Dancin' With Anson at the Sheraton-Palace - Anson Weeks & his Orchestra

Dancin' With Anson at the Sheraton - Palace
Anson Weeks & his Orchestra

1. Mama's Gone Goodbye
2. In A Little Spanish Town
3. Mountain Greenery
4. Darktown Strutters' Ball
5. Medley: I'll Get By; Jealous; It Must Be True
6. Cecelia
7. I'm Writing You This Melody
8. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me
9. Singin' In The Rain
10. Someday Soon
11. Medley: Night and Day; Sweet and Lovely
12. Dardanella
13. Bye Bye Blues

  / ansonweeksor.  .

Anson was a leading bandleader on America's West Coast from the 1920s till the 1960s, and the number one dance band in San Francisco. In the 1950s he returned to the recording studios to make a number of LPs; rather nostalgic in nature. Anson's original residency at the Hotel Mark Hopkins was a high point in his career; the recordings made for broadcast in 1932 are amongst the very best dance band performances of the whole big band era.

This is my favourite of the stereo albums made by Anson. It was the first I came across; actually in Tower Records which was on Argyle Street in Glasgow. Excellent arrangements, spirited playing, and a great selection of evergreens. On one of his other albums, Anson's theme tune "I'm Writing You This Melody" was included in a medley, but here we can enjoy it as a performance on its own. On a personal note when I lived in Brazil some years ago, this recording of "Singin' In The Rain" was used as a dance number at a variety show put on by students and staff at the English School I worked at. It was perfect for the production.

You may note that there are two designs of record label used. I have since added another copy of this disc to my collection. You may also note that the "Sheraton-Palace" appears as "The Sheraton Place" on all the labels. Nowadays this grand hotel in San Francisco is simply known as The Palace.