Carroll Gibbons

Carroll Gibbons

Source: Songbook

Born on 4 January 1903 in Clinton, Massachusetts, pianist, Carroll Gibbons, studied at the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) with Rudy Vallee. He also studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London while yet a teenager [Wikipedia]. Vallee played saxophone before his crooning days and while at NEC he and Gibbons formed a band together. Chet Williamson has them in London together playing at the Savoy Hotel in 1923, taken to England by banjo and guitar player, Joe Branelley [Bhamra].

arwulf arwulf at All Music suggests that Gibbons held his first recording sessions for Columbia in 1923 but doesn't identify them. The Savoy Hotel featured two bands in 1923, the Savoy Havana Band and the slightly later Savoy Orpheans, both with which Gibbons performed. Both bands recorded titles in 1923 which doesn't mean, however, that Gibbons participated. It seems too early for him to have contributed to 'Annabelle' and 'Romany Rose' toward Columbia 3338 with the Savoy Havana Band in 1923. The first recordings by the Savoy Orpheans was 'Who Cares' and 'Romany Rose' in 1923 toward HMV B1745, Gibbons' participation unknown. Curator of the Savoy Havana Band below, Andy LeMaitre, prefers Billy Mayerl to Gibbons, and I present it here because it's by the Savoy Havana Band, not because Gibbons contributes:

'Annabelle'   Savoy Havana Band of the Savoy Hotel   Gibbons out

Recorded 5 Nov 1923   Columbia 3338

Trumpet: Harry Thompson / Arthur Wilson   Trombone: Bernard Tipping

Reeds: Leslie Bates   Piano: Billy Mayerl   Violin: Ramon Newton (leader)

Banjo: Dave Thomas   Bass brass: Jim Bellamy   Drums: Ronnie Gubertini

Music: Ray Henderson   Lyrics: Lew Brown

Another questionable date arrived in August 1924 in London with the Savoy (Hotel) Orpheans for Columbia per 'Oh! Eva' and 'Any Way the Wind Blows'. Tom Lord suggests Billy Thorburn, Gibbons if not.

'Any Way the Wind Blows'   Savoy Hotel Orpheans

Recorded Aug 1924 in London   Columbia 3495

Trombone: George Chaffin   Piano: Carroll Gibbons if not Billy Thorburn

Composition: James Hanley / Henry Creamer

Gibbons more certainly recorded with the Savoy Orpheans as the Boston Orchestra in Hayes on 31 January 1925 toward 'Unfortunate Blues', 'Nola' and 'Mamma's Gone' for HMV. Curator, Nick Dellow, below, suggests Billy Mayerl at piano, but Gibbons is preferred by Discogs, Lord and Rust. Where piano isn't indicated herein it is usually by Gibbons.

'Mamma's Gone'   Savoy Hotel Orpheans as the Boston Orchestra

Recorded 31 Jan 1925 in Hayes   HMV B1964

Trumpet: Harry Thompson or Vernon Ferry

Trombone: Bernard Tipping or George Chaffin

Alto sax: Howard Jacobs   Tenor sax: Leslie Bates ?

Piano: Carroll Gibbons   Violin: Reg Pursglove

Banjo: Joe Brannelly   Drums: Alec Ure

'Charleston'   Carroll Gibbons   Piano duet w Arthur Young

Recorded 15 July 1925   Vocalion X-9614   See König   Thomas

Composition: James P. Johnson / Cecil Mack 1923

'Vladivostok'   Carroll Gibbons and the Savoy Hotel Orpheans

Recorded 15 July 1927 in Hayes   HMV B5373

Trumpet: Frank Guarente   Trombone: George Chaffin

Reeds (clarinet / sax): Jim Cassidy / Roy Whetstein / Al Notorage

Piano: Carroll Gibbons or Frank Herbin

Banjo: Bert Thomas   Tuba: Jim Bellamy    Drums: Alec Ure

Gibbons' initial recording as a leader is thought to have been with the New Mayfair Orchestra, a studio band, for the HMV label during a performance in November of 1928 at Small Queen's Hall in London: 'I Can't Give You Anything But Love'. The New Mayfair Orchestra recorded 'I'm Crazy Over You', 'What a Wonderful Wedding That Will Be' and 'Deep Hollow' in February of 1929. Come Gibbons' Playmates in July toward 'Reaching for Someone' and 'Mean to Me'.

'Reaching For Someone'   Carroll Gibbons and His Playmates

Recorded 13 July 1929 at Small Queen's Hall in London   HMV B3110

Trumpet: Norman Payne   Clarinet / alto sax: Danny Polo

Composition: Walter Donaldson

In 1931 Gibbons assumed sole leadership of the Savoy Orpheans. Pulling members from that orchestra to form his smaller ensemble called the Boy Friends, his debut tracks with that group went down on 17 December 1931 toward 'Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries' and 'Sleepy Time Down South' issued on Columbia DB732. Among vocalists who passed through his Hotel Orpheans were Harry Bentley who died young in 1935 and thus the better known Maurice Elwin.

'On The Air'   Carroll Gibbons and the Savoy Hotel Orpheans

Recorded 26 Oct 1932   Columbia CB 525

Vocal: Harry Bentley

Composition: Jimmy Campbell / Reg Connelly / Gibbons

'Isn't It Romantic'   Carroll Gibbons and the Savoy Hotel Orpheans

Recorded 10 Nov 1932   Columbia CB 533

Vocal: Maurice Elwin

Music: Richard Rodgers   Lyrics: Lorenz Hart   1932

'Dinner at Eight'   Carroll Gibbons and the Savoy Hotel Orpheans

Recorded 9 Oct 1933 in London   Columbia 2813-D

Trumpet: Bill Shakespeare / Bully Higgs / Arthur Fenoulhet

Trombone: Arthur Fenoulhet / Paul Fenoulhet / Sam Acres

Reeds (clarinet / sax): George Melanchrinc / Laurie Payne / George Smith

Piano: Carroll Gibbons   Violin: Ben Frankel / George Melanchrinc

Guitar: Harry Sherman   String bass: Jack Evetts

Drums: Rudy Starita   Vocal: Harry Bentley

Music: Jimmy McHugh   Lyrics: Dorothy Fields   1933

'For All We Know'   Carroll Gibbons and the Savoy Hotel Orpheans

Recorded 23 Oct 1934   Columbia CB 803

Vocal: Harry Bentley

Music: John Fred Coots   Lyrics: Sam M. Lewis   1934

Gibbons began backing vocalist, Anne Lenner, on 12 December 1934 in London per 'Love Is In the Air Again' (Columbia DB 1501) and 'Give Me a Heart to Sing' (Columbia DB). Gibbons and Lenner would record more than 150 titles together until her departure from the Savoy Hotel in 1941.

'I Wish I Were Twins'   Carroll Gibbons and His Boy Friends

Recorded 14 Jan 1935 in London   CAX-7409-1 / EMI SH 519 at Anne Lenner

Vocal: Anne Lenner

Composition: Frank Loesser / Eddie DeLange / Joseph Meyer

'Top Hat, White Tie and Tails'   Carroll Gibbons and His Boy Friends

Recorded sometime 1935   Columbia FB 1189

Composition: Irving Berlin 1935

'These Foolish Things'   Carroll Gibbons and His Orchestra

Recorded 26 May 1936   Columbia FB 130   Charts: #8 US June 1936

Vocal: Turner Layton (also credited with piano)

Composition: Jack Strachey / Eric Maschwitz / Harry Link

'Painting Rainbows'   Carroll Gibbons and His Savoy Hotel Orchestra

Film titled 'Calling All Stars' released March 1937   IMDb   Wikipedia

'Shall We Dance - Selection'   Carroll Gibbons and His Orpheans

Recorded 3 June 1937   Columbia FB 1704

Vocals: George Melachrino / Anne Lenner

Medley selected from the American film 'Shall We Dance' released on 7 May 1937

'Double or Nothing - Film Selection'   Carroll Gibbons and His Boy Friends

Recorded Jan 1938   Columbia FB 1870

Medley selected from the American film 'Double or Nothing' released on 17 Sep 1937

Medley from Pathé 'Radio Music Hall' Reel 1   Carroll Gibbons   Film   1938

'Two Sleepy People - Slow Fox Trot'   Carroll Gibbons and His Savoy Hotel Orpheans

Recorded 29 Nov 1938   Columbia FB 2095

Vocals: George Melachrino / Anne Lenner

Medley selected from the American film 'Thanks for the Memory' released on 11 Nov 1938

'Deep Purple'   Carroll Gibbons and His Savoy Hotel Orpheans

Recorded 6 April 1939   Columbia FB 2603

Music: Peter de Rose   Lyrics: Mitchel Parish

'Harmonise'   Carroll Gibbons   Film

From the film 'The Common Touch' released 15 December 1941

Thought to be Greta Gynt lip-syncing Anne Lenner

If that then Gibbons is likely syncing as well

Gibbons died of coronary thrombosis in London on 10 May 1954 only age fifty-one.