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Ben Pollack and his Central Park Orchestra

Ben Pollack Central Park Orchestra

1928 was notable for two major events in Ben Pollack’s life. In March he moved his band to New York where they had a base for regular East Coast tours and appeared in many local venues. A few months later, Pollack hired the then largely unknown Jack Teagarden as his trombone soloist. From that point on Glenn Miller, quickly recognizing Teagarden’s superiority, chose to focus more on arranging.

Unlike many other bandleaders, Ben Pollack was generous in letting his talented sidemen record elsewhere while still working nightly in his orchestra. Pollack himself participated in some of the sessions which were generally more freewheeling and jazz-oriented than most of the recordings released under his own name as Ben Pollack’s Park Central Orchestra.

Excerpt from Ben Pollack: Profiles in Jazz, by Scott Yanow

Thanks to Bob Palmer, Owen Miller and Richard Unger for the recordings on this page.

Title Recording Date Recording Location Company
Bashful Baby
(Cliff Friend / Abner Silver )
7-25-1929 New York, New York RCA X
LX-3003

53949-2
Bashful Baby
(Cliff Friend / Abner Silver)
7-25-1929 New York, New York Victor
22074

53949-3
Buy, Buy For Baby
(Or Baby Will Bye-Bye You)

(Irving Caesar / Joseph Meyer)
10-15-1928 New York, New York Victor
21743

47742-1
Buy, Buy For Baby
(Or Baby Will Bye-Bye You)
 (take 3)

(Irving Caesar / Joseph Meyer)
10-15-1928 New York, New York RCA X
LX-3003

47742-3
Forever
(Jack Yellen / Milton Ager)
10-1-1928 New York, New York Victor
21716
From Now On
(Edward Eliscu / Harry Ruby )
9-27-1929 New York, New York Victor
22158
Futuristic Rhythm
(Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh)
12-24-1928 New York, New York Victor
21858
I’d Like To Be A Gypsy
(Ned Washington / Michael H. Cleary)
5-27-1929 New York, New York Victor
22252
In A Great Big Way
(Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh)
1-25-1929 New York, New York Okeh
41189
(Louisville Rhythm Kings)
In The Hush Of The Night
(Sammy Lerner / Al Hoffman)
7-25-1929 New York, New York Victor
22071
Keep Your Undershirt On
(Bert Kalmar / Harry Ruby)
11-29-1929 New York, New York Victor
22267
Let’s Sit And Talk About You
(Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh)
1-24-1929 New York, New York Victor
21858
Let’s Sit And Talk About You
(Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh)
1-16-1929 New York, New York Okeh
(Louisville Rhythm Kings)
Louise
(from Paramount picture “Innocents of Paris”)
Vocal refrain by Charles Roberts

(Leo Robin / Richard A. Whiting)
3-1-1929 New York, New York Victor
21941-A
My Kinda Love
(One Way To Paradise)

(Jo Trent / Louis Alter)
3-5-1929 New York, New York Victor
21944

50912-2
My Kinda Love
(One Way To Paradise)

(Jo Trent / Louis Alter)
3-5-1929 New York, New York Victor
LPV-528

50912-3
On With The Dance!
(Monaco / Leslie / Dubin)
3-5-1929 New York, New York Victor
21944
Sally Of My Dreams
(William Kernell)
1-24-1929 New York, New York Victor
21857
Sentimental Baby
(Jack Palmer)
12-3-1928 New York, New York Victor
21827
She’s One Sweet Show Girl
(Edward Grossman / Ted Ward)
10-15-1928 New York, New York Victor
21743

47743-1
She’s One Sweet Show Girl
(Edward Grossman / Ted Ward)
10-15-1928 New York, New York Victor
unissued

47743-2
She’s One Sweet Show Girl
(Edward Grossman / Ted Ward)
10-15-1928 New York, New York Victor
unissued

47743-3
Shout Hallelujah ! ‘Cause I’m Home
(Dixon)
1-25-1929 New York, New York Parlophone
R-340
(Bennie’s Louisville Rhythm Kings)
Song Of The Blues
(Bernie Grossman / Isham Jones)
8-15-1929 New York, New York Victor
22147
Sweetheart, We Need Each Other
(From the RADIO picture, “Rio Rita”)
Vocal refrain by Burt Lorin

(Joseph McCarthy / Harry Tierney)
8-22-1929 New York, New York Victor
22101-A
Then Came The Dawn
(Al Dubin / Harry Warren)
12-3-1928 New York, New York Victor
21827
True Blue Lou
(from Paramount picture “The Dance of Life”)

(Dobin / Coslow / Whiting )
8-15-1929 New York, New York Victor
22089
Wait ‘Til You See “Ma Cherie”
(from Paramount picture “Innocents of Paris”)

(Leo Robin / Richard A. Whiting)
3-1-1929 New York, New York Victor
21941-B
Where The Sweet Forget-Me-Nots Remember
(Mort Dixon / Harry Warren)
8-15-1929 New York, New York Victor
22106-A
Won’tcha? 7-25-1929 New York, New York Victor
22071
You’re Always In My Arms
(But Only In My Dreams)
(From the RADIO picture, “Rio Rita”)
Vocal refrain by Burt Lorin

(Joseph McCarthy / Harry Tierney)
8-22-1929 New York, New York Victor
22101-B
You’ve Made Me Happy Today
(Graham John / Nicolas Kempner)
9-27-1929 New York, New York Victor
22158

Artist Instrument
Gene Austin Vocals
Smith Ballew Vocals
Ray Bauduc Drums
Franklyn Baur Vocals
Al Beller Violin
Ed Bergman Violin
Larry Binyon Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Vic Briedis Piano
Joe Catalyne Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
Benny Goodman Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
Harry Goodman Brass Bass
Al Harris Cornet
Scrappy Lambert Vocals
Belle Mann Vocals
Matty Matlock Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
Jimmy McPartland Cornet
Dick Morgan Banjo
Ben Pollack Drums, Leader, Vocals
Snub Pollard Trumpet
Dick Robertson Vocals
Gil Rodin Alto Saxophone
Bill Schumann Cello
Murphy Steinberg Trumpet
Charlie Teagarden Trumpet
Jack Teagarden Trombone
Ruby Weinstein Trumpet

 

St Louis Cotton Club Band 1925

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