#dance bands

Kay Thompson was an American author, singer, vocal arranger, vocal coach, composer, musician, dancer, actress, and choreographer. She became famous for creating the Eloise children’s books and for her role in the movie Funny Face. You’ll hear her on 1930s radio as this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. The Phantom Dancer is your weekly non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio…

This...defiantly takes me back to a time & place (My Father was Hawaiian & had 8 brothers & sisters in Kona), but so far as “period re-creation” bands go, I'm the first one to balk at the use of an electric bass & guitar...but that being said; it was the first time I realized this dance music from the 1920's & 30's was alive & well in other places of the world. Hawaiian music was certainly popular the world over so why wouldn't tenor-style dance bands be just as popular there in the 1930's? The liner notes recall all the orchestras playing the various dance halls & venues in the early 30's.(There is an interesting take on "The Hula Blues" & quite a bit of Johnny Noble's material is covered.)  Here’s a sample of the track that was getting a lot of radio play in 1982-3 when Slack Sax was still performing gigs.  It’s a 1934 foxtrot called "Eleu Mikimiki" with vocal refrain by Cyrus Green. Happy memories on an icy/ snowy mainland morning; yeah--? 

Song: "Thanksgiving"

Performed By: Dick Robertson with Hoagy Carmichael & His Orchestra (Under the direction of Syd Peltyn)

Composers:  Hoagy Carmichael & Johnny Mercer

Victor Record: 24182 matrix # 73354=Take 02

Recorded: 09/01 1932

"Who Wouldn't Be Jealous of You?" (Foxtrot)

Composed by: Larry Shay Haven Gillespie George Frommel

As Performed by: The Covent Garden Band (1929) The 20s Roar in London.... I always thought this song would be great in "OJ--The Musical"..this is just an instrumental however. For kicks & giggles, I thought I'd try to improve the audio of this film clip. It was pretty faint; sounded like it was recorded over a phone line... compare it to the original "as is" clip: Original clip: https://archive.org/details/youtube-lre_k4MFn_U

"Jingle Bells" (Novelty foxtrot)

Charles Dornberger & His Royal Mount Hotel Orchestra

Victor record: 24198-A   Matrix #: C7673