A bumper upload featuring a selection of British dance band recordings from 1925. Originally I had intended to begin with the Savoy Orpheans version of the Charleston. On reflection, it is so easily heard via You tube and rather predictable. Most of these recordings are uncommon with two not even mentioned in the Forbes - Rust book. Whilst the emphasis is on the up tempo, the last two offer a somewhat more sedate approach to dance music in 1925.
*** Transfers and videos by Jonathan Holmes***

Don Parker Introduces His Band/ She Showed Him This...
Bam Bam Bamy Shore - Don Parker And His Band
I've Got A Feeling For Ophelia - Jack Hylton And His Orchestra
My Best Girl - Gleneagles Hotel Band (Henry Hall)
Me And The Boyfriend - The "Star" Syncopators
The Only, Only One For Me - The Irving King Trio
Copenhagen - Savoy Orpheans
In The Garden Of To-Morrow - Geoffrey Goodhart And His Orchestra
Panama (aka "When Day Is Done" ) Jeffries Rialto Orchestra

"Don Parker Introduces His Band" (Recorded November 1925), is a special 5.5" record to promote Don Parker's commencement on the Vocalion label. The other side "She showed him this" contains a vocal chorus by John Thorne. This record does not appear in the Forbes-Rust book and it seems reasonable to assume it was recorded at the first Vocalion session in November 1925. Vocalion issued a single sided disc, the same size, featuring just "She showed him this". Here we have the double sided issue.

"Bam Bam Bamy Shore" (Rec. Nov. 1925) is from Parker's first Vocalion session. Although we hear Parker's band on the one side of the mini disc it seems an injustice to allow that only, so here he is at the beginning of his Vocalion tenure. Vocal chorus by John Thorne.

"I've got a feeling for Ophelia" (Rec. 15th Jan. 1925), is a lively performance from a tight-knit Hylton Orchestra in the late acoustic period, six months before their first electric recording. Vocal chorus by Jack Hylton + 1.

"My best girl" ( Rec. Jan. 1925), was composed by popular song writer Walter Donaldson. This version performed by the Gleneagles Hotel Band. It was only the second Henry Hall recording session.

"Me and the Boyfriend" (Rec. May 1925), is featured on the attractive Acteulle label and played by the "Star" Syncopators. The band was nominally directed by Charles "Wag" Abbey but with the word "Star" being so highlighted it is likely a Nat Star organization. The vocal chorus is taken by Jack Charman. As virtually all dance band singers at this time were male, it wasn't unusual for male singers to perform songs that were intended for
a female vocalist.

"The only, only one for me" (Rec. c. May 1925), is a most unusual record which is not featured in the Forbes-Rust book. "Irving King" was a pseudonym used by the song writing team of Campbell Connelly for their hit song "Show me the way to go home". Here we hear Jimmy Campbell singing whilst accompanied by Reg Connelly playing piano and an unknown guitarist.

"Copenhagen" ( Rec. 21st Jan. 1925), is a good example of a hot performance from the Savoy Orpheans. No selection of British dance music of the mid '20s would be complete without them.

"In the garden of to-morrow"(Rec. Aug. 1925), is played by Geoffrey Goodhart's orchestra in Tango tempo. It offers a more relaxed pace after the rigours of "Copenhagen".

"Panama" (Rec. Sept. 1925), was the original title of the song, as it is credited here but it soon became much better known as "When day is done". Originally composed by German Robert Katscher, lyrics were later added by Buddy de Sylva.

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