Uploaded October 2014 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
History of Sound Recording ♪♪♪ Year = 1932
On Christmas Day, 1932 the British Broadcasting Corporation first used a steel tape recorder for their broadcasts. The device used was a Marconi-Stille recorder, a huge and dangerous machine which used steel razor tape 3 mm (0.1") wide and 0.08 mm (0.003") thick running at 90 metres per minute (approximately 300 feet per minute) past the recording and reproducing heads. This meant that the length of tape required for a half-hour programme was nearly 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) and a full reel weighed 25 kg (55 pounds).
LES ELGART
American swing band leader, formerly lead trumpet player for the orchestras of Bunny Berigan, Charlie Spivak and Hal McIntyre. In 1945, Les formed his own organisation in Brooklyn, New York, in tandem with his alto saxophonist-playing brother Larry Elgart. The band, its theme song being "Sophisticated Swing", featured superior arrangements by Bill Finegan and a young Nelson Riddle.
Personal rivalry between the brothers caused a break-up. Les and Larry went their separate ways, but neither managed to succeed on their own. They re-formed in 1953, with breezy new arrangements by Charles Albertine and an emphasis on ensemble sound, rather than solos. This melodic approach proved popular and album sales (recording contract with Columbia) boomed. The Les Elgart Orchestra performed at many top venues, including at the Waldorf Astoria and at the Hollywood Palladium, as well as undertaking national tours of the college circuit.
Les's most enduring composition was "Bandstand Boogie", voted America's number one dance band song by Variety and Billboard Magazine. It was also featured as the theme music for Dick Clark's Bandstand (1952). By the late 1950's, Les had moved to California and turned the leadership of the group over to his brother. They re-united yet again, in 1963, as joint leaders of the Les & Larry Elgart Orchestra. In 1986, Les was inducted into the Big Band Hall of Fame.
LOOKING FOR A BOY
"Looking For a Boy" is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin.
It was introduced in their 1925 musical "Tip-Toes."
MHO
Take a great composition written by one of the "bigshots" of American music history, add a wonderful arrangement and have the result performed by a superb bunch of big band musicians : what you get is pure "musical magic" !
The tight percussive brass, the smooth silky sound of saxophones, the near absence of improvisation : these (and surely a few other) are the reasons why the Les Elgart Orchestra was (and is) called "The Band with That Sound".
We invite you to listen and enjoy "that (great!) sound !
History of Sound Recording ♪♪♪ Year = 1932
On Christmas Day, 1932 the British Broadcasting Corporation first used a steel tape recorder for their broadcasts. The device used was a Marconi-Stille recorder, a huge and dangerous machine which used steel razor tape 3 mm (0.1") wide and 0.08 mm (0.003") thick running at 90 metres per minute (approximately 300 feet per minute) past the recording and reproducing heads. This meant that the length of tape required for a half-hour programme was nearly 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) and a full reel weighed 25 kg (55 pounds).
LES ELGART
American swing band leader, formerly lead trumpet player for the orchestras of Bunny Berigan, Charlie Spivak and Hal McIntyre. In 1945, Les formed his own organisation in Brooklyn, New York, in tandem with his alto saxophonist-playing brother Larry Elgart. The band, its theme song being "Sophisticated Swing", featured superior arrangements by Bill Finegan and a young Nelson Riddle.
Personal rivalry between the brothers caused a break-up. Les and Larry went their separate ways, but neither managed to succeed on their own. They re-formed in 1953, with breezy new arrangements by Charles Albertine and an emphasis on ensemble sound, rather than solos. This melodic approach proved popular and album sales (recording contract with Columbia) boomed. The Les Elgart Orchestra performed at many top venues, including at the Waldorf Astoria and at the Hollywood Palladium, as well as undertaking national tours of the college circuit.
Les's most enduring composition was "Bandstand Boogie", voted America's number one dance band song by Variety and Billboard Magazine. It was also featured as the theme music for Dick Clark's Bandstand (1952). By the late 1950's, Les had moved to California and turned the leadership of the group over to his brother. They re-united yet again, in 1963, as joint leaders of the Les & Larry Elgart Orchestra. In 1986, Les was inducted into the Big Band Hall of Fame.
LOOKING FOR A BOY
"Looking For a Boy" is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin.
It was introduced in their 1925 musical "Tip-Toes."
MHO
Take a great composition written by one of the "bigshots" of American music history, add a wonderful arrangement and have the result performed by a superb bunch of big band musicians : what you get is pure "musical magic" !
The tight percussive brass, the smooth silky sound of saxophones, the near absence of improvisation : these (and surely a few other) are the reasons why the Les Elgart Orchestra was (and is) called "The Band with That Sound".
We invite you to listen and enjoy "that (great!) sound !
