Sam Browne (musician)

Sam Browne (born London, England 1899 - died 1972) was an English dance band singer, born in London, became one of the most popular British dance band vocalists of the 1930s. He is particularly remembered singing with Jack Hylton and with Ambrose and his Orchestra, at the Mayfair Hotel and Embassy Club, with whom he made many recordings from 1930 to 1942, and for his duets and variety performances with the singer Elsie Carlisle.

Recording career

Sam Browne's first recording was made with the Jack Hylton band on August 23, 1928, 'That's My Weakness Now', issued on HMV B5520. The band at that time included great musicians like Jack Raine and Jack Jackson (t), Lew Davis and Leo Vauchant (tb), Chappie D'Amato, E. O. Pogson, Billy Ternent (reeds), Hugo Rignold (vn).

During about a year and a half Sam Browne made over 100 records with Jack Hylton including sessions in Berlin and Milan, and was to return to the studios with the Hylton band in 1938-40.

Sam first recorded with Bert Ambrose's band on Feb 8th 1930, the titles, on the Decca label, were 'A Little Kiss Each Morning' and 'Body And Soul'. The latter (3rd take) is an astonishing recording, a great arrangement, the record lasts for over 4 minutes, and Sam's vocal is clear and emotional. It was recorded again on February 22 with the added bonus on a violin solo (Eric Siday). By March 1930 Ambrose had switched to the HMV label and some superb Sam Browne recordings began to appear like 'Moanin For You' (B5813) 'Cryin For The Carolines' (B5814), 'A Bench In The Park' (B5842), 'Leven Thirty Saturday Night' (B5847). In an interesting recording of 'Shoo The Hoodoo Away' Sam teamed up for a duo with Ella Logan but on this occasion Ella's very bluesy rendition makes Sam sound very 'straight'!

Sam's work with Ambrose took him to some fancy places like Monte Carlo and Biarritz,and of course there were regular radio broadcasts from the Mayfair Hotel. Sam and Elsie Carlisle became a very popular singing pair with Ambrose.

One of his more interesting records was from 1932, entitled "The Sun has got his hat on" a chirpy comedic song about the inclement british weather and the coming of spring, it is most well known for the racist lyric "He's been tanning niggers down in Timbuktu" and the song was quite a sizeable hit, being released in the middle of the worst year of the Great Depression.

A very good reader of music, Sam's confident and warm delivery made him very popular with bandleaders and record buyers. Sam's voice is easily recognisable and it has been quite an easy task for discographers to identify many of the anonymous 'vocal refrains' on records by the less famous bands. With the publication of a full discography it is now clear that Sam made over 2000 recordings. Other bands that featured Sam on many records include Alfredo (on Edison), Bertini (on Eclipse), Harry Bidgood (on Broadcast), Harry Hudson (on Edison), Lew Stone (Decca) and about a dozen more.

Not regarded as a 'jazz' singer, Sam Browne nevertheless performs very adequately on a number of hot dance records, and as well as some of the early Ambrose recordings Sam also sang on a few other hot recordings by the bands of Jay Wilbur, Six Swingers etc. Sam is featured in several British films, including 'Calling All Stars', 'Variety Parade' and 'Hi Gang', as well as numerous film shorts.

Sam Browne worked with Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon during WWII in the 'Hi Gang' radio series, and after the war continued to tour and record.

References

*"Sam Browne Discography", by Barry Wolsey (2nd ed. 2004)

External links

* [http://www.jabw.demon.co.uk Vintage Dance Band and Jazz on 78rpm Records]