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NFO.NET BIG BANDS DATABASE PLUS
A W rld of Information!
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| DATABASES | ARCHIVES | RESOURCES | INSTRUCTION | CONTACT US |
| American Band's Alphabetical Index |
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Today's Date (according to this Web server) is Saturday, May 17th 2008.
 [ Percy Faith Orch. ]
b. April 7, 1908, Toronto, Canada, d Feb. 9, 1976 Encino, CA, USA. Pianist; Arranger; Conductor; Composer Please also see the Canadian Bands database for the Romanelli's Orchestras, (and scroll down to "Luigi" Romanelli). Overview During the 1930's, he worked extensively on Canadian radio. He moved to the USA in 1940 after accepting a post with the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). During the 1950's he was musical director with Columbia Records, where he worked with Tony Bennett (on three different Million sellers). He also recorded his own Mood Music albums and had two enormous hits of his own: THE SONG FROM MOULIN ROUGE (#1 1953); THEME FROM 'A SUMMER PLACE' (#1 in the USA and #2 in the UK in 1961). During the 1950's Faith worked in Hollywood on such films as 'Love Me or Leave Me' starring Doris Day in the biography of Ruth Etting. Here's a historical photo of Ruth Etting, (by Alfred Cheney Johnston, the official photographer of the Ziegfeld Follies) who sang it in the last Ziegfeld Follies produced (1931). (Doris Day also had a hit record with the theme song). A piano prodigy, by age 15 Percy already had a recital in Toronto's Massey Hall. He was also playing for the Silent Movie houses, but circa 1926, he injured his hands in a fire, thus ending any prospects he may have had for a concert career. In 1927, he began arranging, first for Hotel orchestras, and then for radio. From 1938 to 1940, 'Music by Faith' was heard on the CBC. However, in 1940 with his budget cut, and tiring of feeling like the CBC's token Jew, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, and later moved on to New York City, becoming an American citizen in 1945. In New York, he arranged and also conducted for many radio shows including 'The Carnation Contented Hour'; 'Buddy Clark show'; 'The Coca Cola show', etc. He was recording for Decca and then RCA, but in 1950, became part of the Columbia Records A&R staff. In 1950, he wrote "My Heart Cries For You" (a Guy Mitchell Hit recording), which was based on an old folksong. He became one of the leaders of the 'Pop Instrumental' genre (called 'Light Music' in the U.K.). During 1952-53, he had several hit records including the Brazilian song "Delicado" (the amplified harp was played by Stan Freeman), and "The Song From The Moulin Rouge" (a Felicia Sanders vocal hit). Among his own compositions at this time were such songs as "Noche Carib"; "Nervous Gavotte", and "Perpetual Notion". In the 1960's, Faith worked on such films as:
Following his service discharge, he resumed his pop music career playing and touring for several years with the Carmen Cavallero band. In 1951, he became one of the Muscial Directors at the then new Capitol Records. At Capitol, he worked as producer, arranger and conductor. with such stars as Jackie Gleason, Peggy Lee, Dean Martin, Mel Torme, and Nancy Wilson. He also conducted the band on Jane Froman's CBS TV show. In 1955, he joined the staff of the new ABC - Paramount Records and, with Don Costa, greatly helped to build the label's success. In 1960, he began a long collaboration with vocalist Ray Charles following Charles' departure from Atlantic Records. It was Feller who largely helped Charles to create a unique blend of both rhythm and blues and the emerging "Nashville Sound". The resulting hit album ,"Modern Sounds", was a milestone in country and western music. In 1965, Feller left ABC-Paramount Records, moved to California and built a career as a successful freelancer. From 1969 to 1974, he was musical director for "The Flip Wilson Show". He worked on TV specials with such stars as Pat Boone, John Davidson, John Denver, Andy Williams, and others. In the recording studio, he produced 'soundtrack' albums of Broadway shows such as "Fade in-fade out," and "Mack and Mabel" which starred Bernadette Peters. Among his Recordings are:
In 1950, he then joined Stan Kenton’s orchestra, where his shrieking, upper-register trumpet formed the backbone of the group’s extensive brass section, and electrified audiences. Leaving Kenton in 1953, he worked for awhile at Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles. After which, he did a little bandleading with both big amd small groups. In 1956 he formed the first of several 13-piece orchestras known for the crisp vigor of their horns. They helped launch the careers of such jazz notables as Chick Corea, Chuck Mangione, Bob James, Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul. Ferguson's 12 piece band at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival had all the power and impact of a band twice it's size due to Maynard's skilful use of arrangements. Bill Berry; Bill Chase; Don Ellis, Slide Hampton, and Don Sebesky were among the sidemen appearing with Maynard in the 1950's to 1960's. In the 1960s, as the popularity of jazz declined, Ferguson was forced to scale down his big band, touring less frequently and favoring a smaller sextet instead. In the late 1960's, Maynard moved to the U.K. and formed a big band that did some rather extensive touring. He also created a musical niche (in the late '60s and '70s) by rearranging pop and rock songs for big bands - "MacArthur Park" and the Beatles' "Hey Jude," being good examples. Meanwhile, "Conquistador," the album that included "Gonna Fly Now" (the theme from the film "Rocky"), reached No. 22 on Billboard’s charts rekindling the public’s interest in big bands. He moved his family to India, where he absorbed Eastern music and philosophy, then to England. He later moved back to the U.S., settling in California. But he returned almost yearly to India. Ferguson, -a much admired teacher, once told an interviewer: "I go to teach, but I always end up learning more". Ferguson, who stood just 5 feet 9 — credited yoga with enabling him to harness the full capacity of his lungs and routinely hit a double-high-C. His skill on many brass instruments, the flamboyance with which he presented his music was extremely attractive and made him a model for young people. On Ferguson's demise, his friend and manager Steve Schankman, remarked "Someone just said, 'Gabriel, move over to second trumpet,'. He was the last of the greats. That era is closed. There is no Kenton, no Basie, no Ellington, and now, no Ferguson."
He came to America in 1951 and made his debut in New York's famous Gogi's La Rue where he captivated his new audiences with his inimitable style just as he did his European audiences. Feyer's refinement and taste are the hallmarks of his arrangements in which European tradition blends skillfully with the best in American music. His repertory is literally limitless, and he played the classics with a touch of Broadway, and Broadway with a touch of the Continent. His highly successful "Echoes" series consisted of 'Echoes of Italy', 'Echoes of Vienna', 'Echoes of Broadway', 'Echoes of Latin America', 'Echoes of Hollywood', 'Echoes of Spain', 'Echoes of Budapest', 'Echoes of Childhood', 'Echoes of Christmas', and 'Echoes of Paris'. Feyer's group usually consisted of himself on piano, with an accompaning rhythm section.
Raised in Oklahoma, Fields began his career as a pianist, and only later added the trombone, making it his main instrument. Fields is a graduate of the Tuskegee Institute. In the early 1920s, having no desire to tour, he led a band, 'The Royal Entertainers' homebased in Tulsa, Oklahoma but by the 1930s, his band began traveling the Southwest, finally heading to New York at famed critic John Hammond's invitation to record for the Vocalion label. Ernie's career weathered all the changing musical tastes from the swing era to the 1960s, when he retired from active leadership and disbanded. He died Sunday, May 11, 1997. in Tulsa, OK. at age 92.
While he was originally a Jazz musician, he later turned to commercialism. Part of his career was just the reverse of Lionel Hampton's. Hampton became one of the very few African-American musicians to have a major part in a mostly white aggregation, when he was hired by Benny Goodman to play in his quartet, sextet and big band. Herbie is best known today as probably being the first White instrumentalist hired to play a prominent role in a Black band, that of Lionel Hampton. At the time, 1945, Hampton's all-star band was among his greatest. Fields replaced the extroverted Earl Bostic, as alto saxaphonist. He also played clarinet. In 1945, he won Esquire Magazine's New Star Award on the Alto Sax. Field's is also recalled today for his sensational solo on Hampton's big hit, "Hey Bop a Rebop". Fields solos with Hampton held their own with those of his other soloists; they were vigorous but not raucous, and he developed a following. Based on this following, he struck out on his own in 1946. From 1946, he again led his own band (recording for RCA Victor), which lasted through 1947. The band recorded for RCA. Neal Hefti was one of sidemen along with Ed Burt, Bernie Glow, Manny Alban, Al Klink (formally with Glenn Miller), Marty Napoleon and Serge Chaloff. They did cut 26 or so recordings of popular dance music. There was nothing raucus about them. "Dardanella" was his biggest hit. Herbie always featured the clarinet,suprano sax.baritone sax, alto sax and tenor sax. All these instuments were lined up on stage. Attempting to emulate the Hampton band, which it could not do, the Fields' band turned to loudness and r&b gimickry. In The Encyclopedia of Jazz, Leonard Feather wrote that the band was a commercial entity, no longer a Jazz band. It was an artistic and commercial failure. With the big band era fading, the band broke up and Herbie kept the Quintet with which he travelled around the country geared more toward jazz. In 1949-'50, he formed his Septet featuring Frank Rosolino on trombone and Tiny Kahn on drums. He later recorded for the Fraternity and Parrot labels, and his last recording was in February 1958. He lived in Miami, and had owned a restaurant there. Despondent at his professional and personal misfortunes, Fields took his own life (overdose of sleeping pills) in Miami on September 17, 1958, -one of the most unappreciated musicians in the business.
Early on, he played in Jenny Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel many times. (A well known suburban New York city vacation venue.) But his career really started in 1934 when he replaced the Jack Denny Orchestra in New York's Hotel Pierre. He left the Hotel Pierre to go on the road with the dance team of Veloz and Yolanda, as "the Veloz and Yolanda Orchestra, under the direction of Shep Fields". (Yolanda Casazza, b 21 March 1908, New York, NY, USA , d. 24 March 1995, Burbank, CA, USA and Frank Veloz, b. 5 Feb. 1906, Washington, D. C., USA, d. 27 Feb. 1981, Burbank, CA, USA.) He quit Velez and Yolanda during the job at the L.A. Biltmore Hotel's Cocoanut Grove, amd got his old job at the Hotel Pierre back. In between, here's how the orchestra appeared in the 1938 Hollywood film The Big Broadcast His brother Freddie, who headed the Creative Management Agency, was married to Polly Bergen. Shep's orchestra had some top notch musicians including some future TV stars. Sid Ceasar played the Sax; and singers Ken 'Fustus' Curtis and Ralph Young were there. Shep Fields died in 1981 of a heart attack.
One of the vocalists was the band's bassist 'Candy' Candido, who had a trick voice singing, and in 1933 he had a blond vocalist name Betty Grable, pictured here in her famous World War II Pin-Up photograph. Betty and another of his singers, Leif Ericson, would go on to fame as actors. In addition to "blond" Betty Grable, "the Platinum Sensation" Ruth Lee, also sang with Ted's band. In the 1930s, The Debutants, vocal group, shown here in a publicity photograph with guitarist Muzzy Marcelino, also appeared with his band. Later on he had a vocal group called Kay Swingle and her Brothers.
Here's a photograph of the Ted Fio Rito Orch., on stage with a male trio singing. and here's a close up of the Male Trio. Only Les Houck (center) is identified. Les was also a member of the 'Biltmore Trio' that appeared with the Earl Burtnett Orch.. The above two photographs, and the photo of Ruth Lee, are reproduced here with the kind permission of Ms. Pamela Houck Shriver, daughter of Les Houck (seen above). Sidenote: On the Left side, we see: In the Center, we see: On the Right side, we see: Listen now to a delightful ca. 1943-'44 live remote CBS broadcast from Hollywood's famed
Using a foundation of himself on piano and kid brother Billy on sax and clarinet (and later handling orchestrations), Scott organized his first band as a teenager. Eventually, they became known in the New York/New Jersey area as "Bud Fisher & His Commodores." Into the early 1930s, Scott's orchestra became known throughout New York and New Jersey, playing numerous dates on area radio stations like WABC, WEAF, WAAT, WJZ, and WADA. Scott, Billy, and company also performed at New Jersey's legendary "Rustic Cabin" for two years, among their numerous other club appearances. "Bud Fisher & His Commodores" were regulars on Cunard Line cruise ships, performing on runs to Cuba and Bermuda, and were winter mainstays at Bermuda's "Bermudiana Hotel." The band also recorded several commercial pressings, and performed at the famous Coconut Grove Room at New York's Park Central Hotel. Around 1935, the band went on several two-month tours, only to return to the New York area without a gig. As a result, the orchestra split up. Had they been able to survive that period, the Fisher band may well have become one of the top names in the business as the movement of individual band members shortly after the breakup illustrates:
Scott Fisher later became Head Copiest for Ray Bloch. He also worked in this capacity for numerous Broadway shows including "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," "Golden Boy," "The Apple Tree," "My Fair Lady," and "The Music Man," mostly under the direction of Elliot Lawrence. He died on August 2, 1972 in Flemington, New Jersey at age 67. Billy Fisher died in Greenwich, Connecticut on April 24, 1972. Some notes on Billy Fisher.
A child prodigy sax and clarinet player by age seven, Billy quickly made a name for himself playing with older brother Scott's earliest bands... enough to earn the opportunity, at just age 11, to be the featured endorser in magazine ads for "Buescher True-Tone Saxaphones". By age 14, he had won talent contests at Keiths Capitol and Lyric Theatres (in New York, NY). As a youth, it wasn't unusual for Billy to be called into emergency service by young Ozzie Nelson, whose band regularly played at nearby Rutgers University. Billy's arrangement of "About A Quarter To Nine," recorded by Ozzie's band, was used in the 1973 movie "Paper Moon." In the late 1920s, Billy began serious musical study in New York City under the tutelage of conductor Victor Herbert and arranger Orval Mayhood. Applying what he learned, Billy began arranging for his brother Scott, and then for Ozzie Nelson, who was playing at the Park Central Hotel at the time. Billy's arrangement of "About a Quarter to Nine" for Ozzie Nelson was featured in an early scene of the movie "Paper Moon" in 1973. When his brother's band broke up, Billy found work as both player and arranger for Russ Morgan. Russ had been a recording master at a session in which Billy was perfecting an orchestration. Morgan, a stranger to Billy, came in from the control room loaded with complaints and suggestions. Billy provided a heated argument and left in a huff. Minutes later, a regretful Morgan caught up with Billy on the street, apologized, and invited him to work for his house band, which was then playing for NBC and at the Biltmore Hotel. Not long after, Billy joined Al Donahue, who was then playing the Rainbow Room, in New York's Rockefeller Center. But by 1936, Billy was back for another brief stint with Russ Morgan. Billy's freelance arrangement clients at the time included Mark Warnow (Raymond Scott's older brother), as well as Sally Clark when she opened for Eddie Duchin at New York's famed Plaza Hotel. But it was Billy's freelance association with Ray Bloch and the CBS Orchestra, which began in 1936, that turned into his most lasting collaboration. By the late 1930s, Billy was the full-time right-hand man for Bloch, both playing and arranging. One of their earliest efforts was "The Gay Nineties Show," starring Beatrice Kaye. During the war years, Ray's orchestra was the house band for Milton Berle's NBC Radio Tuesday night show, playing at 8pm for the east coast and 11pm for the Pacific Time Zone, -originating in NBC's famous "Studio 8H." It was because of Billy's ear for talent that Frank Sinatra nearly became a member of the Ray Bloch Orchestra. Billy had spotted Sinatra at the Rustic Cabin in New Jersey and told Bloch about this great young talent. Bloch told Billy to return to the club and inform Sinatra that he'd like to have him come in for an audition... his big break had come! But upon Billy's return, Sinatra was not to be found... he had just left to become the lead singer for Harry James! In 1947, Ray Bloch and company began the first of their 24 seasons with CBS-TVs "The Toast of the Town," which later became known as "The Ed Sullivan Show," with Billy handling the orchestrations. The band also took on house duties for Jackie Gleason during his years in New York prior to Jackie's move to Miami Beach in the 1950s. Billy was the composer of Ed Sullivan's theme song, as well as Jackie Gleason's "ghost-composer" for "Melancholy Serenade," Jackie's theme. In the 1950s, Billy's freelance arrangement of "The High and the Mighty" became a million- seller for LeRoy Holmes and MCA. He was Holmes' arranger for many of LeRoy's best-known albums through the '5Os and '60s. Billy stopped playing with Ray Bloch's CBS Orchestra in 1956, to devote all of his time to arranging. While the Sullivan Show demanded most of his musical attention throughout the later years of his life, he did periodically freelance for musicians other than LeRoy Holmes, providing material for such artists as the Supremes (at one end of the spectrum), and Elliot Lawrence. Billy added his arrangements to those of Lawrence and Al Cohn for the 1971 TV special and album "S'Wonderful, S'Marvelous, S'Gershwin," with Jack Lemmon and Leslie Uggams. Billy's last effort was the 1972 Tony Awards, conducted by Elliot Lawrence, which aired on ABC the evening before Billy died. Billy Fisher
passed away on April 24, 1972 in Greenwich, Connecticut at age 58.
George Simon in his book, "The Big Bands" reported (in chapter on Glenn Miller p. 353) that Fisher's 1938 band was given top billing over Glenn Miller at the Paradise Restaurant in New York City (1938). In July of 1939, there was a split in the band while they were playing at the Old Vienna Night Club in Cincinnati. Four members of the band left as a result of the dispute: Stan Fritts (trombone), Nels Laakso (trumpet), Charles Koenig (bass), and Marty Gold (piano). In August of 1939, Fisher requested an injunction against the four and their new band because they were calling themselves, "The Original Schnicklefritzers". Fisher said they were not in his original band in Winona. He was granted the injunction. Fisher re-organized his band in September of 1939. Stan Fritts went on to found a rival band called the Korn Kobblers. In 1939, Fisher was still using Winona as his home. The Schnicklefritz band was a popular recording group for Decca Records' Blue label in the late '30's and early ' 40's. Let's watch Freddie and his Schnickelfritzers playing
The group also appeared in two other films: 'The Sultan's Daughter' (Monogram) 1943, and 'Make Mine Laughs' (RKO) in 1949. This film starred Ray Bolger, Dennis Day, Francis Langford, Joan Davis, and Jack Haley. One of Fisher's Schnicklefritzers, trumpeter George Rock later when on to fame with Spike Jones when he sang "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth". Fisher, while in Los Angeles, opened a night club called The Radio Room where his group played nightly. According to an article in Time magazine (April 17,1964), trumpeter Chet Baker played with him. Fisher later spent some time in Columbus, Ohio working at local clubs. After suffering a heart attack, and recovering, he gave up the music business and moved with his family to Oklahoma on land owned by his friend Opie Cates (the music director for the Lum and Abner radio show). The Oklahoma move didn't work out and Fisher moved to the old mining town of Aspen, Colorado in 1952. Fisher opened a "Fixit Shop" and used his mechanical and electrical talents to fix a variety of appliances. He haunted the local dump for parts to use in his business and became known as the "king of the dump". He even invented a way to electroplate, in gold, the local Aspen leaves that were sold in Aspen shops. This was at a time when Aspen was just becoming an up-scale ski resort. Freddie, an accomplished clarinetist, returned to playing in local clubs along with his son King (a trumpeter), who now lives in Australia. When local jazz festivals developed, Fisher was asked to participate. After his appearance at the "Easterjazz Concert" in 1967, he suffered another heart attack and died on March 28, 1967. Fisher was well-known in Aspen for both his "Fixit Shop", his clarinet playing , and his daily letters to the editors of the local papers. In 1963, the Colorado Press Association honored him as the first and only person for one of his letters to the Aspen Times. His 15 years in Aspen resulted in a book, Fisher the Fixer, mainly based on his letters and anecdotes provided by a number of long-time residents. Sigrid Docken Mount (Archivist/Librarian) of the Winona County Historical Society provided copies of the newspaper clippings of the Winona Republican-Herald articles on Fisher. Also, a special thanks to writer Su Lum of the Aspen Times for providing the book Fisher the Fixer.
During WW2, Ralph served in the U. S. Merchant Marine, returning to the music business after his service discharge. In time, he did many arrangements for such well known orchestras as Charlie Barnet; Blue Barron; Sammy Kaye; Gene Krupa; Tony Pastor, Alvino Rey and many others. He also helped vocalists Mindy Carson and Perry Como with special song settings. Then Herb Hendler, A&R man for a minor record label, commissioned him to record a series of Glenn Miller favorites. This turned out to be Flanagan's big break. The records sold very well. When Hensler moved over to RCA Records, he talked RCA into releasing more tracks by Flanagan. But, this time Flanagan grafted Glenn Miller style arrangments onto material that Miller had never recorded. The Ploy was successful. Some of Flanagan's big hits in 1950 included: "Harbor Lights"; "Nevertheless"; "Rag Mop"; which were followed by "Slow Poke", and a Ralph Flanagan composition entitled "Hot Today", - a play on the drink called a 'Hot Toddy'. The records sold so well that Flanagan formrd a big band in the early 1950's, and started touring. His band very clearly exhibited a Glenn Miller influence. His vocal group 'The Singing Winds' emulated 'The Modernaires', while male vocalist Harry Prime emulated the Ray Eberle role. The band was a good 'crowd puller' on the big band circuit of clubs, ballrooms, schools, and concert halls. Ralph Flanagan's big band success sparked a mini-Glenn Miller revival. Some of Miller's former sidemen such as Ray Anthony and Jerry Grey joined in with bands of their own. But the big band era had ended and with bookings becoming harder and harder to obtain, the inital successes gradually faded. Ralph Flanagan again became an active arranger in the early 1960's.
He was resident in New York CIty in his late teens, working with Tab Smith and Roy Eldridge. Lucky Millinder's Band was very popular at the time, especially with the dancers at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom, and in 1940, Francis joined the band, remaining until 1945. His drumming was a significant factor in the band's popularity. After Millinder, Francis toured the south with his own band, meeting with only limited success. Cab Calloway hired him in 1947, and Francis stayed with Cab for 5 years. Subsequently, he went on call as a studio musician where he backed artists such as Ella Fitzgerald; John Lee Hooker; Eubie Blake; Ray Charles; and Mahalia Jackson. In the late 1970's, his long absence from the jazz stages ended when he played with Lionel Hampton's All Star Big Band. Francis then formed his own Savoy Sultans band, named after Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans, a band that had played three decades earlier. Sidemen in these new Sultans included Panama's old boss, George Kelly, Francis Williams, and Norris Turney. Panama is still active (1995), last performing in a New York CIty cabaret - Fat Teusday's. An accomplished drummer, Panama's easy going swing technique benefits any band of which he is a member.
Growing up in a musical family, Frontiere learned several instruments before choosing the accordion as his main instrument. At just age 7, this child prodigy travelled to New York for lessons with accordion virtuoso Joseph Biviano, by the time he was 12, he was performing solo at New York's famed Carnegie Hall. Starting in High School, Frontiere studied classical music, composition and arrranging. In 1949, he joined Horace Heidt's band as the lead arranger, replacing accordionist Dick Contino (who recorded for the Mercury label in the 1950s). In 1962, he left Heidt; moved to Hollywood, enrolled in UCLA, and began to study with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and with Felix Slatkin, a famed violinist and studio conductor. He next found work as Music Director at 20th Century-Fox studios, where Alfred Newman, and his brother, film composer Lionel Newman, put him to work scoring various films. The early 1960's saw the emergence of a music that came to be known as 'West Coast Jazz', Frontiere was a part of that scene. He recorded several albums for Liberty Records with his sextet, that also featured Jack Marshall on guitar. Frontiere also cut other albums, including a Columbia release called "Pagan Festival," which is a good example of 'Exotica' music". The record was (quoting the liner notes) "...an interpretation of ancient Inca rituals, superstitions, and the romance and mysteries of their colorful civilization." His work featured such titles as "Jaguar God," "Temple of Suicide," and "Venus Girl." A couple of years later, Frontiere was arranging and producing stereo albums for the new Capitol label. One such was, "The Mighty Accordion Band", which featured a band of some twenty accordions. The "Caravan" track is an 'easy-listening' standard. From the early 1960's on, most of Frontiere's work has been composing for films and television. For films, his credits include 'Hammersmith Is Out', 'Hang 'Em High', 'The Stunt Man', and Bob Hope's movie, 'Cancel My Reservation'. For television, he composed the theme for the 'The Invaders'series. His Soundtrack albums include:
In 1917, this band cut nine titles for Edison, all issued on Blue Amberol as well as Diamond Disc labels. Listen to the band playing Edison promotional literature issued in October of 1917 states, "'Jass' Bands are all the rage now." Other Edison promotional literature added, "No players ever before played like this; hear them once and the Frisco Jazz Band will have you fascinated for life. Incidentally you'll fox-trot as never before to this music." In late 1917 the company dropped quote marks from the band's name and, like other record manufacturers, switched from "Jass" to "Jazz."
Ferdinandos all eventually wound up in the 'Granite State', - Manchester, NH area. On March 1, 1932, New Hampshire's new State Radio station, WFEA, made it's inaugural broadcast from Manchester, NH. At 8:15PM, Felix Ferdinando's orchestra, the Granite State's contribution to the world of dance music, was heard in a 45- minute concert of popular music. Their broadcast was very well received by the listeners, and at the conclusion of the band's concert, the station's studio office was flooded with wires and telephone calls. Among his recordings are:
In 1922, after leaving Smith's orchestra, pianist Hugo Frey was hired by Victor and stayed with the company through 1925, directing (and co-directing with Nat Shilkret) such studio dance bands as 'The Great White Way Orchestra' 'the Manhattan Merrymakers', and 'the Troubadours'(in 1927). In 1926, he went to work for the Robbins Music Corporation and worked for that publisher into the 1940s.
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eMail/Webmaster: [ mlp@nfo.net ] murray pfeffer
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"My Little Grass Shack In Kealakekua Hawaii"
"Turkey in the Straw"
