[ Harry Raderman Orch. ]
b. 1883, d. 1939
aka: Harry Rederman
Harry (his wife's name was Nina) had (at least) one brother, - Lou Raderman - who also worked as a sideman and recorded as a bandleader. Here's a photograph of Fuller's Jazz Band, showing Harry playing his trombone on the left. In addition to playing in a number of early orchestras including the Joseph C. Smith orchestra. Here's a photo of Harry Raderman on the cover of the sheet music of W. C. Handy's "Yellow Dog Blues" (Smith is on the Left and Raderman on the Right. Hold your mouse cursor on the lower right hand corner of picture to enlarge.), and in his good friend Ted Lewis' Orch., also in Earl Fuller's Famous Jazz Band, Harry later recorded as leader of his own band(s), using such names as 'Raderman's Novelty Orch.', and 'Raderman's Roysters' (for Decca). He led a studio band for Emerson Records called the 'Plantation Dance Orch.', and sometimes called 'Harry Raderman's Plantation Jazz Orch.' For the Regal Label, he recorded as the 'Regal Jazz Syncopators', while for the Medallion Label, he recorded as 'The Carolina Syncopators'. For the Okeh Label, he also recorded as 'Harry Raderman's Jazz Orch.', and as 'The Red Hotters'. As the 'Harry Raderman's Jazz Orch.', among the tunes he recorded are "Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me", "What Did I Tell You", "When You See That Aunt of Mine". Listen now to the 'Raderman Jazz Orchestra' playing "Make That Trombone Laugh", recorded Jan. 9, 1920, which was the first Raderman song (along with "Dardanella", on reverse side) that was released on Edison Diamond Discs. As 'The Red Hotters' (for Okeh), he recorded such tunes as, "That Night In Araby", "Roll Em' Girls", "Then I'll Be Happy", "Smile A Little Bit", "Lucky Day", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "I'de Climb The Highest Mountain If I Knew I'de Find You". As The Okeh Syncopators, he recorded (June 22, 1926) the "Black Bottom", "Just A Little Dance", "My Little Nest", "The Birth Of The Blues", As the Raderman Radio Orch., he recorded (still for Okeh) "Why Do You Want To Know Why"

Some of his 1920 releases for Gennett were:
       "Avalon"
       "Alexandria"
       "Sudan"
       "Hiawatha's Melody of Love"
       "Whose Baby Are You"
       "Left All Alone Again Blues"

Some of his Decca recordings (Raderman's Roysterers) include:
       "Jabberwocky"
       "I Found A Rose In The Devil's Garden"
       "My Lady Of The Lamp"
       "Oh Me Oh My", with Arthur Fields vocal.
       "Daisy Days", with Arthur Fields vocal.
       "Tuck Me To Sleep"

[ Lou Raderman Orch. ]
Instrument: Violin/vocals
aka: Lew Raderman
I believe that Bix Beiderbecke recorded (the song "Old Man River") with the "Lou Raderman and his Pelhem Heath Inn Orchestra", on a Columbia release At The Jazz Band Ball album. Circa 1926-'27, Lou was playing violin in the Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians orchestra. In 1928, the Lou Raderman Orchestra recorded the George Gershwin tune "Oh Gee Oh Joy" (which can still be heard on the album 'Bix: Vol 2'). In the 1930s, Lou essentially became a studio musician, who remained active well into the 1960s, and who recorded with some of the finest musicians of the '20s -60s era.

In 1956, he was in a studio band that backed Ella Fitzgerald's Verve release entitled 'Love Songs: The Best of the Verve Song Books'. In 1957, he was in the studio band for the ABC-Paramount ABC-138 album Axidentals: Hello We're The Axidentals. In 1958, he backed Keely Smith's album Politely (Capitol ST 1073). Lou was still active in 1961, playing in a studio band that backed vocalist Bobby Darin for his "The "Love Swings" sessions release. In 1963, he was in a studio band that backed vocalist Mel Torme for the album Mel Torme Sings Sunday In New York & Other Songs About New York, Atlantic #8091. In the 1960s, he also worked in Mickey Katz's band.)

[ Boyd Raeburn Orch ]
Theme Songs:
Early On: "Moonlight on Melody Hill"
Later On: "There is No You"; and "Dalvatore Sally"
Raeburn formed his band at about the time that the big band era was coming to a close. He seems to have been a man at the wrong place at the wrong time. Add to this the fact that he tried to blaze new trails in Jazz, and one begins to see the uphill hattle he fought. Never-the-less, Boyd's failures were oft times more interesting than other men's successes.

Boyd was basically a 'society' orchestra leader who became addicted to Jazz. His arranger, George Handy, was an Ellington Devotee, whose scores were filled with dissonance and were quite complex. These scores were not well received by the public and eventually, Handy was replaced by Ralph Flanagan and Johnny Richards

Raeburn's 1944 orchestra was a dance band typical of it's times. But Boyd hired Eddie Finckel as his arranger and Eddie produced some of the band' best Jazz scores.

Boyd recorded some sides for Ben Pollack's Jewel Label in 1946. At this time, 'Boyd Raeburn and his Orchestra' consisted of:
     Boyd Raeburn (bassax, ss)
     Frank Beach, Ray Linn, Dale Pierce, Nelson Shelladay (tp)
     Hal Smith, Ollie Wilson, Freddy Zito (tb)
     Lloyd Otto, Evan Vail (frh)
     Harry Klee (fl, as)
     Jules Jacobs (oboe, ts)
     Willie Schwartz (cl, as)
     Ralph Lee (ts, bassoon)
     Guy McReynolds (ts)
     Hy Mandel (bs)
     Gail Laughton (harp)
     Hal Schaefer (p)
     Tony Rizzi (g)
     Harry Babasin (b)
     Jackie Mills (dr)
     George Handy and Johnny Richards arrngers

He again formed an orchestra in the 1950's with no success. The big band era was firmly over by then.

Boyd died in 1966, after a long retirement.

[ Barney Rapp & his New Englanders ]
Theme Song: "Skater's Waltz"
During the early 1920's, Barney formed his first orchestra in Connecticut, but eventually settled down in Cleveland, Ohio. Rapp was primarily a Midwest attraction who built his reputation with the help of radio broadcast air time, originating from his own night-club in Cincinnati. Perhaps his biggest claim to fame was that future motion picture star Doris Day got her singing start with his band. And, here's a snippet of a Radio Broadcast, from his own club. Listen for the announcer mentioning Doris Day as vocalist (Doris was a 14 year old teenager at the time). It was Barney who convinced her to change her name from Doris Von Kappelloff to Doris Day. It was also Barney Rapp that recommended two young sisters to bandleader Tony Pastor, - The Clooney Sisters, Rosemary is on the Right side, Betty is on the Left. Barney had heard them on Cincinnati's WLW radio station. At that time (1947) Rosemary was 17 and Betty was 15 year old. Among his other vocalists were Eddie Ryan and Bunny Welcome. Rapp's orchestra, although styled for dancing, managed to come off very nicely on their RCA Victor and Bluebird recordings.

There was yet another singer in Barney Rapp's life, - his younger brother -Barry Wood. Barry was a sideman in the Buddy Rogers band, and when Buddy wouldn't let him sing, he left to form his own orchestra. His singing was good enough to land him a contract for the Lucky Strike Hit Parade Radio Show. (He eventually became a TV producer. Barry died in 1968.)

A reader, Marc Giaquinto (nephew of Marty Quinto, Banjo/Violin in Rapp's Orch.), advises that during 1922 - 1924 (approx.), Rapp recorded for Victor Records. The band had:
    Banjo/Violin - Marty Quinto,
    Violin - Abe Rosenberg
    Trumpet - Ray Trotta
    Trombone - Frank Henry
    Tuba - Hank Stern
    Sax - Ed Stannard
    Sax - Ken Albright
    Drums - Barney Rapp
    Piano - Fabian Storey

Note from Mr. Marc Giaquinto:
       "From ca. 1920-1923, my uncle, Marty Quinto, played in the Felix Ferdinando Orch., and
       after serving in Barney Rapp's 1923-'26 Band, Marty went on to play in the Arnold Johnson
       band from circa 1927-'28. After playing with Arnold Johnson, Marty went into radio and
       recording session work. He was staff guitarist at CBS from approx. 1929-'35 as related by
       my father, and verified by Mr. Bozy White - Bunny Berigan biographer, as well as working
       at NBC with Don Voorhees from approx. 1931 - 1935. Marty also did session work with Sam
       Lanin and Victor Young. Sam Lanin's system was to call or wire musicians ahead to line up
       for recording studio work. Marty Died in Jan. 1943 of a heart attack while at home in
       Hartford, CT for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

He further notes that the Rapp Orchestra lineup from approx. 1930 - 1937, recording for Victor/ Bluebird had:
    Trumpet - Teddy Cain
    Trumpet - Paul Bubillard
    Trombone - Gay Fusco
    Violin - Sy Quinto (d. August 26, 2004 Age: 92)
    Violin - Tony Mastroianni
    Violin/Vocals - Buddy Cooper
    Sax - Bob Horlick
    Sax - Sam Leeds
    Sax - Fred Auguste
    drums - Dave Ferguson
    Piano - Milt Cohen
    Bass - Mike Rubin
    Guitar - Midge Gregory
    Vocalist - Ruby Wright

Here's a photograph of the mid-1930s Barney Rapp Orch. (with our thanks to Mr. Marc Giaquinto for permission to reproduce the photographs shown here. Ruby Wright is the 'girl' vocalist.) There are only two men from the later band still living, (March 2001) Sy Quinto and Mike Rubin.

Seldom leaving Cincinnati, Barney did get to the West Coast to appear in at least one motion picture. He died in Cincinnati in the early 1970s.
The Big Bands Database thanks Mr. Marc Giaquinto for this entry on the Barney Rapp Orch. Marc got much of this information from his Father Sy Quinto, whose memories of playing with the Rapp orchestra are still quite vivid. We sincerely thank Mr. Sy Quinto (and his son Marc) for their graciousness in permitting us to use these photographs and to quote from his memories. (P. S. Sadly, Mr Sy Quinto passed away on Aug. 26, 2004, age: 92)

[ Erno Rapee and His Salon Orch. ]
b. June 4, 1891, Budapest, Hungary, d. June 26, 1945, New York, NY, USA (Heart Attack)
Currently No information Available. He is best remembered as a bandleader, a musical director, arranger, and composer who was most active during the 1920s - 30s in Hollywood, CA, USA.

An interesting sidelight to his career was how he helped a fellow Hungarian, Eugene Ormandy, to find success in America. Ormandy, a violinist had been asked to come to American for a national tour. When he arrived, he found that he had been duped. A friend suggested that he contact Erno Rapee, who was then the leader of New York's Capitol Theater Orchestra. Rapee did interview him, and gave him a job as violinist in the band, thus giving Ormandy a start in the music business in America. He would go on to become the beloved leader of the Philadelphia Orchestra, for an unprecedented 44 years, retiring in 1980 becoming conductor emeritus. Rapee would go on to work on scores to over 20 films, including writing the score for 1924s 'The Iron Horse', and up to arranging for the 1934 film 'Chloe Love Is Calling You'.

[ Carl Ravazza Orch ]
b. 1912, Alameda, CA, USA. d. July 29,1968
Theme song: "Vieni Su" (Bluebird 10583; rec. 1940)
Overview
Ravazza was originally trained as a violinist but achieved his first fame as a singer of Pop songs during the 1930s and '40s in his native California. During 1933 to '35, he was the featured vocalist with the Anson Weeks and Tom Coakley orchestras. In 1936, he formed his own band with a young vocalist named Carole Landis who would later gain fame as a Hollywood actress. In 1937, he abruptly changed his name to Carl Ravell under which he recorded "Gone With The Wind", with his own vocal. With growing fame, he reverted to using his real name of Ravazza. In 1940, he recorded his theme song for Bluebird records, in Hollywood. By 1940 standards, it was a small band, 12 members: 3 reeds, 2 trumpets, 1 trombone, 2 violins, bass, drums, piano, and guitar. "Ravazza had designed it carefully to frame his soft, impassioned singing style." As the dance band era ended, Ravazza became a 'singles' act, remaining active into the late 50's.
The Overview on Carl Ravazza was graciously submitted by Mr. Jim Shaw.

Ravazza was orphaned at the age of 8 and was raised by his grandmother, who taught him to play the violin. He organized his first dance band when he was a senior at Alameda High School. While attending St. Mary's College, as a pre-med student, he began singing in a University of California (Berkeley) dance band that was led by future big band leader Tom Coakley.

In 1933, he was hired as a violinist/vocalist by Anson Weeks whose band was working at San Francisco's Mark Hopkins Hotel. At that time the Weeks band included another violinist name Xavier Cugat and a banjo player named Bob Crosby. Ravazza rejoined Tom Coakley's band in 1934 and eventually (1936) took over as leader of that band when Coakley decided to open a law practice. The "girl" singer with the band was a young Carole Landis, who later went on to fame as a Hollywood actress.

The new Carl Ravazza Orchestra played at many of the country's top hotels, including the St. Francis Hotel (San Francisco), the Lexington Hotel (NYC), the Aragon, Trianon and Blackhawk Hotels (Chicago) and the Chase Hotel (St Louis). When he was booked for a four month engagement at New Orleans' Roosevelt Hotel, the owners claimed his name was too difficult to pronounce so it was decided he change it to Carl Ravell. As soon as this engagement ended, Carl was booked back into the St. Francis Hotel (SF-1937) where he promptly reverted to using his given surname. In 1937, he recorded "Gone With The Wind".

During WWII, the band made many appearances at war bond rallies with vocalists Dinah Shore and Bing Crosby singing with the band at some of these rallies. The bands final appearance was at La Martinique (a New York City club), in 1945, after which Ravazza became the house conductor at New York's Roxy Theater. In the late 1940's, as the dance band era ended, Ravazza began working as a solo singer and made numerous appearances at such New York city clubs as The Copa, The Chez Paris, The Fontainebleau, and Ciro's. He was appearing at the Hotel Nacional in Havana, in 1959, when his stay was cut short by the entry of Fidel Castro's revolutionary army into that city. Carl retired in 1960.

In an appearance on the Merv Griffin television show in 1977, actor and Broadway musical star Jack Cassidy recalled one of his show business jobs was singing in a vocal group with Ravazza's band.

Ravazza Recorded for:
Bluebird: (as 'Carl Ravazza')
Melotone; Conqueror: (as 'Carl Ravell')
This bio on Carl Ravazza is mostly taken from liner notes (Hingsight label Lp - year 1977) which were written by Patricia Willard.

[ Floyd Ray and his Orchestra ]
b. July 19, 1909, d. November 15, 1985 Floyd's first band was called "Floyd Ray and the Harlem Dictators", or sometimes just "The Harlem Dictators". During the years 1918-1930, they played at New York's famed Apollo Theater and also at the Cottonwood Club, among other places.

"Floyd Ray and his Orchestra" formed and played around 1925-1950. There were 3 female singers, from whom it is said that the Andrew Sisters derived their singing style. (Floyd Ray's son, Stephen Ray, recalls their names: Vern Whittaker; Willie Lee (Von) Floyd, and Ivy Jones. The male vocalist was Joe Alexander.) Some titles that he remembered were: "Three O'Clock in the Morning" and "Coming on with the Blues".) Artists who played with the band included Jimmy Lunceford, Dizzie Gillespie, and "Sir" Charles Thompson. There was also a trumpeter or saxaphonist named Little Red and a member named Joel Liggins who played in the band as well.

Somewhere between 1940-1950, the band played in a competition held in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Palladium where they competed against the 'Benny Goodman Band'.

Interestingly, Floyd played saxaphone and bass, but not in his bands. He was primarily the leader, arranger and songwriter.

During the 1950's-1960's, Floyd worked as a record promoter for King Records. In the early 1960's, he opened a record store called Pico Records in Los Angeles, CA.

In the 1980s, Floyd's music was compiled under Golden Era Records.

Regarding Floyd's family, his wife's name was Gloria Jones Ray. They had one son Stephen, and adopted one son, Darryl. Darryl died in 1980 in a motorcycle accident, and Gloria died in 1987 from kidney failure. The BigBands Database is indebted to Mr. and Mrs Stephen Ray for this entry on Stephen's father, Floyd.

[ Gene Raymond Quintet ]
Currently no info available.

[ The Red Jackets ]
The Red Jackets were probably the most prominent band playing in North Dakota during the late 1920s. Their pianist, Bob Carroll, would later play with the Ted FioRito Orchestra. (Ted was a fine pianist himself, and a composer of many hit tunes. See entry on our Tunesmiths Database.) The Red Jackets played dates within 150 to 200 miles of Fargo (North Dakota) and in the neighboring state of Minnesota. Their base was Fargo's 'Crystal Ballroom' and the Red Jackets also broadcasted over Radio Station WDAY. Accordingly, they would have also entertained a great many Canadians who had their radios tuned to station WDAY. Interestingly, the Canadian and US listeners had the best of two worlds, - they could listen to Canadian and American Stations, and so heard all the great touring U.S. bands and Canadian bands (that were usually resident for long periods in the local club venues).
These notes on "The Red Jackets" were kindly submitted by Mr. Arthur Grant Anderson.

[ Don Redman Orch. ]
Theme Song: "Chant of the Weed"
né: Donald "Don" Matthew Redman
Sax, clarinet; leader/arranger; sometime singer.
B: July 29, 1900 Piedmont, West VA, USA. D: Nov. 30, 1964 New York, NY, USA.
Overview
This precocious, pioneering arranger/composer played every instrument in the band. From 1924 to 1927, he worked in the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, and then, from 1927 to 1931 was the musical director for the McKinney's Cotton Pickers. In the 1930's and 40's, he led his own band, whose theme song was his composition, "Chant of the Weed". In 1932, he appeared on his Chipso radio program, and later appeared on his own CBS Television series. The early fifties found him serving as musical director for singer Pearl Bailey. A great deal of Fletcher Henderson's 'sound' is due to the work of Redman. And, over a 30 year period, Don Redman, often contributed arrangements for the Paul Whiteman orchestra. His outstanding arrangements were used by such other bands as Count Basie; Jimmie Lunceford; Harry James; Louis Armstrong; Isham Jones and Jimmy Dorsey, to name but a few.

Brief Chronology:
=================
1923 Joins Billy Paige's Broadway Syncopators and goes to NYC.
1923 Records with the Fletcher Henderson Orch. (Don's 1st Records)
'24-7 Joins Henderson's orch. (reeds/arranger)
'20 Works with Charlie Johnson's Paradise Club Orch.
Redman also records with Clarence Williams; Bessie Smith.
1927 Joins McKinney's Cotton Pickers in Detroit as leader and musical director, for four years. Leaves in 1931.
1928 Redman records sessions with Louis Armstrong.
1931 Starts his own band with musicians from the Cotton Pickers and the Horace Henderson band. They performed regularly atConnie's Inn in Harlem, for nine years.
1932 Sponsored by CHIPSO for a scheduled Radio Broadcast.
1935 Performed in a Hollywood film short subject. During the Thirties, Don also did arranging for the Paul Whiteman, Isham Jones, Ben Pollack orchestras, as well as for Bing Crosby.
1940 Redman Orch. disbanded. Don reforms the band for a couple of months only, at the end of 1940.
1941 Tours briefly with the Snookum Russell Band.
1942 Free Lance arranger for different orchs, including Jimmy Dorsey. (Notably, - Deep Purple).
1943 Forms a new orch. for a booking into The Zanzibar club in New York.
1944 Free Lancing again. Arranger for Harry James; Count Basie and also for NBC studio orchs.
1946, Forms a band for his European tour, disbanded a couple of months later. Redman stays overseas until August, 1947.
1949 Does a TV series for CBS.
1951 Musical director for Pearl Bailey, (who married drummer Louis Bellson in 1952)

Redman never again formed an orchestra. He 'free-lanced' for the remainder of his life.

54-55 Has a small acting role Pearl Bailey, in her Broadway show "House of Flowers". (Don played the part of a policeman.)
1958-'59 Don did some recording.
1962 Don appears on piano for the Georgia Minstrels concert. (June)
1964 Don played soprano sax for the Sissle-Blake Grass Roots concert (Sept)

During his long career, Redman's fine hand can be found throughout the musical world. Hoagy Carmichael and Don Redman were good friends. And, they often exchanged musical ideas. Some historians feel that the 'intro' to Hoagy's famous "Stardust" may have been written by Don.

Credit should also be given to Don for his innovative concept of the Swing Band Choir. (The orchestra sings a counter melody with a paraphrasing of the words.) Don used this technique in 1937 with the songs "Exactly Like You" and "Sunny Side of the Street".

Before his death, he worked on some compostions which have never been performed, publicly.

[ Bob Randolph Orch. ]
Currently No Information Available.
Here's a photo of the Bob Randolph Orch., taken in the lats 1930s or early 1940s. (Photo reproduced here by courtesy of trumpeter Irvan "Stumpy" Stumph.)