Art Christmas born 22 December 1905

Art Christmas (December 22, 1905 – September 24, 1961) was a Canadian dance band and jazz musician. For many years during the exciting dance band and jazz era of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, Art Christmas was often said to be Britain's leading saxophone player and multi-instrumentalist. 

 

Art's professional music career really started when he was 19 years old. He left Canada to play trumpet with the Dumbells Orchestra, touring all over the United States and then on to Britain. While in Britain, he was given the opportunity to play trumpet with Paul Specht's Canadian Club Orchestra in 1926 and really never looked back.  

Still in Britain, Art went on to play with the New Prince's Toronto Band also in 1926. This band was the resident band at the New Prince's restaurant in Piccadilly. The band was made up of fellow Canadians and was directed by Hal Swain. It was when Hal Swain left the band that at Alfie Noakes' behest; Art joined and took Hal Swain's place. The band was about to embark on a continental tour but first took some time fulfilling a recording contract again for Columbia. This band had recorded about 50 titles since November 1924, but just one more session took place on February 25, 1926, while Art was with them.  Here's "I Love My Baby" from that very session.
 

 

                             
 

The band actually left for the continent in August 1926 eventually  becoming known as "The Toronto Band from Canada, featuring Art Christmas" and from about the first week in September they played at the Faun des Westens in Berlin. During November they also appeared at The Scala Theatre, assisting the dance pair Annette Mills and Bobby, who were demonstrating the Charleston dance. While in Berlin, Germany, the band recorded about 56 titles for Deutsche Grammophon/Polydor. This band had a very strong jazz component thanks mainly to Art Christmas' style.  
 

Art worked extensively in Britain and Europe during the late 1920sand led his own band in Budapest, Berlin and London. He was with the Savoy Orpheans for a brief time and then joined Billy Mason in 1930. Art played and recorded with Percival Mackey and Dave Frost during the latter half of 1931 and was now playing baritone sax as well as the other instruments with these groups. 

Art's big break came when he joined the Roy Fox Band in February 1933, staying with this band until 1938. It was while he was with The Roy Fox Band, that Art Christmas became a household name around the music scene in both Britain and Europe. Art soon became billed as Britain's 'Leading sax and multi-instrumentalist' as he not only played lead alto sax for Roy Fox but was often featured on trumpet, trombone, xylophone, drums, piano and even a routine with the bagpipes and sousaphone. 

In this photo of the Roy Fox band taken in 1936, Art Christmas is on the extreme right, middle row

After Roy Fox was forced to disband due to health problems in 1938, Art worked with various bands before joining Jack Jackson. From 1940 until late 1946, Art played with his dear friend Jack Payne. After Jack Payne turned impresario and launched a new variety show called "For The Fun of It", he asked Art to join up with Donald Peers, Frankie Howerd and Max Bygraves along with many other entertainers. Thus Art's multi instrumentalist stage act began and Art teamed up with his wife Maisie (a dancer and show girl), and "For The Fun of It" opened at the Sheffield Empire in Sheffield for sixteen weeks, followed by a different major city every week.  One of Art's fondest memories was the performance of "Cinderella" for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at the Palladium in London. 

In 1952, Art was searching for his next adventure and much to the disappointment of his many fans decided to retire from show business and become a publican. He bought "The Warburton Arms" (now known as London Fields) an east end pub in Hackney, London. Art had been away from his mother and father for nearly 30 years and soon after he bought the pub in Hackney, his father died. In 1954, determined not to let his mother die without seeing her again, Art sold the pub and moved back to Canada with his wife Maisie and son Art Jr. 

After returning to Canada, Art performed a great deal around Kingston and Toronto with his own band from 1955 to 1958 when he decided to try his hand at teaching music at the high school level. He moved to Blind River, Ontario, again with his wife Maisie and his son Art, and taught until his death in 1961 in both Blind River, Ontario and Elliot Lake, Ontario. Although Art was enjoying his new teaching career a great deal, he still had the desire and drive to play. This time he played in and around Elliot Lake, Ontario and for the first time Art Jr. was at his side. The experience of playing with his 15-year-old son was the biggest thrill Art had ever experienced in his entire musical career. This experience was short lived however. He was 55 when he died of a massive heart attack at home in Blind River, Ontario, Canada.  (Edited mainly from Wikipedia)