Joe Loss

Joshua Alexander Loss or Joe Loss OBE (born 22 June 1909 in Spitalfields, London - died 6 June 1990) was an English musician and founder of The Joe Loss Orchestra, a light orchestra.

Early life and career

He was the youngest of four children of Israel and Ada Loss, Russian Jews who were first cousins. His father was a cabinet-maker who had an office furnishing business, and his wife, Ada Loss. Joe started violin lessons at the age of seven. He was educated at Jews' Free School, Trinity College of Music and the London College of Music. He played violin at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool and also with Oscar Rabin, but other than that he always fronted a band of his own.

Joe Loss Orchestra

The Joe Loss Orchestra was one of the most successful acts of the Big Band era in the 1940s with hits such as "In the Mood", "March of the Mods" and "The Stripper". In 1961 they had a hit with 'Wheels Cha Cha', a revival of the String-A-Longs' hit 'Wheels'.

Loss's daughter Jennifer was the wife of famous British coachbuilder Robert Jankel.
Elvis Costello's father, Ross McManus, sang with the Joe Loss Orchestra.The Joe Loss Orchestra carries on to this day under the musical direction of Todd Miller who was a vocalist with the band for many years prior to Joe Loss's death. Todd sought and obtained the permission of Joe's widow to carry on the band's name.

External links

* [http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/dirj/joel.htm Bio at 45rpm.org.uk]
* [http://demo.wakefieldtheatreroyal.co.uk/shows.html?showid=55 Information about the Joe Loss Orchestra performance at Wakefield Theatre Royal]

References

* Oxford Dictionary of National Biography