Who remembers City Hall dances c1954?

[prioryx 10]

I dont remember any notices regarding Eccentric Dancing. What I do remember though, is when a Latino set was played, everybody who could, jived. And a lot of the Latino stuff was Perez Prado, mambos and stuff. I could never, in a million years, do the proper set moves to Latin, that was for the people in the parallel universe, thro' the arches, at the right hand side. You got on the lights and if they felt like stopping you jiving they had to plough thro' a hell of a lot of dancers.

Nanrobbo, I read your post on 'Unchained Malady', good song that. Do you remember a song called 'Never Let me Go' recorded by Nat Cole, beautiful. And another 'My Foolish Heart'? Who had the big hit with that one? It was sometime in the 50s. I keep thinking it was a early hit for Tony Bennet, but I'm not sure.[/quote

 

It was Billy Eckstine who sang My Foolish Heart among others and Al Hibblers' recording of Unchained Melody.

[pdewsnap 10]

I first went to the City about '48-'50. I still can't remember any notices about 'Eccentric Dancing'. I suppose if I really concentrated I could convince myself I could remember,but that way lies madness.

Actually I feel a little self-concious talking jazz on this thread when there's a jazz thread already, but I remember the Jay and Ki concert. If I'm not mistaken there was another American band on the same bill. Now I don't know much at all about the technicalities of trombone but I do recollect what appeared to be a difference in slide technique of the two musicians. JJ seemed to play at the top end of the slide, and do a lot of tonguing the notes, and Ki Winding seemed to use the slide a lot more. Would I be correct? As you can see I'm not certain what I'm talking about.

My favorit trombonistas are Jack Teagarden and Frank Rosolino.

 

Some notes can be played in different postions but I think what you were seeing probably was them playing sequences complimentary to each other and not in unison. Teagarden and Rosolino, fantastic. I did see somewhere that Teagarden, learning as a small boy, learned to play notes in unusual positions which others could not do. This was because his arms were too short to get full slide extension. I never found out if it was true. Are you familiar with Urbie Green, Bill Watrous and Carl Fontana? Also, Roy Williams, an English lad who came up with Alex Welsh. He's on Youtube. I didn't know there is a jazz thread. Thanks, I'll check it out.

[Texas 10]

Thought of another regular at the City back in the 50's, Brian Roddis. I think that was his proper name, but he was usually known by the rather grand name 'The Baron'.

[pdewsnap 10]

Thought of another regular at the City back in the 50's, Brian Roddis. I think that was his proper name, but he was usually known by the rather grand name 'The Baron'.

 

Sorry, that's another one I don't know. In 1952 I married a girl from Stocksbridge and we lived there so we stopped going to the City Hall dances in favour of our local. We also formed a group to raise money for Spastic kids. Eventually we had enough to build the centre at Oughtibridge with it's swimming bath. I was secretary and so got the job of organising the bands for the dances. Then I had an idea. Why not hire some of the known bands we hear on the radio and we did. We couldn't afford such as Ted Heath but small groups, yes. We had Mick Mulligan with George Melley, twice, Sid Phillips and Humphrey Lyttelton. They were great successes. Then the Football section of Social Services at Sammy Fox's hired Johnny Dankworth. We couldn't compete and that killed it

[Albert T Smith 10]

Can anyone remember how much did it cost to go in to the dance on a Saturday?

[pdewsnap 10]

Sorry, Alfred. I don't remember but the return ticket on the bus to Stocksbridge was 1/-6 and I wish we still had the quality of service provided then.

[fleetwood 10]

Can anyone remember how much did it cost to go in to the dance on a Saturday?

( I met my wife their and its cost me a fortune since!!).

 

I don't really remember either, but as I recall you could get a good seat in the upstaires concert hall around that time for about 6/-, so using that as a guide, it would have been less than that, i'm saying approx 3 to 4 bob.

[Texas 10]

Right on the money there prioryx. You had me looking thro' my collection and I found it, Billy Eckstine 'Foolish Heart'. It was on an old tape compilation, 1950.

[poppins 10]

Can anyone remember how much did it cost to go in to the dance on a Saturday?

 

Half crown I think

[nanrobbo 12]

Right on the money there prioryx. You had me looking thro' my collection and I found it, Billy Eckstine 'Foolish Heart'. It was on an old tape compilation, 1950.

Yes, that was a great song, but for me, I Apologize, was the song I best remember Billy Eckstine for. I have just pulled out a cheap CD I bought called No Cover No Minimum by Billy and that truly was the only good song on there.

Oh just popped back to say "No one but you" was also a great favourite , made your heart melt.

[Texas 10]

Your'e right popps, it was half a crown and good value for money too. Cost a small fortune today, something like the City.

I'm a fan of Billy Eckstine too Nan, and I agree 'I Apologize' is one of his best. That CD you mention, is it from a 'live' show he did?

Another number he did, a favorit of mine, not very well known really, was 'I Want to Talk about You'. It was an early hit for him, when he had his own band. It was his tune, that's to say he wrote it.

It was a great favorit of John Coltrane, the tenor player, he couldn't leave it alone, played it all the time. Like they say 'And that's jazz'.

[nanrobbo 12]

Yes I would think that the CD, (the only one I could get) I have is from a show/s, lots of applause on tracks. Billy does a version of 'Never walk alone' in competition with the drummer- the drummer won- the drummer's name according to the sleeve Buddy Grievey. It mentions on the sleeve on the CD a lot of the numbers were previously unissued, but some are quite good. I've not heard the track you mention "I want to talk about you." before. Regards Nan