1933 Vintage – British Dance Bands from the Golden Age

1. BILLY COTTON AND HIS BAND recording as The Midnight Minstrels
There’s A New Day Coming – Vocal by Sam Browne & Chorus
Recorded in London on 7th July 1933

2. SCOTT WOOD AND HIS ORCHESTRA
You’ve Got Me Crying Again – Vocal by Sam Browne
Recorded in London on 2nd May 1933

3. JACK JACKSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Down A Long, Long Road – Vocal by Jack Jackson & Chorus
Recorded in London on 19th October 1933

4. THE BBC DANCE ORCHESTRA Directed by HENRY HALL
My Song Goes Round The World – Vocal by Les Allen
Arranged by Tony Lowry
Recorded in London on 7th December 1933

5. AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA at the May Fair Hotel, London
Farewell To Arms – Vocal by Sam Browne
Recorded in London on 20th March 1933

6. LEW STONE AND THE MONSEIGNEUR BAND
Bananas – Vocal by Joe Crossman
Arranged by Lew Stone
Recorded in Chelsea, London on 10th January 1933


From the Golden Age of British Dance Bands comes a selection of six recordings from 1933. We start with the famous band of Billy Cotton recording on this occasion under a pseudonym and with Sam Browne singing rather than Billy’s own vocalists. It’s a good number and a vocal chorus which almost descended into laughter! Next comes the studio band led by the versatile George Scott Wood. This will be George’s own highly melodic arrangement of the 1933 classic, “You’ve Got Me Crying Again”, and played with great taste. Jack Jackson’s new Dorchester Hotel Orchestra picks up the tempo with a typically energetic and rhythmic performance by the band, and a fine recording which I don’t think has ever been reissued. The BBC Dance Orchestra follows with a British song featuring Henry Hall’s main vocalist at that time, Les Allen, with a good performance by the popular radio band. Next we have the resident band at London’s May Fair Hotel with a much-played song of the time, “Farewell To Arms”, which the advertising for Brunswick promoted as Ambrose’s “loveliest” record. The programme finishes with a rumba from early 1933 by the legendary band Lew Stone led at the Monseigneur Restaurant in London. The vocal was not taken by Al Bowlly on this occasion, so we have the voice of Joe Crossman, and perhaps not one of his finest efforts. However the band was on good form and gives it their all. This is an early example of a fade-out! Incidentally this is the B side of the enormously popular “Little Nell”, which was bit hit on Lew’s broadcasts.

Recorded in 1933 for the Regal Zonophone, HMV, Columbia, Brunswick and Decca labels, these recordings are long out-of-copyright. These sides have been remastered from original 78rpm discs by this user and are unique transfers. These cannot be copied or sold without the permission of Peter Wallace.

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