HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Gus Arnheim & His Ambassadors for the West Coast

Birth of Jazz: Gus Arnheim

Gus Arnheim

Born on 4 September 1897 in Philadelphia, bandleader, Gus Arnheim, grew up in Chicago and attended the Chicago Conservatory of Music. He began his professional career playing piano in theatres but remains an obscure figure until he headed for the West Coast, his career there commencing in 1919 with a group called the Syncopated Five at the Sunset Inn in Santa Monica including Henry Halstead at violin and Abe Lyman at drums. Geezer Music Club has him backing vaudevillian, Sophie Tucker, not much later, probably filling a spot briefly as one her Five Kings of Syncopation. Arnheim first recorded as a pianist with Lyman and the latter's Hotel Ambassador Orchestra in Santa Monica in September of 1922. The Ambassador was a huge venue frequented by Hollywood stars that opened on January 1, 1921. Taking up 24 acres along Wilshire Avenue in Los Angeles, it opened its main ballroom which seated 1000 on 21 April 1921. The Ambassador sailed under blue skies as a hotspot for major stars from Bing Crosby to the Supremes for several decades until finally demising to its close in 1989. The assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy on 5 June 1968 at the Ambassador hadn't been especially good for business. It entered into the vapors of history upon its demolishing begun in 2005, what is now Koreatown filling its vacancy.

Ambassador Hotel

Location of the Cocoanut Grove Ballroom

Postcard 1921

Arnheim recorded numerously with Lyman's Hotel Ambassador Orchestra until perhaps October 1925 and isn't listed in any known sessionography again until April 1928 with his own orchestra. Lyman recorded with various other operations during that period, his residency at the Ambassador ending in 1926. Be as may, Arnheim had joined the ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) in 1925. The ASCAP was formed in 1914 to collect licensing fees and distribute royalties. Arnheim and Lyman had by that time co-authored several titles that reached the Top Ten beginning with 'I Cried for You' at #2 in 1923 performed by Benny Krueger and His Orchestra.

'Those Longing for You Blues'

Gus Arnheim at piano w Abe Lyman (drums) & His Hotel Ambassador Orchestra

Recorded c Sep 1922 in Santa Monica Nordskog 3019-B

Cornet: Ray Lopez Trombone: Vic Smith Alto sax: Jim Welton

Clarinet / tenor sax: Gus Mueller Banjo / ukulele: Charles Pierce

Violin: John Schonberger / Charles Kaley Bass / tuba: Jake Garcia

Composition: Frank Westphall

In 1927 Arnheim formed the band that was the Ambassador Hotel Orchestra. This tuxedo operation would also be called the Cocoanut Grove Orchestra, and Gus Arnheim and His Ambassadors. Since those are different names for basically the same thing I list them below as simply the Gus Arnheim Orchestra. Arnheim first documented tracks as a leader for Okeh Records in April 1928. He took his orchestra on its first European journey in 1929. Arnheim and his orchestra placed ten titles in the Top Ten from 1929 ('Avalon Town #6) to 1937 ('So Rare' #2). 'Sweet and Lovely' topped the charts at #1 in 1931. Though largely a popular dance band in the West Coast style where jazz was more domesticated than on the East Coast, it was yet known to spice things up and employed not a few big names in jazz along the way from (in no particular order) Woody Herman (clarinet) to Stan Kenton (piano) to Art Pepper (sax). If you haven't tripped yet over this phrasing (call it jazz) it may be safe to assume that Arnheim is the pianist on all tracks below.

'Feelin' Good' Gus Arnheim & His Ambassador Hotel Orchestra

Recorded 14 April 1928 in Los Angeles Okeh 41057

Trumpet: Ray Lopez / Roy Fox Trombone: Norman Taylor

Clarinet / tenor sax: Jimmy Grier Clarinet / alto sax: Lou Marcasie / Dick Dickinson

Violin: Henry Jaworski / Russ Columbo Guitar: Sonny Howard / Ernie Anderson

Tuba: Harry Robinson Drums: Bob Berry Vocal trio possibly including Columbo

Music: Owen Murphy Lyrics: Jack Yellen

'Tiger Rag' Gus Arnheim Orchestra Film

Vitaphone short released 23 July 1928

Trumpet: Ray Lopez / Roy Fox Trombone: Norman Taylor

Clarinet: Jimmy Grier Violin: Russ Columbo

Composition: Nick LaRocca (ODJB) 1917

'Sleepy Valley' Gus Arnheim Orchestra backing Buster Dees

Recorded 14 April 1929 in Hollywood Victor 21986 Charts at #2 1929

Music: James Hanley Lyrics: Andrew Sterling

'One Sweet Kiss' Gus Arnheim Orchestra backing Buster Dees

Recorded 19 April 1929 in Hollywood Victor 22056-B

Composition: Dave Dreyer / Al Jolson

'Singin' in the Rain' Instrumental by the Gus Arnheim Orchestra

Recorded 28 April 1929 in Hollywood Victor 22012-A Charts at #9 1929

Trumpet: Ray Lopez / Walter Holzhaus Trombone: Norman Taylor

Clarinet / tenor sax: Jimmy Grier Clarinet / alto sax: Lou Marcasie / Dick Dickinson

Violin: Henry Jaworski / Russ Columbo Guitar: Sonny Howard / Ernie Anderson

Tuba: Harry Robinson Drums: Bob Berry

Composition: Nacio Herb Brown / Arthur Freed

'This Is Heaven' Gus Arnheim Orchestra backing Buster Dees

Recorded 1 May 1929 in Culver City Victor 21986-B

Music: Harry Akst Lyrics: Jack Yellen

Transcribed radio broadcasts by Arnheim come with dates not all sources of which agree. Not impossible that he recorded them on dates I alone can't confirm — and he performed 'Sweet and Lovely' numerously — I walk the plank in believing that all tracks below were recorded in Hollywood in 1931 with the possible exception of 'Egyptian Shimmy' in 1932. All are thought to be included on compilations of radio broadcasts in references below.

'I'm Thru with Love' Gus Arnheim Orchestra backing Loyce Whiteman

Hollywood radio broadcast sometime 1931

Music: Matty Malneck / Fud Livingston Lyrics: Gus Kahn

'Sweet and Lovely' Gus Arnheim Orchestra backing Loyce Whiteman

Hollywood radio broadcast sometime 1931

Composition: Arnheim / Charles Daniels / Harry Tobias

The recording of this on 19 July 1931 topped the charts in 1931

That was sung by Donald Novis for issue on Victor 22770

'Sweet Georgia Brown' Instrumental by the Gus Arnheim Orchestra

Hollywood radio broadcast sometime 1931

Music: Ben Bernie / Maceo Pinkard Lyrics: Kenneth Casey

'Egyptian Shimmy' Instrumental by the Gus Arnheim Orchestra

Hollywood radio broadcast sometime 1932

Jimmie Grier assumed Arnheim's place at the Ambassador when Arnheim returned to Chicago circa 1934. He there directed his orchestra until retiring from the music business after World War II in Beverly Hills.

'So Rare' Gus Arnheim Orchestra backing Jimmy Farrell

Recorded 23 June 1937 in NYC Brunswick 7919

Piano by Stan Kenton Charts at #2 1937

Music: Jerry Herst Lyrics: Jack Sharpe

'Have You Got Any Castles Baby?' Gus Arnheim Orchestra backing Jimmy Farrell

Recorded 22 July 1937 in NYC Matrix 21421=1 Brunswick 7937

Trumpet: Charlie Spivak Piano: Stan Kenton Charts at #11 1937

Composition: Johnny Mercer / Richard Whiting

'On with the Dance' Gus Arnheim Orchestra backing Jimmy Farrell

Recorded 22 July 1937 in NYC Matrix 21422=1 Brunswick 7937

Trumpet: Charlie Spivak Piano: Stan Kenton

Composition: Johnny Mercer / Richard Whiting

Arnheim and his wife entered the insurance business in California, then restaurant management until his death on 19 January 1955 of heart attack in Los Angeles.

Sources & References for Gus Arnheim:

Sandra Burlingame (Jazz Standards)

Eugene Chadbourne (All Music)

Will Friedwald (Sophie Tucker / A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers / Pantheon Books / 2010)

Geezer Music Club (Sophie Tucker)

IMDb

Radio Archives

Trav S.D. (Travalanche)

ViolaFair (notes)

Wikipedia

Wikiwand

Ambassador Hotel & the Cocoanut Grove Ballroom: