Bert Lown

Bert Lown, who occasionally played violin, led a series of superior jazz-oriented dance band sides during 1929-33, 82 selections in all. 23 of his band's best performances have been reissued on the TOM CD Bert Lown & His Orchestra and they are his chief musical legacy, along with the fact that he was one of the composers of the standard "Bye Bye Blues." As a violinist Lown worked for a time in the 1920's as a sideman, including in 1925 with cornetist Fred Hamm's band. He collaborated with Hamm, Chauncy Gray and Dave Bennett on "Bye Bye Blues" which they first recorded on May 1, 1925. In 1929 Lown began his series of recordings and among his sidemen along the way were (at various times) trombonist Miff Mole, drummer Stan King and (most importantly) bass saxophonist Adrian Rollini (who was succeeded by Spencer Clark in 1931). During 1930-31, Lown's band was employed regularly at the Biltmore Hotel in New York, frequently broadcasting on the radio. During this period Lown also composed "You're The One I Care For" and "Tired." His orchestra only recorded two sessions apiece in 1932 and 1933 and by the mid-30's Lown was no longer leading a band, instead booking and managing orchestras before dropping out of music altogether. In later years, Bert Lown held executive positions and was involved in CBS-TV from 1951 until suffering a heart attack in 1962. © Scott Yanow /TiVo