78 rpm records
A few 78rpm records credit vocals to the Rhythm Brothers, a trio of singers of various personalities from the British radio scene of the 1930's. Members of these trios also recorded as Manhattan Trio, The Three T's, and on many other recordings with vocal trios. Some members like Clive Erard, Jack Lorimer and Ronnie Hill also provided solo vocal on many dance band records supported by a duo who was often Frank and Jack Trafford, from late 1935 till possibly early 1939. I'm trying to determine the identity of the trio on various Rhythm Brothers records and on other dance band records featuring trios. The voices of Frank and Jack Trafford have a distinctive style but it's not always easy to confirm their prescence on records.
Note: The two tables below list i) the Rhythm Brothers recordings and suggesting which actually feature Frank and Jack Trafford and ii) recordings by trios that probably feature them or some members that were the Rhythm Brothers.
i) Rhythm Brothers:
note: the exact identity of the trio is never certain, it was sometimes 'three from five' on radio broadcasts and that may have been the case with some recording sessions. Eddie Chadwick made only early test recordings, later recordings featured three from Clive Erard, Ronnie Hill, Jack Lorimer, Jack Trafford, Frank Trafford, Frank Bailey.
| Record | Date | Band | Titles | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ? | 1932 ? | - | So The Bluebirds And Blackbirds Got Together Sunday Down in Caroline | test recording. Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Eddie Chadwick |
| ? | 1935 ? | Clive Erard | A Little Bit Independent | Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Eddie Chadwick |
| ? | 1935 ? | Clive Erard | A Little Bit Independent | Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard |
| Decca F5550 | May10 1935 | Ambrose | Ambrose's Tiger Rag | main vocal by Max Bacon, assisted by the Rhythm Brothers : Clive Erard, Ronnie Hill, Jack Lorimer |
| Decca F5558 and F7203 | May17 1935 | Ambrose | Lullaby Of Broadway | main vocal by Sam Browne, assisted by Rhythm Brothers (as above?) |
| Decca F5584 | Jun13 1935 | Ambrose | Dixieland Band | vocal by Rhythm Brothers (as above?) |
| Decca F5583 | Jun20 1935 | Ambrose | In A Little Gypsy Tearoom | main vocal Donald Stewart, assisted by Rhythm Brothers (as above?) |
| Decca F5590 | Jun20 1935 | Ambrose | Fare Thee Well Annabelle | main vocal by Donald Stewart, assisted by Rhythm Brothers (as above?) and Elsie Carlisle |
| Decca F5609 | Jul4 1935 | Ambrose | Portrait Of A Lady | main vocal Jack Cooper, assisted by Rhythm Brothers (as above?) |
| Decca F5609 | Jul4 1935 | Ambrose | 'Way back Home | main vocal Jack Cooper, assisted by Rhythm Brothers (as above?) |
| Decca F5744 | Sep26 1935 | Ambrose | The Danza | main vocal Jack Cooper, assisted by Rhythm Brothers (as above?) |
| Decca F5742 | Oct12 1935 | Ambrose | The General's Fast Asleep | main vocal Evelyn Dall, assisted by Rhythm Brothers (as above?) |
| Decca F5794 | Nov13 1935 | Ambrose | The King's Navee | main vocals Jack Cooper and Max Bacon, assisted by Rhythm Brothers (as above?) |
| Decca F5793 | Nov13 1935 | Ambrose | Goodbye Trouble | main vocal Jack Cooper, assisted by Rhythm Brothers (as above?) |
| Decca K820 | Dec18 1935 | Ambrose | Piccadily | main vocal Jack Cooper, assisted by Rhythm Brothers (as above?) |
| Decca F5860 | Jan22 1936 | Ambrose | Sunset Trail | main vocal Jack Cooper, assisted by Rhythm Brothers (as above?) |
| Rex 8856 | Jul31 1936 | Jay Wilbur | Knock Knock Who's there? Parts 1 and 2 | vocal Jack Cooper and the Rhythm Brothers, and chorus |
| Rex 9125 | Sep6 1937 | Jay Wilbur | I've Got Beginner's Luck | vocals Rhythm Brothers (? Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard) |
| Rex 9125 | Sep6 1937 | Jay Wilbur | Let's Call The Whole Thing Off | vocals Rhythm Brothers (? Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard) |
| Rex 9141 | Sep6 1937 | Jay Wilbur | Slumming On Park Avenue | vocals Rhythm Brothers (? Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard) |
| Decca F6484 | Sep29 1937 | Ambrose | >Oh! They're Tough Mighty Tough In The West | vocals Manhattan Trio, possibly a pseudonym for Rhythm Brothers (Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard) but during the perfomance there is a reference to 'Hanley' and that might suggest the trio here is in fact The Three Ginx (one of whom was named Hanley) |
| Rex 9220 | Dec28 1937 | Jay Wilbur | With "Mary" Tattooed On His Arm | vocals Rhythm Brothers (? Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard) |
| Columbia FB1894 | Jan30 1938 | Debroy Somers | Me And My Girl | vocals Rhythm Brothers: Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard |
| Columbia FB1894 | Jan30 1938 | Debroy Somers | Lambeth Walk | vocals Rhythm Brothers: Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard |
| Decca F6928 | Jan18 1939 | Lew Stone | Selection from 'Under Your Hat' - Keep It Under Your Hat, I've Lost My Way | vocals Rhythm Brothers: Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard |
| Decca F6928 | Jan18 1939 | Lew Stone | Selection from 'Under Your Hat' - If You Want To Dance, Keep It Under Your Hat | vocals Rhythm Brothers: Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard |
| Decca F6929 | Jan18 1939 | Lew Stone | I Ups To Her And She Ups To Me | vocals Rhythm Brothers: Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard |
| Decca F6946 | Jan27 1939 | Ambrose | Did You Go Down Lambeth Way? | vocals Rhythm Brothers: Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard |
| Decca F6946 | Jan27 1939 | Ambrose | Ferdinand The Bull | vocals Rhythm Brothers: Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard |
| . | . | . | . | . |
2. Vocal trios or chorus singing with dance bands, uncertain identity :
| Record | Date | Band | Titles | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crown 7 | Jun19 1935 | Jay Wilbur (Rhythm Rascals) | Tiger Rag | vocal trio |
| Panachord 25751 | May24 1935 | Lou Preager | Me And The Old Folks At Home | vocals Ronnie Hill and duo |
| Decca F5802 Panachord 25808 | Nov14 1935 | Syd Lipton | Up The Old Narkovians | vocal Chips Chippendall with chorus |
| Decca F5803 Panachord 25808 | Nov14 1935 | Syd Lipton | I'm Going Home For Christmas | vocal Chips Chippendall and trio |
| Decca F5802 Panachord 25807 | Nov14 1935 | Syd Lipton | All For A Shilling A Day | vocal Chips Chippendall assisted by two speech |
| Rex 8667 | Nov20 1935 | Jay Wilbur | Schoolboy Howlers, Part 1 and 2 | vocal trio? (composer Clive Erard) |
| Decca F5809 | Nov22 1935 | Ambrose | Schoolboy Howlers, Part 1 and 2 | vocal Max Bacon and others (composer Clive Erard) |
| Crown 98 | Nov28 1935 | Jay Wilbur (Rhythm Rascals) | Schoolboy Howlers Parts 1 and 2 | vocal trio? (composer Clive Erard) |
| Rex 8787 | Apr9 1936 | Jay Wilbur | We Saw The Sea | vocal Sylvia Cecil, assisted by the Co-Harmonists |
| Crown 196 | May25 1936 | Jay Wilbur (Rhythm Rascals) | Wah-Hoo! | vocal trio |
| Decca F5990 | Jun4 1936 | Syd Lipton | I Like Bananas (Because They Have No Bones) | vocal Doris Hare, assisted by The Three T's |
| Decca F5990 | Jun4 1936 | Syd Lipton | Madama-ah! La Marquise-ah! | vocal Doris Hare, assisted by The Three T's |
| Crown 201 | Jun24 and Jul4 1936 | Jay Wilbur (Rhythm Rascals) | I'm Tickled To Death I'm Me | vocal Jack Lorimer and duo |
| Crown 241 | Sep3 1936 | Jay Wilbur (Rhythm Rascals) | Knock Knock Who's there? Parts 1 and 2 | vocal Jack Lorimer and duo |
| Decca F6151 | Oct10 1936 | Syd Lipton | Swing Me To Sleep | vocal George Evans and The Three T's |
| Decca F6137 | Oct10 1936 | Syd Lipton | Dandelion, Daisy and Daffodil | vocal Chips Chippendall and The Three T's |
| Decca F6169 | Nov4 1936 | Syd Lipton | Oh! My Goodness | vocal The Three T's |
| Decca F6190 Panachord 25891 | Nov4 1936 | Syd Lipton | Sing A Song Of Nonsense | vocal The Three T's |
| Decca F6223 Panachord 25891 | Dec1 1936 | Syd Lipton | When A Lady Meets A Gentleman | vocal The Three T's |
| Decca F6283 | Jan20 1937 | Syd Lipton | Cowboy | vocal Chips Chippendall and The Three T's |
| Rex 9005 | Mar11 1937 | Jay Wilbur | Head Over Heels | vocal trio |
| Rex 9012 | Mar22 1937 | Jay Wilbur | She'll Learn To Like It Bye And Bye | vocal Tin Pan Alley Trio |
| Rex 9012 | Mar22 1937 | Jay Wilbur | McDougal, McNabb and McKay | vocal Tin Pan Alley Trio |
| Decca F6473 | Apr23 1937 | Ambrose | When You Gotta Sing, You Gotta Sing | vocal Manhattan Trio, a pseudonym sometimes used by the Rhythm Brothers (? Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard) |
| Decca F6474 | Apr23 1937 | Ambrose | The Love Bug Will Bite You | main vocal by Vera Lynn, assisted by Max Bacon and The Manhattan Trio (? Frank Trafford, Jack Trafford, Clive Erard) |
| Note: the Sydney Lipton Panachord records were issued as Walt Bingham and his orchestra. |
page updated 25 October 2010