The Essential Ambrose represents both the hot and commercial aspects of Ambrose’s band and throughout it exhibits a very high standard of musicianship. Ambrose was known to hire only the best and also to pay accordingly with musicians often earning 10 - 15 times the national average wage!
The first CD in this superbly re-mastered double set reflects the jazz orientated side of Ambrose. It particularly highlights the talents of saxophonist, clarinettist, composer and arranger Sid Phillips who’s Cotton Pickers Congregation kicks off the set in spectacular style. Our second CD although very different from the first is nonetheless arresting featuring the pop songs of the day as performed by such consummate musicians as Sam Browne, Jack Cooper and Evelyn Dall. Ambrose’s skill had been to recognise talent and use the best available to him. He was not particularly a jazz fan but saw its commercial potential and in Sid Phillips had a magnificent talent he could utilise to his bands best advantage. By the early 1940’s however Ambrose’s time was over and he never quite made the transition into the modern era. He did however make a comeback of sorts when he managed the singer Kathy Kirby in the 1960’s. A millionaire in the 1930’s, Ambrose died bankrupt in 1975, a victim of his inability or unwillingness to adapt with the changing times and apparently a little problem called gambling!
CD1
1. Cotton Pickers’ Congregation
2. Hide And Seek
3. South American Joe (Vocalist: Donald Stewart)
4. Copenhagen
5. Limehouse Blues
6. Creole Lady
7. Hick Stomp
8. Swinganola
9. Twilight In Turkey
10. Toy Trumpet
11. Power House
12. Wood And Ivory
13. Broadway Rhythm
14. Memphis Blues (Vocalist: The Rhythm Sisters)
15. Streamline Strut
16. Maracas
17. Caravan
18. Tarantula
19. The Wedding Of The Sophisticated Dutch Doll
20. Mr Reynard’s Nightmare
21. Early Morning Blues
22. Hullabaloo
23. Tootin’ Around
24. Voodoo
25. B’Wanga
26. Swing Patrol
CD2
1. Plain Jane
2. The Penguin
3. Lazybones (Vocalist: Sam Browne)
4. Wotcha Gotta Trombone For? (Vocalist: Evelyn Dall)
5. Lullaby Of Broadway (Vocalist: Sam Browne & The Rhythm Brothers)
6. Chasing Shadows (Vocalist: Jack Cooper)
7. Lament For Congo
8. You Are My Lucky Star (Vocalist: Jack Cooper)
9. Deep Henderson
10. They Can’t Take That Away From Me (Vocalist: Sam Browne)
11. Man About Town
12. Ambrose’s Tiger Rag (Vocalist: Max Bacon & The Rhythm Brothers)
13. Be Still, My Heart (Vocalist: Sam Browne)
14. Swing High, Swing Low (Vocalist: Evelyn Dall)
15. The War dance Of The Wooden Indians
16. The Love Bug Will Bite You (Vocalist: Vera Lynn, Max Bacon & The Manhattan Trio)
17. Red Sails In The Sunset (Vocalist: Jack Cooper)
18. Bye-Bye, Baby (Vocalist: Jack Cooper)
19. The Object Of My Affection (Vocalist: Sam Browne)
20. It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie (Vocalist: Jack Cooper)
21. Jeepers Creepers
22. Down The Old Ox Road (Vocalist: Sam Browne)
23. Okay For Sound (Vocalist: Jack Cooper)
24. The Show Is Over (Vocalist: Sam Browne)
25. On Your Toes (Vocalist: Jack Cooper)
26. Swing Is In The Air (Vocalist: Evelyn Dall)
PERSONNEL & RECORDING DATE INFORMATION
A) Max Goldberg, Harry Owen (tpt); Ted Heath (tmb); Danny Polo, Joe Jeannette, Harry Hayes, Billy Amstell (reeds); Bert Read (pno); Joe Brannelly (gtr); Don Stuteley (bs)
Max Bacon (dms)
31st July 1933
Lazybones (Vocal by Sam Browne)
Down The Old Ox Road (Vocal by Sam Browne)
B) Max Goldberg, Harry Owen (tpt); Ted Heath, Tony Thorpe (tmb); Danny Polo, Sid Phillips, Joe Jeannette, Billy Amstell (reeds); Bert Barnes (pno); Joe Brannelly (gtr)
Dick Ball (bs); Max Bacon (dms)
12th June 1934
The Show Is Over (Vocal by Sam Browne)
C) As B) but add Clinton French or Billy Farrell (tpt) and Lewis Davis (tmb)
11th December 1934
Be Still, My Heart (Vocal by Sam Browne)
D) As C) 6th February 1935
The Object Of My Affection (Vocal By Sam Browne)
E) As C) 20th March 1935
Memphis Blues (Vocal by The Rhythm Sisters)
Streamline Strut
Maracas
Lament For Congo
F) As C) 15th April 1935
B'Wanga
G) As C) 10th May 1935
Ambrose's Tiger Rag (Vocal by Max Bacon and The Rhythm Brothers)
H) As C) 17th May 1935
Lullaby Of Broadway (Vocal by Sam Browne and The Rhythm Brothers)
I) As C) 4th July 1935
Chasing Shadows (Vocal by Jack Cooper)
South American Joe (Vocal by Donald Stewart)
J) As C) but omit Thorpe
30th July 1935
Copenhagen
K) As J) 2nd August 1935
Red Sails In The Sunset (Vocal by Jack Cooper)
L) As J) 8th August 1935
Limehouse Blues
M) As J) 5th November 1935
Broadway Rhythm
N) Max Goldberg, Clinton French, Billy Farrell (tpt); Ted Heath, Lew Davis (tmb)
Danny Polo, Sid Phillips, Joe Jeannette, Billy Amstell (reeds); Bert Barnes (pno)
Joe Brannelly (gtr); Dick Ball (bs); Max Bacon (dms)
13th November 1935
You Are My Lucky Star (Vocal by Jack Cooper)
O) As N) but omit Danny Polo
16th January 1936
Wotcha Gotta Trombone For? (Vocal by Evelyn Dall)
P) Clinton French, Teddy Foster (tpt); Eric Breeze, Don Macaffer, Les Carew (tmb)
Danny Polo, Sid Phillips, Joe Jeanette, Billy Amstell (reeds); Bert Barnes (pno)
Jack Cooper (gtr); Dick Ball (bs); Max Bacon (dms)
29th June 1936
Hide And Seek
Q) As P) But Add Jack Simpson (timp, xyl)
11th August 1936
Okay For Sound (Vocal by Jack Cooper)
R) As Q) 12th August 1936
Wood And Ivory
S) As P) 12th August 1936
Creole Lady
T) As P) 15th August 1936
On Your Toes (Vocal by Jack Cooper)
U) As P) But Tommy McQuater (tpt) Replaces Foster and Lew Davis (tmb) replaces Macaffer
18th September 1936
It's A Sin To Tell A Lie (Vocal by Jack Cooper)
V) Tommy McQuater, Alfie Noakes (tpt); Lew Davis, Eric Breeze, Les Carew (tmb)
Danny Polo, Sid Phillips, Joe Jeanette, Billy Amstell (reeds); Bert Barnes (pno)
Jack Cooper (gtr); Dick Ball (bs); Max Bacon (dms)
14th October 1936
Bye Bye Baby (Vocal by Jack Cooper)
W) As V) 26th October
Hick Stomp
Swinganola
X) As V) 30th December 1936
Tarantula
Y) As V) 19th February 1937
Swing Patrol
Z) As V) 24th March 1937
Swing Is In The Air (Vocal by Evelyn Dall)
A+) As V) But Tiny Winters (bs) Replaces Ball
23rd April 1937
The Love Bug Will Bite You (Vocal by Vera Lynn, Max Bacon and Manhattan Trio)
B+) As A+) 14th May 1937
Swing High, Swing Low (Vocal by Evelyn Dall)
C+) As A+) 18th June 1937
They Can't Take That Away From Me (Vocal by Sam Browne)
D+) As A+) 8th July 1937
Deep Henderson
Cotton-Pickers' Congregation
Twilight In Turkey
Caravan
E+) as A+) 27 July 1937
Toy Trumpet
Power House
F+) Stan Roderick, Tommy McQuater, Archie Craig (tpt); Les Carew
George Chisholm (tmb); Joe Crossman, Joe Jeanette, Billy Amstell (reeds)
Bert Read (pno); Ivor Mairants (gtr); Tiny Waters (bs); Max Bacon (dms)
Jimmy Blades (tim, xyl)
10th February 1939
The Wedding Of The Sophisticated Dutch Doll
Mr Reynard's Nightmare
Tootin' Around
Voodoo
G+) As F+) 28th February 1939
Early Morning Blues
Hullabaloo
H+) As F+) 2nd March 1939
Plain Jane
I+) As F+) 27th March 1939
Jeepers Creepers
J+) As F+) 26th April 1939
Man About Town
K+) As F+) 13th June 1939
The Wardance Of The Wooden Indians
L+) As F+) 17th June 1939
The Penguin
