Ben Bernie's Orch. - Reaching For The Moon, 1926

Ben BERNIE and His Orch. - Reaching For The Moon (Benny Davis /Jesse Greer), Brunswick 1926
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„Songwriter Ben Bernie was a popular bandleader of the late '20s and '30s who is best known as the composer of "Sweet Georgia Brown." Born Benjamin Anzelwitz in N.Y.C., 1891, he studied at the NY College of Music, CCNY, and Columbia School of Mines. Before the 1920s, Bernie performed monologues and played the violin in vaudeville, teaming up with Phil Baker for awhile. Bernie formed a dance band in 1922 and within a few years earned increasing popularity with recordings and radio play. Pianist/arranger Al Goering was a force through most of his band's career, and the early lineup also included trumpeter Bill "Jazz" Moore and saxophonist Jack Pettis. Later lineups included the alto saxophonist Dick Stabile in the early '30s, and the more swinging arrangements of Gray Rains in the late '30s. Bernie got his own radio series, and became known for his sense of humor and trademark expression, "Yowsah, Yowsah!" He named himself "the Old Maestro" and called his band Ben Bernie & All the Lads. During the 1930s, Bernie also had a long-running "feud" with columnist Walter Winchell, leading to the duo co-starring in the films Wake Up and Live (1937) and Love and Hisses (1938). Bernie had acted in a Broadway production before this, 1928's Here's Howe. His band played at the Chicago World's Fair in 1933; appeared in the movies Shoot the Works (1934) and Stolen Harmony (1935); and recorded for the Brunswick, Columbia, and Vocalion labels, among others. Ben Bernie co-wrote "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Strange Interlude," "I Can't Believe It's True," "Who's Your Little Who Zis," and others, including "Pretty Little Baby" and "I Can't Forget That You Forgot About Me."
(Joslyn Layne - "All Music Guide" )

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Roaring
• Twenties
• 1920s
• flapper
• jazz
• age
• American
• hot
• dance
• band
• 78rpm

[kathy07002]

He was from Bayonne NJ and performed many hit songs of his era..

[iTzDrDr3]

My father passed away and in the midst of his papers was a paper plate with Ben Bernies picture on it. It is not dated but was printed by Maurice Seymour, Chicago. It has been pre-printed "Yours Cordially" Ben Bernie. Also has been autographed by Bernie in pencil. Thank you for posting this - I may not have ever known who he was.

[gfkd11]

Thx dear friend for sending me

u r right, its such an hilarious melody, i love such kind of musix, :-))

[EdisonSquirrel]

Beautiful rendition!

[dzheger]

My calories derive from "Pontchikes" (doughnuts in Yiddish) and poppy-seed cakes to which I'm addicted. And these calories, unfortunately, accumulates faster than I can shed them through dancing :)

[barbcard]

Absolutely not! In fact, you were just the opposite, the highlight of the day--both this video and your voice...

[genia106]

I think the Man in the Moon will be smiling tonight with all of this attention. :) I don't have to reach for the MOON, you have delivered it so MOONIFICENTLY.  Thank you.

Grzegorz, does your fancy German Gramophone look like the one at 2:05?

[dzheger]

My type of bouncy fox. You can lose a pound in one dance.

[barbcard]

Very jaunty--just what I need after a day of various annoyances. Your friend,B.