Vintage British Dance & Jazz Music Collection 1923-1936 - Perfect for Swing Dancing, Retro Parties & Music History Enthusiasts

UNISSUED ON 78s (RETRIEVAL RTR 79081) is the sixth CD in this series, each of which has had a theme. This latest is probably the most distinctive, being a compilation of hot dance music and jazz from Britain between 1923 and 1936. The accompanying 24-page booklet sets out the provenance of the recordings, most of which are alternate takes to the versions issued originally. The task of restoring such rare items from a diversity of sources must have been quite daunting. The first two tracks were taken from anonymous one-off test recordings, which presented the additional challenge of identification.Many of these recordings were infused by visiting Americans, not least those directed by Fred Elizalde, who began his British bandleading career at Cambridge University. The band he assembled for the prestigious engagement at the Savoy Hotel included a core contingent from the California Ramblers, including that giant of the bass sax Adrian Rollini, who features large on the three alternate takes. That said the two 1927 sides from “The Girl Friend” by the semi-pro Oxford University Band compare very favourably. Another import was trumpeter Frank Guarante, who takes a searing muted solo on the Devonshire Restaurant Dance Band’s alternate take of “Sugar Foot Stomp”.Saxophonist Arthur Lally led Decca’s first studio dance band with a number of visiting firemen, including trumpeter Sylvester Ahola and clarinettist Danny Polo, both of whom feature in the alternate takes here. “Down Among the Sugar-Cane” starts with Maurice Elwin having to navigate an arkward vocal line, but that’s more than compensated for by the solos from both Arthur Lally on bass sax, and Hooley on trumpet. Both Ahola and Polo were moonlighting from their regular job at the May Fair Hotel with Ambrose and his Orchestra, which band provides a storming performance on “Lovable and Sweet”.Ahola’s virtuosity was such that he was in frequent demand for recording sessions, much to the chagrin of several other trumpeters, who in the spring of 1930 succeeded in petitioning the Ministry of Labour to curtail his freelance activities. His final such recording date was with Spike Hughes’ new studio group The Decca-Dents, his place thereafter being taken first by Jack Jackson, and then by Norman Payne, and the three alternate takes provide a basis for comparison. Incidentally, the drummer and vocalist on the first two is Val Rosing, best remembered for “The Teddy Bears Picnic”.Two of the dance band sides feature Al Bowlly, best remembered as a crooner, but here both numbers provide him with the opportunity to go up-tempo. His contrasting treatment of the lyrics is delightful; “Roll On, You Mississippi, Roll On” finds him in jazz mode, but he adopts a casual conversational tone, reminiscent of Don Redman, for “Who Walks In When I Walk Out?”.I’ve tried to convey the quality of some of the rare sides available to hear on this CD, but there’s much else besides, all of which Nick Dellow has lovingly restored to an extremely high standard.