[ Dave Hildinger Orchestra ]
Currently No Information available on Dave Hildinger.
This band was heard (ca. mid-1960s) as the orchestra at RIAS Berlin (Radio in the American Sector - after WW II). The lineup consisted of:
       Dave Hildinger (leader, vibes, arranger)
       Ron Simmonds, Harry Samp, Harry Gabriel, Rudy Kruger (trumpets)
       Ake Persson, Siegfried Schmidt, Harald Zimmerman, Kurt Masnick (trombones)
       Freddie Lhost, Heinz Kamberg, Klaus Marmulla, Adam Feurstein, Helmut Brandt (saxes)
       Eugen Cicero (piano)
       Heinz Cramer (guitar)
       Hajo Lange (bass)
       Heinz Niemeyer (drums)
The Big Bands Database thanks Mr. Ron Simmonds for the above information on Dave Hildinger's orchestra.

      [ Gunter Herzog Orch. ] b: July 22, 1910, Breslau, Germany, d: Dec. 1, 1942, Sytschewka, USSR
Trumpet.
Here's a photo of the Gunter Herzog Orchester.
"Duke" was active in the mid 1930s working as a trumpeter in the 'Orchester Erhard Bauschke' and the 'Teddies'. In 1938, he formed his own orchestra that worked in Berlin at such venues as Delphi Palace, Caf�Dorett/Turmstrasse, Rosita Bar, and the Barbar Bar of Bayadere. He also recorded during this period. During World War II, he served as a 'private first class' on the Eastern front (USSR). He was badly wounded during the fighting and died in the field hospital in Sytschewka.

      [ Hilden-Arnoldt Orchester
Hans Arnoldt. (Piano) May 14, 1894, Koenigsberg/Pr., Germany. d: Jan. 31, 1971, Berlin, Germany
Waldemar Hilden. (violin): b: ?? d: ??
Currently no information is available on this band.
A reader has contributed this photo of the Hilden-Arnoldt Orchester which was co-led by pianist Hans Arnoldt and violonist Waldemar Hilden. (in the photo, Hilden is in the white suit.) Helga Will was the 'girl' vocalist. We are told that the band played both Latin tempos and American Swing. During the Winter months, the band was resident in Berlin, and during summer months at a shore casino hotel.

      [ Heinz Huppertz Orch. ]
b: March 28, 1902, Krefeld, Germany. d: August 17, 1972, Berlin, Germany
Instruments: Violin/Piano.
Here's a photo of Huppertz, who, as a young man, had studied at the Krefeld and Cologne Conservatories. In the late 1920s, he formed his own orchestra for an engagement in Berlin (Cafe Schon/Unter den Linden, Hahnen/Nollendorfplatz, and others .) In 1932, his orchestra became the house band of the Rio Rita Bar. During this period, he made many recordings. When WW II ended, Huppertz and his orchestra played mainly at balls and sports tournaments.

      [ Bruno Henriksen Orch. ]
b. Copenhagen, Jan. 6, 1910 d.
Both Henriksen and Foss led orchestras in the 1940's

      [ Ladislava Hobarta's Orchestra ], 1945
At the end of WW2, and through the '50's these two bands enjoyed wide European acceptance.

      [ Alfred Hause und sein Orchester ]
b. 1920
Hause originally studied classical music, but moved into popular music while working in an Army entertainment unit during World War II. He is a pioneer of european Tango who created the sub-genre of Continental Tango while leading his own large pops orchestra. His music is characterized by massive orchestral arrangements with a lot of strings and carefully considered details. With roots steeped in this tradition, he has managed to merge Argentinean and European Tango classics into his German pops orchestra. In the early 1960s, Hause's "Continental Tangos" were introduced into Japan by way of recordings, dozens of concerts, TV, and Radio programs. His radio broadcasts made Hause a revered Tango ambassador, and even members of the Japanese Imperial family came to hear the 'King of tango'.

      [ Kurt Henkels Orchester ], 1920s - '30s
b. Dec. 17, 1910, Solingen, Germany, d. July 12, 1986, Hamburg, Germany
Instruments: violin/bandleader
In his youth, Henkels studied the classical violin in Solingen, Wuppertal and Cologne. Pre-WW2, in 1935, he organized an orchestra that performed in cafés and dance halls throughout Germany..

Germany's surrender at the end of World War II presented Henkel with the opportunity to become familiar with American Jazz Starting Sept. 1, 1947 In the Communist (East) section of Germany, he led the "Tanzorchester Leipzig des Staatlichen Rundfunkkomitees der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik" (" Dance Orchestra Leipzig of the National Broadcast Committee of the German Democratic Republic”), later renamed simply "Leipzig Radio Dance Orchestra". Among the musicians were Rolf Kühn (cl, sax), Werner Baumgart (tsax), Walter Eichenberg (tp), Günter Oppenheimer (p) and Fips Fleischer (dr), and also Horst "Hackel" Fischer (tpt) played with the band for some years. This " Leipziger "Big Band became one of most well-known and most popular in the East Germany, and even was popular in West Germany too

In 1948 (in East Berlin), he formed a big band modeled on Count Basie's (principal soloists included Rolf Khn, trumpeter Horst Fischer, and tenor sax Werner Baumgart). It soon became East Germany's leading jazz orchestra making many recordings, -perhaps the best known being Cherokee (1950, Regina 70124). He then received an appointment as leader of the Staatlicher Rundfunk-Tanzorchester Leipzig, but, in 1959, a reprimand from the authorities for playing Jazz caused him to flee to Hamburg, West Germany. (Note: At the close of World War 2, Germany was divided into various parts. East Germany was under the jurisdiction of Communist Russia, while the remainder of Germany was controlled by the Americans and the British.)

In Hamburg, he first led the NDR television orchestra. . 1963 he created his own orchestra for the Second Channel of German Television. In the 1970's, he retired from actively working. Over his career, Henkels made more than 250 recordings, with those of the 10 year period 1948-59 perhaps being of most interest to Jazz fans..

      [ Kurt Hohenberger Orch. ]
b: Stuttgart April 28, 1908, d: Kernen-Stetten July 15, 1979
Here's is a photo of Hohenberger and sidemen
Kurt played trumpet from an early age and was much sought-after in the 1930s (played in the bands of Marek Weber, Dajos Bela, Oskar Joost (in 1933), and Hans Bund), and in 1935 was co-founder of the legendary 'Goldene Sieben' (The Golden Seven), an octet (sic) that existed in the studios only, but became very popular through its numerous excellent recordings. In 1936, he and his brother Carl Hohenberger, together with Karl Kutzer and Erich Puchert, blew the Olympic fanfare being held in Berlin that year.. In 1937 Hohenberger struck out on his own with a small dance orchestra that played in an appealing, polite swing style. Although he was a good lead trumpeter, to modern ears Hohenberger's improvisations sounded a little awkward and the best Jazz came not from him but from his tenor sax man Detlev Lais, clarinetists / altoists Ernst Hillerhagen, Franz Thon and Herbert Muller and pianist Fritz Schultz-Reichel, whose solo-style was greatly influenced by Teddy Wilson and who was the most accomplished swing musician of the lot.

Their many recordings for Telefunken give evidence of a well-rehearsed band that could play soft, subtle swing (contrasting sharply with the brasher policy of eg. Teddy Stauffer and Heinz Wehner) and sweet dance music alike. Many of its sides (among them a fair amount of English titles) have scarcely dated and make very enjoyable listening even today. The band regularly toured Germany (sometimes accompanying singer Rosita Serrano from Chile) and during the war even visited France. In 1939 trombonist Walter Dobschinsky came into the band from Teddy Stauffer, contributing many fine arrangements and Dutch drummer ace Harry van Dijk, who joined Hohenberger in late 1940, gave the rhythm section a sharper edge.

Listen to 'Kurt Hohenberger und sien Solisten' playing "It Was Oh So Beautiful", in 1940. For recording purposes the band was occasionally augmented to a big band, but although well played, the bigband sides are generally less impressive than the ones by the small band. After autumn 1943 the band's activities came to an end, but soon after the war Hohenberger was back with an orchestra along the lines of his former combo. He recorded until well into the 1950s, for Amiga and Polydor, but his greatest popularity lay behind him, his unchanged musical style was no longer in keeping with the times.
The Big Bands Database thanks Mr. Joost Kiefte for this entry on Kurt Hohenberger.

      [ Peter Herbolzheimer and Rhythm Combination and Brass ]
b. Dec. 31, 1935, Bucharest, Romania. Currently active in Germany
Bandleader, trombonist, composer, and arranger
Overview
In the 28 years of its existence, 'Rhythm Combination & Brass', Peter Herbolzheimer's Big band, has been prominently shaping the Jazz scene not just in Germany but throughout Europe as well. Aside from his own works, his arrangements give a new, contemporary meaning to the Traditional Jazz pieces, - beautifully blending the styles of individual sidemen into the music. Herbolzheimer's own creative works have been very successfully performed in innumerable concerts, TV and cinema productions. Over the decades of his career, Peter has worked with such giants of jazz as: Stan Getz, Herbie Hancock, Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan, Albert Mangelsdorff, and Dizzy Gillespie, to name just a few. Among the sidemen who at various times have played with his band are Dusko Goykovich, Herb Geller, Art Farmer, Palle Mikkelborg, Ack van Rooyen, Karl Drewo, Bo Stief, Ferdinand Povel, Niels-Henning �sted Pedersen, Alex Riel, and Allan Botschinsky. In 1972, he composed music for the Olympic Games (Munich) and, also in 1972, won the International Jazz Composers Competition in Monaco. Later Herbolzheimer worked (as leader/arranger) in German television

Brief Chronology:
1953: Moved from Germany, where he had lived for two years, to Detroit, MI, USA. where he worked in various clubs as a guitarist.
1957: Returned to Germany, taking up the trombone and attending the Nuremberg Konservatorium.
1960's: Playing in the dance orchestra of the Nuremberg Radio, under Joseph Nissen.
1968: Member of the pit orchestra at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus, (Hans Koller was music director.)
1960s: Member of Wolfgang Dauner's Radio Jazz Group - Stuttgart
1969: formed a big band, Rhythm Combination and Brass, that included leading musicians from European radio orchestras, and for which he also wrote arrangements;
among those who were at various times associated with the band were:
Dusko Goykovich, Herb Geller, Art Farmer, Palle Mikkelborg, Ack van Rooyen, Karl Drewo, Bo Stief, Ferdinand Povel, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Alex Riel, and Allan Botschinsky.
Ron Simmonds (trumpet) has advised us of the Line-up:
"Dusko Goykovic (later, Rick Kiefer), Palle Mikkelborg, Ack van Rooyen, Art Farmer (trumpets);
Jiggs Whigham, Rudi Fuesers (trombones); Peter Herbolzheimer (bass trombone);
Herb Geller, Ferdinand Povell (saxes);
Dieter Reith (organ, E-piano); Horst Muhlbradt (E-Piano);
Siegfried Schwab (guitar);
Nils Henning Orsted-Pederson (bass);
Tony Inzalaco (drums); Sabu Martinez (conga drum)"
1972: He wrote music for the Munich Olympic Games, and won the International Jazz Composers Competition in Monaco, that same year.
Later he worked in television in Germany as a leader and arranger, and accompanied such visiting American musicians as Al Jarreau and Dizzy Gillespie. Herbolzheimer's arrangements are a distinctive amalgam of swing and rhythmic rock.
In 1973: Ron Simmonds (trumpet) replaced Rick Kiefer.
Phillip Catherine (guitar) replaced Schwab.
Herb Geller left in 1974-5. and the band had only one saxophone for many years.
Orsted-Pederson and Inzalaco (great drummer-the best) left in 1974 and were replaced by various European musicians including Kenny Clare and Todd Canady (drums)
1976: When Stan (Getz) toured Europe, he again appeared with Peter Herbolzheimer all star big band. Atlantic Records recorded that band, in Germany during January 1976 concerts, and released "Jazz Gala Concert" (Atlantic K50277). Note the great British and American names in the orchestra at this time -even apart from the guest soloists.
Rick Kiefer, Ron Simmonds, Derek Watkins, Ack Van Rooyen, Art Farmer (trumpets),
Herb Geller, Ferdinand Povel, Johnny Griffin, Wilton Gaynair, James Towsey (saxes, 'woodwinds),
Jiggs Whigham, Otto Bredl, Slide Hampton, Albert Mangelsdorff, Peter Herbolzheimer (trombones),
Volker Kriegel (guitar),
Wolfgang Dauner (keyboards),
Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (bass),
Grady Tate; (drums),
Nippy Noya, Alex Riehl, (percussion),
Guest soloists:
Nat Adderley (cornet); Stan Getz (tenor); Gerry Mulligan (baritone); Jean Toots Thielemans (Harmonica)
Recorded live 18.1.76 Hanover and 23.1.76 Wiesbaden.
"The 1977 Jazz Gala Concert" recording had:
Clark Terry, Lew Soloff, Benny Bailey, Palle Mikkelborg, Ron Simmonds (trumpets);
Ack van Rooyen (flugelhorn);
Frank Rosolino, Albert mangelsdorf, Jiggs Whigham, Otto Bredl, Erich Kleinschuster, Peter Herbolzheimer (trombones);
Howard Johnson (tuba);
Herb Geller, Ferdinand Povel
Johnny Griffin, James Towsey (saxes);
Gary Burton (vibes);
Rob Franken (keyboards);
Benny Aranov (piano);
Volker Kriegel (guitar);
Bo Stief (bass);
Alex Riel (drums);
Nippy Noya (percussion)
Astrud Gilberto (vocals)
1978: Won the Pop International Award, at the Grand German Record Awards on the Island of Sylt, for the band's record "Touchdown". British trumpeter Derek Watkins joined the band at that time.

Renowned trumpeter Ron Simmonds, has written (in Crescendo)
    "I have a photo of the sax section taken in 1979 with Herb Geller, Stan
    Getz, Johnny Griffin, Wilton Gaynair and James Towsey. I played in this
    band for over ten years and standing right beside me all that time was
    Art Farmer. Can you imagine that? To play with him and listen to him
    for all that time? Eat your liver, lads! The other two trumpets were
    Ack van Rooyen and Palle Mikkelborg; sometimes Alan Botschinsky came
    instead of Palle. It was a dream section."

    (In 1985 I had a tooth implant that went wrong and the nerve in my lower
    lip was injured. I could no longer play high consistently. Peter then
    hired a succession of lead trumpet players from the USA, including "Chuck"
    Findley, Gary Grant, and Lew Soloff, with British players Derek Watkins or
    Tony Fisher coming over later on.)

1998: Herbolzheimer is awarded the 1998 Frankfurt Music Prize The prize, donated by the City of Frankfurt, the Federal Association of German Musical Instrument Manufacturers and Messe Frankfurt, is worth DM 25,000.

In addition to his work with the 'Rhythm Combination and Brass', Peter Herbolzheimer has also been the musical director and arranger for the Bundes Jazz Orchester. One can say that this is the only truly National Youth Orchestra in the world since it has been funded from 1988 by the German government, together with dozens of other sponsors (from 1990 by the Daimler-Benz Corp).

The musicians range in age from 16 to 24, with hardly anyone playing in the bands for more than one year.
    "The problem", Herbolzheimer says, "is that, at a time when Germany
    is producing more fine jazz musicians than ever, opportunities for them
    to play are actually declining, particularly with the big reduction in
    television jazz programming that has occurred. The jazz education
    system in Germany is functioning really well and we have some fine
    young players. But it is increasingly hard for them to find work."

Ken Rattenbury, writing in the wonderful British music magazine Crescendo, has made an interesting statement:
    "Which brings me to the following observation: For many years now,
    big-bandwise, we have been subjected to a barrage of blandishments,
    emanating mostly from Stateside, inferring that the preferred way
    ahead for the larger-group movement is to follow the clones (apologies
    to Sondheim!) -Miller, Ellington, Herman, Goodman, Shaw, James and the
    like. But the thought has struck me now; in view of the activities of,
    for instance, Herbolzheimer with his various BuJazzOs (Bundes Jazz
    Orchs. -Ed.), that things have now radically changed. Here and now, we
    have the Big Bands of today, making their own sounds and forging their
    own traditions, light years away from the comfortable conventions of
    yesteryear. So, has the lodestone locality shifted this side of the
    Pond? I really do think it has. (A healthy relocation.) Yes! Hooray
    for Herbolzheimer and similarly-inspired colleagues, for their brave,
    progressive, and reasonable, sensible policies!
The BigBands Database thanks Ron Simmonds, Trumpet with Rhythm Combination and Brass for Ten years, for his help with this entry on Peter Herbolzheimer.

      [ Alex Hyde Orch. ], 1920s - '30s
b. Feb. 17, 1898, (Hamburg?), Germany, d. July 7, 1956, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
né: Alexander Chalfan Hyde
Instruments: Bandleader/Violinist
When he was two years old, his family emigrated to the USA . During 1919-1923, Hyde was performing in New York and touring the northeastern states and Canada with his dance band. His Romance of Rhythm Orchestra began recording in 1923. In early 1924, the band toured to Germany where they made several recordings (including I'm going south, Vox 01625, and Mama Goes where Papa Goes, Vox 01627). At this time the band included such sidemen as saxophonist Eddie Grosso, pianist Walker O'Neill, and Howard McFarlane. While Hyde himself was not himself a jazz musician, his bands often contained some excellent jazz soloists. Later in 1924 and 1925, he again toured and recorded as a leader in Germany, but with a different band that was occasionally joined by visiting American musicians such as Gene Sedric. Here he is with his German band playing "Pleasure Mad", (526 kb) Rec'd: 1925.

He returned to the USA where he formed a talent agency. Subsequently, he joined the U. S. Air Force working as a composer and bandleader. Hyde later worked in Hollywood, where in 1 942, he composed some original music for the film Panama Hattie. (Among the other composers who also contributed original music to this film were Cole Porter, Roger Edens, Walter Donaldson, and Burton Lane.) The film starred Red Skelton and Ann Sothern.

      [ (Hans Fernandes and) The Hawaiian Five ]
b: 1901, Paramaribo, Suriname, d: 1997, Longwood, FL, USA.
né: Henri Fernandes
"Hans" Fernandes led this fine group that was widely admired in The Netherlands. In private correspondence, Ms Seline Hanselita Fernandes, daughter of Elly Benjamins, (b: 1911, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, d: 1998, Longwood , FL, USA) and Hans Fernandes, has advised that:

    "My Father studied to be a mechanical engineer and met my Mother in
    Amsterdam. They were married in Amsterdam in 1931. (Their daughter,
    Seline, was born in Amsterdam, and currently (2003) resides with her
    husband Leonard S. Dreifus, MD, (in the USA. --Ed). My Father composed
    "Tango Hanselita". Published circa 1930/31 in Amsterdam for piano and
    violin, it is a song with words in English!"

In their wedding book guest list, autographs identified as "The Original Ramblers" appear. Here is a photo of that page with the Signatures of The Original Ramblers. The translation of the text at the top of the Signatures page is "Signatures of guests at the occasion of our Wedding Celebration in Cabaret La Gaité 12 November 1931." The signatures (top to bottom) are: Theo Uden Masman, Jac Pet, Wim Poppink, M. Dreese, Gerard Springt, E. Tokkie, H. Hinrichs, J. de Vries, K. Veenendaal, P. Bernie, and A. Prins.

     "My family in Amsterdam recently identified The Original Ramblers from the
    wedding guest book as a famous Jazz orchestra. Since both my parents were
    in the music 'world', I do not know if The Original Ramblers were guests
    or actually played at my parents' wedding. My Mother was a concert pianist.
    She was a student of the famous Nellie Wagenaar at the Amsterdam
    Conservatory." In 1933, my parents, and I, left for Paramaribo, Suriname
    where we remained due to WWII. As promised here is the photo of my Father
    with his music group, which according to what I remember from my Father's
    stories, was called The Hawaiian Five .

     he picture was taken in the 1920s. My Father is standing with his violin,
    and to his right, seated by the drums, is Sem Salomons. The others I do not
    recognize. "They performed during the 1920s while he was a student. They
    played regularly for the radio during his student years. My Father was a
    superb musician and played the acoustic guitar, and the Hawaiian guitar,
    as well as many other instruments. He was known to have given guitar lessons
    to some of his 'fans'. The group was well known and well admired in The
    Netherlands."My Father and Mother still performed in recitals, piano and
    violin (mostly classical), until close to the time my Father passed away.
    Music was their life! Married more than 66 years....that's harmony!!"

The BigBands Database thanks Hans Fernandes' daughter, Seline, for sharing with us some memories about her father and his famous group.

      [ Arne Hülphers & his Attraktionsorkester ]
b: April 4, 1904, Trollhattan Sweden, d: July 24, 1978, Stockholm, Sweden.
Tag: "With Swedish Swing All Ballrooms Ring"
Instrument: Piano.
Here's a photo of the Arne Huelphers, (left side) as he appears on the Ceroton album CT9016.
In 1924, and 1931 Huelphers studied music at the Stockholm college of music after which he played in the orchestras of Franc Vernon, de Pauw, and H�an von Eichwald, until he formed created his own orchestra in 1934. Arne started his band in Jan. 1934 by taking over the Håkan Eichwald orchestra intact. Håkan was, as usual, working his dance band and a theater pit orchestras at the same time. A dance hall manager became angry over this, and offered the job to Arne. Arne accepted and tooked over Håkan's band.

Among the sidemen were Gösta Törner, trumpet; Erik Eriksson, sax; Miff Görling, and Julius Jacobsen, trombone. Görling and Jacobsen did much of the band's arranging. His wife, Greta, was the band's vocalist. (Greta Matilda Wassberg, was his first wife whom he married on Dec. 17, 1934. They had one child, and were divorced in 1955. In 1956, he married his vocalist Zarah Leander.) Arne disbanded in the early 1940's.

After the World War II ended, he accompanied first his wife, the singer Greta on various tours. He also wrote some film music. From 1948 to 1949, Huelphers was active as a conductor in the restaurant Valand in Goeteborg, and as leader with musical revues. During the summer months his orchestra appeared in the Swedish Folkparks. From 1956 to his death in 1978, he accompanied Zarah Leander, his second wife (since 1956) on tours.