Here's a photo of Perry, in his later years, and here's an very early photo of Perry and Jeanette (photo source unknown) during their vaudeville days performing on the T.O.B.A., an acronym for "Theatre Owner's Booking Agency" The T.O.B.A. was Black owned and represented Black vaudevillians. To the Black entertainers, the initials stood for "Tough on Black Asses". Perry learned his music in his home town of Montgomery, AL. Later, he joined the Jimmy Johnson Orchestra, as a jazz pianist.

On Jan. 1920, Mamie Smith recorded Bradford's "That Thing Called Love", and a few months later, she recorded his "Crazy Blues". Perry wrote a number of other songs including, "It's Right Here For You," "I'll Be Ready When the Great Day Comes," and "Lonesome Blues."

"Famed singer Little Richard has recalled, His sound was well seasoned. He did Broadway and blues and swing and jazz...he used all of his experiences to draw on." A early rhythm and blues number that Bradford wrote in the 1930's was recorded some 20 years later by Little Richard, "Keep A Knockin'". That song, and many others were recorded in the 1950's by new artists looking to develop the rock style.

Bradford recorded twice under his name (Perry Bradford and His Gang and Perry Bradford's Jazz Phools). The output from both bands gave us extremely hot piano solos that combined early jazz with the blues, those songs include, "Fade Away," "Hoola Boola Dance," and "Lucy Long". On the same recording date that produced this famous Perry Bradford's Jazz Phools' "Lucy Long" side, the band also 'cut' "I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle" (Vocalion 15165). According to Bradford himself, four sides were made, but only these two were issued. "Hateful Blues" and a fourth side which Perry didn't remember, appear to have been lost. The band at that date, included Louis Armstrong on cornet, James P. Johnson and Fats Waller on pianos; and Don Redman on alto sax. Perry seemed to "collect" piano players. During the same year Bradford recorded, "I Don't Want It All" with Alberta Hunter. The picture of Perry that we show above was taken shortly before his death.

The bass player, Milt Hinton tells the story when Bradford became ill in 1970. When he went to the hospital the doctors asked him to give some personal information. He told the doctors that he had written more than a 1,000 songs including, "That Thing Called Love" and that he published a book on the history of jazz. "It just must have seemed too unbelievable to those doctors", Hinton recalled. "They sent him to the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center. They just assumed he was hallucinating, when he was telling the truth."
Notes by Mr Dan. Del Fiorentino

  [ Will Bradley Orch ]
b. July 12, 1912 Newtown, NJ, USA; d. July 20, 1978, Flemington, NJ, USA
né: Wilbur Schwictenberg
Instruments: trombone
Themes:
In-theme:
    Early on: "Think Of Me" Columbia 36101
    Later on: "Fatal Fascination" (not recorded)
Out-theme:
    "Strange Cargo" Columbia 35545
Notable quote - From Glenn Miller to George T. Simon (his biographer):
"Will Bradley can do more things better than any trombone player I ever heard."
Overview
Here's a photo of Will Bradley, whose first band was co-led by Bradley and Ray McKinley who also sang. (Trombone playing bandleaders were in style - ie - Miller, Dorsey, Teagarden, Jenney). Bradley fronted the orchestra. The Band only ran 1939 to 1942. 'Boogie' was the band's forte and Bradley wanted it to stay that way. McKinley disagreed and left in 1942. Six months later, Bradley hung 'em up and went back to studio work. (WW2 had made it very difficult to find good sidemen.) He continued to record (with studio orchestras into the 1950s. Perhaps, Will Bradley's most famous recording was "Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar", with vocal by Ray McKinley.

Will Bradley began his career by playing with studio bands, among them Red Nichols, Jacques Renard, Nat Shilkret, Raymond Paige and Victor Young. He also played on records backing entertainers such as Eddie Cantor. In 1931, on one of his first jobs in a working band, -he was with Milt Shaw and His Detroiters- he met drummer Ray McKinley, who would later be the featured sideman in Will's first big band. In February 1935, Glenn Miller hired Bradley to play in Ray Noble's newly-formed American orchestra. He left that band in early 1936 and resumed working as a studio musician.

Will's own first band was put together in 1939 at the suggestion of Willard Alexander of the William Morris Talent Agency. Alexander felt Bradley, who Glenn Miller had touted as the best working trombonist, was the right man to lead a band that, combined with a swinging drummer, would produce a special sound. Ray McKinley, who was then working with Jimmy Dorsey, was chosen to be the drummer-vocalist. The band also included Freddie Slack on piano (also hired from Jimmy Dorsey) and Peanuts Hucko on Tenor Sax. (Later, Peanuts became a fine clarinetist. (In 1941, pianist Freddie Slack left Bradley to form an orchestra of his own. and in 1942, his band with their vocalist Ella Mae Morse had a huge hit with the song "Cow Cow Boogie", originally introduced by another signer, Ella Fitzgerald.)

Also in 1942, "Will Bradley and his Six Texas Hot Dogs" were photographed for a "Panaram Soundie". Now, let's watch Will and the "Hot Dogs" playing   "Basin Street Boogie". We can also enjoy the "Jitterbugs" dancing, and Bradley playing his trombone.

Slack, along with Hugo Winterhalter and Leonard Whitney, were responsible for most of the arrangements. The band was signed to a contract by Columbia and made their first records on the budget Vocalion-Okeh label prior to appearing in public. In the fall of 1939, the band had their first live engagement at Boston's Roseland State Ballroom. Initially the Bradley band played both swinging tunes and ballads, with McKinley featured as vocalist on the swing items, and Carlotta Dale, Phyllis Miles and Jimmy Valentine taking the vocals on the romantic ballads. Their first hit record, "Celery Stalks At Midnight" was recorded in January 1940. In early summer of 1940, following a few months of heavy promotion by the Morris Agency, the band opened at The Famous Door (on New York's famed 52nd Street).

Around this time the band developed the "boogie-woogie" style for which it would become famous. That came about when Slack, McKinley and Whitney decided to incorporate this style into a big band. Their first hit boogie tune, "Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar", was written by Don Raye and Hugh Prince. They had heard McKinley do a play on those words during the band's 'Famous Door' engagement. According to George T. Simon in his book 'The Big Bands', Raye and Prince offered McKinley a cut on the profits made off of this song. But McKinley, who was under a contract to a different publishing house, had his then-wife, Elinor Sheehy's name placed on the song instead of his own name. Other songs in this style quickly followed - "Bounce Me Brother With A Solid Four"; "Scrub Me Mama, With A Boogie Beat", and "Rock-A-Bye Boogie". In 1941, Freddie Slack left to form his own band and he was replaced by two other 'boogie woogie' pianists, Bob Holt and Billy Maxted.

This Bradley band broke up after Slack, who favored the ballad style, and McKinley, who favored 'boogie-woogie' both left him. McKinley left in February 1942 and formed his own band. Bradley completely reformed his band hiring Shorty Rogers (trumpet) and Shelley Manne (drums). Pete Candoli (t) and Billy Maxted (p) remained with Bradley. Terry Allen and Lynn Gardner were the male/female vocalists. This band, which did not record, had a very short life as sidemen were constantly being drafted into the Army and it became more and more difficult for Bradley to find competent replacements. This was to be his last 'real' band and all future records would consist of studio musicians.

Bradley made a few records during the war. Interestingly, in light of the Bradley-McKinley breakup, the first four records he made (for the Beacon/Celebrity label in 1944) consisted of a six-man studio group known as Will Bradley & His Boogie Woogie Boys. Later in 1944 he signed with Signature Records and a series of records by the Will Bradley Orchestra appeared including four sides with Anita O'Day, recorded in 1947 with arrangements by Sy Oliver. He was to make three LPs during the 1950's, the final one consisting of the 'boogie-woogie' style that had caused him to breakup his most successful band (Big Band Boogie - RCA LPM/LSP 2098).

A lifelong resident of New Jersey, Bradley continued working as a studio musician and spent a number of years commuting to Manhattan where he was a regular member of the Tonight Show Orchestra.
(The above notes on Will Bradley contributed by Mr Robin Lenhart.)

  [ Tiny Bradshaw Orch ]
né: Mryon Bradshaw
b. 1905, Youngstown, OH, USA d. Nov. 26, 1958, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Theme Song: "Fascination"
Overview
Bradshaw lead a jump band that toured the "chitlin'" circuit as competition to shouter Wynonie Harris' crack team of studio blowers in the late '40s and early '50s. Though Tiny had only half the pipes of his huge-voiced rival his tightly knit band became known as one to reckon with, stressing a heavy backbeat that would later inspire early rockabilly artists like Elvis Presley, vocalist Johnny Burnette and pianist Moon Mullican.
(Thanks to Chas. Mohnike for this information)

Curiously, Bradshaw graduated from Wilberforce University, OH, not with a degree in music, but as a major in psychology. Subsequently, Tiny moved to New York City where he found work with such groups as The Savoy Bearcats; The Mills Blue Rhythm Band (1932); Marion Hardy's Alabamians, and finally with the great Luis Russell orchestra in Harlem. In 1934, he left Russell, forming his own band for a stay at New York's Renaissance Ballroom and for recording with Decca Records. Tiny's band toured to Philadelphia; played New York's Savoy Ballroom ('The Home of Happy Feet'), and finally landed in Chicago. The band was quite popular throughout the 1940's and into the 1950's, and even toured Japan in 1945, as part of a USO WW2 tour effort.

Tiny continued working regularly in Chicago until suffering two Strokes, which enforced his retirement.

  [ Nat Brandwynne Orch ]
b. July 23, 1910, New York, NY, USA. d. 1978 (Cardiac Arrest)
Theme Song: "If Stars Could Talk"
In the 1930's the Leo Reisman Orch. featured the two piano team of Eddy Duchin and Nat Brandwynne. In time both of these men left Reisman to form their own orchestras. Eddy's became well known nationally, while Nat's never caught on, except for Local (NYC) social galas.

  [ Lou Breese Orch ], Trumpeter
b. Feb. 10, 1900, d. January 1969
Theme Song: "Breezing Along With the Breeze".
The Lou Breeses band was perhaps the king of Theater orchestras. In the 1920s, Lou began as a "Hot Jazz" musician under his own name, Lou Calabrese. He gained a great background working in theater "pit" bands in the late 1920's, where he developed his trumpet skills and a knack for leading a band. He concentrated most of his career in the Chicago area, playing with Bert Lown, and Paul Specht, before forming his own group in 1936. Later his "Lou Breeze Orchestra", was a very popular band on the ballroom circuit. Lou's 1936 orchestra was way ahead of the times in that he featured a 'wood-wind' section. (At one time, the band swelled to a monumental 90-piece ensemble.) After his band, Lou went on to become the "Chez Paree's" (Chicago) stage show producer.

With the larger audiences at the Chez Paree Night Club, Breese took over Bob Baker's band in the summer of 1939. The Baker band was formerly Henry Busse's Chicago Band and even after Breese fronted the band, the sidemen and style was much the same.

Throughout most of the 1940's the Breese band once again covered the theater circuit around Chicago. Among his Decca recordings were: "Swamp Fire", "Humpty Dumpty Heart", "Chiquita and Sweetheart", "Wait For Me" and his signature tune, "Breezing Along With The Breeze."

"The international icon of the big band era," Paul Levi Specht once played clarinet for the Breese band. The band also saw the likes of trumpeter and later Chicago area bandleader, Leon Ruby and tenor saxophonist Vince Micko.
Above notes supplied by Mr. Dan DelFiorentino

  [ Ace Brigode & his Fourteen Virginians ]
Theme Song: Carry me Back to Old Virginny
One of the all time great trivia questions is, "Who's voice is it, in the Contadina Tomato Radio commercial, that asks 'Who put eight great tomatoes in that itty-bitty can?'" The answer is Ace Brigode.

His tagline was Ace Brigode and His 14 Virginians, (Photo courtesy Mr. Lou Einfalt) even though the band size ranged from ten to nineteen members. The band's style and sound personified the Roaring '20's recording such hits as "Yes Sir! That's my baby," "Wait 'Til It's Moonlight" and "Alabamy Bound."

  "Yes Sir, That's My Baby Now", (559 kb): Ace Brigode and His 14 Virginians. Rec'd: Columbia. April 30, 1925

The band was formed outside of Charleston in the spring of 1921 and until it's last performance some 25 years later, the band used the same theme song, "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny."

The band's success, with it's sell out performances and hit radio programs (including the White Rose Gasoline Show), made it a staple of the era. The band toured most every city on the map, often landing long engagements such as their four year stay at New York City's Monte Carlo. While touring, the band developed a following for the song "Goin' Home." The tune featured a vocal choir of the band's sidemen and a lead vocalist scatting humorous answering lyrics.

Ace Brigode (photo source unknown) often thought of himself more as a showman than a bandleader, his radio success added to that image. He became a manager for promotions at Chippewa Lake Park, in Cleveland, after he retired from the band in 1945. It was rumored that shortly after Ace Brigode died on February 3, 1960, President Eisenhower played a 78 recording of Brigode's "Sleeping Beauty's Wedding" as the President sat alone in the Oval Office.
Above notes by Mr. Dan DelFiorentino

  [ Ralph Bowen Orch. ]
b. Dec. 13, 1919, Detroit, MI, USA.
Here's a good publicity photo of Ralph Bowen, and here's a nce shot of the 1955 Ralph Bowen Orchestra

While still in High School, Bowen started a band (which was hired to play at his own high school's Senior prom). Bowen played the saxophone and also did vocals. After high school the band began playing fraternity parties at colleges in Southeast Michigan. During WWII, Bowen served in the U. S. Air Force as a 2nd lieutenant, and navigator. During this time, he also did a stint as a disk jockey on several of the bases where he was stationed, and booked some big named actors and comedians (e.g., Bob Hope, Jimmy Stewart, Jerry Colona) to entertain the troops.

After his service discharge, Ralph returned to making music and eventually played all the major Detroit ballrooms (including the Graystone and The Grande), amusement park venues, several of the Michigan Governor's Inaugural dances/balls, and even made an appearance on Paul Whiteman's TV show. At that point, being generally regarded as one of Detroit's most popular dance bands and having an opportunity to take his band to a more national level, Bowen began touring to venues well outside of the Southeast Michigan area. However, he abruptly quit that course when upon returning home after a road trip, he found that his then 2 year old daughter didn't recognize him.

Bowen did make some studio recordings including one of his own songs "Little Mischief", and three others ("Blue Moon", "That Certain Party", and "Crazy Rhythm"). All were released in the Detroit area as 45 RPM disks. It is interesting to note the recordings were made at the RCA studios in Chicago around 1956, using the studio musicians from the 'Don McNeil Breakfast Club' on-air orchestra.

In the late 1950's early '60's, his band (along with all the other great Big Bands) suffered with the decline of the ballrooms and the coming of Rock and Roll, and Bowen disbanded. He subsequently went into the insurance business, and later stocks and bonds - where he is still (2004) a semi-active financial counselor and broker (at age 84). He did, however, continue to play a small number of number of weddings and other assorted gigs on occasion.

Bowen has recently created a Limited Edition CD from live recordings of his band made at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit in 1955. Copies of that CD are available c/o Ralph Bowen, P.O. Box 700, Birmingham, MI 48012. The cost of the CD is $20.00 (includes shipping and handling).
(The Big Bands Database Plus thanks Professor Michael Bowen, Ralph Bowen's son, for his courtesy in supplying the information on his famous father's orchestra, and for his permission to reproduce the photos above.)

  [ "Major" Bowes Orch. ]
né: Edward Bowes.
June 14, 1874, d. June 13, 1946 Age: 72 (minus 1 day)
Background:
Through the early 1930's, New York city's radio station WHN was managed by Edward "Major" Bowes, who would go on to become one of America's leading showmen. In April 1934, Bowes debuted his "The Original Amateur Hour" on WHN, which became quite popular with the station's listeners. Soon, it became such a hit that the CBS network picked up the show. And for the next couple of years, New Yorkers had the pleasure of hearing two "Amateur Hours" every week: the national show on CBS, hosted by Major Bowes himself, and the local show, hosted by comedian Jay C. Flippen. In March 1935, when the show's national success began to interfere with Bowes' duties at WHN, the station let him go. In 1946, Ted Mack, who had previously supervised the auditions, took over. It is interesting to note that when the show first went on TV, it was still named "The Major Bowes Amateur Hour", even though Mack was now the Master of Ceremonies. (Ted Mack died in 1976.)

Strictly speaking, there was no such thing as a "Major Bowes Orchestra". The pattern for the "Amateur Hour" was to find talent. Because of the show's national exposure, there was often a call for such talent to perform. Often, Bowes would form small groups of singers, acrobats, musicians, and such. These groups were then sent out (under the aegis of Major Bowes) and performed in various areas of the country. Any musicians forming an orchestra for such a group would be called the "Major Bowes Orchestra". Here's a photo of one such a band's vocalist Billie Lorraine, singing in the 1940s, with the "Major Bowes Swing Band". (Photo courtesy of Ms. Jillian Morton Lippman, daughter of Harry and Billie (Lorraine) Morton.)

In the late 1920s, there was also a "Major Bowes Capitol Theatre Trio" performing, and recording for the Brunswick Records label. The violinist was Eugene Ormandy who would go on to an international career as a Classical music conductor. (Ormandy also did Salon Orchestra recordings for Judson Transcriptions, and also leading the Dorsey Brothers Concert Orchestra).

Among the songs that the "Major Bowes Capitol Theatre Trio" recorded for Brunswick were (all in 1927) "By The Waters Of Minnetonka" (Lieurance-(Cavanas), "Indian Love Call" (Friml-Stotart-Harbach), "Kiss Me Again" (Ed Blossom-Victor Herbert) "The Rosary" (Rogers-Nevin), and in 1928, A Kiss In The Dark ( V. Herbert), and Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life (Victor Herbert music, Rida Young lyric.)

Singer Billie Lorraine's husband, Harry Morton, was a theatrical manager, and agent of many of the top perfomers of the 1940's, 50', and up to the '70s.
In private correspondence, Ms. Jillian Morton Lippman, daughter of Harry and Billie

   (Lorraine) Morton, has recalled: "My parents met up in the Catskill
   mountains (New York City suburban area) on a Memorial Day weekend
    (1931?),when he tried out for the MC for the summer, and she, the
   girl singer. They both got hired, and the rest was history. They
   knew each other and were together over 70 years, till my Moms
   passing 4 years ago. My Dad passed away a year ago on June 22nd.
   He was 91."

   "He started out in Showbiz with a hormonica group called the "Cappy Barra
   Orchestra", they worked Radio City Music Hall, ....and were in a Diana
   Durbin movie called "Flying down to Rio" Many of the guys in the
   band went on to become very famous hormonica players. (The photo has
   Deanna Durban and a young Bobby Breen to her left.)....(my dad) mostly
   managed comedians, but all of his clients were tops. (the Nicholas
   Brothers dance team, Phil Foster, Jan Murray, you name them, he either
   managed or booked them, as well as being life long friends with them all)"