Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra

Glen Gray

Photo: Rockwell O'Keefe Inc.

Source: Planet Barberella

Glen Gray was a saxophonist who was born in Roanoke, Illinois, on 7 June 1900. His father had been a saloon keeper who also worked for the railroad until his death when Glen was age two. His mother then married a coal miner. He was a notable basketball player in high school before graduating in 1917. He attended the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago (1886) in 1921 before quitting to join the orchestra of George Haschert. He then worked for several bands in Detroit from 1924 to 1929.

Jean Goldkette's Orange Blossoms had been formed in 1927. But Goldkette had trouble getting his musicians paid. So in 1929 the Blossoms became the Casa Loma Orchestra with Glen Gray leading. Two takes of 'Love Is a Dreamer' (OKeh 41329) were among the titles from Gray and his orchestra's first session in NYC on October 29. Gray incorporated the band, members paid by shares rather than hired, which may be what took them through the Depression.

'Love Is a Dreamer'   Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

Gray's first-known recording to issue

Recorded 29 Oct 1929 in NYC   Matrix 403203-A   OKeh 41329

Trumpet: Joe Hostetter / Dub Shoffner / Bobby Jones

Trombone: Pee Wee Hunt / Billy Rauch

Reeds: Glen Gray (alto) / Les Arquette (clarinet / alto) / Pat Davis (tenor)

Piano: Joe Hall   Violin: Mel Jenssen

Banjo / guitar / arrangement: Gene Gifford

Tuba / bass: Stanley Dennis   Drums: Tony Briglia

Vocal: Les Arquette   Leading: Henry Biagini

Music: Sam Stept   Lyrics: Bud Green

'Blue Prelude'   Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

Recorded 31 Jan 1933 in NYC

Either of 2 takes issued on Brunswick 6513 or Brunswick A9406

Composition: Gordon Jenkins / Joe Bishop

Gray and his Casa Loma Orchestra aren't household names now nigh a century later, but from 1933 into the forties they constantly occupied the popularity charts, topping them five times at #1 beginning with 'Blue Moon' in 1935 followed by 'When I Grow Too Old to Dream' in 1937. In 1939 it was 'Heaven Can Wait' and 'Sunrise Serenade'. 'My Heart Tells Me (Should I Believe My Heart?)' reached Billboard's #1 in 1943, #7 on the R&B. TsorT estimates that this was Gray's best-selling title overall. Gray and his orchestra's Top Ten titles through the years:

   Heatwave   #3   1933
  It's the Talk of the Town   #6   1933
  Sophisticated Lady   #4   1933
  Under a Blanket of Blue   #6   1933
  Wild Goose Chase   #6   1933
  Champagne Waltz   #7   1934
  I Never Had a Chance   #6   1934
  Moonglow   #8   1934
  Out in the Cold Again   #4   1934
  Spellbound   #10   1934
  Two Cigarettes in the Dark   #10   1934
  The Object of My Affection   #10   1934
  Blue Moon   #1   1935
  Fare Thee Well, Annabelle  #2   1935
  Lookie, Lookie, Here Comes Cookie   #7   1935
  When I Grow Too Old to Dream   #1   1935
  With All My Heart   #9   1936
  Never in a Million Years   #7   1937
  You Go to My Head   #9   1938 
  Heaven Can Wait   #1   1939
  I Cried for You   #6   1939
  Sunrise Serenade   #1   1939
  Tears from My Inkwell   #4   1939
  This Night (Will Be My Souvenir)   #7   1939
  No Name Jive   #9   1940
  One Dozen Roses   #8   1942
  Don't Get Around Much Anymore   #7   1942
  My Heart Tells Me (Should I Believe My Heart?)   #1   #7 R&B   1943
  My Shining Hour   #4   1944
  Gotta Be This or That   #9   1945

'Under a Blanket of Blue'   Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

Recorded 26 May 1933 in NYC   Matrix 13392-A   Brunswick 6584   Charts: #6

Vocal: Kenny Sargent

Composition: Marty Symes / Al Neiburg / Jerry Levinson

'Smoke Rings'   Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

Recorded 23 July 1937 in NYC   Matrix DLA-834-A   Decca 1473   Charts: #15

Composition: H. Eugene Gifford / Ned Washington

'Sunrise Serenade'   Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

Recorded 17 Feb 1939 in NYC   Matrix 65035-A   Decca 2321   Charts: #1

Composition: H. Eugene Gifford / Ned Washington

'Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra'   Film

Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra on Vitaphone reel #A479

Recorded 29 Oct 1929 in NYC   Matrix 403203-A   OKeh 41329

Trumpet: Grady Watts / Frank Ryerson / Corky Cornelius

Trombone: Pee Wee Hunt / Billy Rauch / Charlie McCamish

Sax: Eddie Costanzo / Clarence Hutchenrider / Art Ralston / Pat Davis / Kenny Sargent

Piano: Joe Hall   Guitar: Dick Fisher

Bass: Stan Dennis   Drums: Tony Briglia

Vocal 'Purple Moonlight' (missing - edited out): Kenny Sargent

Vocal 'Darktown Strutters Ball': Pee Wee Hunt

'Talk of the Town'   Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

Recorded 15 Jan 1942 in NYC   Matrix 70173-A   Decca 4292

Vocal: Kenny Sargent

Composition: Al Neiburg / Jerry Livingston / Marty Symes

The Casa Loma corporation was dissolved in 1942 but Gray kept the orchestra working with employed musicians until 1947. Gray returned with another version of the band in the fifties. From 1958 to 1963 he and his band recorded the nine-volume series called 'Sounds of the Great Bands'. Volume 9 of that series was 'Sounds of the Great Bands in Latin' which contents were the last recordings made by Gray and his Casa Loma organization due to his death of lymphoma that year in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on August 23.

'Smoke Rings'   Film featuring Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

Universal Studios release 28 July 1943   Directed by Arthur Dreifuss

Vocals:

3:05: Eugenie Baird: 'That's My Affair'   Music: Irving Weiser   Lyrics: Hy Zaret

4:44: Pee Wee Hunt: 'Little Man with the Hammer'

Music: Bernie Hanighen   Lyrics: Johnny Mercer

9:50: Pied Pipers: 'I'm Sorry'   Music: Abe Lyman   Lyrics: Walter Donaldson

10:58: Pied Pipers: 'Can't Get Stuff in Your Cuff'   Composition: Sy Oliver

'No Name Jive'   Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra   Film

From the film 'Jam Session' released 13 April 1944

Suggested personnel:

Trumpet: William Kent Sr. / Johnny Owens / Corky Cornelius

Trombone: Ottie Alburn / Pee Wee Hunt / Jack Pageler / George Jean

Sax: Bunny Bardach / Conn Humphreys / Al Senner / Lon Doty

Piano: Charlie Queener   Guitar: Dick Fisher

Bass: Stan Dennis   Drums: Tony Briglia

Composition: Larry Wagner

'Sounds of The Great Bands!'   Vol 1   Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra   Album

Recorded early 1958 in Hollywood   Capitol Records SW1022

Trumpet: Pete Candoli / Conrad Gozzo / Manny Klein / Shorty Sherock

Trombone: Bennie Benson / Joe Howard / Si Zentner / Murray McEachern

Tenor sax: Babe Russin / Plas Johnson / Jules Jacobs

Other reed: Murray McEachern / Gus Bivona / Skeets Herfurt / Chuck Gentry

Piano: Ray Sherman   Guitar: Jack Marshall

Bass: Mike Rubin   Drums: Nick Fatool

Vibraphone: Emil Richards   Arrangements: Larry Wagner / Van Alexander

'Jack the Bear'   Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

From the album 'Sounds of The Great Bands!'   Vol 3

Subtitled 'Swingin' Decade'

Album recorded 12 & 14 Aug 1959 in Los Angeles

Trumpet: Shorty Sherock / Pete Candoli / Uan Rasey / Manny Klein

Trombone: Milt Bernhart / Joe Howard / Tommy Pederson / George Roberts (bass)

Reeds: Gus Bivona / Skeets Herfurt / Plas Johnson /  Babe Russin / Chuck Gentry

Piano: Ray Sherman   Guitar: George Van Eps

Bass: Mike Rubin   Drums: Nick Fatool

Composition: Duke Ellington   1940

'Embraceable You'   Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

From the album 'Please, Mr. Gray...'

Album recorded in Hollywood sometime fall 1960

Trumpet: Manny Klein / Conrad Gozzo / Shorty Sherock / Pete Candoli / Joe Graves

Trombone: Ed Kusby / Milt Bernhart / Dick Noel / Joe Howard

Reeds: Gus Bivona / Skeets Herfurt / Babe Russin / Jules Jacobs / Chuck Gentry

Piano: Ray Sherman   Guitar: Jack Marshall

Bass: Mike Rubin   Drums: Nick Fatool

Music: George Gershwin   Lyrics: Ira Gershwin   1928

'A String of Pearls'   Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

From the album 'Sounds of The Great Bands!'   Vol 9

Subtitled 'Sounds of the Great Bands in Latin'

Album recorded in Hollywood 1963 prior to 23 Aug   Capitol Records T-2131

Last recordings made by Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra

Album personnel:

French horn: Jack Cave

Trumpet: Frank Beach / Mannie Klein / Pete Candoli / Shorty Sherock / Uan Rasey

Trombone: Ed Kusby / George Roberts / Joe Howard / Lew McCreary / Milt Bernhart

Reeds:

Abe Most / Chuck Gentry / Julie Jacob / Justin Gordon / Plas Johnson / Skeets Herfurt / Willy Schwartz

Piano: Ray Sherman   Guitar: Jack Marshall

Vibes: Vic Feldman   Bass: Mike Rubin

Drums: Jerry Williams / Shelly Manne   Percussion: Chico Guerrero / Milt Holland

Arrangements: Billy May / Larry Wagner / Van Alexander

Composition: Eddie Delange / Jerry Gray

Jam Session (Columbia Pictures directed by Charles Barton / 1944):

IMDb   Wikipedia

Smoke Rings (Universal Studios directed by Arthur Dreifuss / 1943):

Internet Archive   Library of Congress

Recordings: Catalogs:

45 Worlds   Discogs   Music Brainz   RYM   SHS

Recordings: Compilations:

All the Hits and More 1934-43

The Casa Loma Orchestra: White Jazz (Old Bean Records OLD 5 / 1985)

Recordings by Gibbons: Sessions:

DAHR (Casa Loma Orchestra / 1929-1940)

DAHR (Glen Gray / 1933-1945)

Repertoire:

Embraceable You (Gershwin Brothers / 1928)

Jack the Bear (Duke Ellington / 1940)