Efim Schachmeister - Ausgerechnet Bananen!

Chaim "Efim" Schachmeister (1894 in Kiev, presently Ukraine-1944 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) was a German violinist and bandleader. Already before WWI, he studied from 1910 till 1913 at Sternschen Conservatory in Berlin, and around 1915, he played in Berlin at the Popescu Gypsy band. In 1923 he became a bandleader, toured in Germany during 1924, and in 1925 he obtained a contract at Hotel Excelsior in Berlin. This was followed by several other assignments. This is also the period when for the first time he appeared in the Gramophone record catalogs, being honored with the title "King of all Dance Band Violinists" He temporarily hired great jazzmen. However, as early as 1933 it was all over. Being a Jew and a jazz musician, Schachmeister was considered persona non grata for both aspects of his personality. He went to Latin America. He died in 1944, aged only 50. As for this great record, it was made in 1924. Attentivel listeners will notice quotations from Balfe's 'In Marble Halls'.