Roter Teufel

My good friend Christian down in Austin sent me a link to this YouTube audio clip of a really nice 1938 recording by the Barnabas von Geczy Orchestra, a very famous German band of the era. 

"Roter Teufel" translates to "Red Devil."  It is a great example of an upbeat "piano orchestra" dance band style that was apparently quite popular in Germany at the time and which had no real counterpart in American popular music.   I have heard other recordings in a similar vein by German bands such as Hans Bund and Otto Dobrindt.  I also have a few that someone found off the Internet and sent to me that I don't have title and artist credits for.   

Barnabas von Geczy was Hungarian and came to Berlin in 1924 where he led the band at the Hotel Esplanade from 1925 through 1937.   The von Gezcy Orchestra was very diverse musically and recorded everything from classical and "salon" music to tangos to popular dance band music. 

Back Again

The past several weeks have been hectic for several reasons.   I figured that made it a good time to take a little "vacation" from putting up Hit of the Week updates and blog postings.  Sometimes it is necessary to do that.  If my online music endeavors ever start to become more of a chore or a "duty" than fun - well, that is the day that I will pack it in and quit.  I find that taking a break every now and then is crucial to help keep things fun.