Lew Stone & His Band, Vocal Chorus: Alan Kane - Stars Fell On Alabama, Regal Zonopohone 1934 (UK)
NOTE: Lew STONE (b. in London UK 1898; died 1969) British dance band leader and arranger. He was well known in Britain during the 1930s. Stone learned music at an early age and became an accomplished pianist. In the 1920s, he worked with many important dance bands (The Savoy Orpheans, Ray Starita and his Ambassador's Band). During 1927-1931, Stone's arrangements for the Bert Ambrose Orchestra made it virtually the best in Europe. The HMV discs are today sought after as much for those arrangements as for the superb instrumentalists or vocals.
Later, Stone continued to work with other bands like Jack Hylton's and Jack Payne's BBC Dance Orchestra, when in 1931 Roy Fox's Band opened at the Monseigneur Restaurant, Stone took up the position of pianist and arranger. When Fox became ill in October he was sent to Switzerland to rest and Stone assumed leadership of the band. The main vocalist at the Monseigneur was the very popular Al Bowlly who had already sung on over 30 recordings. The popularity of vocalist Al Bowlly increased; he was a regular on broadcasts, his name was credited on many of the Decca records and he toured with the band including an appearance before of royalty at the London Palladium. From late 1931 until 1934, Stone was also musical director for British and Dominion Films, working mostly from Elstree Studios, and later worked with other film companies. In November 1933, Stone transferred his band to the Cafe Anglais and in February 1934 started a very successful tour for the Mecca Agency. The band returned to the Monseigneur in March 1934 until the summer when the Monseigneur was sold to become a cinema. In September 1934, Al Bowlly left to join Ray Noble in USA. Stone moved to the Regal Zonophone record label, continued with theatre tours, and the band was resident for a time at the Hollywood Restaurant. Alan Kane became the main vocalist. In 1936, Stone formed a smaller band which opened at the Cafe de Paris. The band also began to broadcast regularly for commercial radio stations.
In 1937, Al Bowlly returned to England and he began recording with Stone again. Recordings with Bowlly in 1938 are as good as those made during the earlier years. Stone's band played music of all kinds, for all tastes, and for all the dance tempos, but today it is particularly their playing of the sentimental ballads that is recognised and in demand for re-issue on CD, especially the titles featuring Bowlly. In his own arrangements, Stone was particularly careful to match Bowlly's voice with appropriate ensemble phrasing and short instrumental solos resulting in very pleasant recordings which make much more satisfying listening than many other bands' recordings of the standard tunes.
