Fancy Our Meeting

Albert Allick Bowlly should be no stranger to anyone who listens to the style of music shared in this blog. Born in 1898 in Mozambique, Bowlly was a Southern-African singer, songwriter, composer and band leader, who became a the most popular Jazz crooner during the British dance band era of the 1930s and later worked in the United States. He recorded more than 1,000 records between 1927 and 1941. In 1933, Bowlly began to collaborate with Lew Stone and had further success producing some of the most popular jazz records of the 1930s. A year later, Bowlly travelled abroad to New York which resulted in further success, and an introduction into the American charts. During the mid-1930s, Bowlly recorded "Blue Moon", "Easy to Love", "I've Got You Under My Skin", and "My Melancholy Baby" which were all sizable successes.

By 1938, Bowlly began to suffer problems with his throat and was forced to return to London. In a recent BBC radio program about Bowlly, however, it was suggested that his return to the UK was precipitated by a need to get out of town after a dalliance with another man's wife/girlfriend. His absence from the UK had damaged his popularity with British audiences and he toured regional theatres and continued his recording career, performing with different orchestras in order to make a living. In 1940, he formed a double act with Jimmy Messene and took part in Radio Stars with Two Guitars, performing in theatres across London. His last recorded song was a duet with Messene of Irving Berlin's satirical song on Hitler, entitled "When That Man Is Dead and Gone". It was his last venture before his death in an air raid in April 1941. This is an LP rip with no digital enhancements. Enjoy. +

Tracks

A1 - Fancy Our Meeting (Nov. 13, 1933)
A2 - My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes (June 1931 w/ Howard Godfrey's Waldorfians)
A3 - Judy (August 21, 1934 w/ Monia Liter, piano)
A4 - I'm Thru' With Love (September 1931 w/ Deauville Dance Band, dir Harry Hudson)
A5 - Be Still, My Heart (October 30, 1934 w/ Victor Young Orchestra)
A6 - Roll On Mississippi, Roll On (August 1931 w/ Sid Phillips' Melodians)
A7 - Heartaches (August 1931 w/ Sid Phillips' Melodians)

B1 - Maria, My Own (April 20, 1933 w/ instrumental accompaniment)
B2 - If I Had A Million Dollars (October 30, 1934 w/ Victor Young Orchestra)
B3 - Miss Elizabeth Brown (June 1931 w/ Howard Godfrey's Waldorfians)
B4 - If Anything Happened To You (January 28, 1932 w/ Rhythm Maniacs, dir. Roy Fox)
B5 - Got A Date With An Angel (November 1931 w/ Howard Godfrey's Waldorfians)
B6 - There's Rain In My Eyes (November 11, 1938 w/ instrumental accompaniment)
B7 - Night And Day (October 16, 1933 w/ Orchestra, dir Carroll Gibbons)
B8 - Brother, Can You Spare A Dime (December 1, 1933 w/ Lew Stone Orchestra