Frankie Carle

Frankie Carle

Source: Vintage Music

Born Francis Nunzio Carlone on 25 March 1903 in Providence, Rhode Island, composer, Frankie Carle, played a lot of beautiful piano, beginning to work professionally in his latter teens. He early changed his name to Carle because Carlone sounded too Italian.

Carle's composition, 'Best Black', got recorded by the Mound City Blues Blowers on 26 January 1921. He was with Edwin J. McEnelley's band when he made his debut recording [Lord] on 2 November 1925 in NYC: 'Spanish Shawl' (Victor 19851).

'Spanish Shawl'   Frankie Carle (piano) w the Edwin J. McEnelly Orchestra

Recorded 2 Nov 1925 in NYC   Victor 19851

Trumpet: Chet Gomier / George Geek   Trombone: Eddie Swansas

Reeds (clarinet or sax): Al Strohman / Eddie Kunz / Butler Gilman (xylophone)

Violin: Edwin J. McEnelly   Banjo: Danny Egan

Tuba: Thurlow Darrow   Drums: Joseph Sefcik

Arrangement: Frankie Carle or Eddie Kunz if not both

Composition: Elmer Schoebel

In 1936 Carle began working with Mal Hallett's orchestra, his first session with Hallett on May 9, 1936: 'Mary Lou' and 'Swing Fever' (Vocalion 3236).

'Ridin' High'   Frankie Carle (piano) w the Mal Hallett Orchestra

Recorded 13 Jan 1937 in NYC   Shellac: Decca 1163 / 25147   Also on vinyl

Trombone: Turk Murphy   Tenor sax: Stuart Anderson

Composition: Cole Porter

Carle performed with the Casa Loma Orchestra in New York City on February 17, 1939, toward issues like 'Sunrise Serenade', 'I Promise You' and 'Heaven Can't Wait'. He joined Horace Heidt's operation in 1939, which brought him to national attention via radio. His first recordings with Heidt's Musical Knights was on September 20, 1939: 'Good Morning' and 'Are You Having Any Fun?'.  That session included Bobby Hackett on lead trumpet whose orchestra he later joined on numerous recordings in 1940. From a kid earning a dollar a week to play gigs, by this time Carle was now pocketing a thousand dollars a week plus 5% of gross.

'Sunrise Serenade'   Frankie Carle (piano) w Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

Recorded 17 Feb 1939 in NYC   Decca 2321

Music: Frankie Carle

'Estelle'   Piano by Frankie Carle

Recorded 23 June 1940   Matrix 27521-1   Columbia 35571

Music: Frankie Carle

'Twelflth Street Rag'   Piano by Frankie Carle

Recorded 23 June 1940   Matrix CO27525   Columbia 35572

Music: Euday Bowman

First recording by Earl Fuller's Rector Novelty Orchestra 1917

Josephine'   Piano by Frankie Carle

Recorded 2 April 1942  Matrix HCO798   Columbia 36692

Composition: Burke Bivens / Wayne King

'Louise'   Piano by Frankie Carle

Recorded 2 April 1942  Matrix HCO798   Columbia 36692

Composition: Richard Whiting / Leo Robin

Carle left Heidt to form his own orchestra in 1944, recording for Circle from 1944 to 1947.

'A Little on the Lonely Side'   Piano by Frankie Carle w his Orchestra

Recorded Nov 1944   Columbia 36760   Charts: #4 1945

Vocal: Paul Allen

Composition: Dick Robertson / Frank Weldon / James Cavanaugh

'Carle Boogie'   Piano by Frankie Carle

Recorded 1944   Columbia 37269   1947

Composition: Frankie Carle

'Rumors Are Flying'   Piano by Frankie Carle w his Orchestra

Recorded 18 July 1946 in Hollywood   Columbia 37069

Vocal: Marjorie Hughes

Composition: Bennie Benjamin / George David Weiss

'Beg Your Pardon'   Piano by Frankie Carle w his Orchestra

Recorded 9 Oct 1947   Columbia 38036

Vocal: Marjorie Hughes

Composition: Francis Craig / Beasley Smith

'Variety Time'   Film directed by Hal Yates   Released 21 Aug 1948

Piano by Frankie Carle w his Orchestra

'Powder Blue'   Piano by Frankie Carle w his Orchestra

Recorded 1950   RCA Victor 20-3980

Composition: Gladys Shelley / Paul McGrane / Harry Moss

'I'm Afraid to Love You'   Piano by Frankie Carle w his Orchestra

Recorded 1950   RCA Victor 20-3980

Vocal: Joan House

Composition: Harry Stride / Bert Douglas / McCarthy

'Sunrise Serenade'   Piano by Frankie Carle w his Orchestra

Recorded 1954   RCA Victor 20-5673

Composition: Frankie Carle

'Meditation'   Piano by Frankie Carle w his Orchestra

Recorded 1968   From the album 'Music for the Cocktail Hour' on RCA

Composition: Antônio Carlos Jobim

'Sunrise Serenade'   Piano by Frankie Carle w Freddy Martin & the Martin Men

PBS television special 'The Big Band Cavalcade' 1973

Composition: Frankie Carle

Carle was elected into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1989. He died in Mesa, Arizona, on March 7 2001, his career spanning seventy years.