210:. They were exposed to musical influences early in their lives. Their mother, Bessie (Aisman) Elgart, was a concert pianist before her marriage to Arthur Elgart, a manufacturer's representative. She is said to have given a piano recital at Carnegie Hall, and at one time had her own music conservatory. At age 10, Les was attracted to bugling after joining the Cub Scouts. Later, he turned to the cornet, and then the trumpet. Both brothers attended
31:
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Les Elgart lived in
Chicago for several years, and Santa Monica and Hollywood Hills on the West Coast. He returned to Chicago, then relocated to Miami, and San Antonio, Texas. From his home in Dallas, Les continued to tour with his band, performing at colleges and conventions, and on cruises. In 1977
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Over the next three years, the band released a half dozen albums and enjoyed success on tour, with many appearances on college campuses. The band's unique blend of brass and reeds became known as “The Elgart Sound.” The best selling albums were "The Elgart Touch" (1956) and "For
Dancers Also" (1957),
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liked what he heard, and signed the band to the label. ‘’Sophisticated Swing,’’ the band’s first album, was released that year. It enjoyed immediate success. The Elgart ensemble was lauded as "a new band with a handsome sound and smart arrangements." The band came from nowhere to third place in the
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The songs included were “Theme (To The Future),” “The
Rickety Richshaw Man,” “The Cradle Song,” “Largo,” “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home,” “The Old Lamplighter,” “A-Huggin’ and A-Chalkin’,” “Dream, Dream, Dream,” “The Bells of St. Mary’s,” and “Mimi.” The program included vocals by The Tune Tellers.
271:
for radio broadcast. The band performed at venues in New York and northern New Jersey for the next two years, and recorded two singles for Bullet
Records in March 1948. With the post-World War II decline in popularity of the big bands of the 30s and 40s, the Les Elgart Orchestra disbanded, and
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Another transcription from this period included “Chicken Lickin’,” “Evening Star,” “When Johnny Comes
Marching Home,” “On, Brave Old Army Team,” “Clair De Lune,” “Hymn To The Sun,” “Drigo’s Serenade,” “Anvil Chorus,” “When The Saints Go Marching In,” “Greensleeves,” and “Goin’ Home.”
376:. The Les and Larry Elgart Orchestra attempted to align itself with popular music trends such as folk ("Big Band Hootenanny" 1963) and disco ("Elgart Au Go-Go" 1965). Its remaining releases, arrangements of contemporary hits, could be categorized as
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Columbia bought the demos and assigned master numbers: CO48933 “Big Man On Campus” (unreleased); CO48934 “Senior Hop” (released on “The
Dancing Sound,” CL684); and CO48935 “My Heart Belongs To Daddy” (released on “Prom Date,”
292:
We wondered if this was it . . . if this was what we had to do to make a living in the music business. But we knew it wasn’t. And that’s why Les, I and
Charlie started a new band with the determination that it had to
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he married
Joerene Ingram, who managed the band. In 1987 Les Elgart traveled to Brazil at the invitation of Brazilian radio program producer and Elgart biographer Joaquim Gaspar Machado.
759:”Li’l Liza Jane,” Sutton 283, “Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen,” Musicraft 15079/Sutton 283, “Mabel, Mabel,” Musicraft 15079/Sutton 283, and “I’m In The Mood For Love,” Sutton 283.
706:. Accessed September 3, 2017. "During the 1930s the family moved several times, finally settling in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, where the brothers attended Pompton Lakes High School."
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By the end of the decade, Les quit performing, preferring to handle the business aspects of the band. Under several producers and arrangers, the band released eight more albums.
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This was a "sweet band" generally, and far removed from their swing style of a decade later. The band had a familiar Glenn Miller touch to its sound, only a slower tempo.
353:
The popularity of the Les Elgart
Orchestra remained strong. The band took second place, again behind Les Brown, in the 1959 DownBeat poll. In 1960, the band won the
778:“Doodle Doo Doo” b/w “I Left My Heart in Hartford,” Bullet 1025, and “I Went Down to Virginia” b/w “What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For?”, Bullet 1028.
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In 1969, Larry was invited to London to make three records for
Swampfire Records under the imprint of Les and Larry Elgart. The albums claimed a
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to write arrangements. The band signed with General Amusement Corporation for bookings, and in May 1945, made recordings in New York City at a
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between 1949 and 1952, Les freelanced on record dates, worked in pick-up bands, and contracted for a few singers.
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but the recordings never made the hit parade. In October 1946, the band recorded a performance for
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television special featuring big bands in November 1966. Veteran Columbia Records producer
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Les continued to work until his death from heart failure, in Dallas, Texas, at age 77.
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both of which reached the Top 15 on the LP charts. Among the band's popular tunes was "
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award as "America’s Favorite Band 1960 Outstanding Achievement in Recorded Music.”
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The brothers reunited again in 1963, hiring arrangers Charles Albertine and
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380:. The band performed on the radio between 1964 and 1966, and appeared on a
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325:. Elgart displaced Anthony for second place in 1955 and again in 1956.
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produced the Elgarts' final three albums for the label. After 1967's
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award as the Most Programmed Band by America's Disc Jockeys, and the
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The band's first stereo recording in 1957 reflected a name change to
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and bore no relationship to the Elgart Sound of the early 1950s.
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In late 1952, Larry Elgart was working with fellow saxophonist
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750:, Richard F. Palmer, Circle Records CLP-126, released 1988.
908:
The Music Business and the Monkey Business: Recollections
16:
American swing jazz bandleader and trumpeter (1917–1995)
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With $ 1,000, they gathered sidemen and recorded three
392:, Les and Larry parted again, this time for good.
227:During the 1940s Les was a member of bands led by
301:tracks to shop the record labels. In April 1953,
182:(August 3, 1917 – July 29, 1995) was an American
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255:session. None of these were issued, however.
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673:Palmer, Richard F.; Garrod, Charles (1992).
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489:Les & Larry Elgart & Their Orchestra
337:as the theme song for the ABC-TV dance show
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691:The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives
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1055:Musicians from Passaic County, New Jersey
677:. Zephrhills, Florida: Joyce Record Club.
675:Les and Larry Elgart and Their Orchestras
479:(10" "House Party" Series) CL 2590 (1956)
473:(10" "House Party" Series) CL 2578 (1956)
455:(10" "House Party" Series) CL 2503 (1955)
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843:
841:
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646:"Les Elgart, 77, Dies; Led a Dance Band"
348:Les and Larry Elgart and Their Orchestra
284:in the pit band for the Broadway play ‘’
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891:"Swingin' Your Way Soon--Les Elgart".
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1070:People from Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
1065:Musicians from New Haven, Connecticut
876:"Favorites of the Year: Dance Band".
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1095:20th-century American male musicians
906:Elgart, Lynn; Elgart, Larry (2014).
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748:Les Elgart and His Orchestra - 1946
591:The Wonderful World of Today's Hits
390:The Wonderful World of Today’s Hits
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1075:Pompton Lakes High School alumni
935:Machado, Joaquim Gaspar (2014).
880:. December 24, 1959. p. 31.
832:. December 26, 1956. p. 21.
817:. December 29, 1954. p. 26.
1085:Jazz musicians from Connecticut
937:O Som Elgart (The Elgart Sound)
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895:. April 27, 1961. p. 52.
689:"Elgart, Les(ter) Elliot" in
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507:The Great Sound of Les Elgart
263:In mid-1946, Les signed with
1100:American male jazz musicians
317:popularity poll, behind the
7:
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418:label except where noted)
186:bandleader and trumpeter.
1080:Jazz musicians from Texas
1040:American jazz bandleaders
852:"Elgart, Les(Ter) Elliot"
623:, Swampfire SF-207 (1970)
617:, Swampfire SF-203 (1969)
615:Nashville Country Guitars
611:, Swampfire SF-202 (1969)
605:, Swampfire SF-201 (1969)
537:The Twist Goes to College
269:Lang-Worth Transcriptions
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212:Pompton Lakes High School
204:Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
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1050:American male trumpeters
1045:American jazz trumpeters
513:The Band with That Sound
1035:20th-century trumpeters
798:"Down Beat Best Bets".
621:Nashville Country Sound
609:Nashville Country Brass
603:Nashville Country Piano
575:CL-2511/CS-9311, (1966)
569:CL-2355/CS-9155, (1965)
563:CL-2301/CS-9101, (1965)
557:CL-2221/CS-9021, (1964)
593:CL-2780/CS-9580 (1967)
587:CL-2633/CS-9433 (1967)
581:CL-2591/CS-9391 (1966)
551:CL-2112/CS-8912 (1963)
545:CL-1890/CS-8690 (1962)
539:CL-1785/CS-8585 (1962)
533:CL-1659/CS-8459 (1961)
527:CL-1567/CS-8367 (1960)
521:CL-1500/CS-8291 (1960)
515:CL-1450/CS-8245 (1960)
509:CL-1350/CS-8159 (1959)
503:CL-1291/CS-8103 (1959)
497:CL-1123/CS-8002 (1958)
56:New Haven, Connecticut
1060:Musicians from Dallas
599:, Priam PR-218 (1981)
525:Half Satin Half Latin
414:(All released on the
333:", which was used by
323:Ray Anthony Orchestra
180:Lester Elliott Elgart
42:Lester Elliott Elgart
802:. December 30, 1953.
687:Jackson, Kenneth T.
561:The New Elgart Touch
465:The Most Happy Fella
435:The Band of the Year
202:, Elgart grew up in
555:Command Performance
543:Best Band on Campus
519:Designs for Dancing
429:Just One More Dance
423:Sophisticated Swing
912:Archway Publishing
723:"Artist Biography"
651:The New York Times
597:American Bandstand
573:Sound of the Times
549:Big Band Hootenany
501:Les Elgart On Tour
359:Billboard Magazine
340:American Bandstand
1090:Swing bandleaders
965:The Baltimore Sun
946:978-85-366-3415-9
579:Warm and Sensuous
441:The Dancing Sound
315:DownBeat Magazine
282:Charles Albertine
265:Musicraft Records
206:with his brother
174:
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148:Bullet(Nashville)
100:Years active
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967:. August 1, 1995
961:"Les Elgart, 77"
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483:For Dancers Also
459:The Elgart Touch
447:For Dancers Only
355:Cashbox Magazine
331:Bandstand Boogie
303:Columbia Records
288:’’. Larry said,
276:The Elgart Sound
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382:Jackie Gleason
378:easy listening
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319:Les Brown Band
310:George Avakian
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245:Ralph Flanagan
233:Charlie Spivak
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223:The First Band
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449:CL-803 (1955)
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443:CL-684 (1954)
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437:CL-619 (1954)
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969:. Retrieved
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721:Steve Huey.
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249:Bill Finegan
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112:Larry Elgart
69:(1995-07-29)
1030:1995 deaths
1025:1917 births
861:February 9,
732:February 7,
495:Sound Ideas
477:More of Les
410:Discography
374:Bobby Scott
368:Later years
237:Harry James
200:Connecticut
190:Early years
83:Occupations
1019:Categories
1006:Les Elgart
990:Les Elgart
971:6 February
694:, p. 147.
628:References
471:Campus Hop
386:Teo Macero
335:Dick Clark
308:executive
286:Top Banana
184:swing jazz
89:Bandleader
48:1917-08-03
23:Les Elgart
633:Footnotes
453:Prom Date
196:New Haven
160:Swampfire
143:Musicraft
130:Pop music
114:(brother)
108:Relatives
103:1940–1995
92:Trumpeter
994:Allmusic
893:DownBeat
878:DownBeat
830:DownBeat
815:DownBeat
800:DownBeat
788:CL2503).
698:, 2000.
416:Columbia
321:and the
194:Born in
153:Columbia
306:A&R
293:happen.
943:
918:
702:
253:V-Disc
247:, and
235:, and
218:Career
136:Labels
126:Genres
77:, U.S.
58:, U.S.
313:1954
208:Larry
157:Priam
973:2012
941:ISBN
916:ISBN
863:2022
734:2022
700:ISBN
696:Gale
299:demo
64:Died
38:Born
1008:at
992:at
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