Vincent Lopez & His Orchestra - So Blue

2016-02-05 1

Vincent Lopez (1895-1975) was an American bandleader and pianist, leading his own band in New York by 1917. In 1921 his band began broadcasting; Lopez worked occasionally in feature films, notably The Big Broadcast (1932). He was also one of the very first bandleaders to work in Soundies movie musicals, in 1940 and 1944. Noted musicians who played in his band included Artie Shaw, Xavier Cugat, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Mike Mosiello and Glenn Miller. He also featured singers Keller Sisters and Lynch, Betty Hutton and Marion Hutton. Lopez's longtime drummer was the irreverent Mike Riley, who popularized the novelty hit "The Music Goes Round and Round." In 1941 Lopez's Orchestra began a residency at the Taft Hotel in Manhattan that would last 20 years. This lovely record was made in 1927. Vocal by Frank Munn. It should be noted that this disc was in extremely poor shape. Although the result of my restoration attempts is not great, I decided to share it because of the undeniable artistic value of this rendition.