Jan Garber

Jan Garber

born on 5/11/1894 in Indianapolis, IN, United States

died on 5/10/1977 in Shreveport, LA, United States

Jan Garber

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Jan Garber (born Jacob Charles Garber,[1] November 5, 1894 October 5, 1977) was an American jazz bandleader.

Biography

Garber was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He had his own band by the time he was 21 (around 1917). He became known as "The Idol of the Airwaves" in his heyday of the 1920s and 1930s, playing jazz in the vein of contemporaries such as Paul Whiteman and Guy Lombardo. Garber played violin with the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra after World War I and formed the Garber-Davis Orchestra with pianist Milton Davis from 1921-1924. After parting with Davis, he formed his own orchestra, playing both "sweet" and "hot" 1920s dance music. He was hit hard by the Great Depression, and in the 1930s, he refashioned his ensemble into a big band and recorded a string of successful records for Victor. During World War II, Garber began playing swing jazz, a rather unexpected turn; his arranger during this time was Gray Rains and his vocalist was Liz Tilton. The recording restrictions in America during the war eventually made his ensemble unfeasible, and he returned to "sweet" music after the war, continuing to lead ensembles nearly up until the time of his death in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1977.

Discography

Garber recorded over 750 records, five full-length films, several movie shorts, and various TV appearances.

  • Favorite American Waltzes - 10" LP Coral Records (CRL 56001) (mono) - (1950)
  • Street of Dreams Decca (DL 4191 and 74191 (stereo)) (19xx)
  • College Songs Everybody Knows Decca (DL 4319) (19xx)
  • Dance to the Songs Everybody Knows Decca (DL 4119 and 74119 (stereo)) (19xx)
  • Catalina Nights Decca (DL 4032 and 74032 (stereo)) (19xx)
  • You Stepped Out of a Dream Decca (DL 4143 and 74143 (stereo)) (19xx)
  • Everybody Dance with Jan Garber and His Orchestra Decca (DL 4066 and 74066 (stereo)) (19xx)
  • Dance Program Decca (DL 4196 and 74196 (stereo)) (19xx)
  • Moods - Coral (CB 20028 - previously released on Decca) - (1973)
  • "Dancing Under The Stars" - (Decca Records) DL 4443 (19xx)
  • "Dance At Home" - (Decca Records) DL 8482 (1957 Mono)

Former band members

  • Verne Byers (bass)
  • Julio Maro (singer)
  • Steve Brooks (singer)
  • Janis M. Garber (daughter/singer; aka Kitty Thomas)
  • Freddie Large (saxophone, from 1932)
  • Frank Macauley (bass, from 1934)
  • Loren Holding (saxophone)
  • Jack Gifford (singer)
  • Thelma Gracen (singer)
  • Julie Vernon (singer)
  • Bob Hames (guitar)
  • Don Cherry (singer)
  • Frank Bettencourt (trombone, conductor & arranger)
  • Douglas Roe (piano)

Family

Garber moved with his family from Indianapolis to Louisville, Kentucky when he was three months old, and lived there until he was 13. The family then moved to a small town near Philadelphia. He was the tenth of 12 children.[2]

Garber studied Violin at Combs Conservatory in Philadelphia.

  • Wife Dorothy Comegys (born November 4, 1907, Shreveport, LA; married Garber December 18, 1926; died January 27, 2001, Shreveport, LA)
  • Daughter Janis Garber (singer, in Las Vegas)
  • Brother Myron Garber
  • Brother David S. Garber
  • Brother - Max Garber

External links

References

  1. Form I (Draft Card A), Registration No. 1428, WWI Draft Registration Card 3, was a violinist, employed by New Willard Hotel, resided at 1825 F St., NW, Washington, DC
  2. Jan Garber Orchestra Held Over at Mapes, Reno Evening Gazette, August 28, 1964 Reno, Nevada
This page was last modified 06.02.2014 01:28:21

This article uses material from the article Jan Garber from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.