 1949 his p opularity resulted in RCA signing him to a contract. His first RCA records were made in Mexico City and included Mambo Nbr 5 which first brought him to the attention of North American audiences.

   VIDEO: "Mambo No. 5"    (Film Clip: borucas999 )

Around this time, RCA made the decision to release all of his new records in the United States. Prado first toured the United States in 1951 with sold-out appearances at the Zenda Ballroom (Los Angeles) and the Puerto Rican Theater (Bronx, NY) with bands augmented by local musicians. During this first U.S.A. tour, several bandmembers and one vocalist, Delia Romero, were killed when their tourbus was involved in an accident in Fort Worth, Texas. Perez himself was seriously injured and performed while on crutches for several months afterwards. In 1954, the Perez Prado band had an extended appearance at the Starlight Room of NY's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. While his popularity with American audiences had reached new heights, it had diminished in the Hispanic community which thought his mambo sou had become too softened, -too Americanized. They gravitated to the sounds produced by Tito Puente, Machito and Tito Rodriquez.

In 1955, his band had their biggest selling record with "Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White", a non-Prado composition that originated in France, in 1950, where it was known as "Cerisier Rose et Pommier Blanc". The song would be a #1 record for 10 weeks. Previously the band had two minor hits, "Anna" (1953) and "Skokiaan" (1954). Interestingly, the Mambo King's biggest hit was not only a non-Prado work, but also not a Mambo; "Cherry Pink" was a Cha-Cha. The song was also featured in the Jane Russell- Richard Egan-Jane Mansfield movie, 'Underwater' (RKO Pictures-1955).

Prado developed four other dances, none of which were a success. By late 1954 he had introduced the 'Suby' and the 'Pau Pau' to New York audiences. In 1955 he tried to counter the Cha-Cha with the 'Culeta' and in 1958 it was 'La Chunga'.

In 1956, he made his only American film appe arance (he had previously worked in Mexican movies). Trying to capitalize on the new Cha-Cha craze, Columbia Pictures released 'Cha-Cha-Cha Boom'. The movie featured Prado, Luis Alcarez, Helen Grayco (then Spike Jones' wife) and the Mary Kaye Trio.

That same year he started a law suit against his brother, Pantaleone Perez Prado, who was fronting a band in Europe identifying himself as Perez Prado, King of the Mambo. Damaso Perez Prado won his lawsuit and afterwards legally changed his name to Perez Prado. Prior to this time, although known to fans as Perez, his records had been released as by D. Perez Prado.

His final hit record was "Patricia" which reached the #1 spot for 1 week in 1958. He continued to record for RCA, however after 1962 his records were no longer released in the United States. In the early 1970's he returned to live in Mexico. His final U.S. appearance was at the Hollywood Palladium in September 1987. He would die of a stroke two years later.
These notes on Perez Prado kindly contributed by Mr. Robin Lenhart
Mr. Joseph Levy and Ms Zoe Nousiainen maintain a very complete website http://www.laventure.com/tourist/prez.htm, containing much information on Perez Prado.

       [ Paradise Club Orch. ]
Please See: Charlie Johnson, entry.
AKA Paradise Club Hot 10

       [ The Palace Gardens Orchestra ] Please See: The California Ramblers

       [ Prince's Orch. ]
b: 1869, San Francisco, CA, USA d: Oct. 10, 1937. USA
Pianist and Leader, -Charles A. Prince was a Musical Director for Columbia Records, and led their house band and also backed many vocalists. He was very popular throughout the 1910s-'20s, recording under such names as Prince's Band, Prince's Orchestra, Prince's Dance Orchestra, Prince's Military Band, and Prince's Symphony Orchestra with was also called the Columbia Symphony Orchestra. Among his recordings are:
          "Dardanella"
          "Serenade (Moskowski)", Orig. recorded on Columbia A1885), October 1915, and here
          digitally re-engineered by Mr. Verne Buland.
          "Cavalleria Rusticana" (Columbia E3023 (poss. E5023) 12" 78RPM)
          Medley: "You Splash Me and I'll Splash You" (Col. E30103 12" 78rpm)
          "Poet and Peasant Overture" - Pt 1 and Pt 2 (Col. A5750 12" 78rpm)
          "On The Beautiful Blue Danube"
          "March Of The Sharpshooters"
          "Dodola" (Col. A6010 recorded Feb. 1918)
          "Harrigan's Reel"
          "Somebody"
          "Arkansas Traveler"
          "White Cockade"
          "Afghanistan" (Col. A 1885 Matrix 46468 Composer: Moskowitz)
And these Songs for Children (among others):
          "The Boys and The Birds"
          "Whistling Rufus"
          "Two Little Tots"

       [ Arthur Pryor Orch. ]
Here are some photographs, -one of Arthur Pryor, at the start of his career, and one of a Young Arthur in his Uniform arthur in later years, appearing with his band on the Atlantic City (NJ) boardwark, and finally here's one of Arthur, near the end of his career.

Pryor may have been the very first well known bandleader to make recordings. Earlier in his career, he had been the trombone soloist with the John Phillip Sousa band. Listen to Pryor leading his own band playing The Whistler and His Dog", as recorded in 1913, here digitally re-engineered by Mr. Verne Buland for greater clarity.

Benjamin Kohon (b. ca 1900), later a bassoon soloist with the New York Symphony Orchestra, played in the Arthur Pryor Orch., (as well as also playing in the Victor Herbert and Nathan Franko Orchestras). Simono Mantia, (Trombonist with the Russian Symphony Orch. - then led by Modeste Altschuler in New York City ca. 1916) was also Pryor's band manager)

       [ Andy Preer and the Cotton Club Orchestra ]
The various names can make this orchestra's history somewhat confusing. See if you can follow this. In the early 1920s, a band was formed in the American mid-west as "Wilson Robinson's Syncopators". In 1923, they were called 'Wilson Robinson's Bostonians'. In 1925, calling themselves "The Missourians", they became the house band at New York City's Cotton Club, where they replaced 'Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra', who was the first band to play in New York City's renovated and renamed "Cotton Club". When Henderson left, the Missourians moved in, but under the name of "Andy Preer and The Cotton Club Orchestra" In 1927, when Preer died, "Duke Ellington and His Washingtonians" became the house band at the Cotton Club. (Ellington's band then became known as "Duke Ellington and the Jungle Band".)

Ten of Ellington's original players soon departed, changed their name again to 'The Missourians' (they were all from St. Louis, MO), and with Ethel Waters as their singer, began touring nationally. In 1929, Cab Calloway first started working with the Missourians, The struggling Missourians would have disbanded were it not for Cab Calloway, who, in 1930, hired all of the musicians as the nucleus of his own 'Cab Calloway Orchestra' and, interestingly, led them back into the Cotton Club, replacing the Duke Ellington Orchestra that had originally replaced them back in 1927. And, for a while, the band was also known as "Cab Calloway and His Cotton Club Orchestra".

Whew!!! If you are still with me, it's time for a little rest. Listen to those 1925 "Missourians" - now called "The Cotton Club Orchestra" playing.
  "Snag 'Em Blues", (689 kb): "Cotton Club Orchestra", Rec'd: Jan. 6, 1925, New York, NY, USA. Columbia 287-D 140225-1