Dajos Béla Tanzorchester plays tango from Berlin, 1929

DAJOS BÉLA (Leo Golzmann), violinist and a bandleader of the Weimar Republic. Born in Jewish Russian/Hungarian family in Kiev (1897), died in La Falda, Argentine (1978). As a 9 y.o. boy he gave his first violin public performance in Kiev. During WWI he was a soldier of the Tzarist army and when the war was over, he attended conservatory studies in Moscow, in the violin class of prof. prof. Michajl Press and Issay Barmas. After completing education, he left for Germany, where he started performing as violinist in the night cafes and clubs of North Berlin, using a pseudonym „Dajos Béla" (Dajos was his Hungarian mother's maiden name). It did't take long when he was invited to record his first sides for Carl Lindström Aktien Gesellschaft (labels: Odeon, Parlophon and Beka), using the nick names of Take Banescu, Arpád Városz, Jenő Fesca, Sándor Jószi) and, in following years, for Homocord label as Giorgi Vintilescu, Nicu Vladescu, or Joan Florescu for Grammophon. Also the bands he conducted had many etiquette-names: Dajos Béla Künstler-Kapelle, Dajos Béla Tanzorchester, Dajos Béla Geigen-Primas, Dajos Béla Salon-Orchester, etc. In later 1920s his orchestra -- due to the hundreds of recordings and numerous public performances, to the cosmopolitan and thirsty for international noveltes Berliner audiences, where he presented American or British hot dance jazz nubers - Dajos Béla's band becomes ex aequo with Marek Weber, Paul Godwin, Julian Fuhs, Mitja Nikisch - one of leading Berlin bands of the late 1920s/beginning 1930s.

In 1927 his band becomes an international ensamble, when he employs Rex Allen as a pianist and singer, together with a phenomenal banjoist - Mike Danzi. To emphasise their cosmopolitan style, they record many international schlagers for the Odeon label as: The Odeon Five, Mac's Jazz Orchestra or Clive Williams Jazzband.

In March 1933 his career is Germany is ended. Being well aware what means the Hitler's Nazi party victory in the national election, Dajos Béla never returns to Germany from his Holland tournee. Instead of Berlin, he goes to Paris, to perform in the casino „Monseigneur" and afterwards to London, to give concerts in „Palladium". After the stop in Wien, where he records music for the 1935 Tonfilm „Tanzmusik", he emigrates to Argentina. In Buenos Aires he works for Radio Splendid and Radio El Mundo, running various music programs. He also continues performing in the cafes and promenade concerts. In the 1970s he was invited to Germany by the Berlin Senate, and as a honourable guest, he visits „his" Berlin once more, and for the last time. He died in age of 80, and is buried in the Jewish cemetery La Tablada, in Buenos Aires.


Recording: Dajos Béla Tanzorchester mit refraingesang - Sie seh'n heut wieder reizend aus, Gnadige Frau (Willi Engel-Berger), Odeon 1929

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Weimar
• Berlin
• Roaring
• Twenties
• 1920s
• German
• tango
• 78s
• schellack
• nostalgie

[Yngland]

Super schöne fotos !!!

[VIVICANAL4]

BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS AND ROMANTIC SWWEET SONG.

[Talulah1998]

Ich frag mich ernsthaft, WARUM bei dieser Art Musik immer das Nazithema hier kommt! Darf man die Musik nicht mögen weil es aus der Zeit ungefähr stammt? Darf man keine 60s Musik hören weil sie aus de rVietnam-Ära stammt? Einfach albern...

[Uruguruh]

@jazzfan1940 Ach so, wie schrecklich. Glücklicherweise haben wir diese wunderbare Aufnahmen der zwanziger Jahren noch...und Deutschland wird jetzt eine viel bessere Nation sein, die Schande bleibt nicht für ewig. Einen herzlichen Gruß aus Holland, von einem Enkelkind Berliner Juden die in den dreißiger Jahren nach den Niederlanden geflohen sind.

[jazzfan1940]

@Uruguruh

auch durch die Augen meines Vaters erinnere ich mich, obgleich ich selbst nur noch mein geliebtes Berlin voellig zerstoert aus meiner eigenen Jugend kenne. Nazi-Schweine haben alles kaputt gemacht und uns dafuer ewige Schande hinterlassen.

Jazzfan1940

[Uruguruh]

Meine Oma hat immer erzählt über den Terrassen am Ku'damm in den zwanziger Jahren...

Berlin vor dem Krieg war etwas ganz Besonderes.

Schade das die Nazi-Schweine Alles kaputt gemacht haben.

[xchxxrisx]

Die Musik von damals ist manchmal besser als die von heute.

[sabinabarbara]

bellissimo,grazie

[zaza90100]

dolcissimo tango, che con le sue delicate note, accarezza con tanto amore le splendide immagini, complimenti Gregorz...francesco.-

[max1941]

He was a friend of my father in the 40s and 50s...Sincerely,he has been a great musician...