(Note: be sure to click on the watch in "HD" option for better sound and picture.) ...and then click the full frame button.. + Informações

Abe Lyman (August 4, 1897 - October 23, 1957) was a popular bandleader from the 1920s to the 1940s. He made recordings, appeared in films and provided the music for numerous radio shows, including Your Hit Parade. His name at birth was Abraham Simon Lymon. Abe and his brother Mike changed their last name to Lyman because they both thought it sounded better. Abe learned to play the drums when he was young, and at the age of 14 he had a job as a drummer in a Chicago café. Around 1919, Abe was regularly playing music with two other notable future big band leaders, Henry Halstead and Gus Arnheim in California. In Los Angeles Mike opened the Sunset, a night club popular with such film stars as Mary Pickford, Norma Talmadge, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. When Abe's nine-piece band first played at the Sunset, it was a success, but the club closed after celebrities signed contracts stating they were not to be seen at clubs. For an engagement at the Cocoanut Grove in The Ambassador Hotel on April 1, 1922, Abe added a violinist and saxophonist. Opening night drew a large crowd of 1500 guests in the Cocoanut Grove, plus another 500 more outside. After the band cut their first record under the local label Nordskog, they moved a year later to Brunswick Records where they made many recordings. The Lyman Orchestra toured Europe in 1929, appearing at the Kit Cat Club and the Palladium in London and at the Moulin Rouge and the Perroquet in Paris. Abe Lyman and his .... + Informações

Did You Mean It? Words by Sid Silvers and Abe Lyman Music by Phil Baker Performed by Abe Lyman's California Orchestra Vocal Refrain by Phil Neely Recorded September 5, 1927 Brunswick 3648 This song is from the 1927 Broadway musical review "A Night in Spain" and was notably introduced by Marion Harris, who also recorded it.. Abe Lyman (1897 - 1957) was leader of band billed as Abe Lyman and his Californians. best known for long run on radio show Waltz Time in 1930s and 1940s. Bands solid in musicianship, leaned to sweet style but could swing. Lyman learned drums, at 14 played in Chicago's Colonial Cafe. Played in Silent movie theatres, worked at jobs outside music including taxi driving. To California in 1919. Ability to juggle drumsticks led to jobs in Hollywood restaurants and ultimately led to successful band at Cocoanut grove in Los Angeles from 1921 to 1924 and became an established name. Toured and did some vaudeville between 1924 and 1926, back to Chicago then returned to California. Traveled to Europe in 1929 on tour. During 1930s, played at Grauman's Chinese Restaurant, and led band in movie musicals. Appeared in Good News, Hold Everything, Paramount on Parade, Madame Satan, Broadway Through a Keyhole, Sweet Surrender, and Junior Prom. The band's theme was "California, Here I Come." Vocalists with the band included Ella Logan, Rose Blain, Band on radio with shows: The Big Hollywood Show (1934), Melodiana (1934-35) Manhattan Merry-Go-Round (1937), Jack Benny (1938 .... + Informações

Abe Lyman's California Ambassador Hotel Orchestra, voc. Ed Landry - Never Swat a Fly (DeSylva /Brown/Henderson), Brunswick 1930 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Abe LYMAN (whose real name was Simon) started out as a drummer. His brother, Mike, was the owner of the Trent Cafe In Los Angeles, where Bing Crosby got his first professional job. Never an outstanding conductor, Lyman never-the-less had a popular dance band. In the 'roaring twenties' Lyman and Gus Arnheim started their career as joint leaders of the "Syncopated Five" band. They co-wrote "I Cried for You" while with this group. After splitting, Arnheim went on to lead his own band at the famed Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, while Abe went on to form his own orchestra too. From his first band, in the '20s, Abe was still conducting into the '40s. He even put together a new band in 1943 with Sy Zentner and Ray Heath on trombones, Marty Gold on violin, Wolffe Tannenbaum -- sax. His wife Rose Blane, was also in the band.. + Informações

Note: be sure to use the HD 720p option for better sound and picture -- and then click the full frame icon,. + Informações

Abe Lyman's California Ambassador Hotel Orchestra - Where'd You Get Those Eyes, Brunswick 1926. + Informações

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Al "Rubberlegs" Norman drops by Abe Lyman's barndance to show some fancy footwork to the music of Milenberg Joys. This 1932 clip with the sophisticated Abe Lyman Ambassador Hotel Orchestra seems somewhat out of place in a barndance theme.. + Informações

Lyman's California Ambassador Orchestra - Havana - Tango (Lyman /Schonberger) Brunswick 1924 (USA) NOTE: I don't know why the Anglo-Saxon culture of the Roaring 1920s and 30s produced so few tangoes - comparing with myriads of remarkable foxtrots, charlestons, shimmies or the swing. Prehaps, in the very beginning the sweet rhythm of tango had been reserved for Southern Americans, who have been the first and the best tango players and dancers in history, once and forever. Yet, in 20th century there were also other nations that in certain periods tried to compete with Argentinians or Uruguayans in their love for tango - I mean, the phenomenon of the so called "Polish tango" in years 1920-39 - the unique blend of the Slavonic and Jewish musical talents and sentimentality, put into one pot. These tangoes - played, composed or sung by many Polish artists of the Jewish origin, have become a solid part of the 20th century cultural heritage of Europe. Also, I have to mention numerous German and French tangoes, which also drove people out onto the dancing floors of bars and restaurants of Europe, in the 1920/30s. However - very little has always been heard of the English or the American tangoes...! So, to repair that bad reputation, here is the rarest of the rarest renditions of an American tango - composed and played by a fine Californian jazz band leader of the 1920s, Abe Lyman!. + Informações

Abe Lyman (August 4, 1897 - October 23, 1957) was apopular bandleader from the 1920s to the 1940s. He made recordings, appeared in films and provided the music for numerous radio shows, including Your Hit Parade. His name at birth was Abraham Simon Lymon. Abe and his brother Mike changed their last name to Lyman because they both thought it sounded better. Abe learned to play the drums when he was young, and at the age of 14 he had a job as a drummer in a Chicago café. Around 1919, Abe was regularly playing music with two other notable future big band leaders, Henry Halstead and Gus Arnheim in California. In Los Angeles Mike opened the Sunset, a night club popular with such film stars as Mary Pickford, Norma Talmadge, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. When Abe's nine-piece band first played at the Sunset, it was a success, but the club closed after celebrities signed contracts stating they were not to be seen at clubs. For an engagement at the Cocoanut Grove in The Ambassador Hotel on April 1, 1922, Abe added a violinist and saxophonist. Opening night drew a large crowd of 1500 guests in the Cocoanut Grove, plus another 500 more outside. After the band cut their first record under the local label Nordskog, they moved a year later to Brunswick Records where they made many recordings. The Lyman Orchestra toured Europe in 1929, appearing at the Kit Cat Club and the Palladium in London and at the Moulin Rouge and the Perroquet in Paris. Abe Lyman and his .... + Informações

Here is a very obscure, and very rare recording. Charlie Chaplin, whom I don't have to explain much about, conducts Abe Lyman Orchestra as a "guest conductor", for Brunswick record, in 1923. As lots of people would know, Chaplin had some decent musical talent (he composed all of the soundtracks on his films), and he composed some songs in early 1920s. Anyway, this is the only commercial recording of Chaplin's composition that Chaplin himself actually made. (Of course, there were two 78rpm records of Chaplin from 1952, an excerpt from "Limelight", but that would make an exception.) There is also a 40-second original film footage of Chaplin recording this very record at Brunswick studio, and it synchronize perfectly with the record. So I put the footage at the beginning of this video. Played on my Numark machine. there is a small, but severe crack at the end of the record, so the music ends little bit abruptly. Hope you'll enjoy this.. + Informações

Abe Lyman (August 4, 1897 - October 23, 1957) was apopular bandleader from the 1920s to the 1940s. He made recordings, appeared in films and provided the music for numerous radio shows, including Your Hit Parade. His name at birth was Abraham Simon Lymon. Abe and his brother Mike changed their last name to Lyman because they both thought it sounded better. Abe learned to play the drums when he was young, and at the age of 14 he had a job as a drummer in a Chicago café. Around 1919, Abe was regularly playing music with two other notable future big band leaders, Henry Halstead and Gus Arnheim in California. In Los Angeles Mike opened the Sunset, a night club popular with such film stars as Mary Pickford, Norma Talmadge, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. When Abe's nine-piece band first played at the Sunset, it was a success, but the club closed after celebrities signed contracts stating they were not to be seen at clubs. For an engagement at the Cocoanut Grove in The Ambassador Hotel on April 1, 1922, Abe added a violinist and saxophonist. Abe Lyman's California Ambassador Hotel Orchestra, Charles Kaley - Mandalay (1924) (Brunswick 2631-A). + Informações

Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 -- July 17, 1959) was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed Lady Day by her sometime collaborator Lester Young, Holiday was a seminal influence on jazz, and pop singing. Her vocal style - strongly inspired by instrumentalists - pioneered a new way of manipulating wording and tempo, and also popularized a more personal and intimate approach to singing. Critic John Bush wrote that she "changed the art of American pop vocals forever." She co-wrote only a few songs, but several of them have become jazz standards, notably "God Bless the Child," "Don't Explain," and "Lady Sings the Blues." ----------------- Abe Lyman (August 4, 1897 - October 23, 1957) was apopular bandleader from the 1920s to the 1940s. He made recordings, appeared in films and provided the music for numerous radio shows, including Your Hit Parade. His name at birth was Abraham Simon Lymon. Abe and his brother Mike changed their last name to Lyman because they both thought it sounded better. Abe learned to play the drums when he was young, and at the age of 14 he had a job as a drummer in a Chicago café. Around 1919, Abe was regularly playing music with two other notable future big band leaders, Henry Halstead and Gus Arnheim in California. Lyman moved the band to New York in 1933 and his orchestra began appearing on Your Hit Parade in 1937. He recorded into the 1940s before dying in Beverly Hills. Billie Holiday, Abe Lyman's California Ambassador .... + Informações

Here's another amazing recording of this wonderful orchestra. It's original brand name was Abe Lyman's California Ambassador Hotel Orchestra, but they also recorded as "Abe Lyman's Sharps and Flats". The lyrics of the Lindsay McPhail & Walter Michels' song "San" (1920) -here presented in an instrumantal version - are "the Japanese love story", so I made also a slideshow composed of the vintage Japanese posters. To see more of the astonishing possibilities of Abe Lyman's orchestra - sometimes it's difficult to believe, they played so in the Roaring Twenties, and not in the roick'n roll era - it's worth browsing a little thru You Tube collections, eg the fantastic movie with three tunes played by Abe Lyman's band, Merrihew upoloaded pl.youtube.com , the 1926 tune "Shake That Thing" at kspm's site pl.youtube.com a very early recording "Queen Of Egypt" (1923) pl.youtube.com or soft and lovely "Never Swat A Fly" pl.youtube.com. + Informações

Paper found under three layers of flooring during a recent bathroom remodel at my house which was built in 1928. The music is Abe Lyman doing Good News from March 18,1928. This is the original 78 on Brunswick 3901.. + Informações

Vocalist Louis Rapp would become much better known after changing his professional name to Barry Wood. 78rpm courtesy of Rick's Vault: Brunswick 7389 - March Winds And April Showers (Samuels-Whitcup-Powell) by Abe Lyman & His California Orchestra, vocal by Louis Rapp. Recorded 2/12/35.. + Informações

Brunswick Records 4891 1017B - Phil Neely & Chorus On Vocals - Abe Lyman California Orchestra. Vintage 1920's - 1930's Football Photo Slideshow.. + Informações

Abe Lyman's California Orchestra - Cryin' For The Moon (Conley - Stern - Roos), Brunswick 1926 (USA) NOTE: Abe LYMAN (Abraham Simon Lymon b.1897 in Chicago -- d. 1957 in Beverly Hills, CA) American bandleader from the 1920s to the 1940s. He made recordings, appeared in films and provided the music for numerous radio shows, including Your Hit Parade. He was also a composer (eg hits of the year 1926 : "Before You Go", "Mary Lou", "Mandalay", "What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry?" written with Walter Donaldson, a year later "Did You Mean It?" written with Phil Baker and Sid Silvers, and introduced by Marion Harris in the Broadway show A Night In Spain, in 1927). Abe learned to play the drums when he was young, and at the age of 14 he had a job as a drummer in a Chicago café. Around 1919, Abe was regularly playing music with two other notable future big band leaders, Henry Halstead and Gus Arnheim in California. In Los Angeles, he performed with his nine-piece band at the Sunset, a night club popular with such film stars as Mary Pickford, Norma Talmadge, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. It was a success and he signed an engagement at the Cocoanut Grove in The Ambassador Hotel on April 1, 1922. Opening night drew a large crowd of 1500 guests in the Cocoanut Grove, plus another 500 more outside. After the band cut their first record under the local label Nordskog Records, they moved a year later to Brunswick Records where they made many recordings. The Lyman .... + Informações

CHARMAINE Words and Music by Erno Rapee and Lew Pollack Performed by Abe Lyman's California Orchestra Vocal refrain by Phil Neely Recorded September 5, 1927 Brunswick 3648 "Charmaine", composed by Erno Rapee and Lew Pollack for Raoul Walsh's film "What Price Glory" (1926), is based on a Hungarian waltz from 1913. "Charmaine" was the name of Dolores Del Rio's character in the film. The original Fox Movietone production, although silent, did have sound effects and a synchronized musical score with the theme song of "Charmaine." Abe Lyman (1897 - 1957) was leader of band billed as Abe Lyman and his Californians. best known for long run on radio show Waltz Time in 1930s and 1940s. Bands solid in musicianship, leaned to sweet style but could swing. Lyman learned drums, at 14 played in Chicago's Colonial Cafe. Played in silent movie theatres, worked at jobs outside music including taxi driving. To California in 1919. Ability to juggle drumsticks led to jobs in Hollywood restaurants and ultimately led to successful band at Cocoanut grove in Los Angeles from 1921 to 1924 and became an established name. Toured and did some vaudeville between 1924 and 1926, back to Chicago then returned to California. Traveled to Europe in 1929 on tour. During 1930s, played at Grauman's Chinese Restaurant, and led band in movie musicals. Appeared in Good News, Hold Everything, Paramount on Parade, Madame Satan, Broadway Through a Keyhole, Sweet Surrender, and Junior Prom. The band's theme was .... + Informações

Abe Lyman's California Orchestra - All Alone, Fox-Trot (Irving Berlin), Brunswick 1924 (USA) NOTE: Abe LYMAN (born Abraham Lymon in 1987 in Chicago, IL - died in 1957 in Beverly Hills, CA) - American drummer and bandleader who run one of the pioneering jazz dance bands in the West Coast recording for Brunswick, as Abe Lyman's California Orchestra, Abe Lyman's Sharps and Flats www.youtube.com or Abe Lyman's California Ambassador Hotel Orchestra www.youtube.com His musical career began in 1911, playing drums at the Colonial Cafe in Chicago. He later played the drums in a nickelodeon and in 1918, he moved to Los Angeles and played drums in a group at the Vernon Country Club. In 1920 he formed his owne band to perform at Santa Monica's Sunset Inn, and from 1922 on, in the renowned Cocoanut Grove of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles - for and audience of estimated 2000! Lyman's band belonged to the golden age of Hollywood. His hot and ornate jazzy arrangements were suitable for dancing as well as they serve as perfect examples of early "hot" jazz ("Shake That Thing" from 1926). In the early 1930s, Lyman's band played at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles. For several other years during that decade, he also poerformed at the Hollywood Restaurant at Broadway in New York City. Lyman's hit records included Mary Lou, which he wrote [ in addition to I Cried for You and After I Say I'm Sorry ]; Little Old Lady; and Amen, which was sung by the Californians .... + Informações

Sung by Ginger Rogers in the film "Flying Down To Rio," her first screen pairing with Fred Astaire. Disc courtesy of Rick's Vault. Transfer and digital processing by Bob Moke from the original 78rpm: Brunswick 6756 - Music Makes Me (Kahn-Eliscu-Youmans) by Abe Lyman and his California Orchestra with vocal trio. Recorded January 24, 1934.. + Informações

Abe Lyman's California Ambassador Hotel Orchestra - High Society, Brunswick 1932 See also my latest uploading of this great orchestra and some more links: pl.youtube.com. + Informações

Song 1 - Abe Lyman's California Orchestra - Breezin Along With The Breeze - recorded 6/22/1926 Song 2 - Oriole Orchestra - Lucky Kentucky - recorded 2/18/1925 Song 3 - Bud Jackson's Swanee Serenaders - Heebie Jeebies - recorded 10/1926. + Informações

In 1925 (the same year as the release of his famous film THE GOLD RUSH), Charles Chaplin guest conducted Abe Lyman's famous orchestra. The two songs featured here, SING A SONG and WITH YOU DEAR, IN BOMBAY are both original Chaplin compostions. You may remember hearing a bit of these played during Part 3 of the UNKNOWN CHAPLIN documentary series.. + Informações

Abe Lyman (Aug.4,1897 - Oct.23,1957) was apopular bandleader from the 1920s to the 1940s. He made recordings, appeared in films and provided the music for numerous radio shows, including Your Hit Parade. His name at birth was Abraham Simon Lymon. Abe and his brother Mike changed their last name to Lyman because they both thought it sounded better. Abe learned to play the drums when he was young, and at the age of 14 he had a job as a drummer in a Chicago café. Around 1919, Abe was regularly playing music with two other notable future big band leaders, Henry Halstead and Gus Arnheim in California. In Los Angeles Mike opened the Sunset, a night club popular with such film stars as Mary Pickford, Norma Talmadge, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. When Abes nine-piece band first played at the Sunset, it was a success, but the club closed after celebrities signed contracts stating they were not to be seen at clubs. For an engagement at the Cocoanut Grove in The Ambassador Hotel on April 1, 1922, Abe added a violinist and saxophonist. Opening night drew a large crowd of 1500 guests in the Cocoanut Grove, plus another 500 more outside. After the band cut their first record under the local label Nordskog, they moved a year later to Brunswick Records where they made many recordings. The Lyman Orchestra toured Europe in 1929, appearing at the Kit Cat Club and the Palladium in London and at the Moulin Rouge and the Perroquet in Paris. In 1931, Abe Lyman and his .... + Informações