Leo Reisman facts for kids
Leo F. Reisman (born October 11, 1897 – died December 18, 1961) was a famous American violinist and bandleader. He was very popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Leo grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States.
When he was young, Leo loved the violin. He was inspired by a great violinist named Jascha Heifetz. After the Boston Symphony Orchestra didn't accept him, he decided to start his own band in 1919. He became very successful, with more than 80 hit songs on the music charts! A famous composer, Jerome Kern, even called his orchestra "The String Quartet of Dance Bands." This meant they played dance music with the skill of a classical string quartet.
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Early Recordings and Success
Leo Reisman made his first recording on January 10, 1921. It was a 10-inch 78 rpm record for Columbia Records. The two songs on it were "Love Bird" and "Bright Eyes."
He recorded only for Columbia from July 1923 to March 1929. Then, he signed with Victor and stayed there until October 1933. After that, he joined Brunswick until 1937. He then went back to Victor.
During his time with Victor (1929-1933), Reisman recorded many Broadway songs. Some of these songs were only recorded by his band. Because he was so popular, his band was always one of the top groups. He recorded a lot of music during his career.
Famous Collaborations
Reisman often had famous composers and Broadway performers sing with his band. Some of these talented people included Harold Arlen, Fred Astaire, Clifton Webb, and Arthur Schwartz. He also featured Lee Wiley on her first three recordings in 1931-1932.
His regular singers were often Frank Luther, Dick Robertson, and later Sally Singer and George Beuler. A very well-known recording from this time was "Happy Days Are Here Again" in November 1929. Lou Levin sang the vocals on that song.
Some of his most popular hits were:
- "Night and Day" (1932) by Cole Porter
- "The Continental" (1934) by Con Conrad
- "Cheek to Cheek" (1935) by Irving Berlin, sung by Fred Astaire
Musical Style and Other Work
Leo Reisman's orchestra mainly played dance music. He wasn't a big fan of jazz music. However, some of his early 1930s recordings had a bit of a "hot" or jazzy sound. He even hired the famous trumpet player Bubber Miley in 1930-1931. Miley had played with Duke Ellington's orchestra. Reisman also worked with Sam Donahue from 1946 to 1951.
Several other musicians who became famous later were part of Reisman's orchestra. Eddy Duchin got his start with Leo Reisman. The band leader and TV personality, Mitch Miller, also played in Reisman's band.
Reisman also worked on the radio. In 1937, he had a weekly show called Nine o'Clock Revue. It was a 30-minute program on the Mutual Broadcasting System.
Leo Reisman passed away in New York City on December 18, 1961. He was 64 years old.
Charting Singles
- "Down Argentina Way" (1940) (US No. 7)
- "Ferry-Boat Serenade" (1940) (US No. 19)
