Somebody Loves You
Timeless Historical CBC 1-074
When USA went into the depression era one of the most popular orchestras led by Ted Lewis had to face a severe decline in record sales. Buying records became a luxury and then the competition from radio did not make the situation better. But still he had his contract with Columbia that was to last for fourteen years.
When this session took place in 1932 Lewis had a reconstructed band since the year before, but most of the key members were back. It was after a tour in England in 1930 and some trouble with his star clarinet player Jimmie Dorsey that he decided to disband. Before Dorsey’s stint with them there had been tragic events when his predecessors on the instrument Don Murray and Frank Teschmaker both had been fatally injured in consecutive car accidents. Their replacement was none less than Benny Goodman who yet had not started a band of his own.
In the chosen tune, (not to be confused with the more well known one with a similar name) we get a glimpse of the Lewis Orchestra’s heyday when the three “hot men”, Muggsy Spanier —cornet, Goodman —clarinet, and George Brunies —trombone, takes short inspired solos after the usual declamatory vocal.