Jack Ayre

Ivor (Jack) Ayre (1894 – 1977) was a Canadian pianist and a member of the Dumbells, which entertained Canadian troops during World War I. He continued to perform with the Dumbells when they reformed as a civilian touring group performing songs, skits and musicals across Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Career

World War I

Ayre began his career as a pianist for silent films in Toronto.cite web|url = http://www.collectionscanada.ca/gramophone/m2-1002-e.html|title = Ivor (Jack) Ayre, pianist (circa 1894 - 1977)|publisher = Collections Canada|accessdate = 2007-10-10] He enlisted in the Canadian army as a private after the outbreak of World War I. Soon after, he came to the attention of Captain Mert Plunkett, who selected Ayre to be a pianist for the Canadian Army Third Division Concert Party, known as the Dumbells. Ayre served with the Dumbells until the war ended, attaining the rank of Corporal during the war. He composed "The Dumbell Rag" while still a soldier; the piece would go on to sell more than ten thousand copies of sheet music.

Civilian tours

After the war, the Dumbells reformed as a civilian traveling band and variety show. [cite web|url = http://www.collectionscanada.ca/gramophone/m2-1007.2-e.html|title = The Dumbells Part Two: The North American Tour, 1919-1932|publisher = Collections Canada|accessdate = 2007-10-10] Ayre served as the pianist, musical director [cite web|url = http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0002440|title = Dumbells|author = Patrick B. O'Neill|publisher = The Canadian Encyclopedia|accessdate = 2007-10-10] and sometimes conductor for the band. He became the first Canadian to conduct an orchestra in a hit Broadway show, when he served as conductor for the musical "Biff, Bing, Bang" at the Ambassador Theatre in New York. The Dumbells dissolved in 1932, [cite web|url = http://www.collectionscanada.ca/gramophone/m2-1007-e.html|title = The Dumbells|publisher = Collections Canada|accessdate = 2007-10-10] but Ayre continued to perform on the piano in various venus until his death.

Toward the end of his life, Ayre participated in a reunion performance of the Dumbells in 1975 at Lambert Lodge in Toronto. [cite web|url = http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0001052|title = The Dumbells|publisher = Encyclopedia of Music in Canada|author = Helmut Kallmann, Edward B. Moogk|accessdate = 2007-10-10]

References

External links

* [http://archives.cbc.ca/IDCC-1-71-2425-14183/conflict_war/firstworldwar/ Last of the Dumbells] Canadian Broadcasting Corporation interview with Jack Ayre on June 29, 1973