Описание:
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SOUTH SEA ISLAND JIM PRESENTS:
RAY NOBLE BAND v=Al Bowlly
screw the RIAA
Ray Noble Band-Al Bowlly
[ New Mayfair Dance Orch. (Eng.) ]
[ The Ray Noble Orch. (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 'La-La 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 England’s 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.
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