Melle Weersma (1908 - 1988) was a Dutch composer, arranger, and bandleader, who played in jazz, light music, and symphonic styles. Weersma started his musical career in the late 1920s, and then in the early 1930s with popular orchestra's like for example Juan Lossas. From late 1931 to early 1932 he worked in Berlin as a film score arranger. He founded his own short-lived large ensemble called the \"Red, White and Blue Aces\" in 1934, and recorded with them a few recordings but only one was issued which is presented in this video. The record was again available during the WW2 but due to the German sensorship the Band had to be renamed in \"Melle Weersma en zijn orkest\", en the song titel had also be changed in Dutch, since the English language was forbidden by the German occupiers. Early in 1935 he worked with Jack Hylton in London, then moved to Chicago later in the year, where he did arrangements for Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and Andre Kostelanetz. Returning to England in 1936, he took a position as an arranger for Henry Hall at the BBC. He moved to Argentina in 1938, working with dance bands and for radio programs. That same year he composed the \"Penny Serenade\", a hit on record for many artists all over Europe. During World War II he did a stint in the United States Navy, then returned to Argentina after the war, where he composed his works \"Criollo Suite\" and \"Peruvian Waltz\" (Gaviota). In 1954 he returned to the Netherlands, where he worked for the radio and recording compagnies.
Red Indian Chase - Indiaansche Jacht.
Foxtrot (Melle Weersma)
Melle Weersma and his Red, White and Blue Aces.
Melle Weersma en zijn orkest.
Henk Bruyns, Israel Park, Maup Israels - tp.
Dick Lambreghts - Henk Bosch - tb.
Ernst Höllerhagen - cl. as.
Jan Meyer - cl. as. bar.
Ab van der Molen - as.
Eddy Brünner cl. ts.
Melle Weersma - p. a. ld.
Otto Clinge Doornbos - g.
Aat Swart - b.
Lew Galking - d.
Decca A.M. 054 - F 42022
Decca A.M. 054 - F 42164
Hilversum, Holland April 18, 1934.
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Penny Serenade.
Slow-foxtrot.
Music : Melle Weersma
Lyrics : Hal Hallifax
Al Bowlly, vocal
with
Geraldo and his orchestra.
Electrola E.G. 6646 - OEA 7073.
London, November 1, 1938.
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Penny-Serenade
(Melle Weersma) .
Lyrics : Schwenn & Schaeffers.
Wilhelm Strienz and Choir
with the orchestra of
Bruno Seidler-Winkler.
E.G. 6800 - ORA 3872.
Berlin, 1939.
