Victor 25094 – Ray Noble and his Orchestra – 1935

Please note: this article dates to Old Time Blues’ first year and does not meet the standard of quality to which more recent postings are held.  Thank you for your understanding.

On January 7, 1898, Albert Allick Bowlly, better known as Al, was born in Mozambique.  He spent his childhood in South Africa, where he found his first work as a singer with Edgar Adeler’s band, which was touring Africa.  After a falling out with Adeler in Indonesia, he sang with a number of bands in the Orient, before making his way back to the West.  In 1927, Bowlly made his recording debut, again with Adeler.  He first came to London to sing with Fred Elizalde’s Music, with whom he recorded an excellent rendition of “If I Had You” in 1929.  In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Bowlly sang with a number of British dance bands, inluding those of Roy Fox, Lew Stone, and Roy Noble, whose association with Bowlly is perhaps the best remembered today.  In 1934, Bowlly came to the United States with Noble’s orchestra before returning to England in 1937.  On April 17, 1941, Bowlly died tragically in the Blitz, not from a bomb, but from a door blown off its hinges from the explosion, which struck him in the head.

Victor 25094 was recorded June 8 and 10, 1935 in New York City, featuring Roy Noble’s Orchestra with a vocal refrain by Al Bowlly and the Freshman, singing two Irving Berlin hits from the 1935 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers picture Top Hat.  I had the great fortune of screening Top Hat at the historic Texas Theatre in Dallas, in a special presentation put on by the local Art Deco Society, followed by a concert by Matt Tolentino’s Singapore Slingers.  Quite a fun time.

In the film, Astaire danced solo to “Top Hat” (White Tie and Tails), and Noble and Bowlly do great with the song here.

Top Hat, recorded June 8, 1935 by Ray Noble and his Orchestra (Vocal refrain by Al Bowlly and the Freshmen).

Top Hat, recorded June 8, 1935 by Ray Noble and his Orchestra (Vocal refrain by Al Bowlly & The Freshmen).

PIccolino” was probably the most publicized tune from the movie and touted as the “big hit” in 1935, though today the most remembered song is likely “Cheek to Cheek”.

Piccolino, recorded June 10, 1935 by Ray Noble and his Orchestra (Vocal refrain by Al Bowlly).

Piccolino, recorded June 10, 1935 by Ray Noble and his Orchestra (Vocal refrain by Al Bowlly).

Broadcast Twelve 3203 – Carson Robison and his Pioneers – 1932

Please note: this article dates to Old Time Blues’ first year and does not meet the standard of quality to which more recent postings are held.  Thank you for your understanding.

The other day I had the pleasure of acquiring a small selection of British records, which are always a treat for their diversity of content.  Among my souvenirs was this one on the Broadcast Twelve label.  Given that it is by an American artist, I first presumed that it was recorded in the United States and exported to the UK for pressing.  However, I questioned whether Broadcast Twelve had ever even used imported masters, as some labels did, and I began to remember hearing about Carson Robison visiting Europe around the time the record was made.

Sure enough, in 1932, Carson Robison and his Pioneers embarked on one of the first country music tours of the British Isles, and Broadcast Twelve 3203 was recorded in London, England in May of 1932.  Personnel includes Carson Robison on guitar, harmonica and vocal with John and Bill Mitchell on banjos and guitars, Frank Novak on string bass, and an unknown fiddle.

I don’t know why it is, but it seems like somehow American artists played with more vigor and gusto in recordings made while touring overseas.

On the first side, Robison’s Pioneers don’t disappoint with Stephen Foster’s “Oh! Susannah”, which features the Mitchell Brothers really tearing it up on their banjos.  Seems to me, Carson Robison doesn’t get enough credit, the more I hear of him, the better I like his work.

Oh! Susannah, recorded May 1932 by Carson Robison and his Pioneers.

Oh! Susannah, recorded May 1932 by Carson Robison and his Pioneers.

“Sweet Virginia” can’t live up to the standard set by the “A” side, though it does feature a nice piece of Carson Robison’s whistling, and a vocal by Pearl Pickens.

Sweet Virginia, recorded May 1932 by Carson Robison and his Pioneers.

Sweet Virginia, recorded May 1932 by Carson Robison and his Pioneers.

Updated with improved audio on May 8, 2017, and on October 13, 2017.