25 June 2024

Jim Davidson King of Australian Swing – Phantom Dancer 25 June 2024

Greg Poppleton's Phantom Dancer swing jazz radio show

Jim Davidson was a drummer who lead the ABC Radio Dance Orchestra in Sydney 1936 – 41. It was Australia’s most popular swing orchestra and dance band. After World War Two he was head of light entertainment at BBC London. He’s your Phantom Dancer feature this week.

The Phantom Dancer is your weekly non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV every week.

LISTEN to this week’s Phantom Dancer mix (online after 2pm AEST, Tuesday 25 June) and weeks of Phantom Dancer mixes online at, at https://2ser.com/phantom-dancer/

JIM

James Hutchinson Davidson began his music in brass bands world about 1917 at age 15, and switched to drums.

In 1924 he joined Jimmie Elkins’ Orchestra, which played the theatre circuit in Sydney and Melbourne.

The Elkins Orchestra also played for dancers at the Coogee Casino in 1925 and the Manly Dungowan in 1926,

They broadcast over radio 2FC Sydney. They were the first band to record electrically at the Columbia Graphophone factory in Homebush, Sydney, on the day before the factory’s official opening on 14 October, 1926.

In 1927 Variety printed: “Jimmie Elkins has the best jazz band in Australia at present.”
Later in 1927, Elkins’ brass section was augmented by a young trumpeter from New Zealand — Jim Gussey. Davidson and Gussey were to be close associates until World War Two.

Following a long run at the Wintergarden Theatre Sydney, the Elkins Ork moved into the Wentworth Hotel, one of Sydney’s top hotels in the 1920s.

In October, 1928, Elkins retired from music to study architecture. Most of his band went into Jack Woods’ Orchestra at the Ambassadors Restaurant. Davidson was Woods’ deputy leader.

Ambassadors burned down in February 1931. Davidson went into pianist Gordon Rawlinson’s Bnad at the Oriental Cafe. Soon Davidson took over as band leader. It quickly became known as the hottest band in town.

In August, 1932, Davidson arranged a Rhythm Concert at Hillier’s Cafe, doubling the size of his regular group with Jim Gussey (tpt), Tom Stevenson (tbn), Chic Donovan, Pete Cantrell (reeds) and Orm Wills (bass). This was a great success; but its most important factor was the presence in the audience of entrepreneur Jim Bendrodt.

Bendrodt’s Palais Royal was suffering a drop in business, and he saw Davidson and his music as the solution to his problems.

In 1933 Bendrodt opened his New Palais Royal opened with a Gala Ball featuring Jim Davidson and his Orchestra.

The night broke attendence records, according to Bendrodt, and the next night, the first “popular” night drew 5,000 dancers.

Davidson’s hugely successful Sydney season was followed by one at the St Kilda Palais de Danse in Melbourne.

The orchestra returned to Sydney in 1934, and later that year Davidson signed a contract with the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC). He enlarged his Orchestra and took it to Melbourne, from where its broadcasts were relayed to all States.

They were back at the Palais Royal in 1936 season. And in October 1936, the whole band was placed under contract, and became Jim Davidson’s ABC Dance Band.

It now broadcast from 2FC Sydney and over ABC stations in the towns they toured.

In June 1941, Davidson and seven of his musicians enlisted in the Australian Army. Jim Gussey took over as leader of the ABC Dance Band which continued until Mrach 1976..

Davidson formed an Army Entertainment Group which he took to the Middle East. After the war he went to London as head of the BBC Light Entertainment.