This recording features a lesser known band led by bass saxophonist Adrian Rollini. Rollini was a child prodigy on piano. He led his own band at age 14 and began playing with the California Ramblers in the early 20's. 1927 was a landmark year for jazz and Rollini. From Europe, a young English bandleader, Fred Elizalde was leading a band in London at the Savoy Ballroom, and he was looking for the best American jazzmen to spice up his already hot sound. He found Rollini, as well as Chelsey Quealey, Bobby Davis, Tommy Felline and Jack Russin. They all agreed to join him in 1927 and stayed until September of 1928. In 1932 he formed Adrian Rollini and his Orchestra, and they began to record in 1933. His other groups would include the Adrian Rollini Quintette and The Adrian Rollini Trio. He went on to play in hotels. He also did a brief tour in the late 40's. Rollini settled in Florida where he last worked at the Eden Roc Hotel in September 1955. He also operated the Driftwood Lodge at Tavernier Key. He died in 1956 at the age of 52. Chick Bullock was a prolific vocalist from the '30s, whose entire career seems somewhat shrouded in mystery and confusion. Even the details of his birth provoke wide geographical disagreement. Bullock is described as being particularly shy of publicity who vanished into the Los Angeles real estate business rather than remain in the spotlight. Nevertheless he recorded some 500 sides. His group Chick Bullock's Levee Loungers was strictly a studio all-stars affair. Bullock's list of associates are top flight indeed: he sang with Duke Ellington, but turned down Paul Whiteman. He also recorded with artists such as Luis Russell and Cab Calloway and featured a host of jazz heavyweights on his own records including trumpeters Bunny Berigan and Bill Coleman, trombonists Jack Teagarden and Tommy Dorsey, saxophonist Jimmy Dorsey, violinist Joe Venuti and guitarist Eddie Lang. This lovely record was made in 1934.
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