Charles Leonard "Charlie" Kunz (August 18, 1896
– March 16, 1958) was an American-born British musician popular during the
British dance band era. Kunz's rhythmic piano style remains unique, a relaxed
flowing interpretation of popular melodies played with subtle soft and loud
accents, a style which he called "melody and rhythm with expression".
Charlie Kunz, "the Medley King," was born in
Allentown, PA. His father was a master baker who blew the French horn. As a
youngster Charlie played piano, church organ, and E-flat alto horn. In 1914 he
switched from playing classical to popular dance music. He worked as a milkman,
cobbler, ribbon weaver, bookseller, and mechanic. During the First World War he
was a boiler riveter and a bombshell builder.
By the age of 19 Charlie Kunz was leading his first band
and opening for Paul Whiteman and Vincent Lopez at a ballroom in Allentown. He
came to England in 1921 with a group led by percussionist Ed Krick. The
following year he led Paul Specht's Criterions at the Trocadero Restaurant in
Piccadilly. Remaining in England after his friends had all gone home, Kunz
formed his first all-British band and began performing at the Lyons Corner
House in Piccadilly Circus.
Charlie expanded his ensemble to 14 pieces and played the
Grafton Galleries. Kunz sat in on piano with the Dix Band at the Olympia Dance
Hall in West Kensington and tickled the ivories at Ma Merrick's 43 Club, an
infamous sporting house and all-night den of iniquity operating on Gerrard
Street, Piccadilly. Kunz then played the Chez Henri Club in Long Acre, found it
to his liking, and stayed on for eight and a half years.
In late 1928 and early 1929, Charlie Kunz & His Chez
Henri Club Band made a handful of recordings for Columbia. The next phase of
Kunz's career was inaugurated by nationally renowned dance instructor Santos
Casani, who heard the band at Chez Henri and liked it so much that he lured
Kunz away to his own Casani Club, which opened in March 1933 in Imperial House,
Regent Street, London.
Kunz became immensely popular as a result of BBC radio
broadcasts that were transmitted from this location. His featured vocalist at
the Casani was Vera Lynn; other singers who performed live and on record with
Kunz were Dawn Davis, Dorothy Squires, George Barclay, Harry Bentley, Eve
Becke, Phyllis Robins, George Buck, and Bobby Comber.
Kunz's three mainstay instrumentalists were drummer and
xylophonist Tommy Blades, bassist Frank Davis, and guitarist Ernie Penfold. The
band's theme song was, naturally enough, "Clap Hands, Here Comes
Charlie"; their sign-off theme was "Pink Elephants." Although he
would make quite a slew of records for the Sterno and Rex labels with his
Casani Club Orchestra between the years 1933 and 1937, Charlie Kunz played the
Holborn Empire alone in 1934 and henceforth toured regularly as a solo act,
invariably remaining in England rather than crossing the Channel to mainland
Europe. The same year saw the beginning of what was to become a continuous
output of solo records of "Charlie Kunz Medleys". His signature tune
was "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie", and his closing theme was
"Pink Elephants".
Between 1939 and 1945 Kunz did a lot of work for charity
and for the war effort. During the last 15 years of his life he became the unrivalled
king of the piano medley, performing alone or with subtle rhythm accompaniment.
Kunz was married thrice, to one Amanda Dysher, to fashion model Eva Dorothy
Lloyd, and finally to Pat Sparkes.
A heavy smoker, Kunz was plagued by debilitating
illnesses throughout much of his life. He had a diseased lung removed in 1945,
and suffered from spinal tuberculosis, crippling contraction of the ligaments
in his hands, and bronchial asthma. His later recording projects were completed
only with great difficulty; an album of melodies from My Fair Lady was left
unfinished. Charlie Kunz died of a heart attack at his home in Middleton-on-Sea,
West Sussex, England, on March 16, 1958. He is buried in Streatham Vale
Cemetery. (Compiled mainly from All Music)
2 comments:
For “Charlie Kunz - Clap Hands: Here Comes Charlie Kunz” go here:
http://www50.zippyshare.com/v/LSvUhQo7/file.html
1. Clap Hands, Here Comes Charley
2. Sterno Medley No. 1, Pt. 1: Some of These Days/With a Song in My Heart
3. Louisiana Fairy Tale
4. Rex Medley R12: You Are My Lucky Star/I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'
5. Rex Medley R13: On Treasure Island/Thanks a Million/The Music Goes ...
6. Rex Medley R15, Pt. 2: She Shall Have Music/Alone at a Table for Two
7. Red Sails in the Sunset
8. Rex Medley R21: Your Heart and Mine/The Scene Changes/Supposing
9. Top Hat - Medley: Cheek to Cheek/The Piccolino/Top Hat, White Tie ...
10. Rex Medley R23: No Regrets/When the Poppies Bloom Again/This'll ...
11. A Star Fell Out of Heaven
12. Follow the Fleet - Medley, Pt. 2: I'm Putting All My Eggs in One ...
13. Decca Medley D1: There's a Small Hotel/I've Got You Under My Skin/Head
14. It's Love Again - Medley: I Nearly Let Go Slipping Through My Fingers
15. Decca Medley D2, Pt. 2: Harbour Lights/There's Something in the Air
16. I'm in a Dancing Mood
17. Decca Medley D17: Love Walked In/So Little Time/Says My ...
18. Everything Is Rhythm - Medley: Life Is Empty Without Love/Man of ...
19. Decca Medley D40, Pt. 1: Fools Rush In/I Can't Love You Anymore, ...
20. Boa Noite (Good Night)
Thank you Bob. Always something to keep here.
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