Laughing At The Rain, Fox-Trot (Gilbert & Gay) – The Rhythmic Eight with Vocal Refrain, Zonophone UK (1931)
NOTE: The Rhythmic Eight was one of aliases used by the Zonophone house dance band, after “The Arcadians Dance Orchestra” (led by the renowned British bandleader & composer Bert Firman) was dropped in 1930. The band included several very good European jazz musicians such as Arthur Lally, John Firman, Jack Jackson or Frank Guerente. In 1930 Bert Firman went to the USA at a six-month contract to be a guest conductor at N.B.C., becoming the first British bandleader to broadcast in America. He then spent some time in Hollywood adding music to a large number of films. The awesome fox-trot “Laughing At the Rain” was featured by Debroy Somer’s Orchestra in 1931 in the Lawrence Wright's North Pier, Blackpool Production. See also another British rendition of this hit, by Bert Ambrose’s dance band with unusual, dramatic singing by Sam Browne https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rcr3cZwpnUU
