BERT RALTON & HIS SAVOY HAVANA BAND · fellow-players. Another member of the ensemble was the...
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BERT RALTON & HIS SAVOY HAVANA BAND AUSTRALIAN VARIETY THEATRE ARCHIVE: RESEARCH NOTES See last page for citation, copyright and last updated details. aka Ralton's World-Famed Havana Band / Bert Ralton's Havana Band / Bert Ralton's New York Havana Band [Australia: 1923-1925] Saxophonist Albert Lewis Ralton (ca. 1885-1927) rose to prominence in the USA during the 1910s with Art Hickman's Orchestra. After leaving Hickman in 1919 he travelled to Cuba and formed his own band, and two years later moved to England where he scored his first big engagement at London's Coliseum in March 1922. A few months later Ralton and the Havana Dance Band took up residence at London's Savoy Hotel. As arguably one of the most popular jazz bands in the country he was afforded the opportunity to record many songs (mainly for Columbia) over the next few years. Percy Dawson brought Ralton to Australia in 1923 for the opening of his Ambassadors Hotel (Sydney). In addition to this engagement he and his band appeared on the Tivoli circuit as a vaudeville act, played at various ballrooms and theatres around the country, recorded at least 30 songs for local labels and featured in the 1924 film, The Price. They also undertook a tour of New Zealand in late-1924. The Australasian line-up included two local musicians - Harry Mehden (trombone) and Ned Tyrell (banjo). • The Havana Band made its first live broadcast from a BBC studio on 23 April 1922. In September that same year it became the first dance band to have regular, weekly broadcasts from the Savoy Hotel. • The line-up which came to Australia comprised: Martin H. Higley (drummer), Eddie Frizell (trumpet), Dave Wallace (banjo), Fred Saatman (piano), George Eskdale (trumpet/sax). During its engagement at the Ambassadors, Sydney, the Havana band also accompanied various cabaret acts. • In January 1927 Ralton was accidentally shot in Rhodesia during a hunting picnic party. He died in hospital soon afterwards. • The original London-based Savoy Havana band was a six piece. When Ralton came to Australia English violinist Reginald Batten organised another line-up. Both the Savoy Havana Band and their colleagues the Savoy Orpheans were under the management of Wilfred de Mornys. Among the musicians to play with the band was young American saxophonist, Rudy Vallée. His attempts to become a vocalist were reportedly discouraged by his fellow-players. Another member of the ensemble was the pianist Billy Mayerl. The owner of the Savoy Hotel, Rupert D'Oyly Carte, called the original Savoy Havana Band and the Savoy Orpheans "probably the best-known bands in Europe." When de Morny's contractual arrangement with the Savoy Hotel company ended on 31 December 1927, the band went on tour. It disbanded in 1930 but not before appearing in the 1930 film After Many Years (ctd. Wikpedia). See also: Harry Medhen • Ned Tyrell (The Tyrells) • Sam Babicci YouTube Further Reference Bourke, Chris. Blue Smoke: The Lost Dawn of New Zealand Popular Music 1918-1964. Auckland University Press (2013). Mitchell, Jack and Nick Dellow. "Bert Ralton and His Havana Band." VJM: Vintage Jazz Mart (2013). "Bert Ralton." YouTube [This page includes a number of recordings by Ralton and His Savoy Havana Band]
Transcript of BERT RALTON & HIS SAVOY HAVANA BAND · fellow-players. Another member of the ensemble was the...
BERT RALTON & HIS SAVOY HAVANA BAND
AUSTRALIAN VARIETY THEATRE ARCHIVE: RESEARCH NOTES
See last page for citation, copyright and last updated details.
aka Ralton's World-Famed Havana Band / Bert Ralton's Havana Band / Bert Ralton's New York Havana Band
[Australia: 1923-1925] Saxophonist Albert Lewis Ralton (ca. 1885-1927) rose to prominence in the USA during the
1910s with Art Hickman's Orchestra. After leaving Hickman in 1919 he travelled to Cuba and formed his own band,
and two years later moved to England where he scored his first big engagement at London's Coliseum in March 1922.
A few months later Ralton and the Havana Dance Band took up residence at London's Savoy Hotel. As arguably one
of the most popular jazz bands in the country he was afforded the opportunity to record many songs (mainly for
Columbia) over the next few years. Percy Dawson brought Ralton to Australia in 1923 for the opening of his
Ambassadors Hotel (Sydney). In addition to this engagement he and his band appeared on the Tivoli circuit as a
vaudeville act, played at various ballrooms and theatres around the country, recorded at least 30 songs for local labels
and featured in the 1924 film, The Price. They also undertook a tour of New Zealand in late-1924. The Australasian
line-up included two local musicians - Harry Mehden (trombone) and Ned Tyrell (banjo).
• The Havana Band made its first live broadcast from a BBC studio on 23 April 1922. In September that same year
it became the first dance band to have regular, weekly broadcasts from the Savoy Hotel.
• The line-up which came to Australia comprised: Martin H. Higley (drummer), Eddie Frizell (trumpet), Dave
Wallace (banjo), Fred Saatman (piano), George Eskdale (trumpet/sax). During its engagement at the
Ambassadors, Sydney, the Havana band also accompanied various cabaret acts.
• In January 1927 Ralton was accidentally shot in Rhodesia during a hunting picnic party. He died in hospital soon
afterwards.
• The original London-based Savoy Havana band was a six piece. When Ralton came to Australia English violinist
Reginald Batten organised another line-up. Both the Savoy Havana Band and their colleagues the Savoy
Orpheans were under the management of Wilfred de Mornys. Among the musicians to play with the band was
young American saxophonist, Rudy Vallée. His attempts to become a vocalist were reportedly discouraged by his
fellow-players. Another member of the ensemble was the pianist Billy Mayerl. The owner of the Savoy Hotel,
Rupert D'Oyly Carte, called the original Savoy Havana Band and the Savoy Orpheans "probably the best-known
bands in Europe." When de Morny's contractual arrangement with the Savoy Hotel company ended on 31
December 1927, the band went on tour. It disbanded in 1930 but not before appearing in the 1930 film After
Many Years (ctd. Wikpedia).
See also:
Harry Medhen • Ned Tyrell (The Tyrells) • Sam Babicci
YouTube
Further Reference
Bourke, Chris. Blue Smoke: The Lost Dawn of New Zealand Popular Music 1918-1964. Auckland University Press
(2013).
Mitchell, Jack and Nick Dellow. "Bert Ralton and His Havana Band." VJM: Vintage Jazz Mart (2013).
"Bert Ralton." YouTube [This page includes a number of recordings by Ralton and His Savoy Havana Band]
Mitchell and Dellow
ca. 1921 Mark Berresford Collection
Mitchell and Dellow
Mark Berresford Collection (Rare Records)
Mitchell and Dellow
1923
Sunday Times (Sydney) 26 Aug. 1923, 5.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/13267512
Sunday Times (Sydney) 28 Oct.
1923, 4.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/
page/13267815
The Sun (Sydney) 4 Nov. 1923, 17.
Daily News (Perth) 13 Nov. 1923, 4.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/7931517
Singleton Argus (NSW) 24 Nov. 1923, 6.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/7859304
Sydney Morning Herald 26 Nov. 1923, 6.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/1230317
Sun (Sydney) 28 Nov. 1923, 11.
Referee (Sydney) 28 Nov. 1923, 15.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/13778805
World's News (Sydney) 1 Dec. 1923, 7.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/128675700
Australasian (Melbourne) 8 Dec. 1923, 32.
Sunday Times (Sydney) 9 Dec. 1923, 5.
1924
Sunday Times (Sydney) 6 Jan. 1924, 3.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/128138391
Sydney Morning Herald 7 Jan. 1924, 4.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16125082
Sunday Times (Sydney) 17 Feb. 1924, 16.
Truth (Sydney) 30 Mar. 1924, 4.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/168711922
Sun (Sydney) 10 Aug. 1924, 7.
Truth (Sydney) 26 Oct. 1924, 5.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/168712215
New Zealand Herald 3 Dec. 1924, 12.
The New Zealand tour began in Auckland on 6 December 1924 and continued into early 1925. Seasons included Wellington and
Christchurch
Bourke, Chris. Blue Smoke: The Lost Dawn of New Zealand Popular Music 1918-1964. Auckland UP (2013), n. pag.
Press (Christchurch, NZ) 24 Dec. 1924, 14.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-
bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP192412
24.2.90&srpos=4&
New Zealand Herald (Auckland, NZ) 3 Dec. 1924, 15.
1925
NZ Truth (Wellington, NZ) 10 Jan. 1925, 2.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=NZTR19250110.2.13.1
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/8404617
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW) 10 Apr. 1925, 8.
1926
Table Talk (Melbourne) 8 Apr. 1926, 65.
Daily Telegraph (Launceston, Tas) 9 Oct. 1926, 11.
Mirror (Perth) 18 Dec. 1926, 6.
1927
Sunday Times (Perth) 6 Mar. 1927, 15.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/4346072
Vaudeville News and New York Star (USA) 12 Feb.
1927, 1.
http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-
bin/illinois?a=d&d=VVN19270212.2.3#
Australian Variety Theatre Archive: Research Notes
Published by Clay Djubal: 21/05/2016 • Last updated: 2/05/2018
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