[ Radio Rascals ]
Currently no information available. Band appeared in British made film 1939 film.

      [ Billy Reid and his Band ]
Currently no information available.
Here's a photo of Billy Reid, whose band appeared in 1937 British made film 'Saturday Night Revue'. Also please see the London Piano Accordion Band, entry.

      [ Sydney Raymond and his Commanders ]
Currently no information available. Band recorded: "You're My Everything"; "Ooh, That Kiss"; and others. (for 4in1 )

      [ Rayner's Dance Orch. ]
Currently no information available. Band recorded: "My Blue Heaven" and "There's A Cradle In Caroline" (Pathe-Perfect Label)

      [ Regent Dance Orch. ]
Currently no information available. Band recorded:"Let's All Go To Mary's House" and "The Road To Loch Lomond" (Edison Bell Winner)

      [ John Reynders Orch. ]
Currently no information available. Band appeared in several British made films. In a 1929 film, they appeared as the 'British International Symphonic Orchestra'; In the 1931 film 'Out Of The Blue', as 'John Reynders and the BBC Orchestra', and in the 1937 picture 'Saturday Night Revue' as the John Reynders Orch. (The Billy Reid Orch. was seen in same film.)

      [ Alfred Rode and his Tzigane Band ]
Currently no information available. Band appeared in British made film 1931 film and also in 1936 film 'Gypsy Melody', starring famed American Film actress Lupe Velez.

      [ Val Rosing Orch. ]
Currently no information available. Band appeared in British made film 1935 film 'In Town Tonight'.

      [ Oscar Rabin and his Orch. ]
b. 1900, d. 1957
Here's a great photograph of the Oscar Rabin and Harry Davis Orch., (posing for a 1957 publicity shot on the stage of the Lyceum Ballroom, on the Strand in London, England, just before beginning their day's work). On the far left hand side, standing, are vocalists Johnnie Worth, Pattie Forbes and Mel Gaynor, then co-leader Oscar Rabin, and next to him is David Ede (alto/clar. who assumed co-leadership in 1953, when Co-leader Harry Davis emigrated to California.) Sitting in the first tenor sax chair on the left (nearest to Rabin) is Mr. Roy Bull (who so kindly provided this photograph and his reminiscences below of the good times). Roy has recalled some of the sidemen of the great 1957 band:
Reeds:
        Cecil Pressling, (Lead Alto)
        Dereck Humble, (Second Alto)
        Joe Temperly, (Tenor Sax )
        Gray Allard, (Tenor Sax )
        Roy Bull, (Baritone Sax )
Trumpets:
        Gordon Rose
        Jimmy Deucher
        Bill Watson
        Eddie Clancy
Trombones:
        Bill Geldard
        Freddie Wood
        Luis Hogan
Piano:, Arthur Greenslade
Bass:, Pete Mc Gurk
Drums: Freddie Potter
Vocals:
        Mel Gaynor
        Pattie Forbes
        Johnnie Worth
Leaders:
        David Ede
        Oscar Rabin ( Bass Sax )

The 1949 Band had:
Reeds:
        Cecil Pressling ( Lead Alto)
        David Ede ( Second Alto)
        Danny Moss ( Tenor sax)
        Eddie Morris ( Tenor Sax )
        Roy Bull ( Baritone Sax)
Trumpets:
        Bobby Benstead
        Ron Simmonds
        Ronnie Heasman
Trombones:
        Ken Wray
        Jack Waters
Piano: Eric Jupp
Bass: Ken O"Donnell
Drums: Kenny Clare
Vocals:
        Dennis Hale
        Marion Davies
        Marjorie Daw
Leaders:
        Harry Davies
        Oscar Rabin (Bass Sax)

In private correspondence, Mr. Peter Warner, Tenor Sax, with the Oscar Rabin band recalls that:
      "....On the road and resident at the Lyceum ballroom Strand London..
      6 nights + 6 afternoons. Broadcast every Friday morning. One night
      stand on night off!!! -and a rehearsal in somewhere. Oscar Rabin
      always seated with Bass sax."

Peter Warner has also recalled the line-up of the 1951-'52 band:
"Front Man" and Sax, Clt:    David Ede
1st Tpt:     Bobby Benstead
2nd Tpt:    Bernie Sharp
3rd Tpt:     Murray Campbell
1st Trom:     Bill Geldard
2nd Trom:    Charlie Messenger
3rd Trom:    Tommy Cook
1st alto:   Cecil Pressling
2nd alto:  Johnny Hughes
1st Ten:   Pete Warner
2nd Ten:  Vince Bovill
bari:         Roy Bull
Drums:      Kenny Clare
Bass:        Ken O''Donne
Pno Arranger:  Arthur Greenslade
Vocals:  Marion Williams Marjorie Daw Dennis Hale

Roy Bull has written -"My memories of the Oscar Rabin days, are all very pleasant ones, as Oscar himself was one of the most kind people I have ever met, and certainly the best Band Leader for whom I ever worked. He had a Band as early as 1923, and joined up with his partner Harry Davis in 1925. They gradually expanded the band all the way through the tough times of the 1930s world wide Economic Depression, and became one of the most widely known of the British Bands by the time of the Second world War. I first saw the Band in Concert, when I was 15 Years old and just starting to play Sax, and because they always had the best Sax section of all the British Bands, I was determined to one day join them. I was "De-mobbed" from the R.A.F. in 1947, and after paying my dues in a few reasonbly good Bands, and spending many long months on the road, I finally managed to get into the Band. My tenure with the Band lasted from 1949, to 1957, when Rock and Roll started to eat its way into the profits of the Big Bands, and I finally decided to Emigrate to Canada, and managed to stay as a working muscian there until my return to England, and my retirement."

"Oscar, (himself) in all of his working life, never did front his own Band. His partner Harry was a tall, very good looking man and very good with audiences, ( by the way, his Daughter Beryl still sings professionally, and lives somewhere in the Los Angeles, CA area.) The combination of the two men was a magical one and the people really did take to them in a big way. The Band always kept a high standard, thanks to a few very good Key players who stayed with them for a long time. People such as:
Ken Macintosh Alto Sax
Bobby Benstead Trpt.
Ken Wray Trmb.
Eric Jupp Piano
Kenny Clare Drums
Cecil Pressling Alto Sax."

When the the Rabin band was resident in London's Lyceum, November 5, 1951), the personnel included:
Musical Director: David Ede
Saxes: Oscar Rabin, Roy Bull, Cecil Pressling, Johnny Hughes, Don Pashley, Vince Bovill
Trumpets: Ted Lowe, Murray Campbell, Harry Smart
Trombones: Tony Russell, Frank Jones, Bill Geldard
Piano: Arthur Greenslade.

"In 1953, Harry Davis left the Band, and indeed the Country (U.K.), and breaking up a partnership that had lasted for 30 years, went to live with his Daughter and her husband in California. People at once said that the Band was finished, but it was not to be. One of the Alto Players jumped in to fill the gap, and having been in the Band, for about 5 Years, he had learned all the tricks that Harry had used through the years, and the Band went on to even better things. His name was David Ede, and apart from being a natural in front of a band, was a fine Alto and Clarinet player, as well as a fine arranger. He also formed a vocal quartet in the band, of which I 0was a member, that greatly enhanced the Bands future performances. Around this time the Band got a real break. It was asked to do a Three Month stint at the Lyceum Ballroom on the Strand, in central London. You can imagine the relief that the guys felt, at not having to be on the road for a full Three Months. The real benefits were yet to come, as the Band was still there when I left the country Five years later."

"The personnel of the Band changed an lot during my stay, but I can remember most of them, because as you know the Road really makes people into either very good friends, or the other thing, and either way you do not forget. The one thing that I and a lot of the guys from the band cannot understand, is why there is not a lot more information about Oscar in just about every book on the Big Bands."
The BigBands Database thanks Mr. Roy Bull (Sax Chair in Rabin Orch.) for this entry on the Oscar Rabin Orch.

      [ Jan Ralfini Orch. ]
b: 1896 London, England, UK, d: 1976, Torquay, England, UK
Overview:
This popular leader also acted as a 'band agent', who operated several other bands under both his own and other names as well. Ralfini also formed his own talent agency whose principal act was Tommy Trinder, - a comedian and TV personality. (In the Mid 1930s, Trinder had been the Alto Sax player in Ralfini's orchestra.) In all, Ralfini's music career spanned 40 years. While his orchestra was never considered one of the top-flight bands, it was still very popular and played most major venues. Among the sidemen who played in his band and who later became leaders themselves were Sonny Farrar, Jack Jackson, and Maurice Winnick.

While still a teenager, the senior Ralfini and his two sons worked in the London cinemas, playing background music for the Silent Films. (Jan played the violin.) Catering to the public's enthusiam for dancing at the close of WW1, Ralfini formed a small dance band that worked various London venues. By 1926, his now 12 piece orchestra was playing at prestigious London venues such as the Nottingham Palais and the Ritz, Manchester, as well as recording for the Parlophone label.

During the 1930s, Ralfini's band recorded extensively Octacros, Sterno, and Regal Zonophone, and also enjoyed wide fame due to their regular radio broadcasts (which continued into the 1950s). During WW2, the band toured Air Force and Army encampments playing concerts for Allied Forces. Starting in 1945, the orchestra enjoyed Winter residency at Wimbledon Palais (London), and Summers at large UK holiday resorts including Margate and Bournemouth. Jan Ralfinis was one of the resident bands on the late 1950s BBC television series, 'Come Dancing'.

He disbanded ca. 1963 and became a Bingo Hall manager, working at that until ill-health forced retirement.

      [ Bert Ralton and His Havana Band ]
Please 'click' on this New York Havana Band, for some additional information.
Bert Ralton, was a saxophonist, one of the first in any dance band. The San Francisco, CA, band of Art Hickman was enlarged ca. 1918 to include 2 saxophones - Ralton being one. While the band was in New York he (and several others) left, forming a band for an engagement in Havana, Cuba (Hickman not wanting to so do). They then went on to Britain - where they became known as the 'New York Havana Band'. In 1921, they were engaged by the famed Savoy Hotel, replacing an existing banjo quartet (or something similar). This band was primarily American, but as time went on more and more British musicians and other Americans replaced others when they left. In 1923, Ralton left the Savoy (with some of the musicians) forming his own band - 'Bert Ralton and His Havana Band', which both toured around the world (Australia, New Zealand and South Africa at least - incorporating local musicians as well as some of the original line-up) and recorded at various times. Ralton was killed in a hunting accident in South Africa in 1927. 'The Savoy Havana Band' continued, after Ralton's demise, under a number of different leaders until the contracts with the Savoy ended in 1927(?). A band known as the "Original Havana Band" - which was essentially the Savoy Havana Band at the time it left the Savoy - recorded for several labels. I don't know if they were or weren't a recording band only.
We thank Mr. Brett Lowe for contributing these notes on Bert Ralton.

      [ Freddie Randall and His Band ]
aka: Freddie Randall
Currently No Information Available.
The band recorded a great many Dixieland songs for the Parlophone Label, including:
       "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans"
       "Muskrat Ramble"
       "Sheik of Araby"
       "Royal Garden Blues"
       "Copenhagen"
       "Tin Roof Blues" (on the Cleveland Jazz Club label)
       "Big Butter And Egg Man" and still others.

In the mid-1950s, the band's personnel included:
Leader/Trumpet/Arranger: Freddy Randall
Clarinet: Archie Semple
Trombone: Roy Crimmins
Drums: Lennie Hastings
Piano: Dave Eraser
Bass: Ken Englefield

      [ Eric Robinson and The Blue Rockets ]
A 'service' band formed just for the war. With the end of WWII, the band also ended.

      [ Rhythm Kings ]
Currently no information available. Band recorded: "Seven Little Steps to Heaven" and "b" side: The Girl In The Little Green Hat" (Regal Zonophone)

      [ Rhythmic 8 ]
Currently no information available. Band recorded: "I Faw Down And Go Boom" for Zonophone

      [ Edmundo Ros and his Orch. ]
b. Dec. 7, 1910, Caracas, Venezuela
Edmundo was born in Venezuela. His mother was Venezuelan while his father was of Scottish-Canadian extraction. He was the eldest of four children. His parents decided on an army career for young Edmundo, and he entered a military academy, where he soon joined the band as a percussionist.

Ros found so much enjoyment in the band, that he decided to make music his career, instead of the military. After graduating from the academy, he joined the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra as tympanist. The post gave him an income and the opportunity to pursue further musical study. During this time, he also joined the Venezuelan Musician's Union, becoming one of the committee members.

Ros had won a scholarship prior to entering the military academy, but had not availed himself of it's advantages. In 1937, he got permission to use it's financial benefits and he traveled to London to complete his studies at the Royal Academy of Music. This turned out to be the start of his road to musical prominence.

When Ros found that the school grant was insufficient to support him without another source of income, he joined Don Marino Barreto's Latin American Orchestra. This band was a pioneer in establishing authentic tropical rhythms into British entertainment.

Though progress was slow with numerous disappointments, Barretto's band gradually won public favor, and was eventually booked into London's Embassy Club. Ros drummed and sang with the band until 1940, when he left and formed his first band.

In the beginning, Ros continued Barretto's policy of only playing and recording scores by Latin American composers. But he soon realized the limitations of such a policy and he evolved a style of playing familiar popular melodies using various latin rhythms. His band used, as one would suspect, a genuine latin percussion section. In the end, these compromises found public favor and and the band became quite successful.

The pressure of working in London's West End nightspots soon obliged Ros to conclude his Academy studies.

Of course, Ros' band enhanced the reputation of the various clubs that engaged the orchestra. (He was an 'institution' at London's 'Bag' (Bagatelle) cafe.) But at the same time, the band advanced the cause of latin American music in England (and the world).

In private correspondence, Mr "Curly" Clayton, guitarist with the Ros orchestra, has recalled (Sept. 2006)

        "..that Ros is extant living in Javea Spain, that he has a CBE and the "Freedom of the
        City of London"...that his Bagatelle (doubling Astor nightclub) band frontline was
        two trpts two flutes (no sax section which came later when, having opened his own
        "Edmundo Ros" nightclub in Regent St. he felt the need to emulate Xavier Cugat,
        thereby losing a little of the authenticity of his earlier sound)"

        "In the earlier 1940's band, Bert Ingles (later Roberto Inglez) was the pianist. When
        he left to start his own band, Ros's guitarist Curly Clayton introduced Eric Spencer
        with whom he had worked in Glasgow when they were both members of the BBC Scottish
        Variety Orch. directed by Ronnie Munro.This turned out to be a job for life for Spencer
        who stayed thirty/forty years with the Ros band until it's disbandment."

The personnel in Ros' mid-1950s orchestra included:
Saxes; Bob Butcher, Ray Gibson, Ken Dryden, Len Royle, Bill Wolwood
Trumpets: Buzz Trueman, Wilf Kear, Jack Bassett
Piano: Eric Spencer (also Arrangements)
Bass: Jack Davies
Guitar: Len Argent
Drums: Ron Lord
Latin Rhythm Section: Dudley Misso, Ginger Johnson, Bert Meredith
Vocals: Edmundo Ros
Staff Arrangers: Ronnie Hamner, Eric Spencer

After his retirement, Ros could often be found at the resort hotels of Monte Carlo listening to the house bands, while seated at a table with his lovely wife.

      [ Arthur Roseberry Orch ]
While little known outside of England, Arthur, never-the-less, had several good bands. The first one that I know of was his job at London's Kit Cat Club, in the late 1920's.

Arthur's bands were drilled and had a fine swinging sound. Listen now the the band as they play "Spread A Little Happiness", back in March 1, 1929, as recorded by Parlourphone. I believe the tune was introduced in the 1936 British film, 'Everything's In Rhythm' which starred such other music makers as Harry Roy Orchestra, Stanley Black, Dave Kaye and Ivor Moreton, and singer Mabel Mercer Around 1937 'Music Corp. of America's' London office booked Arthur's orchestra to double at the Dolphin Square Restaurant.

In 1938, MCA was able to book them into the Paradise Club. By one of those curious twists of fate, the Paradise Club closed in 1939, and Roseberry was forced to disband. I don't think that he had another band after that, to Arthur's -and his public's regret.

      [ Harry Roy and his Dance Orch ], (30's)
Clarinet: b. Jan 12, 1900, London, England. d. Feb. 1, 1971, London, England.
Theme: "Bugle Call Rag"
né: Harry Lipman
Please also see his brother Syd Roy entry just below.
Here's a photo of Harry Roy, who as a youth, worked for his father's box manufacturing company, which became bankrupt after the WWI Armistice.

Harry and his brother Syd formed a band which they called 'The Darmswells'. It must have been a successful group because, when the Original Dixieland Jazz Band left the Hammersmith Palais, they were replaced by the Roy Brothers Original Lyrical Five. They again changed name becoming the Original Crichton Lyricals. At times, the band recorded as 'The Lyricals'; 'Sid Roy's Crichton Lyricals', and just 'The Crichton Lyricals'. A visitor to the Big Bands Database has sent us this early photo of the 'Crichton Lyricals', which is interesting because it shows both brothers, - Syd and Harry, with their 'Cafe de Paris' band in 1926. Harry Roy later said that his idol was the clarinetist for the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Larry Shields. The Roy's band was very popular in London where they played all the better spots including the Alhambra; the London Coliseum; Rector's Club; Oddenino's; and the Cavour Restaurant.

In February of 1927, they were booked into the Cafe de Paris. During 1928, they toured to South Africa and to Australia. In 1930 they made some recordings in Germany. In 1931, Harry Roy left to form his own band, with Syd becoming manager of the Harry Roy band. In 1932, the Harry Roy band was at the London Pavillion; In Jan. 1933 they were at the Cafe Anglais, where they began remote BBC broadcasts. From March 1934 thru June 1936, the band was resident in the Mayfair Hotel. In 1935, Harry received quite a lot of publicity when he married Elizabeth Brooke, daughter of the Rajah of Sarawak. In 1935, the band was in the film 'Everything in Heaven'. Listen now to the Harry Roy band playing one of the tunes from that film, entitled Man of My Dreams", recorded 1935. The film starred singer Mabel Mercer (who sang "Since Black Minnie's Got the Blues"), and Roy's wife, Princess Pearl (Pearl Vyner Brooke - who sang "Man of My Dreams"; "Without Love"; and "Sky High Honeymoon"). The film also featured Stanley Black,    Dave Kaye  and  Ivor Moreton. The band was seen again in the 1936 films, 'Rhythm Racketeers', and 'Everything is Rhythm'.

  "Make Some Music"   A film clip of British Band Leader Harry Roy (sans orchestra) in routine from the 1935 film 'Everything is Rhythm' (film clip: hotun)

In 1938, Harry took his band on a 3 month tour of South America. On Oct. 16, 1939, the band was booked into the Cafe Anglais for a month. They then continued touring and theater performances, going into the Embassy Club in October 6, 1940. During the war years, Harry toured around. He was in the Embassy Club in 1942, and a little later, toured the mid-east. In 1948, Harry went to the U.S. but was unable to get a work permit. Returning to England, he formed a new band for the Cafe Anglais, in 1949.

As mentioned before, by the early 1950's the big band era had come to an end. Harry disbanded, but still drifted in and out of the music scene. In the 50's, he was running his own restaurant. In 1969, he led a quartet in the London Lyric Theater's show 'Oh Clarence'. He was 69 years of age then, and in failing health. In February, 1971, he died in London.

      [ Syd Roy and his RK Oleans ]
né: Syd Lipman, - pianist. (Brother of Harry Roy. - see above.)
Ca. 1920, Syd formed 'The Original Crichton Lyricals Orchestra '(popularly known just as "The Lyricals").
The group played in various London clubs, but in 1922, they toured to France, where they played at Rectors in Paris. In 1923, they returned to England, and opened at the Cafe de Paris, remaining there for some years. A visitor to the Big Bands Database has sent us this early photo of the 'Crichton Lyricals', which is interesting because it shows both brothers, - Syd and Harry, in 1926 with their 'Cafe de Paris' orchestra. Harry Roy was the act's dancer and comedian, as well as playing alto sax. (Interestingly, an early issue of The Melody Maker praised the work of N. Tronny (Neville), as "probably one of the best orchestrators in the country")

In very early 1927, the band began recording the first of 24 titles for the Vocalion label, which were issued on the Guardsman, Coliseum, Scala, Aco, and Beltona labels. For these recordings, they added an extra sax and tuba. Listen now to their Coliseum label recording of "Stop It, I Love It" (recorded Feb. 9, 1927). One of their Eclipse label recordings was "'Neath the Weeping Willow Tree" and "b" side: "What A Perfect Combination" In 1930, 'The Lyricals' toured the continent. (The made a few recordings in Germany, -now very rare).

In 1931, the then new RKO Theatre (in Leicester Square, London) asked Syd to form a big band for an appearance. Syd did (Syd Roy and his RK Oleans), and it was decided that his brother Harry, with his more dynamic personality, should front the band. Syd became became the band's manager, ending his own bandleading duties. Curiously, the 1933 Eclipse recordings, made under Syd's name, do not include his brother Harry's name, (but did include other members of the band).