Savoy Orpheans #1
The Savoy Orpheans was formed and directed by ex-army bandmaster Debroy Somers, in 1923. Wilfred de Mornys managed both the Orpheans and the Savoy Havana
Band (led by Bert Ralton and later Reg Batten. Under Debroy Somers the lineup in 1925 was Vernon Ferry-Walter Lyme-t/ Chick moore-tb/Herb Finney-Al Starita-
cl-as/ Ray Starita-cl-ts/ Cyril Ramon Newton-vn-v/ Frank Herbin-p/ Pete Mandell-bj/ Fred Underhaye-bb/ Alec Cripps-d/ Debroy Somers-d. I have included other
recording of Debroy Somers' own band after Carroll Gibbons took over at the Savoy Hotel. This album also includes a rare occurance of Gibbons directing the
New Mayfair Dance Orchestra in a medley from "This Year Of Grace" (Coward) in 1928 The Orpheans were later led by violinist Cyril Ramon Newton, and then by
pianist Carroll Gibbons.When de Morny's contract with the Savoy Hotel company ended on 31 December 1927, the Orpheans disbanded. In early December 1927
newspapers reported of the Hotel management denying the rumour that the Savoy Orpheans, Savoy Havana Band and the Sylvians were to leave. Reg Batten, of the
Savoy Havana Band stayed on at the Hotel and led a band with the name "Savoy Orpheans (1928)", indicatng legal issues concerning the rights to the original
name. It was not until 1931 that pianist Carroll Gibbons returned from working at MGM in Hollywood and, with saxophonist Howard Jacobs, formed a new ensemble
"the Savoy Hotel Orpheans". Rupert D'Oyly Carte, the owner of the Savoy Hotel, called the original Orpheans and their colleagues, "probably the best-known
bands in Europe." Rust, who wrote in 1971 of the original Orpheans: "their very name personifies the Dancing Twenties … and their broad versatility … made
this imprint in a way that no band had done before and few have achieved since". The lineup of the SHB was George Eskdale-Harry Thompson-t/ Bernard Tipping-
tb/ Van Phillips and another-cl-as/ Leslie Bates-cl-ts/Reginald Batten-vn-ldr/ Ramon Newton-vn-v/ Billy Mayerl-p/ Dave Thomas-bj/ Jim Bellamy-bb/Ronnie
Gubertini-d. I believe the vocal on 'I May Be Dancing' could be Jim Miller and Charlie Farrell. ~ Mickey Clark
Disc #1 CD353A
SOME DAY IN CAMBAY SAVOY HAVANA BAND-BERT RALTON COL 3266 03/01/23 73240 RALTON-MAYERL
SUNSHINE SAVOY HAVANA BAND-BERT RALTON COL 3266 03/01/23 73241 MORRIS
HELLO 'TUCKY SAVOY HOTEL ORPHEANS HMV B2090 07/24/25 6399 HANLEY
COLLEGIATE SAVOY HOTEL ORPHEANS HMV B2090 07/24/25 6400 JAFFE
BAH BAH BARTHOLEMEW SAVOY HAVANA BAND-BERT RALTON CYRIL RAMON NEWTON?HMV B5002 01/22/26 7758 MELCLIFFE-KING
TWO OF US SAVOY HAVANA BAND-BERT RALTON CYRIL RAMON NEWTON HMV B5002 01/22/26 7759 PHILLIPS-CAMPBELL-CONNELLY
PICADOR SAVOY HAVANA BAND-BERT RALTON HARRY GLEN COL 3938 04/01/26 3052 MORELLE-NICHOLLS
DID YOU FORGET? SAVOY HOTEL ORPHEANS HMV 5144 01/01/26 9076 BATTEN
I MAY BE DANCING WTH SOMEBODY ELSE SAVOY HOTEL ORPHEANS HMV 5144 01/01/26 9269 CONRAD
TIP-TOES-MEDLEY SAVOY HOTEL ORPHEANS HMV 5108 01/01/26 BR590/BR591 GERSHWIN TIP-TOES
WAITING FOR A TRAIN-WHEN SHALL WE DANCE-THAT SWEET AND LOW DOWN-NICE BABY-?-LOOKING FOR A BOY-THAT CERTAIN FEELING
BACK BEATS SAVOY HOTEL ORPHEANS HMV 5226 02/23/27 10206 GUARANTE
GEORGIA HOME SAVOY HOTEL ORPHEANS HMV 5226 02/23/27 10207 CONRAD-SPIER
NIGHT TIME BRINGS DREAMS OF YOU DEBROY SOMERS BAND COL 4403 05/31/27 A5600 CONLEY-DAVIS
SO BLUE DEBROY SOMERS COL 4403 05/31/27 A5599 DE SYLVA-BROWN-HENDERSON
THIS YEAR OF GRACE MEDLEY NEW MAYFAIR ORCHESTRA-CARROLL GIBBONS DIR 03/01/28
Dance Little Lady-Teach Me To Dance Like Granma-Try To Learn To Love (Freddy Gardner solo)-Mary Make Believe
PLANTATION SONGS SAVOY HOTEL ORPHEANS PAUL ROBESON HMV C1585 10/02/28 14611 VARIOUS
EE,BY GUM SAVOY HOTEL ORPHEANS-CARROLL GIBBONS GRACIE FIELDS RZN 2767 11/13/28 14929 FLYNN
SONNY BOY SAVOY HOTEL ORPHEANS PAUL ROBESON HMV 2948 01/28/29 15802 DE SYLVA-BROWN-HENDERSON-JOLSON
VALSE MEMORIES DEBROY SOMERS BAND OVER THE WAVES/MOONLIGHT MADONNA/ DIANE /CHARMAINE COL 5244 03/01/29 A8261
SAVOY CHRISTMAS MEDLEY-FOX TROT DEBROY SOMERS COL 5441 09/17/29 A9497
SAVOY CHRISTMAS MEDLEY-ONE STEP DEBROY SOMERS COL 5441 09/17/29 A9498
Available Options:
Download: Download