EL PAUL WHITEMAN ALEMAN y DORITA DAVIS

Dajos Béla Orch. aka: Clive Williams Jazzband aka: Sándor Jószi
b: Dec. 19, 1897, Kiev, Russia. d: Dec 5, 1978, La Falda, Córdoba, Argentina
né: Leon Golzmann
Instrument: Violin.
In addition to the above names, Golzman also recorded as "The Odeon Five" (in 1926), which was a subset of Dajos Bela's Tanzorchester. They also recorded under the names of "Mac's Jazz Orchestra", "Dajos Béla - Künstler-Orchester", and "Orquesta Tzigana Dajos Bela".

In the early 1920s and '30s, his was one of the "classical" hotel orchestas (the Adlon, Excelsior, etc.), where he played with an all-around repertoire, from Jazz hits up to more classical material. His orchestra was among the most popular bands during the Weimar Republic regime of Germany. He was called by some, 'the German Paul Whiteman'.

In 1931, the orchestra won the "Das Goldene Saxophon" prize, - a popular competition between orchestras in those days (a "battle of the bands"). Among the men playing in his orchestra were the English trumpeter Howard McFarlane, pianist Franz Grothe, and guitarist/banjoist Harold Kirchstein. (In 1936, Kirchstein contributed music to the film Verräter, aka The Traitor in the USA, and to two films in 1937, Menschen ohne Vaterland, and Togger. He also composed some Pop songs.)

In 1933, when Hitler and the Nazis took over Germany, Béla, who was Jewish, escaped and moved firstly to Paris, France, and later further to Argentina where he, among other things, composed film music. Here's a photo of Dajos Béla, who occasionally recorded under several other names including Sándor Jószi (another Hungarian name, Odeon label), and under the name of Clive Williams Jazzband (Odeon label).

Some biographers have stated that he also used the name of Joseph Plaut. However, one researcher, Dr. Dieter H. Meyer, Nürnberg, feels that this is wrong. In private correspondence, he has said that the error seems to be due to the fact that Joseph Plaut once appeared (perhaps in a speaking role) with the Dajos Béla orchestra in a performance called "Jazz in Crimmitschau", which was recorded by the Odeon label. Dr. Meyer feels that it is possible that the Odeon label may have accidentally listed the band as that of Joseph Plaut, instead of listing it correctly as the Dajos Béla orchestra. (Please see our July 5 Calendar for more information on Joseph Plaut.)

In addition, Dr. Meyer also pointed out an interesting discrepancy, in the alphabetical context, of the name Dajos Bela. Dr. Meyer mentioned that

" ....It is not known how Leon Golzmann came by the name Dajos Béla. Had it
been an authentic Hungarian name, then in accordance with Hungarian language
customs, it would have been written with the first name at the end (Béla is a common
Hungarian first name), thus it would be shown as "Dajos, Béla." However, many
other languages list the name as "Bela, Dajos"

Bela was very strongly influenced by Fletcher Henderson, and this influence manifested itself in such recordings as "Deep Henderson" and "Say Mister, Have You Met Rosie's Sister".

While in Argentina, Bela was on the staff of Radio El Mundo, and one of the singers who appeared with his band was Dorita Davis, (photo source unknown) who at the time was also on the staff of Radio El Mundo. ( Dorita also sang with Carlos Gines, Juan Bernabé Ferreira, Estos dos Últimos Locutores de LR1, y La Pareja de Animadores Enrique Rando y Mary Froio.)
The Big Bands Database Plus thanks Dr. Dieter H. Meyer for all his help with the above Dajos Bela entry.

http://nfo.net/euro/eb.html

http://loungelegends.blogspot.com/2010/01/dajos-bela-und-sein-tanzorchester-die.html


EMI Electrola ODEON 1C 134-32.809/10