His name at birth was Abraham Simon Lymon. He and his
brother, Mike, changed their last name to Lyman because they both thought it
sounded better. Abe learned to play the drums when he was young, and at the age
of 14 he had a job as a drummer in a Chicago café. Around 1919, he was
regularly playing music with two other notable future big band leaders, Henry
Halstead and Gus Arnheim, in California.
In Los Angeles Mike Lyman opened the Sunset, a night club
popular with such film stars as Mary Pickford, Norma Talmadge, Charlie Chaplin,
Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd. When Abe's nine-piece band first played at the
Sunset, it was a success, but the club closed after celebrities signed
contracts stating they were not to be seen at clubs.
For an engagement at the Cocoanut Grove in The Ambassador
Hotel on April 1, 1922, Abe added a violinist and saxophonist. Opening night
drew a large crowd of 1500 guests in the Cocoanut Grove, plus another 500 more
outside. Lyman appeared on radio as early as 1922. His orchestra was broadcast
from The Ambassador Hotel by late March on KOG.
After the band cut their first record under the local
label Nordskog Records, they moved a year later to Brunswick Records in summer
of 1923. Abe Lyman quickly became one of their main attractions and recorded
hundreds of titles for this company between 1923 and 1936, many of which also
saw issue in Europe. On the strength of his Brunswick records reputation, he
made a European tour in 
1929, appearing at the Kit Cat Club and the Palladium
in London, and at the Moulin Rouge and the Perroquet in Paris.
1929, appearing at the Kit Cat Club and the Palladium
in London, and at the Moulin Rouge and the Perroquet in Paris.
During the 1930s and 1940s Abe Lyman changed the style of
his band; his orchestra became a so-called Sweetband. The Roaring Twenties,
with the dance-craze and the hot dance music had become old fashioned music;
popular music was romantic and sweet, like in the films.
Lyman and his orchestra were featured in a number of
early talkies, including Hold Everything (1930), Paramount on Parade (1930),
Good News (1930) and Madam Satan (1930). In 1931, Abe Lyman and his orchestra
recorded a number of soundtracks for the Merrie Melodies cartoon series.
Notable musicians in the Lyman Orchestra included Ray Lopez, Gussie Mueller,
and Orlando "Slim" Martin.
Good News (1930) and Madam Satan (1930). In 1931, Abe Lyman and his orchestra
recorded a number of soundtracks for the Merrie Melodies cartoon series.
Notable musicians in the Lyman Orchestra included Ray Lopez, Gussie Mueller,
and Orlando "Slim" Martin.
During the 1930s, the Lyman Orchestra was heard regularly
on such shows as Accordiana and Waltz Time every Friday evening and on NBC,
Coast to Coast. Under the name "Rose Blane" Lyman's wife was vocalist
with the band during this period. Lyman and his orchestra sat in for Phil
Harris on the Jack Benny program in 1943 when Harris served in the Merchant
Marines.
The orchestra returned to recording for Decca in 1937,
and later for RCA Victor's Bluebird subsidiary in 1938, but by this time, it
was clear that though the group managed to survive the depression, the heat was
out of the band. Their recording career ended with a handful of records made
for Eli Oberstein's Hit label in 1943 and a single CBS coupling in 1945; after
the band appeared in a couple of notoriously cheap Teen Ager films for Monogram
in 1946 and 1947, Lyman threw in the musical towel and got into the restaurant
business. He was still working in it when he died in Beverly Hills, California
at the age of 60.
(Info mainly compiled from Wikipedia)
Abe Lyman's
Californians perform the "12th St. Rag" in an excerpt from the 1930
film "Pardon My Gun" directed by Robert De Lacey. Featured soloists
in the group are Abe Lyman drums & leader, unidentified trumpet, 'Zip'
Keyes clarinets, Frank Papile accordion, and Orlando 'Slim' Martin trombone.
1 comment:
For “Abe Lyman - Hot Recordings By a West Coast Band 1922-1932” go here:
http://www92.zippyshare.com/v/KzgZpn4Q/file.html
1) Those Longing For You Blues (2.21)
2) Weary Weazel (3.16)
3) California Blues (3.12)
4) Bugle Call Rag (3.04)
5) Cocanut Trot (2.52)
6) Sally's Got The Blues (2.55)
7) Mighty Blue (2.52)
8) Everybody Stomp! (2.57)
9) Shake That Thing (2.59)
10) Too Bad (3.01)
11) Ace in the Hole (2.53)
12) Twelfth Street Rag (2.48)
13) New St. Louis Blues (3.14)
14) Havin' Lots Of Fun (3.05)
15) Mississippi Mud (2.37)
16) Weary Weasel (3.05)
17) San (2.27)
18) That's My Weakness Now (2.48)
19) A Jazz Holiday (2.34)
20) Hullabaloo (2.48)
22) Never Swat a Fly (2.32)
23) Twelfth Street Rag (2.59)
24) Milenberg Joys (2.36)
25) Farewell Blues (2.53)
26) High Society (2.37)
Abe Lyman was a drummer and led an early West Coast dance band, which had in its ranks several hot players, including two from New Orleans, namely Ray Lopez on trumpet and Gus Mueller on clarinet. Like many similar bands of the time, they played a preponderance of popular tunes, but in amongst that fare they managed to work in some of a hotter variety.
The first seven titles were recorded acoustically, including their first for the rare Nordskog label. The Brunswick recording process was pretty advanced, but the difference is still noticeable at the switch to the electrical process. In fact the next three numbers are possibly the best in this compilation, being Everybody Stomp, Shake That Thing, and Too Bad. Re-mastering is by the late John R.T. Davies.
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