Richard Himber & His Essex House Orchestra - It Isn't Fair
BackBy special request, I upload the superb studio recording of this lovely song in Richard Himber's version. was an American bandleader, composer, violinist and magician. His parents gave him violin lessons, but when they found him performing in a seedy Newark dive, they took the instrument away from him and sent him to military school. In 1915, he stole away into New York City, where Sophie Tucker heard him play and hired him as a novelty act to play with her and the Five Kings of Syncopation where Himber was the highlight of the cabaret act. He worked his way through Vaudeville and down Tin Pan Alley. He managed Rudy Vallée's orchestra service, which sent out bands for private parties and society functions. He soon had his own band booking agency. In 1932, he finally formed an orchestra of his own, parlaying a gig at New York's Essex House Hotel into national NBC radio exposure. Among the top notch professionals in its ranks were Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw and many other future stars of the music world. In 1933 he made his first records, for Vocalion. Among the selections was his own theme song, "It Isn't Fair", which became a hit. In 1934 after a single session for Victor's cheap label Bluebird, he began recording for the full-priced Victor label through until 1939. He led one of the most sophisticated "sweet" dance bands of the era, featuring Joey Nash as his vocalist (1933-1935), who was replaced by Stuart Allen (1935-1939). In later years, his band act often included an interlude of magic, and he conjured on many television shows as well. Although he is now remembered primarily for his musical legacy, his contemporaries recall his incessant practical joking. Himber was the publisher of the R-H Log, a weekly survey of the most popular tunes on radio and television. Popular tunes that Himber composed were "Moments in the Moonlight", After the Rain, Monday In Manhattan, Haunting Memories, Time Will Tell, Am I Asking Too Much, and I'm Getting Nowhere Fast With You. He also wrote the original theme for NBC's Today Show. Among Himber's novel promotions was a traveling bandstand on a flatbed truck, sponsored by Pepsi-Cola. The orchestra used it for free outdoor concerts in the New York City area in the 1960s. It was during one of these concerts in 1966 that Himber suffered a heart attack, dying several hours later. As for this record, it was made for Vocalion on August 7th, 1933. Besides vocalist Joey Nash, also playing clarinet and alto saxophone (second picture), personnel included Johnny McGee and Ruby Weinstein (t); Tommy Dorsey (tb); Jess Carneol and Herman Wolfson (cl, ts); Sam Persoff (vln); Dave Levy (p); Gene Van Halberg (acn); Sam Amoroso (hp); Ernie Capozzi (g); Jack Kimmel (b) and Nat Levine (d). For brilliant footage of Himber with Nash on vocal, I refer to merrihew's channel.
Category: Music
Uploaded: July 5th, 2008 @ 12:39 pm
Author: kspm01
Length: 03:18
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Views: 592
Tags: 78rpm essex fair himber house isn't it orchestra richard
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