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Ron Simmonds Continues:
that the drummer had no idea of what was going on, so Sampson went up to the mike and said as a
"When he asked Bunny if there were any good trumpet players around, he named Cyril Narbeth and
Preager played Russian music in a department store restaurant before going to Paris to study the Tango and accordion music. He then spent almost 3 years at 'Shephards' Hotel in Cairo. Preager formed his first band for an engagement at the 'Monseigneur' restaurant where he had a Tango orchestra. Then followed an engagement at 'Ciro's' with a regular dance band. This led to a five year engagement at 'Romano's' restaurant from where the band broadcast regularly. By 1939 he was established as a big name, with band touring the whole of the UK. At the beginning of the war he enlisted in the intelligence corps because of knowledge of languages. In 1941, he was in a bad accident when a truck he was travelling in overturned. Invalided out of the service, and no longer able to play as a result of injuries to his arm, he formed a band which ended its tour at 'Hammersmith Palais' where he was to remain for the next 19 years. During a series of weekly broadcasts from this venue in 1945 he organised a song contest called 'write a tune for a A31000' the winning song was 'Cruising Dow The River. From the mid-1940's on, the band at 'Hammersmith Palais', -Lou's longest residency, had the following personnel:
Trombones:
Saxophones:
Rhythm:
Featured Vocalists:
Obviously in a residency lasting so many years there were many other musicians passing through the band, -some staying longer that others. Others, like drummer Norris Grundy and lead alto Jack Carter, were there for most of the 17 or so years the band was at that venue. Lou's band was also seen in a 1946 British film. After retirement Lou lived in Spain where he died in 1978.
In the 1930's and 1940's, Norrie was a working pianist, orchestrator, and arranger. In 1952, EMI-Columbia engaged him as a musical director. One of his early productions was trumpeter Eddie Calvert's 1953 hit "O Mein Papa", which was also a million-selling hit record in America for singer Eddie Fisher, with the anglicized lyric of "Oh My PaPa". Paramor went on to produce "Teach You to Rock" with Tony Crombie and his Rockets, England's first rock-n-roll single. Among his other 'firsts' were the recordings of the U.K. Teen idol Cliff Richard, and also a string of albums by 'The Shadows', the band used to back Richard on his records. Some of the tunes, "Frightened CIty" for example, recorded by The Shadows were written by Paramor. In the mid-1950's, Paramor turned to producing albums in the lush string style that was to characterize the 50s and 60s. One of his albums, "In London In Love", had a female vocalizing some wordless lyric. The effect was quite haunting but, whether for publicity or not, Norrie would not reveal the soprano's identity. However, the follow-up album "With Love From London" 'featured' the singing of Patricia Clark. During the mid-1950's, he also contributed the soundtracks for some U.K. films, including "Expresso Bongo". In the early 1960's, Paramor's productions helped many of the new British pop stars including Billy Fury, Frank Ifield, and Helen Shapiro, -Britain's answer to America's Brenda Lee. In the late 1960's, Paramor left EMI Records. Let Watch the Jack Payne Orchestra playing Between 1928 and 1932, Jack was 'Director of Dance Music' for the BBC. (When he left, Henry Hall took over.) Interestingly, the band's personnel were contracted to Hall, and not to the BBC. Later, when Jack left the BBC, he took the band with him. Ten of his sidemen did not follow but instead formed a co-op band called 'The Barnstormers', using the 'tag' "Pleasure Without Payne", until Jack got a legal injunction preventing such use. In 1935, he was in the film 'Say It With Music' (his theme song). Also in 1935, one of his recording sessions featured the Black American pianist Garland Wilson. (See our 'Harlem Memories', link.) Mr Leonard Schwartz has kindly sent along this photo of The Jack Payne Orchestra at a rally for the then new Columbia "Grafonola" records. During this period, Jack Payne's Band was seen in such British made films as the 1930 picture 'Symphony In Two Flats', 1932s film 'Say It With Music', and in 1936, the film 'Sunshine Ahead'.
Jack's 1936 band had a successful tour of South Africa. In 1937, Payne disbanded, retired to his Stud farm in Buckinghamshire, and devoted his time to being an impressario. He had many road shows under his control. but frequently ran into legal squabbles that often resulted in litigation. Payne again started touring with a 20 piece band in 1938, and was on the 'Round The Dial' radio show. He was the first British leader to take his band to entertain the troops in France at the end of 1939. In 1941, Billy Ternent stepped down as the BBC's resident Dance Band Director, and Jack Payne again assumed that position until 1946. In the 50's and 60's, he worked as a Disc Jockey on the BBC. At the end, he was in ill-health and died in Dec. 1969 Such was the start of 'The Riviera Five'. It was with this group, augmented in 1923 by
From about 1925, Sid performed mainly in Europe where he made recordings in three countries, and learned five languages, -a skill that would later help England during World War II. When the Melodians disbanded he became an arranger for the Lawrence Wright music publishing company. Listen now to Sid Phillips and his Melodians playing "Blue Again", (531 kb), back in 1930- vocalist unknown. From 1933 thru 1937, he was a prominent member (saxophone) of the popular Ambrose Orchestra. Some of his more memorable arrangements for Ambrose included "Caravan", "Deep Henderson", and the Ambrose Orchestra theme "Hors D'oeuvres" (music by David Comer), which Sid later adopted as the "Out-Theme" for his own orchestra. (The 'In-Theme' was his own composition "Clarinet Cadenza".) All this while, many of his own compositions were becoming quite well known, including "Night Ride", "Streamline Strut", "Hullabaloo", "An Amazon Goes A-Wooin'", "B'Wanga", "Message From Mars", "Early Morning Blues", "Mister Reynard's Nightmare", "Night Ride", "Plain Jane", and "Cotton Pickers' Congregation". (Sid may have composed another 100 or 200 tunes (not all released). During the late thirties he freelanced and wrote arrangements and tunes for many British Bands. In 1938, he travelled to the U.S. meeting with some well known leaders including Paul Whiteman, and recorded some big band sides. With WWII imminent, Sid spurned offers to remain in the U.S., and returned to London, England. In 1940, he was called into London's wartime "Specials" police, and soon after was called into the RAF, where his command of languages earned him a commission in the intelligence branch. In 1945, after World War II ended (in Europe), Sid was de-mobilized and formed his Dixieland Jazz band which became Princess Margaret's favorite, and on several occasions in the 1950s, played the annual Windsor Castle Christmas Ball at her request. The band made frequent broadcasts on the BBC netwworks, and throughout Great Britain, he became known as "England's King of the Clarinet", while making about 200 records for HMV. It is interesting to note that Kenny Ball, later a successful bandleader in his own right, was originally trained by Sid while playing in his band. Though world famous for the clarinet Sid also loved the piano which he would often play as a 'special' during a concert. ("Kitten on the Keys" was one of his favorites.). Few folks now recall that he was also an accomplished boxer- a strange hobby for a musician who must protect his hands.. He also loved to play Cricket. In 1973 while playing his beloved cricket, Sid suffered a heart attack was rushed to the local Chertsey hospital where he died a few days later, - just three weeks before his 66th birthday. Sid's 1952 orchestra (then resident at London's Astor Club) had:
Here's a photograph of the Sid Phillips 1959 Orch.. Sid
continued to lead a band well into 1973 when he died suddenly.
During WW2, while serving in the RAF Bomber Command, he played with Buddy Featherstonhaugh's Sextet; co-led a band with Vic Lewis; played in Leslie Douglas' Big Band; and worked with the Lewis-Parnell Jazzmen until summer 1945. Then, from the summer 1945 until January 1946, he was with Frank Weir, following which he would become a mainstay of Ted Heath's great band. He played, sang and even led a small combo within the band. In the Spring of 1951, Jack was bandleader on the 'Fancy Free Show', following which he formed a big band in January 1952 and took it on tour. Mr. Ron Simmonds (trumpet, 1953 band) has informed us that Parnell's mid-1950s orchestra featured such sidemen as:
In Dec. 1956, he appeared with Louis Armstrong at London's Royal Festival Hall. He became a Musical Director at ATV, as a result of studies in conducting, and for the next 20 years (from 1956), led his own band there. In 1976, he became a sideman again, playing drums with Tommy Whittle's Quartet. Following this, he free-lanced, working at times with Bob Wilber; in the Ted Heath 'Tribute' band; with Rudy Braff and many visiting Americans. He worked on the Keith Smith shows, and, along with such stars as Don Lusher and Kenny Baker, Parnell was featured (during the '90s) on 'The Best of British Jazz'. He backed Annie Ross on her 1995 and '96 London residencies. Jack Parnell now (mid-2000) conducts The London Jazz Orchestra, run by arranger Laurie Johnson. Jack's son Marc also plays the drums (not with the LJO though). Mr Ron Simmonds has recalled the band's make-up.
1952 LINE-UP
JULY 1952 LINE-UP
OCTOBER 1952: add
JANUARY 1953
DECEMBER 1953 LINE-UP
FEBRUARY 1954
AUGUST 1958 LINE-UP:
At one time, Harry was invited by the BBC to front the band on the 'Radio Rhythm Show', and thereafter the Sextet was heard by the BBC listeners. In 1940, George Shearing was the pianist with the group. In 1945, the "Radio Rhythm Club Sextet" appeared in the film 'What Do We Do Now', and in 1949, saxist Joe Temperley (Fife, Scotland) joined the group. Harry Parry recorded well over 100 discs for Parlophone Records, including the 78 rpm discs: R2789; R3244 "I've Got You Under My Skin" with the Harry Parry Octet, as well as R3230 "Mood Indigo" and "Night and Day", with vocalist Dorothee Baronne. b: Jan. 5, 1919 Overview Here's a formal picture of Woolf Phillips, taken by Baron, the Royal Photographer in the Mid-1950s. It is very difficult to summarise all of Woolf's wonderful career. It began with his working as an arranger/writer with several music publishers. It continued with his playing trombone and arranging in many British Big Bands. During WW2, he served as a trombone soloist and conductor with an Army orchestra. Subsequently, he worked with the Ted Heath orchestra before forming his own band for an extended engagement at the famed London Palladium. He has appeared with more artists and stars than we can mention here, including Tony Martin, Lena Horne, Dinah Shore, Judy Garland, Donald O'Connor, Danny Thomas, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis, Jr, and a host of others. He has conducted Six Royal Command Performances before the Queen and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. In addition to perfoming on Radio and Television, he has conducted orchestras in all genres of music from Symphonys to Jazz. He is the Artistic and Music Director for the Camarillo Symphony Orchestra. He has even written advertising jingles for radio and TV. Woolf comes from a musical family of 4 brothers, Ralph, Harry, Sid, and himself. He started studying the piano when he was just 5 or 6 years old. When he was 14, he began to study the trombone under Tony Thorpe, one of the Ambrose Orchestra's trombone trio (the others were Lew Davis and Ted Heath). As a child, he attended the 'Mile End Central Foundation School' and became their best Cricketeer. (His older brother Sid, would take him to lessons at Aubrey Faulkner's Cricket School. And, they both have remained life-long Cricket enthusiasts. In 1934, Woolf played Cricket with Harry Roy, and they became good friends.) Here's a photograph of Woolf on the Lord's Taverner 11 Cricket Team (Woolf is at far right - back row, while brother Sid is at far Left back row.) When he was only 13, Woolf had his first "professional" job when he, and his brothers Ralph and Harry played in a band for a one-night engagement in the Ballroom at Lord Rothchild's mansion. (Woolf played Tenor Sax.) It is probably correct to say that Woolf's career started when he worked as a writer/arranger in both the Lawrence Wright and Campbell Connelly Music Publishing companies. After that, at age 16, he got his first orchestral job, as trombonist, with the Teddy Joyce Juvenile band, touring theatres and cinemas throughout England. Woolf left Joyce and joined the Ambrose Orchestra, then called the "Ambrose Orchestra conducted by Evelyn Dall" Evelyn, a blond bombshell was "fronting' the band. Ambrose stayed in the wings and didn't appear on stage. After that particular tour of Moss Empires, he again worked with Ambrose at the Cafe de Paris, just before war broke out, again near the end of the war, and at Ciro's, after war ended. It should be noted that as a writer/arranger, Woolf invariably conducted at rehearsals, with such people as Joe Loss (1935), Harry Roy (1941-'43) --leading the band through more than one complete broadcast while Harry did the vocals, Ted Heath ('42-'45), Ambrose (1945), and Geraldo ('45-'46). He joined Geraldo as an arranger. Wally Stott, Bob Farnon and Woolf were the band's arrangers. Woolf has written that there was a program called Romance and Rhythmm, with a choir and a big orchestra (Geraldo's). One night their guest was to be Irving Berlin.
In 1936, Woolf joined Joe Loss at the Astoria, on Charing Cross Road. Also in the band were Harry Latham and Joe Cordell (t'bone). Woolf later recalled that he "liked Joe Loss immensely - a very nice man." It was a 'seven-day-a-week' job at the Astoria, and the band played all the time for dancing. In 1937, Woolf left Joe Loss' Band, and was playing with the Jack Hylton band, along with such men as Les Gilbert, Billy Ternent, Wilbur Hall (who had been with Paul Whiteman's band), Bruce Campbell (t'bone), Jimmie Reynolds (a Canadian, Trumpet) Jack Bentley, Stan Roderick, and Sid Millward (lead alto). Hylton, and many of his bandsmen were also avid Cricketeers. The band was touring all the big theatres, working on the Rinso Radio Revue, and other broadcasts, as well as recording for HMV. While Woolf was with Hylton, the band was seen on the very first Television show from Alexandra Palace. With the start of WWII, he was called up on November 1st, 1939, and remained with the Services for 6 years. When the 'Royal Army Medical Corps' saw Jack Hylton's name on his papers, they sent him to the band quarters at Church Crookham, - where he was tested on Tommy Dorsey's "Song of India". (The band was under the baton of Bandmaster Harry Johnson, -another trombonist.) In 1945, after serving in Africa and the Middle East, he became Musicial Director of the Band of the RAMC (As Bandsman -Private- Phillips, W.) for it's tour of Holland, Belgium and Germany. In private correspondence, Woolf has recalled that the band excelled as a Concert Orchestra. They built up an excellent show which gave much joy to the troops in the United Kingdom, Middle East, Persia and Iraq Commands, and later in Holland, Belgium and Germany. At one time, they recorded background music for the Famous Pathe News, and several times played under the Baton of the famous bandleader George Melachrino; then the Conductor of the Allied Expeditionary Forces British Band. On leave from the RAMC Band, he played with his brother Sid's Quintet at 'Le Suivi' recorded with Sid for Decca ("Darktown Strutter's Ball"), and later was in Sid's band for a concert at Alma Theatre in Luton (where they played Sid's own composition "Amoresque"). In 1942-'43, Harry Roy asked Woolf to do an arrangement of "Brazil", and subsequently Woolf did most of Harry Roy's arrangements (sent on to him from various Military Establishments).Whenever Woolf was home on leave, he would either play with Harry Roy's Band at the Milroy night-club, or Le Suivi with his brother Sid's band. Sid was a Corporal before he received his commission as an Intelligence Officer. In private correspondence, Woolf has recalled that on
After the war ended, Woolf played with the Ambrose Orchestra at Ciro's, and wrote many of their arrangements. (Ambrose was instrumental in getting Woolf an extended Leave from the Army so that he could Score for the Ambrose and Ann Shelton radio program.) From Nov. 1947 to Sept. 1949, Woolf led the famous Skyrockets orchestra on broadcasts and on HMV recordings. In addition, Woolf led his own orchestra at London's Palladium from Nov. 1947 to Sept. 1953. In July 1949, the bill at the Palladium was comprised of the Benny Goodman Sextet, and the Skyrockets Orchestra, directed by Woolf Phillips. The band included alto-saxophonist Johnny Dankworth, and guest trumpeter Kenny Baker. And, during August 19 to Sept. 24, 1949, the Original Ink Spots, appeared at the London Palladium, along with with the Woolf Phillips' Orch. Also on the Bill were Borah Minevitch's Harmonica Rascals, and others. From 1952 to 1960, Woolf's own orchestra was part of the Glitzy night life of London's West End. From 1953 - '60, he replaced Lew Stone's orchestra at the Pigalle Theatre Restaurant. (Probably the last Big Band to play resident in a lavish West End nighterie.) Woolf became quite involved with both the ITV and the BBC, working with such stars as Terry-Thomas, Joan Regan, Kay Starr, Vera Lynn, Jack Buchanan, Al Read and Michael Miles, and others. Woolf's own orchestra was featured in the Paris In Piccadilly production; supported Cecily Courtneidge in her show; and also substituted, on many shows, for all BBC Staff Orchestras during their holidays. During all this time, Woolf was also scoring music for various Palladium shows, composing various orchestra works, and light pieces such as "Cocktails in Bermuda", and even got a chance to host the daily radio show, "Housewives Choice". He composed the Theme music for the English version of the popular TV show What's My Line. It must also be noted that for the London, England production of Cole Porter's 'The Decline and Fall of the Entire World' the Musical Direction was by Woolf Phillips (and the Musical Arrangements by were George Bassman). Woolf is a vice-president of ASMAAC (American Society Musicians, Arrangers, and Composers). He currently (2002) remains active and resides in Camarillo, CA, USA, where, he leads the Camarillo Symphony Orchesta, - having drilled them to perfection.
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eMail/Webmaster: [ mlp@nfo.net ] murray pfeffer
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