[ Freddy Nagel Orch. ]
Theme Song "Sophisticated Lady"
Freddy really started his career, in the mid-1930's, as a "society" orchestra leader. The band was catering to society galas; debutante parties, social dances, and such, mostly in the Northwest. But, the band did do some touring and played the Natatotium Park in Spokane, WA., as well as the famous Jantzen Beach in Portland, OR.

In the early 1940's, he brought in some new sidemen and changed into a much more solid swing and dance band. Some critics have referred to his band as a "Kay Kyser Type" orchestra. He was not averse to using some showmanship to enhance the band's musicianship. This orchestra toured more widely, covering a wide portion of the mid-west including the well known Chicago, IL., Aragon and Trianon Ballrooms.

Over time, a number of different vocalists appeared with the band, including Lorraine Benson, Bob Locken, Ken Jackson, Allen Overend. However, none of them went on to any great fame.

At the end of the 1940's, with the big band business in economic decline due to the WW2 and many other reasons, Freddy, in common with many other leaders, disbanded. He got out of the music business and settled down on a Susanville, CA. ranch.

       [ Phil Napoleon Orch ]
b: Sept. 2, 1901, Boston, MA, USA. d.
Instrument: Trumpet.
Well schooled on the Trumpet, Phil had a clean tone and musically inventive mind. In his early years, Phil played with a number of Dixieland groups, but in 1917, he and pianist Frank Signorelli started The Original Memphis Five. A very prolific band that - throughout the 1920's - recorded literally hundreds of records under a variety of different band names. Here's a photograph of The Original Memphis Five Band, - left to right: Frank Signorelli, Phil Napoleon, Jimmy Lytell, Charlie Parnelli, Jack Roth. It should be noted that Phil was the very first trumpet player with McKinney's Cotton Pickers. Phil also played with Sam Lanin's orchestras when Bix or Red Nichols wasn't playing. In 1937, Phil formed his first 'bigband' with Walter Bloom as his manager. However, it should be noted that during his great career, Phil played in and had several bands. In 1943, he was part of the Dorsey Brothers orchestra, yet still playing at other gigs while also on call for NBC's New York studio. In 1946, Jimmy Dorsey was in need of a trumpet player (due to the WW2 draft), and Napoleon joined Jimmy's band in Los Angeles, CA, where Jimmy's band appeared in the picture 'Four Jills and a Jeep' (Phil can be seen in that movie). Phil stayed with Jimmy until 1947, when he returned to New York and to the NBC studios, -remaining with NBC until 1950. He then began playing with a small Jazz group at a well known New York Jazz club named Nick's. Later in the 1950s, with the Big Band era closed, Phil settled in Miami and went back to fronting small dixieland groups.

       [ Fats Navarro Orch. ]
Currently No information on this entertaining Black band that played predominantly "jump" music in the late 1930s and 1940s. Mostly in the New York City area, I believe.

       [ Ozzie Nelson Orch. ]
Theme Song: "Loyal Sons of Rutgers"
Overview
Here's a photo of Ozzie Nelson and his vocalist Harriet Hilliard, who became Mrs Ozzie Nelson in due course.(And, here's another photo showing them with comedian Joe Penner,- "Wanna buy a duck?"). Ozzie made his first records for Brunswick in 1930 and his band remained active until the early 1940's. Ozzie sang on many of the bands records; Vocalists included future wife Harriet Hilliard, who joined the band in 1932, and Rose Ann Stevens, who replaced Harriet when she was pregnant with first son David Nelson. The band also recorded for Vocalion and Bluebird.

BigBands Database reader, Chuck Steiger, recalls that for a while, the band had Billy May playing in the Trumpet section as well as doing a little arranging for the band. Nelson's alto sax man, Buff Estes, later spent much time with the Benny Goodman band and was heard on such recordings as "Stealin' Apples" and "Let's Dance", Benny's InTheme.

Ozzie and Harriet were stars of their own TV Show during the 1950's. Even their sons, David and Ricky, were seen. The show was very successful. It was a "sitcom", a comedy type show, not a musical.
Above notes courtesy of Robin Lenhart.

       [ Ruby Newman Orch ]
b. 1902, Boston MA, USA. d. USA.
Theme: "Nothing Seems to Matter Any More"
Ruby Newman led various bands from the 1920s to the mid-1940s, and was Boston's favorite society band in the 1930s, where he enjoyed a long run at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The band had no trumpet section, substituting strings instead. Ruby frequently featured himself on violin solos. In 1936, Ruby and the band showed up at New York's Rainbow Grill and stayed a short while before heading back to Massachusetts where he eventually became a very wealthy man. His band was a very musical and pleasant outfit, recording for RCA Victor and Decca, and even played at several 'White House' (U.S. President's official home) functions during WWII. In 1943 he led an orchestra behind Danny O'Neil on CBS.

       [ New Mayfair Dance Orch. (Eng.) ]
       [ The Ray Noble Orchestra (U.S.A.) ]
b: Dec. 17, 1903, Brighton, England. d: April 3, 1978, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
Theme Song: The Very Thought Of You
aka Ray Noble's New Mayfair Dance Orch.
Overview
This fine English musician rose to become 'Director for Light Music' for HMV, the English arm of RCA-Victor Records, a post he held from 1929 to 1934. (The "New Mayfair Orch. was actually the HMV (RCA) recording dance orch.) In 1935, he came to the US, with his drummer Bill Harty and his vocalist Al Bowlly, and became the Musical Director for New York's famed 'Radio City', where his band (put together by Glenn Miller) played the Rainbow Room. (Photo courtesy Univ. of Colorado.) Following a falling out with Glenn Miller and the musicians that Miller had hired for him, Ray left for a position in Hollywood. In 'LaLa Land', Ray worked on several films (appeared in one) and was on the Edgar Bergen; the Charley McCarthy, and the Burns and Allen Radio Shows.

Ray was an excellent Musician, Composer and Master arranger who won England's 'Melody Maker' award in 1926, at age 19.

In 1929, Ray was appointed musical director to HMV Records. His 'house' orchestra was actually composed of musicians from some of Englands famous bands, (mostly Lew Stone's Orch.) picked up just for a recording date.

His vocalist was Al Bowlly. Al was popular in both Eng. and the US., seldom working as a singles act. Al's first records were cut in Berlin with Arthur Briggs Savoy Syncopators in 1927. He became a regular with the Lew Stone and Roy Fox Orchestras. Died in London Blitz in April 1941 when his apartment was hit by a German Bomb" (and he became a "cult" figure).

Noble came to U.S. in 1934 and for 1st time worked as a leader at the Rockefeller Center's Rainbow Room. (9pm to 3am - 7 nights per week) Glenn Miller, then trombonist with Dorsey Bros, assembled a ready made orchestra for Ray (as Miller had done for Tommy Dorsey and Smith Ballew) to take over when Ray arrived with Al Bowlly, and his drummer/mgr, Bill Harty.

Glenn used such sidemen as Chas Spivak (trumpet), Will Bradley (Trombone - who was then known as Will Schwichtenberg), Claude Thornhill (piano), Delmar Kaplan (Bassist), Bud Freeman (tenor sax), George Van Eps (guitar), George pee wee Irwin (trumpet), and Johnny Mince (clarinet).

Glenn Miller used most of this band in April 1935 for his first records under his own name. GM also occasionally recorded with the RN orch. Miller wrote much of the Scores that Ray used.

There was a certain dichotomy of ideas here due to the fact that Miller was arranging and so was Ray Noble, and the men seemed to trust GM more so than RN. Additionally, the 7 day a week working schedule didn't help matters any.

In very early 1937, after some angry exchanges with the musicians, Ray Noble left (with his drummer/mgr Bill Harty and went to Hollywood, where he worked as music director (with a little 'on mic' mugging) for the Edgar Bergan/Charlie McCarthy Show, and the Burns and Allen show. He also did some scoring for the Hollywood studios and some recording work. (Tony Martin sang with a Ray Noble Band.)

After Hollywood, Ray retired to the Isle of Jersey. But the call of California was too strong, and in 1970, he returned to Santa Barbara, where he died in 1977.

Ray's career in music spans a 30 year period. His place in the world of Big Bands is assured by the work he did in the London HMV (RCA) studios from '29 -'34; by his American works and by his wonderful musical compositions. Among the many songs that Ray wrote are: "The Touch of Your Lips", "The Very Thought Of You", "Love is the Sweetest Thing", "By The Fireside" and "Love Locked Out". Charles Steiger recalls that Noble's trombonist, Earle Hagen, wrote the song "Harlem Nocturne", which was later recorded by Noble for Columbia Records and featured alto saxist Jack Dumont. On a rare night off, many of the Noble sidemen had gone over to listen to the Duke Ellington orchestra. Hagen was so impressed with Johnny Hodges' playing, that he finished writing "Harlem Nocturne" before the night ended.

       [ New Orleans Rhythm Kings ]
Overview
The New Orleans Rhythm Kings, (often just called NORK), were a leading jazz band of the early 1920's. The main members of the group included cornetist Paul Mares, trombonist George Brunies and clarinet player Leon Roppolo who were school friends that later recruited others such as pianist Mel Stitzel and drummer Gene Krupa to join their band. (Brunies later changed his name to Brunis because an astrologer told him that the "e" would bring bad luck.) Here's a photograph of the NORK, who were formed in 1919. They were one of the two "White" New Orleans groups that paved a magnificent musical trail in the early 1920s. In 1920, some of the men were playing Jazz on the Mississippi river boat 'S.S. Capital'. In 1922, Chicago Jazz history began when they found work at the 'Friar's Inn' (at 1834 Wabash Street at Van Buren in Chicago).

First known as the 'Friar's Society Orchestra', they changed their name to the 'New Orleans Rhythm Kings' after their residency ended. Mares is credited with co-writing several of their best known songs including "Tin Roof Blues". In 1923. he also co-wrote the music to "Make Love to Me" for the group. Years later, it was a million-seller when revived by Jo Stafford in 1954. The band also recorded with pianist Jelly Roll Morton on piano thus becoming the first multi-racial jazz band to record.

Here's a photo of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, as they appeared on the cover of the "Farewell Blues" sheet music published in 1923. (Probably L-R: George Brunies on Trombone, Paul Mares on trumpet; Frank Snyder on drums, Leon Roppolo on clarinet, Elmer Schobel on piano, Glenn Scoville on sax, Louis Black on banjo, and Alfred Loyacano on bass. "Farewell Blues was composed by the Spike Brothers -Benjamin and John, & "Jelly Roll" Morton) In 1924, their pianist Mel Stitzel co-wrote "Doodle Doo Doo", with bandleader Art Kassel. He also wrote the music for "The Chant" in 1926 after the Rhythm Kings broke up in 1925.

What the 'Original Dixieland Jazz Band' was to the folks in New York City, when they played at Reisenweber's Restaurant, the New Orleans Rhythm Kings were to the folks in Chicago, when they played at the Friar's Inn. One interesting sidelight is that only these two early Jazz bands are still today widely known only by their intials; NORK for the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, and ODJB for the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. Their Gennett recordings were immensely popular. Originally formed by a group of musicians who were childhood friends in New Orleans. In the late 'teens they toured the midwest with singer Bee Palmer who was professionally known as "the Shimmy Queen". (Note: Bee often appeared in vaudeville with her own Jazz orchestra. It was a 'real' Jazz orchestra in the sense that the sidemen were some of the best known stars of Dixieland Jazz. According to trombonist Santo Pecora's recollections, Bee's Jazz band consisted of Emmett Hardy, cornet; Santo Pecora (trombone); Leon Roppolo, clarinet; John Frisco, drums; and Al Siegel. piano. On March 3, Bee Palmer and Al Siegel were secretly married. ) In the early 1920s, they established themselves in Chicago, then the center of Jazz, and quickly became the most popular band in the city. In 1922 and 1923, they recorded a series of records for the Gennett label (Pianist and composer "Jelly Roll" Morton joined them on two sessions.)

It is interesting to note the NORK musicians who played in New Orleans vs the men who played with the NORK in Chicago, IL.
In New Orleans, musicians who, at one time or another, played with the group included:
      * "Chink" Martin Abraham, string bass/brass bass (tuba)
      * Leo Adde, drums
      * Lester Bouchon, saxophone
      * Steve Brown (b. 1890, d. Sept. 15, 1965) String bass/Brass Bass (Tuba).
          Brown was theyounger brother of trombonist Tom Brown,
          and in his youth played with his brother's band in
          New Orleans. Few of his fellow musicians, or the
          general public, knew that "Steve" was not Brown's
          given name. His true birth name was Theodore Brown.
          He got the nickname "Steve" for his dare-devil
          personality, which matched the dare-devil personality
          of Steve Brodie, a man who became famous for jumping
          off the Brooklyn Bridge on a dare.
      * George Clarence Brunies (aka: Georg Brunis. b. Feb. 6, 1902, New Orleans,
          
          LA, d. Nov. 19, 1974) trombonist. Born into a very
          musical family. His father led a family band, and his
          brothers Henry, Merritt, Richard, and Albert "Abbie"
          all became noted musicians. At a very young age,
          George was already playing professionally in "Papa"
          Jack Laine's band. He never learned to read music, but
          had an 'ear' that could quickly pick up a melody and
          improvise a part for his instrument. He played with
          many New Orleans.Jazz, dance, and parade bands.
      * Charlie Cordilla, clarinet, saxophone
      * Bill Eastwood, banjo
      * Emmett Hardy (b. June 12, 1903, Gretna, LA, d. June 16, 1925) cornet.
          Emmett, a child prodigy, was already playing in his
          early teens. He was born in the New Orleans suburb of
          Gretna, and lived much of his life in the Algiers
          neighborhood of the west bank of New Orleans. Some
          early New Orleans Jazzmen later told interviewers that
          a musical highlight of their lives was the 1919 "cutting"
          contest where Hardy succeeded in outplaying Louis Armstrong.
      * Arthur "Monk" Hazel, drums
      * Glyn Lea "Red" Long, piano
      * Arnold "Deacon" Loyacano, string bass/piano (Later part of 'Tom Brown's
          Band From Dixieland')
      * Oscar Marcour, violin
      * Paul Mares (b. June 15, 1900, New Orleans, LA, d. Aug. 18, 1949), Cornet,
          Trumpet, leader - "Rhythm Kings"
          Mares was born into a musical family. His father, Joseph E. Mares
          (who ran a fur and hide business), played cornet with a 'military
          band' on the New Orleans lakefront.
      * Santo Peccora, trombone
      * Leon Joseph Roppolo (nicknamed "Rap". b. March 16, 1902, Lutcher, LA, d.
          Oct. 5, 1943) clarinetist, also saxophone, violin, and guitar.
          Ca. 1912, his family moved to New Orleans. His first instrument
          was the violin. An older relative (with the same name) played
          the clarinet in "Papa" Jack Laine's Reliance Brass Band, soon
          taught the young Leon how to play that instrument.

In Chicago, IL, musicians who, at one time or another, played with the group included:
   + Lou Black, banjo
   + Voltaire de Faut, clarinet, saxophone
   + Bob Gillete, banjo
   + Husk O'Hare, promoter
   + Don Murray (b. June 7, 1904, Joliet, IL, d. June 2, 1929.) clarinet /
      saxophone. In his teens he was already considered
      to be one of the best Jazz 'Reedmen' in Chicago.
      Murray was not a regular member of the band, -just a
      friend who sometimes sat in with them (and in 1923
      he recorded with the NORK.) He also made early
      recordings with cornetist Muggsy Spanier, before joining
      the Jean Goldkette Orch., in Detroit, MI. In 1927 he
      left Goldkette, and after a brief stint with Adrian
      Rollini's band, joined the Ted Lewis Orch. Ted Lewis, who
      at one time had both Jimmy Dorsey (b. Feb. 29, 1904, d.
      June 12, 1957), and Benny Goodman (b. May 30, 1909, d.
      June 13,1986) in his band, later told interviewers that
      he considered Murray to be the greatest clarinetist he
      ever had in his band-- high praise indeed.(Murray can
      be seen and heard in the 1929 Ted Lewis film "Is Everybody
      Happy".)
   + Bee Palmer, vocalist
   + Jack Pettis, saxophone
   + Kyle Pierce, piano
   + Ben Pollack (b. June 22, 1903, d. June 7, 1971) drums/bandleader/band agent.
      (Active from the mid-1920s through the Swing.era.) At
      times, musicians such as Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden,
      Glenn Miller, Jimmy McPartland and Harry James worked
      in the Goldkette bands.Goldkette was often called the
      "Father of Swing".
   + Elmer Schoebel, piano, arranger
   + Glen Scoville, saxophone
   + Frank Snyder, drums
   + Mel Stizel, piano

In 1917, the ODJB had arrived in Chicago and became an instant success. Four years later, 1921, the NORK opened on Chicago's North SIde at the Friar's Inn. They were led by Paul Mares (trumpet). The original group had Leon Rappolo on clarinet; George Brunies on trombone; Steve Brown on bass; Lew Black on banjo, and Frank Snyder on drums. Elmer Schoebel was their pianist-arranger, and the only member of the band who could read and write music. He composed a number of the tunes that they recorded including "Farewell Blues" (Mares, Rappolo and Schoebel); "Nobody's Sweetheart", with words by Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman and Billy Meyers, with Schoebel music); "Bugle Call Rag" (Pettis, Meyers, and Schoebel), and "Tin Roof Blues" credited to the NORK. They remained at the Friar's Inn for two years

In 1922, they used the name 'Friar's Club Orchestra' while working at that club, but by 1923, they were again the 'New Orleans Rhythm Kings'. Here's a 1923 recording of "Angry", recorded under their own NORK name, and here digitally re-engineered by Mr. Verne Buland. The 1922 orchestra consisted of Ben Pollack on drums; George Brunies on trombone; Paul Mares trumpet; Leon Rappolo on clarinet; Elmer Schoebel on piano; Jack Pettis on C-Melody sax; Lew Black on banjo and Steve Brown on bass.

The band's traditional New Orlean's style of peppy ensemble playing was not only popular on recordings, but was the inspiration for a group of very young Austin High School students included among which were Jimmy and Dick McPartland; Frankie Teschmacher; Bud Freeman and Jim Lanigan on piano. This group of students listened to the NORK recordings and literally taught themselves to play music by trying to emulate what they heard on the records. (They later played under the name of the 'Austin Blue Friar's', recalling te days when they heard the NORK at the Friar's Inn.) Other young Chicagoans fell under their spell of their music, including such men as Eddie Condon (Banjo and guitar); Art Hodes (piano); Joe Sullivan (piano); Mugsy Spanier (Cornet), and Mezz Mezzrow on clarinet, and let's not forget Benny Goodman (clarinet) and Gene Krupa (drums). From this, it can be easily seen that their effect on the formation of jazz interest in America was quite substantial.

They were one of only two American groups that were widely known by just their initials - ODJB and NORK. (The other was the magnificent French band known as the QHCF - Quintet of the Hot Club of France)

Curiously, the only New Orlean's man to stay nationally active was George Brunies. (Ben Pollack was a native Chicagoan.) The others drifted back to N.O. and made no further contribution to main stream Dixieland music. Brunies, when he was just 17, was already playing in Albert "Baby" Laine's Band. He was to go on to a long career in jazz music, calling himself George Brunis. (A fortune teller told him to drop the "e" in his name, because it would bring him bad luck.)

       [ Leighton Noble Orch. ]
b: Dec. 25, 1912 Pasadena, CA, USA. d: March 5, 1994, USA.
Theme Song: "I'll See You in My Dreams"
né: Faye Leighton Jepsen
Leighton Noble's parents divorced when he was a child and when his mother remarried he was adopted by his stepfather, Joseph Noble. At that time he dropped his first name, Faye, feeling it was too feminine sounding.

Taught to play piano by his mother and an older sister Leighton first formed a local band, The Blue Blazers, while attending Pasadena High School. He led a college band while at Pasadena City College. He attended college only two years, leaving after winning a singing contest held by the Coconut Grove Ballroom (Los Angeles). The contest was the idea of bandleader Phil Harris who convinced the Ambassador Hotel it would be a good way of promoting interest in his new band. Noble won the contest and his prize was to sing with Harris' band for one week. During that week Hal Grayson, who had just formed a band and was looking for a male vocalist, heard Noble and offered him a job. Leighton stayed with the Grayson band for six months, leaving in October 1933 to work for the George Hamilton Orchestra, which was based at The Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Hamilton was the father of the movie and televsion star of the same name. While with the Hamilton band Noble appeared in the movie 'Gift Of Gab' which starred vocalist Ruth Etting. On leave from the Hamilton band to recover from a case of strep throat he decided to join Everett Hoagland, a California based band whose roster included Stan Kenton and Spike Jones. His stay with Hoagland lasted nine months and in August 1935 he joined Orville Knapp's band, taking over as temporary leader when Knapp died in an airplane crash in July 1936. George Olsen was eventually chosen to be the permanent leader of the band but morale problems caused most of the musicians to leave Olsen.

Leighton, vocalist Edith Caldwell and her husband, Chick Floyd, all left the Olsen-led Knapp band in late 1937 to form their own band. Chick Floyd was the arranger (and played an electric keyboard instrument called a Novachord). Noble and Floyd were partners and decided the band would be known as the Leighton Noble Orchestra. The band was an immediate success. Johnny McAfee, who also worked with Harry James, shared the male vocals with Noble for a short period. The band was based on the East Coast and played many times at the Essex and Biltmore Hotels (New York) and the Arcadia Restaurant (Philadelphia). Noble and Floyd dissolved their partnership in 1940 when Noble decided to return to California. He took the band with him while Floyd stayed in New York to form a new band. The Chick Floyd Orchestra was short-lived, ending shortly after America's entry into World War II. The Universal Military Draft took most of the best sidemen, and then vocalist Edith Caldwell lost her voice. In 1942, Floyd and Caldwell were divorced.

Noble's band continued to prosper on the West Coast. He was rejected for military service and, in addition to his hotel/ballroom appearances, devoted his time to the USO. His band made many appearances at Hollywood's famed Stagedoor Canteen during the war. A 1947 appearance at Chicago's Trianon Ballroom's 25th Anniversary Concert resulted in an offer to host a local TV show in Los Angeles. The show ran for five years. Pianist Liberace made his first television appearance on that show. In 1957 Noble moved to Las Vegas and in 1961 his band was hired as the house band for Harrah's Casino in Las Vegas, a job they held for ten years. Noble retired in 1970 and moved to British Columbia.

He came out of reitirement in 1982, organizing a new orchestra. A stroke sidelined him in 1990 but the following year saw him forming another band. He remained active until 1993.
Recorded for: Vocalion, Coral
In addition to his work as bandleader Leighton Noble made appearances in the following movies:
"It Ain't Hay" (with Abbott and Costello)
"Crazy House" (with Olsen and Johnson)
"White Christmas" (with Bing Crosby)
"There's No Business Like Show Business" (starring Donald O'Connor)
Thanks to Mr Robin Lenhart for this entry on Leighton Noble

       [ Johnny Noble Orch. ]
b: Sept. 17, 1892, Honolulu, Hawaii, d: January 13, 1944, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A.
né: John Avery Noble.
Here are Don Blanding's Liner Notes from a Brunswick Album of Hawaiian songs.
At the turn of the XX century, there appeared a figure who was to have a great deal to do with the shaping of Hawaiian music, adapting the old to the new in a happily acceptable manner.

He was a "whistling newsboy" who was known to all 'Islanders' for his gay, infectious smile, his bustling energy, and his enthusiam for life. His name was Johnny Noble. He was a dynamo of activity in that life which was lived to waltz-rhythm. Music was as much a part of him as breathing.

He gathered kindred spirits about him and became the leader of a group of musicians who provided dance and entertainment for visitors and Island people.

Jazz entered the musical tempo of the world at that time (1920s), and it matched the brisk happy rhythm of Johnny Noble's living. He began injecting its liveliness into the languorous melodies of Old Hawaii, not only interpreting songs from the mainland but composing songs of his own, and adapting the old songs to the new speed. He put more bubble into the champagne of Hawaiian gayety,. His new note gained instant popularity.

Johnny loved his Islands and he constantly wove the enchantments of this life into his music. As he played at the dances, he was writing poetry expressed in music about the great green surf thundering on the reefs of Waikiki, of the "leis" of gardenias and white ginger about the throats of beautiful Island girls, of hula dancers in the moonlight, of love under the Southern Cross, and laughter in the golden day and the "liquid sunshine" of Hawaii.

For twenty-five years Johnny was one of the dominant figures in the Hawaiian musical world, as well as a busy and useful member of other phases of civic life. There were fifteen years as leader of his own Hawaiian orchestra at the beloved Ala Moana, that "grand old hotel" which was the center of Honolulu social life and gayety. A rich scrap-book of memories included the old banyan (tree) in the court where so many romances started -- the pier extending into the waters of Waikiki with echos of melody blending with the song of the sea -- the great and the near-great of the world relaxing to the soothing rhythms of Hawaii.

Then three years with the Royal Hawaiian Hotel so superbly set among the enchantments of Waikiki. Who could dream then that tragedy had marked the Paradise Islands for its own. (WWII -ed.)

Following were seven years when Johnny took over the directorship of entertainers for the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Moana Hotel and the Waialae Golf Club. During these years Johnny introduced many a brilliant figures to Hawaii and to the world: Robin McQuesten, (Ed. Note: Robin McQuesten who would go on to conduct the Civic Light Opera Association Orchester at Dillingham Hall, for the 1952 performance of "The Bartered Bride". --mlp) Gus Arnheim, Harry Owens, Leonard Hawk. (Ed. Note: Among the tunes that Leonard Hawk composed were "May Day Is Lei Day In Hawaii", and "Christmas Lu'Au"), Don McDiarmid (Ed. Note: 1898-1976. Formed his own Label in 1947 Hula Records, currently run by Don McDiarmid Jr.) In 1934, after a tour of the Pacific, Don signed on with Harry Owens' band then at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Don now resident in Hawaii, summoned his family, and began to composed some of Hawaii's most enduring songs, including "Little Brown Gal," "My Wahine and Me," "Do the Hula" and "When Hilo Hattie Does the Hula Hop." --mlp), Wally Lavek, Malcome Beelby, Giggie Royse (Ed. Note: Whose vocals were later heard on a Spike Jones Album. --mlp), and many others.

(Ed. Note: Here's a photo of Johnny Noble, who would also spend 10 years on the 'Mainland', scoring music for films and radio broadcasts.)

There were songs of his own composition adding new words and notes to the Hawaiian scene. Among them these great favorites: "Hula Blues"; "My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua"; "Hawaii"; "For You A Lei"; "Aloha Means I Love You"; "Don't Play Alohe Oe"; "I Want To Learn To Speak Hawaiian"; "Song of Old Hawaii"; "My Hawaiian Souvenirs"; "Aloha Angel"; -- all beautiful flowers in a glorious lei of melody. On the strength of these many songs Johnny was honored with a membership in the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), the first songwriter admitted from Hawaii.

Johnny Noble with typical Hawaiian generosity gave guidance and counsel to the careers of such noted people as Emma Bush, Joe Kamakau, Claude Malani, M. K. Mode, Ray Kinney, David Burrows, Danny Stewart, and Sol Brights, to mention only a few.

Friend of high and low alike, with unbelievable energy and insatiable zest for work, he lived an amazingly full and happy life. He devoted a lifetime of service in the Mutual Telephone Company, and was probably known personally by virtually every native in Honolulu from its civic leaders down to the lowliest urchin playing in the street. It was Johnny Noble the Shriner - and their musical director; Johnny Noble the Civic Luncheon Club member; Johnny Noble, the family man, whose life was always deeply influenced by his charming school-teacher wife and his love for his daughter. All in all, a kindly humble man who never forsook his solid-rock life while following his more-or-less extra-curricular musical career.

Hawaii, the loveliest fleet of islands anchored in any ocean, lost one of her soundest citizens when Johnny Noble died of a heart attack, in Honolulu, on Jan. 13, 1944. There can be no more fitting close than quoting Johnny himself (speaking of WWII . ed),
     "It has been fun being Waikiki's Melody Man for these twentry-five years
     of rich, happy living. Waikiki has been blacked out by war's ruthless
     grip, but Waikiki will live again when peace comes. Until that day, you
     and I still have the joy of wandering in Memory[s Garden for we shall
     always 'remember Waikiki'."

Side notes:
The Ukulele: One cannot discuss Hawaiian music without mentioning the Ukulele, most popular musical instrument of modern Hawaii. The Ukulele is a descendant of the guitar family and owes its origin to the Portuguese, who - brought over to the Islands a whole series of guitar-like instruments of varying sizes equipped with differing numbers of strings. The little ukulele and the slightly larger Tarapatch were the Portuguese contributions to Hawaiian musical instruments.

Another instrument, and certainly the most colorful and distinctive feature of modern Hawaiian instrumental music, is the Steel Guitar. This was invented by a Hawaiian boy, Joseph Kekuku, of Laie, during the time he was a student in the Kamehameha School For Boys, 1893-'95. Young Kekuku hit upon a method of stopping the strings by accidentally sliding a haircomb along them. This produced a strange wailing sound that was a complete departure from the fixed pitch of keyed instruments. Finally, a steel bar was used for the stopping, and now we have instruments completely made of metal.

These notes on Johnny Noble are from the Liner Notes from the old Brunswick 78RPM album Johnny Noble and His Hawaiians Vol. 1. B-1313 (Records 80051 A/B through 80054 A/B Recorded Sept. 13, 1929)

The above Liner Notes were written by "Aloha Don Blanding".
Many People think that "Aloha" is part of Don Blanding's name because he autographs his books, signs pictures and letters, in fact, everything but checks, "Aloha, Don Blanding." He adopted this gracious word of greeting and farewell when he first went to Hawaii in 1915, and came under the spell of the friendliness of those islands of music, laughter and love. He was a young commercial artist when he went there, but he found that he needed more than paints and inks to express his delight in the myriad beauties of Hawaii, and quite by accident turned to writing. His first little booklet "Leaves From a Grass House" was such a success that he followed it with many more books, most of them telling of the joy of living in those enchanted islands.

The world-wide appeal of Hawaii has sent his most popular volume, "Vagabond's House" to thirty editions; followed by "Songs of the Seven Senses," "Let Us Dream," "Hula Moons," "Stowaways in Paaradise," "Memory Room," "Drifter's Gold," "The Rest of the Road," "Floridays," and "Pilot Bails Out".

A small Epilogue
Noble began his career selling newspapers on streetcorners, and whistling tunes on request by passersby. In time, The 'whistling newsboy' became accomplished on piano, xylophone, and drums. During his long happy musical career, he would lead orchestras, arrange, compose, record 100s of songs, and be an impressario. He collected a vast amount of native Hawaiian songs, adapting them to the Western scale in the process. Noble became friends with Sonny Kunha early in their careers, and they would become some of the leading forces in 'hapa haole' music. In addition to his other work, Noble also contributed songs to 4 Hollywood musical films. They are;

Hawaii Calls (1938). The picture was based on a book by "Aloha" Don Blanding. Mamo Clark appeared as Hina, Pua Lani, appeared as Pua, and Raymond Paige appeared as himself.

Song of the Islands (1942), Betty Grable, and Victor Mature starred. Among the songs heard were "Down on Ami, Ami, Oni, Oni Isle," "O'Brien has gone Hawaiian," "Sing me a Song of the Islands," "Maluna, Malolo, Mawaena," "Hawaiian War Chant," "Hu'l Mai," and "Home on the Range."

Ship Ahoy (1942) (Noble was uncredited), starring Betty Grable and Victor Mature. Harry Owens and His Royal Hawaiians, were also featured.

Follow the Band (1943), appearing in the cast were such stars as Frances Langford, Leo Carrillo, Ray Eberle, Alvino Rey, Skinnay Ennis, and Hilo Hattie, --all of them portraying themselves.

Listen now to some of the music of 'Old Hawaii', Recorded in 1929 to be exact.
"Song of the Islands", (Na Lei O Hawaii) vocal duet with Luika Pohina and Joseph Kamakau. (here's the Cover )
"Alekoki", A Hula. Vocal by Emma Bush. (here's the Cover)
"King's Serenade" ("Imi Au Ia Oe"), A. Akana (Tenor Uke); J. Kamakau (baritone Uke); with the Kamakau Glee Club.
"Sassy", A Hula. features Claude Malani (Johnny Noble tune.)
"Hilo March", (Will Pele tune.)
"Moana Chimes", The Moki Trio with M. K. Moke on Steel Guitar (Moke/Noble tune)
"Kalamaula", Emma Bush with Voc. Chorus. (Hannah Dudoit/Johnny Noble tune.)
"Lei Nani", A Hula, features K. Ka-ne.

The following is Excerpted from the Encyclopedia of Hawaiian Music and Musicians, Kanahele.
Hilo Hattie (Does the Hilo Hop)
(..is a) Humorous hapa haole song composed by Don McDiarmid, Sr. (1898-1976). A composer and orchestra leader, McDiarmid was a member of Harry Owens' band at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel when he wrote "Hilo Hattie," as it is better known, in 1935. "It was just an accident," he recalls. "I've often wondered why I wrote it." Thus a song that catapulted the composer to fame and made an international star of a former school teacher was just an accident.
The story of how the song and the star found each other is intriguing. McDiarmid states that after he wrote the song, he showed it to Harry Owens who told him that while it was a clever tune, he could not use it at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel because it was "not high class." McDiarmid promptly forgot about it. But about a year later, Clara Inter, a Hawaiian school teacher and member of Louise Akeo's Royal Hawaiian Girls' Glee Club, discovered the song and performed it as a comic hula on a trip to Candana with the glee club. It received such a good reception that she continued to dance it.
It was not until 1937 that McDiarmid, receive his first opportunity to play his song at the Royal. One summer night he was leading his own band in the Monarch Room when Clara Inter, who was performing along with the Girls' Glee Club, told him she was going to dance "Hilo Hattie." The composer tried to demur-there was not music, no one to sing it, and no microphone-but she insisted. "Then," McDiarmid recalls, "she walked into the middle of the floor" - with her oversized mu`umu`u (Hawaiian Mother Hubbard), a bandana tied about her hips, a floppy lau hala (pandanus leaf) hat tied on her head, and barefoot - "and brought the house down. She had to do five encores." Here's a photo of Hilo Hattie -bare feet and all, performing with the Harry Owens Orch. (Photo property of, and reproduced here by courtesy of, trumpeter Irvan Stumph.)
Although she added other comic numbers shuch as "Manuela Boy" and "Pidgin English Hula" to her repertoire, "Hilo Hattie" was the number the public demanded. The appreciative McDiarmid continued to write different choruses for Clara Inter for several years. She became so closely identified with the song, in fact, that eventually she adopted the title as her legal name. The song is so closely associated with her that one wonders whether it will survive after she has gone - unless, of course, another Hilo Hattie can be found.

       [ Jimmy Noone & His Apex Club Orch. ]
b: April 25, 1895 New Orleans, LA, USA. d: April 19, 1944 Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Clarinetist
Theme: "Sweet Lorraine"
Overview
Here's a photograph of Jimmie Noone, who along with Johnny Dodds, and Sidney Bechet, are considered by virtually all musicians, as the three top Dixieland clarinetists of the jazz era. As a child, Noone studied clarinet with Sidney Bechet. And these men were to continue the Old New Orleans Jazz tradition during their long careers.

Jimmy played with Freddie Keppard (1913-1914) and the Young Olympia Band in New Orleans. In 1917, he moved to Chicago and joined Keppard's Creole Band. When it broke up in 1918, he moved on to King Oliver's band. From 1920 through 1923, he was a member of Doc Cooke's Dreamland Orchestra. In 1923, he joined the Ollie Powell band and later that year led his own group at The Nest (in Chicago). In late 1926, The Nest was rennovated and renamed The Apex Club. Earl Hines joined the band in 1928 and later that year they began recording for Vocalion. By this time his band was known as The Apex Club Orchestra. They had hit records with "Four Or Five Times" and "Sweet Lorraine" (his theme song).

When The Apex Club closed in 1929 Noone's band worked at various other Chicago clubs continuing to use The Apex Club name. In 1931 he declined an offer by Cab Calloway to work at New York's Cotton Club although the band did spend two weeks at NY's Savoy Ballroom. Noone continued to be based in Chicago throughout the 1930's, leaving only for a tour of St Louis, Memphis and New Orleans in 1938.

In August 1943, he moved to Hollywood. While there he played at The Streets Of Paris nightclub and took part in one of the famous Capitol Jazzmen recording sessions. In 1944, he joined a Dixieland band called The New Orlean All-Stars which was formed by Orson Welles for use on his radio show. This band would eventually become Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band. Noone died of a heart attack a few months after joining this group.
Thanks to Mr. Robin Lenhart for this contribution on Jimmy Noone.

       [ Red Norvo Orch ]
b. March 31, 1908, Beardstown, IL
Theme Song: "Mr. and Mrs. Swing" (This song represented the fact that the 'girl' vocalist, Mildred Bailey, was also Red's wife.)
Overview
Mildred and red co-directed their own orchestra during the 1936 to 1939 years. Mildred, who was part Native American, was probably one of the two or three greatest pop and jazz singers of her day. Her brother was Al Rinker, one of Whiteman's 'Rhythm Boys'(along with Bing Crosby and Harry Barris). Red had a great little band which finally disbanded due to friction between the sidemen and Red's wife.

Red was a soloist with the Paul Whiteman Orch in the late 20's. By 1935, he had a sextet that was playing the Famous Door club in NYC. By 1936, he was fronting a 'big' 10 piece band (really the augmented sextet) at the Syracuse Hotel (Syracuse, NY). The girl singer was Nance Flake, who later married Moe Purtill, Red's drummer. Shortly after that, Mildred Bailey, Red's wife took over the singing chores. A lot of tongues were wagging when Red married Mildred due to Red being a 'white' man and Mildred was a Native American woman. Mildred's voice was absolutely lovely, but the bandsmen found her not an easy person to get along with.

Subsequently, the band moved into Chicago's Blackhawk Restaurant, for an extended stay. The Trumpet player/arranger was a young man named Eddie Sauter. Eddie's career as an arranger really started with Red's band in Chicago.

In 1938, Red's band opened in the Commodore Hotel (NYC).(Geo. Wettling on drums), but by early 1939, during a date at New York's Famous Door Cafe, the band broke up. It was rumored that Mildred Bailey's temperament did it in.

Red immediatley re-built a band that played in an out of the way place called "Murray's" in Tuckahoe, a suburb of New York City, but that band also broke apart by the end of the year. This time, rumors said it was due to financial woes. Red Stayed in New York and became a student at the Juilliard School of Music.

Red started still another 10 piece band early on in 1940, but that too disbanded shortly after it was formed.

Very late in 1941, Red formed his last band. It was a 16 piece big band. Johnny Thompson was the arranger and Linda Keene, the girl vocalist. This band made two recordings, and - zat - the American Federation of Musicians ban on recordings began. And, that was the end of that band. From that point on, Red formed only small groups. The first of which was an octet that played only in the New York City area, and that one was killed by the WWII service draft.

Red then joined the Benny Goodman orchestra. He was in the Benny Goodman quartet that featured Teddy Wilson (piano); Slam Stewart (Bass); Benny on clarinet and Red on vibraphone. In 1942, Woody Herman hired Red away from Goodman to form a band within a band. Red anchored Herman's small group, -the Woodchoppers.

Let's Watch this video of   "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise"   with Red Norvo on vibes, and Benny Goodman on clarinet filmed in 1960. The song was an early Goodman showcase in 1934, and was memorably re-recorded by BG with Mel Powell in 1942 (for Commodore). This clip is from 1960, and Benny was still playing this number brilliantly in the 1980s! This is the 10-piece group Goodman led from 1959-1961 (built around the Red Norvo Quintet), but in this clip, the spotlight stays firmly on Benny and Red. (film clip: WhenSwingWasKing)

Mildred Bailey, alone and in poverty, died Dec. 12, 1951, surrounded by her beloved cats. It is said that Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra footed the funeral expenses.

Finally, Red settled in Los Angeles and married Shorty Rogers' sister, Eve. Eve died in the early '70's and Red started another band that played in Las Vegas. Red still lives in California. (1995)