Contemporary Publications
4. Buescher Saxophones
Many 1920's advertisements for dance band instruments featured the players or leaders
of popular dance bands of the day. This advertisment for Buescher saxophones indicates that many of the leading US dancebands of the 1920's used their instruments.
Although they are shown holding a Buescher I always thought Ben Selvin and Dan Russo were violin players!
RESPONSES:
Andrew Homzy writes:"In the 20s, the saxophone achieved "ornamental" status like the ukulele and
the racoon coat. It was the "cats pajamas" to even own one. Musically, many
violinists picked up the saxophone because it was easy to learn and because
it served a similar function in a dance band as the violin in an orchestra
- to play the melody. Because of their more intensive and thorough
training, violinists also became leaders of dance bands - we're not talking
jazz here - and the more instruments one could display on the bandstand,
the more esteem one could presumably muster. This is akin to rock/pop bands
loading the stage with unnecessary electronic gear."
Robert Zieff writes: "It seems that the pit orks for silent movies had violinists doubling sax.
Hymie Schertzer had been a violinist (Goodman wanted a sax section that
doubled as a string section originally.) Ray Perry with Hampton had the
same double."
Earl Okin writes: "To this day in the UK ,it's common for danceband-leaders to double on sax
and violin, for different types of dance-tunes."
and Robert Zieff adds: "I just remembered--it seems to me Marshall Royal, the alto saxist, doubled
on violin. I vaguely remember that Lionel Hampton wanted to have some
saxes double as a string section--what with Ray Perry (alto sax & violin) also
in the band. And Hines had an alto player doubling violin in the early
1930s--whose name escapes me at the moment.[Darnell Howard?]. I think trombonist Lou McGarity also played violin.
And Dick Wetmore who I did a number of recording dates with also
plays trumpet.
Thanks for the responses. JABW
this page first published by John Wright, 2 Apr 1998
last update 14 Mar 1999vintage@jabw.demon.co.uk