During its heyday in the late 20's and early 30's Gus Arnheim's orchestra worked at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles. As the most popular band on the West coast, it featured several good singers, including, for a time, Bing Crosby. Arnheim started his career with The Syncopated Five, which also featured Abe Lyman on drums. He subsequently took theatre jobs then played for a while as Sophie Tucker's accompanist before working again with Lyman. He formed his aforementioned Cocoanut Grove orchestra in 1927. In 1929 they took a short leave of absence from the Grove to play at London's Savoy Hotel and the Ambassadeurs Club in Paris. In 1930 Arnheim engaged male singing trio the Rhythm Boys. In the late 30's Arnheim renewed his group, scoring big at the Congress Casino in Chicago with his new swing sound. Arnheim retired from the band business after the war. He died in 1955. The abovementioned Russ Columbo (né Ruggiero Eugenio di Rodolpho Colombo), interpreting the outstanding vocal in this fantastic record, was born in 1908. Despite his early death, he became a famous American singer, violinist and actor, most famous for his signature tune, "You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love,".
