Victor Arden and Phil Ohman first met while the two were employed at the QRS Piano Roll Company; Ohman recording piano rolls, and Arden as an arranger. There soon developed a warm friendship, and they found that they could work closely as a team. Ohman's brother Ernest, has said that "Phil sketched out the arrangements, but didn't write them down. He decided the style. In their duets, Phil played the treble." Around 1924, they began recording for such labels as Brunswick, Victor, Columbia, and also some smaller labels. In addition, they led pit orchestras for such George Gershwin Musical shows as "Lady Be Good' (1924), "Tip Toes" (1925), "Oh, Kay" (1926), and "Funny Face" (1927). The team also did some vaudeville touring. The Arden and Ohman team also had a film career, albeit rather limited, appearing in a series of Vitaphone short subjects. They played both classical and popular selections for these shorts. But it was their radio performances that made them well known to the more general public. Among their featured shows were "American Album of Familar Music", "The Buick Program", and the "Bayer Music Review"'. In 1934, the team split up - probably a natural evolution since there was no evidence of hard feelings. Ohman went to Hollywood and put an orchestra together for Hollywood's famed Trocadero nightclub. While in Hollywood, he worked in the studios, usually off-camera, for films that required an actor to simulate piano playing. He also scored and even wrote some .... + Informações

The Arden/Ohman orchestra came up with frequent hit recordings during the 30's, including classics of Americana such as "I Love a Parade". For a decade beginning in 1925, the Arden-Ohman orchestra held forth in the 'pits' of many long-running Broadway hits, and recorded a repertoire of mostly show tunes. The membership of the pit bands and the recording studio orchestras was sometimes quite different, the bandleaders allowing the evening show players to get some rest while tunes were being recorded during the day. The group was formed by a pair of pianist and songwriters. Victor Arden came to New York quite early in the 20th century in order to make piano rolls. This is where he met Phil Ohman, another hotshot keyboard dazzler. The two formed a piano duo based on their many mutual musical interests, gaining an impressive reputation in the many small clubs clustered around the area of 52nd Street. The duo's first recording session under their combined names resulted in ditties such as the devilish "Dance of the Demon", the tasty, Raving "Raga Muffin"and "Canadian Capers" in which the two made like the Mounties and always got their melody. In 1924 they were hired for the Broadway musical "Lady Be Good, the start of what would be many such gigs including the show Tip Toes in 1926 and Spring Is Here in 1929. It was radio broadcasts that led to national fame, however, beginning with background music for commercials and news reports and leading by the late 20's to an Arden .... + Informações

Arden - Ohman Orchestra, "South Wind" Brunswick 3481B March 1927. + Informações

Victor VE 22255. + Informações

The Arden-Ohman orchestra came up with frequent hit recordings during the 30's, including classics of Americana such as "I Love a Parade". For a decade beginning in 1925, the Arden-Ohman orchestra held forth in the 'pits' of many long-running Broadway hits, and recorded a repertoire of mostly show tunes. The membership of the pit bands and the recording studio orchestras was sometimes quite different, the bandleaders allowing the evening show players to get some rest while tunes were being recorded during the day. The group was formed by a pair of pianist and songwriters. Victor Arden came to New York quite early in the 20th century in order to make piano rolls. This is where he met Phil Ohman, another hotshot keyboard dazzler. The two formed a piano duo based on their many mutual musical interests, gaining an impressive reputation in the many small clubs clustered around the area of 52nd Street. The duo's first recording session under their combined names resulted in ditties such as the devilish "Dance of the Demon", the tasty, Raving "Raga Muffin"and "Canadian Capers" in which the two made like the Mounties and always got their melody. In 1924 they were hired for the Broadway musical "Lady Be Good, the start of what would be many such gigs including the show Tip Toes in 1926 and Spring Is Here in 1929. It was radio broadcasts that led to national fame, however, beginning with background music for commercials and news reports and leading by the late 20's to an Arden .... + Informações

Arden-Ohman Orchestra "Rag Doll" Victor 21588A. + Informações

Record: Victor 21114 ... Vocals: Johnny Marvin ... Musical: Funny Face ... Year: 1928. + Informações

This orchestra came up with frequent hit recordings during the 30's, including classics of Americana such as "I Love a Parade". For a decade beginning in 1925, the Arden-Ohman orchestra held forth in the 'pits' of many long-running Broadway hits, and recorded a repertoire of mostly show tunes. The membership of the pit bands and the recording studio orchestras was sometimes quite different, the bandleaders allowing the evening show players to get some rest while tunes were being recorded during the day. The group was formed by a pair of pianist and songwriters. Victor Arden came to New York quite early in the 20th century in order to make piano rolls. This is where he met Phil Ohman, another hotshot keyboard dazzler. The two formed a piano duo based on their many mutual musical interests, gaining an impressive reputation in the many small clubs clustered around the area of 52nd Street. The duo's first recording session under their combined names resulted in ditties such as the devilish "Dance of the Demon", the tasty, Raving "Raga Muffin"and "Canadian Capers" in which the two made like the Mounties and always got their melody. In 1924 they were hired for the Broadway musical "Lady Be Good, the start of what would be many such gigs including the show Tip Toes in 1926 and Spring Is Here in 1929. It was radio broadcasts that led to national fame, however, beginning with background music for commercials and news reports and leading by the late 20's to an Arden / Ohman radio .... + Informações

"Nina Rosa" (1930) Fox-Trot Victor Arden - Phil Ohman Orchestra From the Musical Comedy "Nina Rosa" Victor Orthophonic 22275 A second attempt. This time with the recording level lowered. Let me know if this is better. Thanks.. + Informações

Frank Luther (Aug.4,1899 - Nov.16,1980) was an American country music singer, dance band vocalist, playwright, songwriter and pianist. Born Francis Luther Crow on a farm near Lakin, Kansas, forty miles from the Colorado line, he was raised on a farm near Hutchinson, Kansas, where his father, William R. Crow,and mother, Gertrude Phillips Crow, dealt in livestock and trotting horses. He began to study piano at age 6, improvising his own music when repetitious exercises bored him, and began vocal instruction at 13. Three years later, he toured the Midwest as tenor with a quartet called The Meistersingers. He began studying at the University of Kansas, but attended a revival meeting conducted by Jesse Kellems and was so deeply impressed that he accepted an offer from the evangelist to become his musical director. During a subsequent stop in Iola, Kansas, young Crow himself was ordained, despite his never having studied for the ministry. By 1921, the Reverend Francis Luther Crow was in the pulpit of the First Christian Church in Bakersfield, California. Returning to Kansas, he married vocalist/musician Zora Layman on May 8, 1920, and the young couple eventually worked their way to New York City. In 1926, he was seriously pursuing further vocal training when he was invited to join the DeReszke Singers, as tenor/accompanist. They declared his surname, Crow, to be un-musical, and so he dropped it and became Frank Luther from that day on. The quartet toured with humorist Will .... + Informações

Victor Arden - Phil Ohman Orchestra, v. Johnny Marvin - Funny Face, Victor 1928. + Informações

Victor Arden & Phil Ohman Orchestra, v. Frank Luther - You're My Everything, HMV 1931. + Informações

From nfo.net Big Bands Database: Victor Arden earned a degree in music from the University of Chicago, from where he went on to attend the American Conservatory of Music. After moving to New York he began playing music for movie shorts and writing original compositions. In the early 1920s, while working for the QRS Piano Roll company, he met his future partner, Phil Ohman. Piano wizard Phil Ohman was among the most popular entertainers of 1920s and early 1930s. He received his musical training while in high school. Impressed by his talent, his music teacher advised his parents to send him to Europe to study, but his family couldn't afford it. Instead he studied two years with a local pipe organist. His first job, which he started in 1915, was as a piano salesman at Wannamaker's in New York City. In 1919 he found employment at the QRS Piano Roll company, where he met his future partner, Victor Arden. The two made a name for themselves in vaudeville and playing small clubs on 52nd Street. In 1924 they were hired to conduct the pit orchestra for the Gershwin musical Lady Be Good, the first of many shows in which they were involved. Among the other musicals they worked on were Funny Face, Oh Kay, Tip Toes and Spring Is Here. They eventually formed a full big band, which featured various vocalists, including Frank Luther. The duo also appeared in Vitaphone short subjects and worked on several radio programs, the American Album of Familiar Music, The Buick Program and the Bayer .... + Informações

The vocalist on this Victor 22205 is Frank Luther.. + Informações

Arden-Ohman Orchestra, v. Frank Luther - Beautiful Love, Victor 1931. + Informações

Selections From Good News-Victor Arden- Phil Ohman and their Orchestra on ViS 35918-A .Vocal by the Revelers (James Melton,Lewis James,Eliot Shaw+Wilfred Glen).April 5-1928. + Informações

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

Soon Lyrics by Ira Gershwin, Music by George Gershwin Victor Arden - Phil Ohman and their Orchestra Vocal refrain by Lewis James Recorded February 1, 1930 Victor 22308 Victor Arden (1893 - 1962) was co-leader with Phil Ohman (1896 - 1954) of Arden-Ohman Orchestra in the 1920s and 1930s. Arden attended American Conservatory of Music. After World War One Arden went to New York and made piano rolls and teamed up with Phil Ohman to form a piano duo on records and Broadway musicals: "Lady Be Good" (1924) , "Tip Toes" and "Oh Kay" (1926), "Funny Face" (1927) and "Spring is Here" (1929). As piano duo they appeared on radio from the late 1920s to mid 1930s as guests and as regulars on American Album of Familiar Music, 1934-35 and Bayer Musical Review, 1935. They recorded with a large orchestra featuring good arrangements of show tunes. In the mid 1930s the duo split up, each leading his own orchestra. Arden turned to conducting studio orchestras on network radio into the 1940s. Phil Ohman began his career in the early 1920s as a pianist-organist. He was with Paul Whiteman (1922-23) before teaming with Arden. After the duo split, Ohman worked in Hollywood as movie writer and did radio work. He led his own band in the 1930s and 1940s and was active into the 1950s. He was also active as a composer and song writer. Lewis James (1892 - 1959) was a vocalist and among the most active of recording artists in the United States from 1917 through much of the 1930s. He was a member of the .... + Informações

Strike Up The Band Lyrics by Ira Gershwin Music by George Gershwin Victor Arden - Phil Ohman and their Orchestra Vocal refrain by Revelers Quartet Recorded January 31, 1930 Victor 22308 Victor Arden (1893 - 1962) was co-leader with Phil Ohman (1896 - 1954) of Arden-Ohman Orchestra in the 1920s and 1930s. Arden attended American Conservatory of Music. After World War One Arden went to New York and made piano rolls and teamed up with Phil Ohman to form a piano duo on records and Broadway musicals: "Lady Be Good" (1924) , "Tip Toes" and "Oh Kay" (1926), "Funny Face" (1927) and "Spring is Here" (1929). As piano duo they appeared on radio from the late 1920s to mid 1930s as guests and as regulars on American Album of Familiar Music, 1934-35 and Bayer Musical Review, 1935. They recorded with a large orchestra featuring good arrangements of show tunes. In the mid 1930s the duo split up, each leading his own orchestra. Arden turned to conducting studio orchestras on network radio into the 1940s. Phil Ohman began his career in the early 1920s as a pianist-organist. He was with Paul Whiteman (1922-23) before teaming with Arden. After the duo split, Ohman worked in Hollywood as movie writer and did radio work. He led his own band in the 1930s and 1940s and was active into the 1950s. He was also active as a composer and song writer.. + Informações

Love - Your Spell Is Everywhere (1929) Victor Arden - Phil Ohman Orchestra From the Talkie: "The Trespasser" Victor Orthophonic 22114. + Informações

This orchestra came up with frequent hit recordings during the 30's, including classics of Americana such as "I Love a Parade". For a decade beginning in 1925, the Arden-Ohman orchestra held forth in the 'pits' of many long-running Broadway hits, and recorded a repertoire of mostly show tunes. The membership of the pit bands and the recording studio orchestras was sometimes quite different, the bandleaders allowing the evening show players to get some rest while tunes were being recorded during the day. The group was formed by a pair of pianist and songwriters. Victor Ardencame to New York quite early in the 20th century in order to make piano rolls. This is where he met Phil Ohman, another hotshot keyboard dazzler. The two formed a piano duo based on their many mutual musical interests, gaining an impressive reputation in the many small clubs clustered around the area of 52nd Street. The duo's first recording session under their combined names resulted in ditties such as the devilish "Dance of the Demon", the tasty, Raving "Raga Muffin"and "Canadian Capers" in which the two made like the Mounties and always got their melody. In 1924 they were hired for the Broadway musical "Lady Be Good, the start of what would be many such gigs including the show Tip Toes in 1926 and Spring Is Here in 1929. It was radio broadcasts that led to national fame, however, beginning with background music for commercials and news reports and leading by the late 20's to an Arden / Ohman radio .... + Informações

Lewis James, vocal Disc courtesy of Rick's Vault. Transferred and digitally processed by Bob Moke from the original 78rpm: Victor 24127 - What Did I Get In Return? (Young-Malneck) by Victor Arden-Phil Ohman and their Orchestra, vocal by Lewis James. Recorded September 7, 1932.. + Informações

Victor Arden - Phil Ohman and their orchestra with Vocal Refrain His Masters Voice 1929 Ein flotter Foxtrot eines englischen Tanz-Orchesters. + Informações

The musical "Of Thee I Sing" (book by George S. Kaufman & Morrie Ridkynd, score by George & Ira Gershwin) opened the day after Christmas 1931, played 441 performances, and starred Victor Moore. In addition to the title song, George and Ira also gave us "Who Cares?" "Love Is Sweeping The Country," and "Wintergreen For President," among others. 78rpm courtesy of Rick's Vault: Victor 22911 - Who Cares? (Gershwin-Gershwin) by Victor Arden-Phil Ohman & Their Orchestra, vocal by Frank Luther. Recorded 1/14/32.. + Informações

"My First Love, My Last Love" (1930) Fox-Trot Victor Arden - Phil Ohman Orchestra From the Musical "Nina Rosa" Victor Orthophonic 22275. + Informações