Geraldo - Geraldo at the Royal Festival Hall (LP) (Very Good Plus (VG+))

Stock photos not actual item

Media Condition: Very Good Plus (VG+)
Sleeve Condition: Very Good Plus (VG+)

Philips, BBR 8055, 1954, Picture Sleeve 7 Track
 

Notes:

Surely one of the most difficult tasks is to write about Geraldo. What can one say about him that has not been written many times before.
From a modest beginning as a cinema relief pianist, Geraldo soon graduated to the post of Musical Director at the exclusive Majestic Hotel, St. Annes-on-Sea. Around this time the tango was showing signs of increasing popularity and Geraldo lost no time in forming his gaucho tango orchestra, a unique combination which enjoyed enormous success, culminating in a Command Performance before their late Majesties King George Vand Queen Mary at the London Palladium in 1933.
Not content, however,
to tie himself
permanently to any particular type of music, Geraldo decided to form another dance orchestra-one that would beat all comers.
It is doubtful whether he himself could foresee the great impact this band would make on the popular music scene. Suffice to say that for many years now, while many other bands have come and gone, Geraldo's Orchestra still represents all that is best in all types of popular music.
On this live recording from one of the orchestra's memorable concerts at the Royal Festival Hall, we hear the band in modern mood. Opening with a few bars of their famous signature tune, they lose no time in getting into a fast powerhouse arrangement of "Without A Song." This is followed by
"Ablution" played by the Dougie Robinson Group, one of the small combinations within the orchestra.
Hearing Dougie's
limpid tone and musicianly phrasing, it is not difficult to understand his great popu-larity. Next comes a beautiful rendition by the full orchestra of Ellington's "Rock Skippin' At The Blue Note" in which we hear some excellent work from the trumpet of Leslie "Jiver" Hutchinson. "High Jump" which follows is played by the Harry Roche Sentimentalists, another small group within the orchestra, led by Roche himself who has long been one of the country's leading trombonists. Side 1 of this LP ends with a brilliantly executed Alan Roper arrangement of the old Fred Astaire favourite "Shall We Dance?" Once again, we hear more fine alto work from Dougie Robinson.
Side 2 is devoted entirely to a new composition specially written for the orchestra by pianist Ralph Dollimore, entitled "The Big City Suite." Its various movements describe musically a day in the life of a city man. The precision and attack which the orchestra display in their rendition of this intricate work admirably shows why they still retain their enviable position in the popular music world to-day. John Franz

A 1. Hello Again
A 2. Without A Song
A 3. Ablution
A 4. Rock Skippin' At The Blue Note
A 5. High Jump
A 6. Shall We Dance?
B 1. The Big City Suite (Ralph Dollimore) 1st Movement
B 2. The Big City Suite (Ralph Dollimore) 2nd Movement
B 3. The Big City Suite (Ralph Dollimore) 3rd Movement
B 4. The Big City Suite (Ralph Dollimore) 4th Movement
B 5. The Big City Suite (Ralph Dollimore) 5th Movement
B 6. The Big City Suite (Ralph Dollimore) 6th Movement
B 7. The Big City Suite (Ralph Dollimore) 7th Movement
B 8. The Big City Suite (Ralph Dollimore) 8th Movement

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