[78-L] Barbary Coast Orchestra

[Mark L. Bardenwerper, Sr.]

78records at cdbpdx.com wrote:
> I just picked up some studio recordings by the Barbary Coast Orchestra, recorded Dec 7, 1942.  
>
>   
You put these on YouTube...
http://www.youtube.com/user/cdbpdx

Also
http://www.samswansen.com/barbary.htm

Still exist
http://hop.dartmouth.edu/assets/pdf/notes-fall07-bcje.pdf

During the band years, many college bands, amateur and 
semi-professional, worked their ways through college in this manner.

Hal Kemp was discovered by Specht, who booked them on cruise lines 
during the summer in the early 20's. Specht may have worked with this 
band too.
 From http://www.samswansen.com/barbary.htm

"The rest of 1929-30 at Dartmouth was a musical hodgepodge. Yes, it was 
a big movie year. /The Broadway Melody /was full of hit songs, including 
“You Were Meant For Me.” Big bang programs were crowding the evening 
hours on radio. Record buyers had a choice of “When You’re Smiling” by 
gravel-voiced Louis Armstrong, “Am I Blue” by Ethel Waters, or “Moanin’ 
Low,” which Libby Holman sang in a new style as the first great torch 
song. Nick Lucas rode lightly through “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” 
(faithfully copied a generation or two later by Tiny Tim). Fats Waller 
talked to his piano with “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” Rudy Vallee hypnotized the 
girls with “I’m Just a Vagabond Lover.” Hoagy Carmichael’s immortal 
“Stardust” got its third and best recording (even without a vocal) by 
Irving Mills and his Hotsy Totsy Gang, with Miff Mole, Jimmy Dorsey, Pee 
Wee Russell, and Hoagy himself on piano.

The *Barbary* *Coast* was much in evidence at party time. They starred 
at the Statler during the Harvard-Dartmouth game weekend, although until 
the last minute the band was touted as a prime attraction at the rival 
ball at the Copley Plaza. At fall House Parties the *Coast* held forth 
at Tri Kap. They were then signed for the first Green key prom in March. 
Over the Christmas holiday they were picked from a large group of 
Eastern college *orchestra* candidates for the nine-day West Indies 
cruise of the Cunard liner /S.S. Carmania./ The band included Johnny 
Hahn '30, leader, Jeff Jeffrey, George Sarles, Paul Freeman, Frank 
Hodson, Frank Marks, and Gene Hammett ’33, a talented freshman sax 
player who later led the band. For the Carnival Ball, the *Barbary* 
*Coast* held forth in the Trophy Room at the gymnasium while Paul 
*Specht* and his *orchestra* played in the cavernous gym upstairs."

-- 
Mark L. Bardenwerper, Sr. #:?)
Technology, thoughtfully, responsibly.
Visit me at http://www.candokaraoke.com