| |
CD BROADCAST 006
Born: London, 1898
Died: London. 1957
Harry Bidgood recorded both under his own name,
and a variety of other names such as Harry Bidgood's Broadcasters
(ca. 1925-27), Don
Porto and His Novelty Accordions (ca.'33) Rossini's Accordions
(ca. 1935), Primo Scala and His Banjo Band, and Primo Scala
and His Accordion Band
(both ca. 1939 up --perhaps his best known band). Among the
famous vocalists who appeared with him are Vera Lynn, Cavan O'Malley,
Sam Costa
and Donald
Peers. Bidgood's career began when he became the pianist
with the De Groot Orchestra then resident at London's famed Piccadilly
Hotel.
In time, he
became the Musical Director for Vocalion Records, and in
1932, for Crystalate Records. Over his career, he recorded 100s of tunes
with
his conventional
dance band and 100s more with his Banjo and Accordion bands.
Curiously, he is probably best remembered by his pseudonym
of "Primo
Scala" than
by his own English birthname. (He contrived the name from Italy's
boxing champion 'Primo Carnera' and a then famous Irish Sweepstakes winner,
Signor
Emilio Scala.) He used this name when fronting his 'Accordion
Orchestra'. When he died, he was probably better known as 'Primo Scala'
than as 'Harry
Bidgood'.
All Original Materials Copyright © 2005,
2006
Weimar Rundfunk Music Company - contact
|
|
|
|
