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Dance Band Encyclopaedia |
Places |
London Establishments |
| Home page | Introduction | Label Index | Musicians | Sound Files |
Towards documenting the places
where dance music could have been heard or danced to in London during the 1920s
, 1930s and 1940s. I would like to add photographs of the buildings if anyone
can help!
Note: I updated this page on
July 13th, 2003 and it now contains all the information I can currently lay my
hands on. Any extra details are always welcome.
| Establishment | Information and Bands | Period | Recordings |
| Ace
Of Spades Kingston-by-pass |
Vic Filmer and his Band | May '32-Oct '32 | |
| Amateur
Dancers' Club Queen's Rd, Bayswater |
Clive Erard
and his Band Al Tabor and his Band |
Dec '30-(aug31) ...May '32 |
Filmophone |
| Ambassador
Club Conduit Street |
The
Ambassador Club opened in January 1926 Percival Mackey's Band directed by Sam Raitz Leon van Straten and his Ambassador Club Orchestra Ray Starita and his Ambassadors' Band Eddie Norris and his Ambassadors' Band Eddie Gross-Bart and his Ambassador Club Band Eddie Gross-Bart and his Ambassador Club Band Ray Starita and his Ambassadors Rudy Starita and his Band |
Jan 1926 Apr '26-Sep '26 Apr '28-Apr '30 Jun '30-Sep '30 Apr '30-Jul '30 Jan '31-Apr '31 Apr '31- Jul '32? Sep '32-1933 |
Zonophone uniss'd Columbia Piccadilly Winner Sterno Sterno |
| Astoria
Ballroom Charing Cross Road |
Built on
the site of a pickle and jam factory, the Astoria Cinema and Ballroom
opened on January 12th, 1927 Astoria Dance Band, dir W. L. Trytel Billy Mayerl's Vocalion Rec' Band, dir Drayson Marsh Archie Alexander & his New Columbians Orchestra Billy Cotton's London Savannah Band Lal Johnson and his Band / Melody Six Clive Erard and his New Astorians Oscar Rabin and his Romany Band Joe Loss and his Harlem Band Reg Batten & his Orchestra Frankie Davis and his Melodians Joe Shuter and his Band Joe Loss and his Band Mantovani & his Tipica Orchestra (repl Joe Loss briefly) Jack White and his Collegians Art Gregory and his Band |
|
|
| Bag
O' Nails Kingley Street |
Les
Stirling and his Band Charlie Spinelli-sax/Gerry Moore-p/Sid Heiger-d Johnny Walker-sax/Moore-p/Heiger-d Don Barrigo-sax/Norman Yarlett-p/Heiger-d Art Thompson & his Quartet Swing bands |
?Apr '32- ..Jan '33 Feb '33 Mar '33- Jul '37 1938 |
|
| Bat Club | The Four
Bats (a Jack Vernon unit) Barry Mill & Bobby McGee (pianos) Arthur Hetherington and his Band Harry Roy's Bat Club Boys Arthur Rosebery and his Band Hal Wallace and his Band |
1928 .....Aug '28..... c.Jan '30-Dec '30 Dec '30-Dec '32? ???? - Jan '33 Jan '33 |
Parlophone/Oriole |
| B.B.C. Savoy Hill |
Sydney Firman's London
Radio Dance Band Jack Payne's BBC Dance Orchestra (start Mar 12th) The BBC Dance Orchestra, directed by Henry Hall |
Apr
'26 - Mar '28 Mar '28- Mar '32 Mar '32- Sep '37 |
Columbia Columbia Columbia |
| Berkeley
Hotel Piccadilly |
Built on
the site of an 18th century coaching inn called "The Gloucester
Coffee House", the hotel opened in 1886 and was originally called
St James Hotel before being renamed The Berkeley in 1897. Howard Jacobs and his Orchestra Howard Jacobs and his Orchestra Joe Kaye and his Band Jean Pougnet and his Band Joe Kaye and his Band Arthur Lally and his Orchestra Howard Jacobs and his Orchestra Al Collins and his Orchestra Howard Jacobs and his Band Howard Jacobs and his Orchestra Closed in 1969, rebuilt in Wilton Place, reopening 1972 |
1922 - Sep 1926 Mar '27- Dec '29 Jan '30- ?Apr '30 Jan '30-? Oct '30-1932 May 30-Dec 30 Jun '32 Jul '32-1945 Sep '32 - Mar '33 Sep '33 |
Decca/Filmophone Decca Columbia |
| Blanchard's Beak Street |
Formerly
Murray's Club. New Carnival Quartet (dir Henry Saville) Ginx Five Changed it's name back to "Murray's" in 1929? |
Feb !926 Feb 1926 |
|
| The
Blue Lagoon Beak St / Carnaby St |
Bert Collis & his Band | 1938 - Jan '40 | |
| The
Blue Moon Club Regent Street |
Debroy Somers' Blue Room Club Band | May 1928 | |
| The
Blue Peter Denman Street |
No reference found. | ||
| The
Blue Train Stratton Street Mayfair |
Formerly
the "Malmaison" Restaurant, name changed early 1933 Bert Bow(e)n and his Bands |
cApr '33- |
|
| Brent
Bridge Hotel Hendon |
Pat O'Malley's Romany Band | ....Sep '28 - | |
| Brummell's
Club (Bottle Party Club) Albermarle Street |
Reginald Foresythe & his Band | Sep '37 | |
| The Bull Frog Club | Opened
October 1927 Marc Anthony (piano) and Lou Taylor (drums) |
Oct '27 - |
|
| Cabaret
Club Beak Street |
Len Newbury
& his Band Tony Kanzello's Band |
Jul
'37 1938 |
|
| Cabin | Billy Mason & his Band | Feb '36 | |
| Cafe
Anglais Leicester Square |
Douglas
Hope and his Band The Selma Four / Five Eddie South and his Band (American) Hon. Anthony Vivian and his Band Eddie Gross-Bart and his Cafe Anglais Band Bobby Martin and his Band Douglas Hope and his Band Edward Stanelli and his Band Eddie Gross-Bart and his Cafe Anglais Band Dave Frost and his Band Roy Fox and his Band Harry Roy and his Orchestra Lew Stone and his Band Howard Jacobs and his Orchestra Louis Simmonds and his Orchestra Reginald Forsythe & his New Music Bert Firman & his Band Emilio Columbo's Band |
1927 - Apr
'30 cMay 30-cMar31 Jun '30-Aug '30 cMar '31-Apr '31 Apr '31-Nov '31 Oct '31-Nov '31 Nov '31 Jan '32-Feb '32 Feb '32-Aug '32 Aug '32-Oct '32 Oct '32-Jan '33 Jan '33-Jun '33 Dec '33-Feb '34 Feb '34-- Feb '34- Jul '34 - (end '34? Jul '37 - 1938 |
Winner Decca Parlophone Decca |
| Cafe de la Paix | Reginald
Forsythe & his New Music (continuous?) Arthur Rosebery & his Band |
Aug
'33 - Sep '34 Sep '35 |
|
| Cafe
de Paris Coventry Street |
The Cafe de
Paris opened in 1923 The Crichton Lyricals, dir Syd Roy Joseph C. Smith & his Orchestra (American) Teddy Brown and his Cafe de Paris Band Sid Phillips and his Melodians Jack Vernon's Belgravians Teddy Brown and his Cafe de Paris Band Tony Garrard and his Band (replaces Sid Phillips) Chas. Watson and his Band Arthur Rosebery and his Band Arthur Rosebery's Cafe de Paris Band, dir Stan Marshall closed January 1929 - reopened April 15, 1929 Sid Phillips and his Melodians The Blue Lyres, dir Arthur Lally (an Ambrose unit) Jimmy Caruso & his New York Syncopators (American) Dennis Moonan and his Band Hal Kemp and his Band (American) Billy Mason and his Cafe de Paris Band Roy Fox and his Band (American) Dave Frost and his Cafe de Paris Band Eddie Gross-Bart and his Cafe de Paris Band Tiny Maite and his Band Edward Stanelli and his Band Derick Turner and his New Dixieland Band Jack Harris and his Band Roy Fox & his Band Reginald Forsythe & his New Music Lew Stone and his Band Ambrose & his Orchestra (starts September 14th) Lew Stone & his Band Billy Bissett and his Orchestra Bert Firman & his Band Ken Johnson & his Band George Melachrino and his Band |
|
|
| Cafe
Royal 68, Regent Street |
Re-opened
February 3rd, 1928 after alterations including an Esty organ costing
£7000 Hal Swain's Cafe Royal Band |
|
|
| Carlton
Dance Hall (formerly Rectors Club) Tottenham Court Road |
Opened
January 30th, 1928 Max Chappell's London Choreans Band Percival Mackey and his Band Albert Kendall and his Savannah Band Arthur Lilley and the Savannah Band Pete Mandell and his New Savannah Band Jock McDermott and his New Carlton Players Al Wadding and his Band Nat Allen and his Band Tommy De Rosa and his Band Stanley Barnett and his Band Name changes back to "Rector's" in December 1939 |
|
Piccadilly |
| Carlton
Hotel 90, Belgrave Road, Victoria |
Al Davison and his
Carlton Hotel Orch Bert Firman's Carlton Hotel Dance Orch Leslie Norman & his Carlton Hotel Band Jay Whidden and his Band George Scott-Wood and his Band Dancing discontinued; resumed May 3rd 1932. Maurice Winnick and his Band Lou Preager and his Band |
1924-1925 1925-1927 Feb '27 - Sep '27 Oct '27 - Oct '31 Oct '31-Dec '31 May '32-May '33 Jan '36 - |
Vocalion Zonophone Electron/Winner Imperial/Victory Panachord Panachord |
| Carnival Club | Unnamed 4-piece band including Jack Clapper -as | April 1926 | |
| Casani's
Club Imperial House, Regent Street Just off Piccadilly Circus |
Opened
March 3rd 1933 Charlie Kunz & his Casani Club Band Eddie Carroll and the Casani Club Orchestra |
Mar '33-1937 1937 |
Sterno / Rex Parlophone |
| Casa
Nuova Restaurant |
Harry Roy
and his Band Arthur Rosebery & his Band |
Nov
'32 Nov '32 |
|
| Casino Old Compton Street |
See "London Casino" | ||
| Casino
De Danse Finchley Road |
Original Lyrical Five (inc Harry & Syd Roy) | 1922 | |
| Castle
Hotel Richmond |
Jack & Lionel Clapper's Band | Mar '21 - 1927 | |
| Cavour Restaurant | Under the
same management as the Cafe de Paris, hence the doubling here of Syd
Roy's Lyricals Sydney Firman and his Florida Band The (Crichton) Lyricals (directed by Syd Roy) |
Aug 1925 - Jan '26 - May '26 |
|
| Century
Club Glasshouse Street nr Piccadilly Circus |
Re-opened
Sept 1930 after several months of inactivity Micky Lewis and his Band Closed January 1931, re-opened November 17th, 1931 Harry Jimmick and his Band |
Sep '30-Jan '31 Nov '31 |
|
| Chantilly Restaurant | Hal Swain and his Band | Jun '31-(aug31) | |
| Chateau
De Madrid Victoria |
Formerly
the Riviera Club Nobby Knight, jr and his Band Johnny Walker-sax/Norman Yarlett-p/Reggie Mills-d |
Oct '31-?Feb '32 Sep '32 |
|
| Chez
Henri Long Acre |
Charlie Kunz & his
Chez Henri Band Chez Henri Band, directed by Gerry Moore Arthur Rosebery & his Band Arthur Rosebery (solo piano only) Eddie Carroll & his Band |
1924
- Feb
'33 Feb '33 Feb '36 Jan '37 - May '37 Jan '39 - |
Columbia |
| Chez
Oncle Club 77, Dean Street |
Note that
this is the same address as the Night Lights club (formerly the Palermo)
and could occupy the same rooms. Rex Owen and his Band closed late 1930 |
|
|
| Circus
Restaurant Oxford Street |
Radio Novelty Syncopators, dir Alec Alexander | May '26- | |
| Ciro's
Club Orange Street off Haymarket |
Jean Lensen
and his Ciro's Club Dance Orchestra Debroy Somers' Band Harry Bidgood and his Band Ramon Newton and his Band Teddy Brown and his Band Sydney Kyte and his Band Billy Cotton and his Savannah Band (Start Sept 1st) Ronnie Hart and his Band (Canadian) Tommy Kinsman and his Ciro's Club Band Jacques Jacobs and his Band Tommy Kinsman and his Ciro's Club Band Bert Firman and his Band, dir Ronnie Cuthbertson Maurice Kasket and his Band Lew Preager and his Band Joe Smith & his Band Maurice Winnick and his Band Jack Harris and his Orchestra Ciro's Club closes in March 1939 (financial problems) |
1924 - Feb
'27 Mar '27-1928 Oct '27 Oct '27 - Apr '29 Apr '29 - Dec '29 Jan '30-Jul '30 Sep '30-Mar '31 Mar '31 (2 wks) Mar '31-Feb '32 Jan '32 - (Feb 32) Feb '32-Apr '32 May '32- Oct '32-Apr '33 Apr '33- May '33 Sep '33-Feb '34 Sep '37- Mar '39 |
Columbia/B'cast Broadcast Regal Sterno (Pathe Film) Sterno Winner HMV |
| Claridges
Hotel Brook Street, Mayfair |
Originally
(1812) called Mivart's, the name came when the buildings on the
site were bought by William & Marianne Claridge. By the late 1880s
the hotel was bought by the Savoy group and completely rebuilt,
re-opening in 1898. Al Collins and his Orchestra George Boulanger and his Orchestra Joe Kaye and his Band Howard Jacobs and his Band Al Collins and his Band |
1920- Dec '29 Jan '30- ?May '30-Sep '30 Oct '30-Apr '31 May '32-July '32 |
Regal |
| Cocoanut
Grove Regent Street |
Oscar Grasso and his
Band Barney Gilbraith Quartet Paul Lombard & his Band Oscar Grasso & his Band Harry Parry & his Band(also at Paradise Club nxt door) George Shearing & his Trio |
..
Apr '37 -1938 Jun '39- Jan '40 - Mar '40 Mar '40 - Oct '40 Oct '40 |
|
| Continental Club | This club
was owned by Teddy Joyce. Teddy Joyce & his Band Len Hayes and his Band |
Dec '35 Jun '37 |
|
| Cosmo
Club Wardour Street |
Julian Vedey
and his Cosmo Club Band/Troubadours Jack Padbury and his Band Closed, re-opened by May 1932 Jack Oliveri and his Band Teddy Foster & his Band |
Dec
'26-(Jul 27) Mar '28-(nov31) May '32 July '40 |
Winner / Radio |
| Cricklewood Palais | Alf Wadding
and his Band Al Tabor and his Band A note in Melody Maker says 5 different bands played here during Alf Wadding's absence! Alf Wadding and his Band |
1923 - Feb
31 Apr '31 Oct '31- |
|
| Criterion
Restaurant 224, Piccadilly |
Art
Hickman's New York London 5 Al Davison and his Claribel Band Kel Keech and his Orchestra Criterion Dance Band (dir Max Goldberg) (a Keech O.) Criterion Dance Band (dir Joe Daniels) |
Sept
1920- ??? - Apr 1926 Jan '26 - Apr '26 Apr '26 - Jun '26 Jul '26 - |
|
| Dalton's Leicester Square |
No reference found. | ||
| Datchet
Pavillion Club River Thames |
Reginald
Foresythe & his New Music Reginald Foresythe & his New Music |
Apr
'34 Mar '37 - Aug '37 |
|
| Deauville
Restaurant Regent Street |
Opened in
December 1929. Was previously known as the Silver Slipper Club. Eddie Gross Bart and his Band Leon Abbey and his Band Alec Cripps and his Band Club Closes March 1930. The music at the club by this time was provided by Jack Gill-p/EGB-d only |
Dec '29 -Mar '30 March 1930 March 1930 |
|
| Devonshire
Restaurant Piccadilly (opposite Ritz Hotel) |
The
Devonshire Restaurant, opened Late 1926, was in a new building of
"Palatial residential mansion flats" built on the site
of Devonshire House, previously the residence of the Duke of
Devonshire. Dancing from 9pm to 2am every evening Devonshire Restaurant Dance Band, dir Bert Firman Murray Barley and his Band Re-opened in January 1931 as Hector's Devonshire Restaurant. Bob Probst and his Band |
|
Zonophone |
| Dorchester
House Hotel Park Lane |
Opened
April 20th 1931 Melville Gideon and his Band The Blue Lyres, directed by Arthur Lally The Blue Lyres, directed by Peter Rush The Blue Lyres, directed by Ernie Lewis Jack Jackson and his Orchestra (Starts 1st August) Maurice Winnick and his Orchestra |
Apr '31-Oct '31 Oct '31-Oct '32 Oct '32-Feb '33 Feb '33(may'33) Aug '33 -1939 Apr '39-(Feb '40) |
Decca/Zonophone HMV HMV |
| Dolphin Sq. Restaurant | Opened
December 1937 Eddie Carroll & his Band Arthur Rosebery & his Band (doubling Paradise Club) |
Dec '37 - Feb '38 Feb '38 - (Jun 38) |
|
| East Ham Palais de Dance | Victor Vorzanger's Savannah Band | July '25-Oct '26? | |
| El
Gaucho (Bottle-Party Club) Wardour Street |
Jack Kerr & his Band | Jun '37 | |
| El
Morocco Albermarle Street |
Lew Stone
& his Band (doubling Palace Theatre) Jack Harris & his Band (doubling London Casino) Ron Joynes & his Hawaiians Miff Ferrie & his Band (fill in for one week only) Syd Kyte and his Band Jack Doyle & his Aces of Rhythm |
Dec
'39 - Jan '40 Dec '39 - Feb '40 Feb '40 - Feb '40 Feb '40 - Mar '40 Mar '40 - |
|
| Embassy
Club Old Bond Street |
Benny Peyton's Jazz Kings |
Dec
1919 March 1920 Sept '20 - Jan '27 Jan '27-July '27 1928 ..Jan '30-May '32 May '32-Aug '32 Aug '32 (Mar '33) July '33-Jan '36 1935 - Mar '38 1938 Mar '39 - Jul '40 |
Columbia Parlophone Decca |
| Empress
Rooms, Royal Palace Hotel Kensington |
Continental
Five (inc Joe Van Straten) Robert Bennett's Frisco Syncopators Paul Specht's Lido Venice Orchestra (American) Bobby Davis and his Band Les Norman and his Band Paul Specht and his Band Philip Buchel and his Band (a quartet) Les Norman and his Band Leon Zimbler and his band Jan Ralfini and his Band Tucker's Royal Empress Orchestra The Romany Band, director: Oscar Rabin The Omega Collegians Lal Johnson and his Band Al Lever and his Band Tommy Atkins and his Band Syd Lipton and his Band Leslie Hutchinson and his Band Stanley Black & his Band Bert Jackson and his Band Percy Hampton and his Band Jack Shields and his Band Bill Gerhardi and his Band Eddie Carroll & his Band |
circa
1921 Feb 1923 unknown Dec 1925 Dec '25 - Jul '26 Apr '26- May '26 Jul '26 - ???? - Jan '27 Sep '26- pre '28 Jan '27 - pre '28 Sep '27 - 1928 - Mar '30 Nov '28-Apr '29 .May '30-Sep '30 Sep '30-Jul '31 Jul '31- Sep '31- ?May32 Sep '31- May '32 .. Jan '32 May '32-Jul '32 May '32-Jul '32 Sep '32 Sep '32 Oct '34 - |
|
| Femina Club | Art Gregory and his Band | ||
| Fischer's
Restaurant Bond Street |
Opened
November 1932 Bruce Merryl and his Band Micky Lewis and his Band Tommy Kinsman and his Band Paul Lombard and his Band Arthur Coppersmith & his Band |
Nov '32-Apr '33 Apr '33- 1936-1937 July '39 - Mar '40 Mar '40 - |
Octocros |
| Fleming's
Restaurant 68, Oxford Street |
Hal Wallace and his Rhythm Boys | cNov '31-(may32 | |
| Fleming's
Restaurant 301-307, Oxford Street |
Gordon
French and his Band (Thanks to Pauline Welthy for the address; she also tells me that this address now houses a River Island clothes shop) |
Apr '32- | |
| Florida
Club Bruton Mews, off Brook Street |
Billy Edser
and his Band Leo Ash & his Band Ronnie Munro and his Band George Hurley and his Band Leo Ash and his Band Leon Whiting and his Miami Band closed ("Has been closed for some time" - MM Jun '29) Tommy Kinsman's Florida Club Dance Band Sometime in 1930, the club changed name to "Toby's". By 1936, it had become "The Old Florida Club" Ken "Snakehips" Johnson & his Emperors of Swing Ken "Snakehips" Johnson & his Band Adelaide Hall accp by Fela Sowande & his Band Felix Mendelssohn's Hawaiian Serenaders |
July
'26 - Dec '26 - Mar '27-May '27 June 1927 (1 wk) June 1927 (2wks) July '27 - late '27 1929-1930 Nov '36 - Apr '37 ???? - Sep '38 Sep '38- (Feb 39) 1940 |
Imperial Piccadilly / Sterno |
| Forty-Three
(43 Club) 43, Gerrard Street |
Unnamed
sextet of Arthur Chester-t/G. Dickman-as/ Kay Goldberg-ts/Geo
Hurley-vn / Dave Kaye-p/ Murray Fine-d. Chas. Spinelli and his Band Chas. Spinelli and his Band (continuous from 1931?) Frank Morgan & his Band (Quartet) Forty-Three Swing Band |
Jul
'26 - ? Jan '31-May '31 Jan '32 - May '37 1938 |
|
| Four
Hundred Club Leicester Square |
Brian
Lawrance & his Quartet Reginald Forsythe & his New Music Tim Clayton's Band Reginald Forsythe & his Music |
Mar
'35 -Apr '35 Jun '35 - Aug '35 1938 Aug '40 |
|
| Frascati's
Restaurant Oxford Street |
Allan Selby & his
Frascatians Cyril Hellier and his Band Raymond De Courcy's Band, dir W. Greenborough Harry Green and his Band Manuel Raymond's Band Louis Simmonds & his Band |
1927- Dec
'29 Jan '29 - May '29-Jul '32 Jul '32- 1938 Apr '40 - |
Metropole/P'dilly |
| Frivolity
Club Leicester Square |
Gaby Rogers and his Band | June 1926 - | |
| Gargoyle
Club Dean Street, Soho |
Edgar Jackson's Dance
Band Derick Turner and his Band Will Lanin and his Band Jacques Brown and his Band |
Aug
'30-(may32) ..May '32 Jul '32-Dec '32 Jan '33- |
Oriole |
| Garter
Club Grosvenor Street |
Cambridge Swing Stars (dir George Banner) | Jan '40 | |
| The Gaucho | see "El Gaucho" (under "El"). | ||
| The
Gestapo Club Regent Street |
No reference found. | ||
| Golder's Green Ice Rink | Fred Coleman and his Band (a Max Chappell unit) | Dec '30-May '31 | |
| Grafton
Galleries Regent Street |
Paul
Whiteman and his Orchestra Jack Hylton and his Orchestra The Original Capitol Orchestra |
May
1923 May 1923 Jan 1924 |
HMV Zonophone |
| Green
Park Hotel Piccadilly |
Leon van
Straten and his Orchestra Jean Pougnet and his Orchestra (a Jack Hylton unit) Changed name to Hotel Splendide, q.v. |
Apr '27-Aug
'28 Oct '28- |
|
| Grosvenor
House Park Lane |
Jack
Harris's Orchestra, dir Bill Gerhardi Jack Harris's Orchestra, dir Hugo Rignold Jack Harris and his Orchestra, dir Bill Gerhardi Sydney Lipton and his Band Billy Mayerl and his Grosvenor House Band |
...Nov
'29-Sep'30 Sep '30-Dec '30 Jan '31 - Jul '32 July '32-1940 July 1941 |
Decca Decca Broadcast Z'phone/St'no/Col Decca |
| Hambone Club | Lionel
Claff and his Band Alec Alexander and his Band |
..Jul
'30-Dec '30? Jan '31- |
|
| Hammersmith Ice Drome | T. Valentine and his Band | cMar '31- | |
| Hammersmith Palais | Original
Dixieland Jazz Band Billy Arnold's American Novelty Band Original Dixieland Jazz Band The American Five Bennie Peyton's Jazz Kings Southern Rag-a-Jazz Band Billy Madden's Crescent City Orch The Paramount Six Lyric Five Jazz Band (inc Harry & Syd Roy) Hammersmith Palais de Danse Orch Orch directed by Frank Wilson George W. Smith's Dixie Entertainers The Original Gerracs, dir Jack Geary Al Tabor & his Transatlantic Band The Buffalo Orchestra, directed by Bill Shenkman Albert Kendall and his Savanna Band The Buffalo Orch (no mention of Shenkman) Alan Green and his Band Al Tabor and his Band Maurice Winnick and his Band (a Jan Ralfini unit) Oscar Rabin and his Band Alf Kaplan & his Band Lou Preager and his Orchestra |
April
7th 1919 Jun 1919- Jun 1919-Jun '20 Apr '20- May '20 Sep '20- Dec 22 July 1921 Sept 1921 Oct 1921 1922 1923 1924 Aug 1925 Aug '25 - Jun '26 Jan '26-Jun '26? June '26- Sep '26 Oct '26- 1928? Feb '27 1928 1926-Mar '29 Mar '29 - Aug '34-Nov '40 Feb '40 - 1944 - 1945 |
Columbia Columbia E.B. Winner Regal Sterno/Col/Rex Columbia |
| Happy's Oxendon Street |
No reference found. | ||
| Hatchett's Piccadilly |
Hatchett's Swingtette,
dir Arthur Young Reginald Forsythe & his New Music George Shearing & his Trio Hatchett's Swingtette, dir Dennis Moonan |
Oct
'39-Sep
'40 Sep '40 Nov '40 Nov '40- 1942 |
Decca Decca |
| Havana Denman Street |
Cuban Band (?) | 1938 | |
| Haymarket
Brasserie Piccadilly |
Archie Alexander's Band | 1938 | |
| Hell Gerrard Street |
Al Craig and his Band | 1938 | |
| Holborn
Restaurant Kingsway |
Harry
Saville and his Band Lionel Paulus and his Holborn Restaurant Orchestra Bram Martin and his Band Edward Dennis and his Band |
Sep '26 - Jan '29 - Oct '34 Feb 35-Feb 38 1938 |
Regal-Zonophone |
| Hollywood
Restaurant Piccadilly |
Formerly
Prince's Restaurant Lew Stone and his Band Mantovani and his Tipica Orchestra |
Apr - May 1935 May - Oct 1935 |
Regal-Zonophone Regal-Zonophone |
| Hotel
Cecil Strand |
Jack Payne
and his Hotel Cecil Dance Band Marius B. Winter's Hotel Cecil Dance Band Jimmy Lally and his Band Dancing stopped on 28th February 1930. The Hotel was demolished in the summer of 1930 to make way for Shell-Mex House. |
1925 - May
'28 May '28-late 29 Dec '29 - Feb '30 |
Regal Homochord |
| Hotel
Metropole Northumberland Ave. |
Jack
Howard's Midnight Follies Band Midnight Follies Orchestra, directed by Bert Firman Sydney Bliss & his Metropolitans (incl Mario Lorenzi) Jay Whidden and his Midnight Follies Band Mantovani and his Orchestra |
c
1923 - 1924 1924 ??? - Jan '26 Feb '26-Sep '27 Jan 28 - May 28 |
Zonophone Columbia Regal |
| Hotel
Splendide Piccadilly |
Formerly
Green Park Hotel Jack Harris' Band, dir Bill Gerhardi Abe Aaronson's Orch, dir Tiny Maite Dancing suspended at end July 1930 The Splendide Quartette, dir Cecil Watts Jack Oliveri and his Band Dave Frost and his Band |
.....Jun '29 - 1929 .... Jan '30-Jul '30 cMar '31-(aug31) Sep '32 Oct '32 |
|
| Hungaria
Restaurant Regent Street |
Manuel
Hyman and his Band Geoff Gibson and his Band Bob Probst and his Band Emilio Colombo & his Orchestra (for 5 years) Tzigane Orchestra |
Oct '30- ???? - Jun '31 Jun '31-(may32) Early 1930s 1938 |
|
| Jackson's
Restaurant Shaftesbury Avenue |
Gaby Rogers and his Band (trio) | Nov '31- | |
| Jacobite
Club West End |
Opens
February 1936, hosted by Rudolph Dunbar Rudolph Dunbar & his Band |
Feb '36 | |
| Jade's
Club Golden Square |
Formerly
"The Little Club", re-opened in May 1926. Ronnie Munro, Barry Mill and Harry Robbins. Ronnie Munro - solo pianist Unnamed quartet of Jack Miranda-cl-as/Ted Edbrooke-vn-pac/Bobby Davis-p/Joe Kosky-d In October 1926, this club was struck off the register & disqualified for 12 months following a police raid where the owner, Clarence William Green was jailed for a month for "selling intoxicants without a license". |
May 1926 July 1926 Sep '26 - Oct '26 |
|
| Jigs
Club Wardour Street |
Cyril Blake & his Jigs Club Band | 1941 | Regal-Zonophone |
| Karsino Hampton Court |
Originally owned by Fred Karno, the Karsino was bought by the owners of the New Princes Restaurant in April 1926 with the intention of turning it into an American "Palm Beach" style place. Re-opened May 8, 1926 and renamed "Palm Beach", (q.v.) | ||
| Kaspec Restaurant | Teddy Westfield and his Band | May '31-(aug31) | |
| Kettner's
Restaurant Soho |
Kettner's
Five, directed by Hugo Rignold (a Hylton unit) Geoffrey Gelder's Kettner's Five no more dancing after the end of March 1929 |
Jan
1926 - Dec '26-Mar '29 |
Imperial / Regal |
| Kit-Cat
Club/Restaurant Haymarket |
The
Kit-Cat, opened in 1925, was originally a members-only club, but, following a raid in
late 1926, it was re-opened in October 1927 as a restaurant, (i.e. open
to the general public).
Vincent Lopez and his Orchestra (American) Ted Lewis and his Band (American) Brooke Johns & his Orchestra (American) Al Starita's Kit Cat Band Isham Jones and his Orchestra (American) Don Parker and his Band Paul Specht's Canadian Club Orch (from Canada) Jack Hylton and his Band Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra Al Payne and his Kittens Ben Bernie & his Band (from America) Irving Aaronson's Commanders (from America) Percival Mackey and his Kit-Cat Band Teddy Brown and his Band George Fisher's Kit Cat Band Arthur Rosebery and his Kit-Cat Dance Band Abe Lyman and his Californians (American) Abe Lyman and his Californians (American) Hal Swain and his Band Ben Bernie and his Band (American) Jack Hylton and his Orchestra Hal Swain and his Band Teddy Brown and his Band Ted Lewis and his Band (American) Maurice Toubas and his Band Ray Starita and his Band Johnny Hamp and his Kentucky Serenaders (American) Charles Renard and his Kit-Cat Band Ray Starita and his Band Dave Frost and his Band George Hurley and his Band (a Billy Mason unit) Closed down March 7th 1931. Re-opened May 14th Reg Batten and his Band Percival Mackey and his Kit-Cat Band Joe Loss and his Harlem Band Fred Spreadbury and his Coney Islanders Roy Fox and his Band Maurice Winnick & his Orchestra Teddy Joyce and his Dance Music Closes in Jul 1934 for £60,000 redecoration. Re-opens again in September 1934 Al Jennings & his Band Teddy Joyce & his Orchestra Joe Lucas & his Band Syd Dean & his Band Jimmy Durrant & his Band |
11/5/25 - 4/7/25 6/7/25 - 15/8/25 17/8/25 - 10/10/25 1925- Feb '28 10/10/25 - 5/12/25 Nov '25-Nov '26 Feb 1926 only Mar 1926 Apr '26- May '26 Jun '26 - Jul '26? Sep 26 - Dec '26 Dec '26- Jul - cOct 1927 Oct 1927 Jan '28 - Dec '28 Jan '29-Aug '29 Jan '29- Mar '29 May '29-(Jun '29) Aug '29 - Sep '29 - Nov '29 Dec '29- ....Jan '30 ??? - May '30 May '30-Jul '30 Jun '30-Jul '30 Jul '30-Sep '30 Sep '30-Oct '30 Sep - Nov 1930 Oct '30-Jan '31 Dec '30-Mar '31 Jan '31-Mar '31 May '31-Jul '31 Jul '31-Nov '31 Dec '31-Sep '34 Dec '31-Jan '33 Jan '33-Feb '34 .. Dec '33 Feb '34 -May '34 ??? - Mar '40 ??? - Jan '40 January 1940 only Feb '40 - Mar '40 Mar '40 - |
|
| Lansdowne
Restaurant Berkeley Square |
Brian Lawrance and his
Quartet / Sextet / Orchestra Dan Donovan and his Music Paul Lombard & his Band Barney Gilbraith & his Quartet |
May
'35- Mar '40 1938 Mar '40 - Mar '40 - |
Decca / Rex His Master'sVoice |
| Leicester
Sq Theatre Leicester Square |
Opened
December 1930. Owned by Jack Buchanan and Walter Gibbons, who sold it to
RKO soon after. Later it became a full-time cinema. Harry Roy and his RKOlians Syd Roy and his RKOlians (dir Oliver Aston) Percival Mackey and his Band |
|
|
| Le
Suivi (formerly Stratton Club) Stratton Street |
Opened
March 12th 1940
Sid Phillips & his Trio Peter Mendoza & his Band |
Mar '40 Mar '40 |
|
| Lex Soho |
Jack Roy Trio & guests | May '37 | |
| L'Hermitage
Restaurant Piccadilly |
Formerly
"New Princes"; re-opened under new name. Arthur Lally and his Band Isidore (Syd) Chasid and his Band Closed September 1931; re-opened as "New Prince's" in July 1932 |
May '31-Sep '31 Aug '31 |
Decca/Filmophone |
| Lido
Club Frith Street |
Coney
Island Band, dir Fred Spreadbury Fred Spinelly's Lido Venice Band Eddie Gross Bart & his Band |
Oct '26-Nov
'26 Oct '27-Apr '28 June 1928 |
Electron |
| Locarno
Dance Hall Streatham Hill |
Locarno
Dance Band (dir Les Osborne) Billy Cotton and his Savannah Band Jan Ralfini and his Band Lal Johnson and his Band Jan Ralfini and his Band Arthur Rosebery & his Band Jimmy Kelleher and his Band Joe Gibson and his Band Albert Kendall and his Band Syd Wyner and his Band Alex Freer and his Band Art Gregory and his Band Alan Green and his Band Doug Swallow and his Band Syd Chasid and his Band Alan Green and his Band Art Gregory and his Band Syd Wyner and his Band Billy Merrin and hisCommanders Frank King & his Band Alan Green & his Band Les Hilsden & his Band Alf Kay & his Band |
...Jan '30 Mar '30-Aug '30 .May '30-Aug '30 Sep '30-Mar '31 ?Sep '30-Sep '30 Sep '30 (1 week) Sep '30-Oct '30 Oct '30-May '31 Apr 31 (2 weeks) May '31-Sep '31 Jun '31-Jul '31 Jul '31-Sep '31 Sep' 31-Nov '31 Sep '31-Nov '31 Nov '31 Dec '31-Jun '32 May '32-Aug '32 Jun '32 Feb '33 ???? - Feb '40 Nov '39 - Feb '40 Feb '40 - Feb '40 |
Regal Sterno |
| London
Casino Old Compton Street |
Formerly
The Prince of Wales Theatre, the building was re-decorated at a cost of
£15,000 and opened as the London Casino in April 1936 Jack Harris & his Band Debroy Somers & his Band Bert Firman & his Band Hugo Rignold & his Orchestra The London Casino goes into Liquidation in January 1939, but re-opens in April 1939. Jack Harris & his Band Hugo Rignold & his Orchestra |
Apr '36 ???? - Oct '37 Nov '37- Jan '39 ?1938 - Jan '39 Apr '39-(Jan '40) Apr '39 |
|
| London (Sports) Club | The Buffalo
Band Originally Called "The London Club", it re-opened for a while as "The Charterhouse Club" before closing suddenly. It re-opened in Oct 1930 under this name. The Embassy Six Ernie Weaver and his Band |
Sept
1925
|
|
| Lyons'
Corner House Oxford Street |
Opened in
1923 - Specht's band was the first band to play here. Paul Specht and his Orchestra ("The Georgians") Not sure when Specht left, but there was no dance band featured until Al Leslie's band below. Al Leslie & his New Dixieland Orchestra Fred Garrity and his Band |
May 1923 Dec 25 - Dec '26 Jun '32 |
|
| Lyons'
Popular Cafe Piccadilly |
Harry
Singer and his Band The Ginx Barry Lindoorn and his Band Jack Sheehan and his Band |
Summer 1931 Sep '31- May '32-Sep '32 Sep '32- |
|
| Malmaison Stratton Street, Mayfair |
Opened May
27th 1931 Percy Chandler and his Band Gene Arthur (Reg Pursglove) and his Band Harry Collins and his Band Nat Allen and his Band Len Edwards and his Band Gene Arthur (Reg Pursglove) and his Band Closed for extensive re-decoration Gene Arthur and his Band Changed name to "The Blue Train" in early 1933 (q.v.) |
May '31- Oct '31 Oct '31-May '32 ...June '32 May '32 (2 wks) Jun '32 Jun '32- Oct '32 |
Piccadilly |
| Manhattan Denman Street |
No reference found. | ||
| Martan
Club 6 - 8 Old Bond Street |
Original Dixieland Jazz Band | April 28th 1919 - | Columbia |
| Maxim's Wardour Street |
Eddie Beecher and his Band | 1938 | |
| May
Fair Hotel Berkeley Square |
The May
Fair hotel opened March 28, 1927, part of Gordon Hotels Ltd. Ambrose and his Orchestra Harry Roy and his Orchestra Billy Bissett and his Orchestra Michael Flome and his Orchestra Ambrose & his Orchestra |
|
|
| Mazurka Denman Street |
No reference found. | ||
| Melody
Inn Beak Street |
No reference found. | ||
| Melton
Club Regent Street |
The Melton
Five, directed by Vic Filmer Closed Easter 1930 |
...Jan '30-Mar '30 | |
| "Mi"
Club New Bond Street |
Opened May
1932 George Pallat and his Band (trio) |
May '32 |
|
| Midnight
Room Albermarle Street |
Len Newbery and his Band | 1938 | |
| MilRay
Club Regent Street |
Opened October 21st, 1933. Club owned by Eddie Gross Bart, and named after his wife, Ray and their business partner, Millie. I have no information as to the music at this venue. | ||
| The
Mitre (formerly "Nunky's") Regent Street |
Arthur
Rosebery and Flaming Five Tommy Sharp and his Band Maurice Brian's Band Vic Filmer and his Band Vic Filmer and his Band |
July
'30-July '30 July '30- Jan '31 May '31 May '31-(aug31) Oct '32 |
|
| Monseigneur
Restaurant Jermyn Street to Piccadilly Circus |
Opened May
27th 1931. Roy Fox and his Band Mantovani and his Tipica Orchestra Lew Stone and his Band Jack Harris & his Band Lew Stone and his Band The restaurant closes in September 1934, becoming a cinema, with no live music again. |
May '31-Oct '32 Jul '31 - Sep '34 Oct '32-Oct '33 ...Feb '34 Feb '34-Sep'34 |
Decca Sterno / Eclipse Decca Decca |
| Moody's Club | Max Goldberg and his Band | Nov 1925 | |
| The
Morgue Ham Yard |
No reference found. | ||
| Mother
Hubbard's Ham Yard |
Jock
Salisbury Trio Syd Raymond and his Band |
Jun
'37 1938 |
|
| Moulin
Rouge Club Brixton |
Hal Griff and his Band | Jan '31-(aug31) | |
| Murray's
Club Beak Street |
By February
1926 this club had changed it's name to "Blanchard's", (q.v.)
but changed back to "Murray's" by 1929 Roy Allwood and his Band Al Tabor and his Transatlantic Band Frank Davison and his Band Vic Filmer and Murray's Melody Makers Hugh Radcliffe and his Band Teddy Sinclair and his Band Pauline Gray and her Band Eddie Gross-Bart and his Band Hal Swain and his Band Fred Morrison and his Band Alvin Saxon and his Band Norman Stanley and his Band Art Gregory and his Band |
??? - Mar '29 Mar '29- .. Jan '30 .. Apr '30-May '31 May '31-Sep'31 Sep '31 ..May '32 Sep '32 -Feb '33 Feb '33-Mar '33 Mar '33 Jul '35 -1936 1938 1940 |
Piccadilly Piccadilly |
| The
Nest Kingly Street |
Nest Swing Band & Buskers | 1937 - 1938 | |
| New
Bonne Fortune Club Poland Street |
Gaby Rogers (piano) & Ginger Conn (drums) | Jul '30 | |
| New
Prince's Piccadilly |
New Princes Toronto Band
(dir Hal Swain) New Princes Toronta Band (dir Alfie Noakes) Alfredo (Alfred Gill) and his New Princes Orchestra Hal Swain's New Prince's Orchestra The Miami Band (dir Arthur Fottrella) Reg Batten and his Band Closed (date unknown); reopened as L'Hermitage Restaurant (date unknown); Re-opened (again) as New Prince's Jul 1932; dancing "downstairs" in "The Golden Brasserie" Jack Padbury and his Band Tommy Kinsman and his Band Theodore Guitter and his Band |
Feb
'23 - Feb '26 Feb '26 - Sep '26 1925 - 1927 Jun '26-Jan '28 Jun '26 - ???? - May '29 Jul '32 (may33) 1933- (Jan 34) 1938 |
Columbia Winner Regal Winner |
| Night
Lights Club 77, Dean Street |
Formerly
the Palermo club. The Coney Island Band, dir Fred Spreadbury Ronnie Munro and his Band ("on the balcony") |
|
|
| "Not"
Restaurant (at the Cafe Anglais) Leicester Square |
Alf van
Straten and his Band (trio) Johnny Walker-sax/Barry Mill-p/Doug Howson-d Sid Cole-sax/Barry Mill-p/Frankie Morgan-d |
..May '30-Jun
'31 Jun '31-Oct '31 Oct '31- |
|
| Nunky's
Club Regent Street |
Eddie
Gross-Bart and his Band Arthur Rosebery and his Farenheit Five The club changed it's name to "The Mitre" in July 1930 |
May
'29 -Oct '29 ...Jan '30-Jun '30 |
|
| Nuthouse Beak Street |
A new swing
club, opening about June 1939 George Shearing (piano) |
Jun '39 |
|
| Oddenino's Piccadilly |
The
Darnswells (inc Harry & Syd Roy & Lew Davis) (Could be the same establishment as below?) |
1920 | |
| Oddenino's 54-62 Regent Street |
Chester
Tunis and his Orchestra No dancing Charlie Spinelli and his Band Roy Wallace and his Band |
Jan '29-Mar
'29 Mar '29-Sep '32 Sep '32 1938 |
|
| Odoni's Restaurant | The Odonians, directed
by Allan Selby Dave Frost & his Band |
1933-1934 1934 |
Trusound |
| Old Florida Club | Assumed to be the same as "Florida Club" (q.v.) | ||
| Olympia Ballroom | Jack Howard
and his Band Closed ?? - Re-opened January 1928 Leon Abbey & his Band Herman Darewski and his Orchestra Gwen Rogers and her Musical Dolls |
Jan
'26 Jan '28 Jan '28 Jan '28 |
|
| Palermo
Club (formerly Carnival Club) 77, Dean Street, Soho |
(Re-)
Opening on April 5th 1926, the Palermo Club (sometimes "Paloma")
was owned by Layton and Johnstone. It changed its name again in 1927 and re-opened as
"The Night-Lights" (q.v.) Jack Clapper and his Band |
|
|
| Palm
Beach (formerly Karsinos, q.v.) Frith Street Hampton Court |
The old
"Karsino's" re-opened on May 8, 1926 under this new name
and the new management of the "New Princes" restaurant. The
first three bands named below played at both establishments. Alfredo and his Band Hal Swain and his Canadian Band New Princes Toronto Band The Miami band, directed by Arthur Fottrella Gerry Moore & his Quartet Various swing and jam bands inc: Ike Hatch Hetty Booth's Palm Beach Stompers |
|
|
| Paradise
Club Regent Street |
Arthur Young and his
Paradise Club Music Arthur Rosebery and his Band (doubling Dolphin Sq) The Heralds of Swing Arthur Rosebery and his Band (continuous from above?) Harry Parry & his Trio(also at Cocoanut Club next door) |
June 1935 Oct '37 -(Jun '38) Feb '39- May '39 ???? -(Feb '40) Sept '40 |
Decca |
| Park
Lane Hotel Park Lane |
This hotel
opened on March 21, 1927. Dancing daily (except Sundays) from 10pm to
2am. Alfredo's Band, dir Wilbert Blinco Jack Hylton's Kit-Cat Band |
|
|
| Persian
Garden Club Frith Street |
Charlie Spinelly and his Band | Jun '27 - | |
| Piccadilly
Hotel Piccadilly |
Piccadilly Hotel Dance
Band, dir David de Groot Jack Hylton and his Orchestra Alex Hyde and his Orchestra Geoffrey Goodhart and his Orchestra Mound City Blue Blowers Don Parker and his Band Jack Hylton's Kit-Cat Club Band (dir Al Starita) Piccadilly Revels Band, dir Ray Starita The Piccadilly Players, dir Al Starita (restaurant) The Piccadilly Hotel Band, dir Charles Watson (Grill) George Pallat and his Band Maurice Harford and his Band Jim Kelleher and his Piccadilly Band Jerry Hoey and his Band (Grill Room) Sid Bright and his Piccadilly Players The Selma Six Maurice Winnick and his Band Jerry Hoey and his Band (Grill Room) Sydney Kyte and his Piccadilly Hotel Band Maurice Winnick and his Sweet Music Jerry Hoey and his Band (Grill Room -1938) Norman Cole & his Band (Restaurant) |
1923 c. 1923 c. 1923 Jan '25-Dec '25 June 1925 Oct '25-Nov '26 Jan '26-(Sep '27) Dec '26-Mar '28 Apr '28-Dec '29 Apr '28 - Jun '28 Jul '28 - Aug '28 Aug 1928 - ? Feb '29-Jul '29 Jul '29 -Apr '31 Dec '29 -Jan '31 Apr '31-May '31 Apr '31-Oct '31 May '31-(may32) Nov '31 - Jun '36 Feb '38-Jun '38 1938 - (1940) late '38 - (1940) |
HMV HMV Vocalion Vocalion Columbia Columbia Piccadilly/Victory Victory/Piccadilly Decca Regal Regal Decca |
| Pop's Club | G. Clapham and his Band (trio) | Dec 29)-(May 30 | |
| Popular
Restaurant Piccadilly |
Coney Island Band (dir Fred Spreadbury) | Feb '26 | |
| Prince's | see "New Prince's" | ||
| Quaglino's Bury Street |
Percy
Chandler and his Band Geoffrey Gelder and his Band Alfred van Straten and his Band Manual Hyman and his Band Quaglino's Quartet, dir Brian Lawrance Alfred van Straten and his Music Frank Gregori and his Quartet |
.May '30-Dec
'30 Dec '30-Jun '31 Jun '31-(may32) ..May '32 Feb '34 - Feb '35 1938 - 1939 1938 |
Decca/Panachord Parlophone |
| Queen's
Club Langham Place |
Queen's Dance Orchestra, directed by Jack Hylton | 1919-1923 | HMV/Zonophone |
| Queen's
Hotel Leicester Square |
J. Jenkins
and his Band Reg Spinelly and his Band Harry White and his Band Will Hender and his Band Dave Rome and his Band (an Alec Alexander unit?) |
???? - Mar
'29 Mar '29 - ...Jan '30-Jun'30 July '30-Aug '30 Aug '30-(feb31) |
|