Merry Macs (with Ray Noble) - Slumming on Park Avenue

RCA master 03888-1, rec. New York, 5 January 1937.
Helen Carroll (voc), brothers Judd (tenor), Joe (tenor) and Ted (baritone) McMichael.
The second line-up of the group; original girl singer Cheri Mackay left the group in 1936. However she stayed on good terms with the brothers and trained her successor ...

Category:

Music

Tags:

• 30s
• close
• harmony
• vocal
• group
• Swing
• Victor
• quartet
• novelty
• Merry
• Macs
• McMichael
• McKay
• Mackay
• Ray
• Noble

[SeaBreezeDon]

The musicians on this recording were assembled by Glenn Miller, & it was really an all-star band. Miller and Will Bradley on trombone, Charlie Spivak on trumpet, Pee Wee Erwin (I think) and Bud Freeman on reeds, etc. George Simon pointed out (on the album notes on the 33 rpm recording of it I have) that the arrangement sounded very "Miller-ish" as well. Remember, this was before Glenn Miller had a band of his own! Thanks for this. I haven't been able to play my record for years!

[kr103]

Many thanks for this extra info! I mainly collect the discs for their vocalists, so my info on the bands may be a little slim. Additions such as this one are very welcome.

[musicvids60s]

1 person is a member of the classes.

[ivelosthewilltolive]

This song was also covered by -- Sun Ra, if you can believe that...

[damone77]

I enjoyed every note!

[bigcity233]

Great record!! The Noble sound was evolving on this record. It's a shame, but not long after this recording, Noble broke up his NYC band which performed regularly at the Rainbow Room at the top of 30 Rock Plaza and went off to the West Coast to do movies. Al Bowly had returned to London before this record was done. I like both his London orchestra and his NY band - the NY band lasted from 1934-37.

[cinemabon]

Many years ago, a man from New York introduced me to this Ray Noble gem when we performed, "Light up the sky" in summer stock theater. We used it for the overture music. I couldn't tell if the audience or the cast loved it more. However, looking in from the wings each night, I used to watch the east coast pros tapping their feet and smiling just before the curtain went up. I can't begin to thank the person who posted this. I haven't heard it for nearly forty years. This is a hoot!

[bloof45]

Is not! Never was! A billion Hindus can't be wrong. But those Macs were good.

[td1238]

I think that the world is still a real place. Some good and some bad come from every era. This record is AWESOME, though, and so I must look for it on eBay!

[SwingTimeSessions]

i love the label design.. once upon a time the world was a real place..

[michaeljayklein]

As SeaBreeze mentions, Noble's American band was organized by Glenn Miller. Miller took many of the star side with him from Noble's band when he formed his own. Noble never had a better band after this. Maybe the ONLY British band leader to gain great fame in the United States. This was wonderful--thanks for posting this!

[SeaBreezeDon]

You're welcome! Someday I'll pull out the album and get the full lineup.

[znuky]

The best thing the Merry Macs ever did - and Ray Noble is brilliant as usual. Marvellous sound!