{"id":45652,"date":"2017-03-23T11:49:20","date_gmt":"2017-03-23T18:49:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/blog\/?p=45652"},"modified":"2024-06-24T09:41:04","modified_gmt":"2024-06-24T16:41:04","slug":"ole-olsen-his-commodores","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/blog\/2017\/ole-olsen-his-commodores\/","title":{"rendered":"Ole Olsen & His Commodores"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stepping back in time to a day when Ole Olsen & His Commodores ruled the Vancouver dance floor<\/h2>\n

Months ago, while searching through the City of Vancouver Archives, I came across some interesting shots by photographer Stuart Thomson<\/a>. Thomson was a professional photographer who lived in Vancouver from 1910-1960. During that time he spent a number of years capturing images of Vancouver’s businesses, streets, buildings, ships, sports, harbours, and panoramas. Among Thomson’s photos were a large number of band photos featuring a wide variety of professional and amateur bands.<\/p>\n

Of all the band photos the Thomson took, I was most interested by the following shot of the Commodore Orchestra<\/a>. The image is dated January 12, 1933.<\/p>\n

\"Ole<\/a>
The Commodore Orchestra, Olie [sic] Olson (with baton and sax) and his orchestra, January 13, 1933 Photography by Stuart Thomson<\/figcaption><\/figure>There is a lot to take in in this photo. Being a bass sax player, admittedly that was what first caught my eye. The player on the right has one, but he also has an alto, tenor, as well as a clarinet. The sax player on the left has an alto, bari, clarinet, as well as a violin. Filling out the front row is the band leader, Ole Olson. Ole has a tenor, clarinet, guitar, as well as an upright bass.<\/p>\n

I’m fascinated by a few of the pieces of gear that the band used. On the left we see what might be one of those Shastock Clarinet Megaphones<\/a>, and the alto player on the left seems to have an early microphone beside him. (Presumably for the violin, and not the saxophone.) \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

Interesting head on the bass drum. Notice the gong behind the drummer. More about that (and the other instruments on stage) in a bit, but it would seem the drummer had quite the array of auxiliary percussion equipment at his disposal.<\/p>\n

Background of the Commodore Cabaret<\/h2>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Commodore building in September 2010. Photography by: Joe Mabel. Source: commons.wikimedia.org<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1 <\/sup>The Commodore Ballroom was built as an amazing piece of Art Deco architecture. Given Vancouver’s love affair with out with the old, in with the new<\/em>, it’s surprising that the building still stands, and that it still retains its Art Deco feel.<\/p>\n

The Commodore opened its doors on December 3, 1930, and was built as an alternative to the ever-increasingly crowded dance floor of the Hotel Vancouver. However, as they say, timing is everything. The stock market crash of the same year caused the Commodore to close its doors just three months later, as Vancouverites just didn’t feel they had the disposal income to spend going dining and dancing.<\/p>\n

However, the two managing directors had a very crafty formula to get bums back in the seats, and dancers back on the dance floor: Every Saturday night they featured dinner and dancing for $1 per person\u2014which according to the Bank of Canada’s Inflation Calculator<\/a> would be $14.89 in 2017 dollars\u2014while for the rest of the week the ballroom was available to rent for private parties, student celebrations, and company functions.<\/p>\n

The formula worked, and the Commodore carried on this way for decades using house bands, featured acts, and private rentals.<\/p>\n

A new lease holder added a liquor license in 1969, and the Commodore Ballroom was born! Anyone familiar with the music scene in Vancouver has heard of, been to, or in some cases, performed in the Commodore Ballroom. Most recently, The Commodore was named one of the Top 10 Most Influential Clubs in North America, and the Most Influential Club in Canada by Billboard Magazine in 2011.<\/p>\n

Check out the History page<\/a> on the Commodore Ballroom website. It lists 80+ years of acts who have performed there, including the likes of: The Dorsey Brothers, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, George Burns, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Tina Turner, B.B. King, David Bowie, Blondie, The Police, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Snoop Dogg.<\/p>\n

Getting back to Ole Olsen & His Commodores<\/h2>\n

According to The Commodore Ballroom’s website:<\/p>\n

Over the years, the Commodore hired a succession of house bands that would play exclusively for years until one contract ended and another began. It was the era of big bands and 12-14 piece Orchestras. The first was Wendell Dorey and his orchestra; the last was Dal Richards<\/a>, who played for three years beginning in 1965. In between were such names as Don Flynne, Bob Lyon, Charlie Pawlett, Ole Olsen & His Commodores, Doug Kirk, George Calangis, Len Chamberlain and Mart Kenney – who would continue to appear up until 1973. Longtime Vancouverites might even recall on Saturday Nights on when the Orchestra performances were broadcast live on the radio.<\/p>\n

Source: History – Commodore Ballroom<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Based on Stuart Thomson’s photo, we know that Ole Olsen & His Commodores were the house band in 1933. While researching this Vancouver band, I came across an archived edition of the University of British Columbia’s student newspaper, The Ubyssey<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In the November 8, 1940 edition of The Ubyssey<\/em><\/a>, I found the following couple of mentions for Ole Olsen’s band:<\/p>\n

The Class of ’41 had its Senior Class Formal at the Commodore on November 14. Why they would choose to have it on a Thursday is anyone’s guess. Although the Commodore didn’t have a liquor license at the time, so sanctioned drinking wasn’t really an issue. (Although rumour has it<\/a> that Vancouver’s strict post-prohibition liquor laws didn’t stop the club from being an illegal drinking establishment.)<\/p>\n

\"Ole<\/a><\/p>\n

Notice the ticket prices for “outsiders” are $1.50. In 2017 those tickets would cost $24.90.<\/p>\n

Just a week later UBC students were back at the Commodore dancing to the music of Ole Olsen and His Commodores, when they held their Chinese-themed Arts-Aggie Prom there on November 21.<\/p>\n

\"Ole<\/a><\/p>\n

Note that:<\/p>\n

To add further to the exotic oriental atmosphere, a slave gong will mark the end of each dance.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yup, that would be one use for the gong behind the drummers head… But then so is this…  \ud83d\ude08<\/p>\n