If you were to think about the big band era of the 1930s, the names Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and Jimmy Lunceford would immediately spring to mind. And why not? These titans of swing entertained millions worldwide with their tremendous music that remains iconic to this day. Sing Sing Sing, Moonlight Serenade, I’m Getting Sentimental Over You, and Nightmare are eminent, even in today’s vapid wasteland of mundane music.
But if you were to travel across the pond, you would discover jazz heavyweights that do not earn as much admiration as their American cousins. The British dance band era of the 1920s and 1930s was the golden age of that nation’s historic music scene, filling the dance halls, ballrooms, and radios with gaiety and rhythm. Thanks to vinyl records and YouTube, these tunes will live forever.
So, who were these band leaders and singers from the United Kingdom’s yesteryear that have not gotten their adulation?
The list is lengthy, but some of the more notable leaders and musicians include Bert Ambrose, Jack Hylton, Ray Noble, Jack Payne, and Maurice Winnick. And these band leaders were further propelled by some legendary vocalists, particularly Al Bowlly, Sam Browne, and Vera Lynn.
Pop culture has seemingly forgotten these tuneful artists. It is rare to come across a modern film or television program showcasing these giants from a forgotten time. Legendary filmmaker Woody Allen is one of the few who may have introduced generations to the British big bands, leading his fans to do a search on YouTube and find some of these songs. Hopefully, they served as a gateway to some of the greatest jazz sounds you will ever hear. Pip pip cheerio and keep up a stiff upper lip and all that.
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Read more from Andrew Moran.
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