Jazz in the Weimar Berlin: Sid Kay's Fellows, 1930

From 1930 to 1932 "Sid Kay's Fellows" were the house band in the legendary Tanzpalast of Berlin's nightlife of the 1920s and 1930s - "Haus Vaterland". They played there for dancing in the Palm Hall - one of the halls of that huge restaurants, lounge - bar-rooms complex.
The Orchestra was founded and led by Sigmund Petruschka ("Sid") and Kurt Kaiser ("Kay") - the later being formerly the member of famous "Die Weintraubs Syncopators". Besides regular accompanying the "Haus Vaterland" night audiernces, the Sid Kay's Fellows also fulfilled many more ambitious programs, e.g. accompanying Sidney Bechet in 1933 during his recitals in Berlin. In 1933, as soon as the nazis took power in Germany, the Sid Kay's Fellows were forbidden to perform publicly so they transformewd into the studio orchestra and made some recordings for the Jewish label Lukraphon - as long as it was allowed to exist. In 1938, Petruschka emigrated to Palestine, where he assumed the name Shabtai Petrushka and played an important role in the music life of Palestine or Israel, among other things as musical conductor of Radio Israel.
The fate of Kurt Kaiser remains unknown.

Recording:
Sid Kay's Fellows - Die ganze Welt ist Himmelblau (R.Stolz) (aus der Operetta "Im Weissen Rössl"), Tri Ergon 1930

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Roaring
• Twenties
• Old
• Berlin
• dance
• band
• Robert
• Stolz
• NS
• Zeit

[musicaEmusici]

The words of the main theme, in the italian translation of this song ("Occhioni blu"): "negli occhi tuoi c'è un non so che, mi fa soffrir chissà perchè...se sorridi tu mai nel ciel vi fu tanto blu come il blu del tuo sguardo...da quell'azzurro un diì brillò, un raggio che m'affascinò...e non reggo più se mi guardi tu, con quegli occhioni blu!"Viva l'operetta!!!!! Speriamo torni presto a Cingoli!!!!

[JukeJointHop]

I love this band! I dont get to hear enough hot dance bands from Germany in the jazz era! The soloist at 2:27 sounds like Paul Whitemans! Maybe the sax man had listened to Whiteman records! Great record! thanks!

[syncopcgda]

After having heard this I must say: Best version of the song!!!

Thanks a lot.

[donspiro]

They appear in the wedding reception scene of "Pandora's Box" (1929). The drumkit is labeled "Sid Kay's Fellows."

[dreyfusdreyfus]

Sid Kay came to Australia, that's where he went. He took the whole name for himself: Sydney John Kay

[zorkborg]

His real name was Sigmund Pretruschka. He and most members of his band were Jewish. He escaped to Palestine in 1938. I imagine he became an Israeli. I also imagine most of his band went up in smoke, literally, but I really don't know what happened to them.

[henry814]

Amazing! I especially love the section which begins around 1:18 - the definitive version if there ever was one!

[mic33george]

Very good indeed!Love German dance bands of this time.

[fipsbrause69]

old german jazz true as it was

[perfectjazz78]

Most likely a youtube server error. Try deleting this post and uploading the clip again.