Joe Loss
Encyclopedia
Joshua Alexander "Joe" Loss LVO OBE (22 June 1909 – 6 June 1990) was a British
musician and founder of the Joe Loss Orchestra.
, London
, the youngest of four children. His parents, Israel and Ada Loss, were Russian Jews and first cousins. His father was a cabinet-maker who had an office furnishing business. Loss was educated at Jews' Free School
, Trinity College of Music
and the London College of Music
. He started violin
lessons at the age of seven and later played violin at the Tower Ballroom
, Blackpool
and also with Oscar Rabin
. Loss started band leading in the early 1930s, working at the Astoria Ballroom and soon breaking into variety
at the Kit-Cat Club
. In 1934 he topped the bill at the Holborn Empire
but in the same year moved back to the Astoria Ballroom where he led a twelve piece band. With broadcasting, recording and annual tours in addition to the resident work the band became highly popular over the next few years.In the 1950s Loss was resident band leader at the Hammersmith Palais
and was remembered by a trainee nurse at Hammersmith Hospital as being as kind and gentlemanly when she attended him in hospital as in his public persona. His band's signature tune "In the Mood
" would often be requested three or more times a night.
Loss's daughter Jennifer was the wife of British coach-builder Robert Jankel
.
Loss died on 6 June 1990 and is buried at Bushey Jewish Cemetery in Hertfordshire
.
era in the 1940s, with hits including "In the Mood". In 1961 they had a hit with "Wheels Cha Cha Cha", a version of The String-A-Longs
' hit "Wheels
". Other hits included David Rose's "The Stripper
" in 1958 and "March of the Mods (The Finnjenka Dance)" of 1964.
In April 1951 Elizabeth Batey, vocalist with Joe Loss, fell and broke her jaw. Joe was badly in need of a replacement and remembered hearing Rose Brennan
on radio during a visit to Ireland. Within days he had located her and, before a week was out, she was in Manchester rehearsing with the band. She stayed with Loss for fifteen years, before giving up show-business in the mid 1960s. She wrote many of the songs she recorded with Joe Loss under the name Marella, and co-wrote songs with John Harris. Her co-vocalist with the orchestra from 1955 was Ross MacManus
(father of Elvis Costello
).
The Joe Loss Orchestra carries on to this day under the musical direction of Todd Miller, who was a vocalist with the band for 19 years before Loss's death. In 1989 Joe Loss became too ill to travel and in 1990 he entrusted the leadership solely to Todd. The orchestra has been in constant operation since 1930 and in 2010 it celebrated its 80th anniversary.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
musician and founder of the Joe Loss Orchestra.
Life
Loss was born in SpitalfieldsSpitalfields
Spitalfields is a former parish in the borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London, near to Liverpool Street station and Brick Lane. The area straddles Commercial Street and is home to many markets, including the historic Old Spitalfields Market, founded in the 17th century, Sunday...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the youngest of four children. His parents, Israel and Ada Loss, were Russian Jews and first cousins. His father was a cabinet-maker who had an office furnishing business. Loss was educated at Jews' Free School
Jews' Free School
JFS is a Jewish secondary school in Kenton, north London. It presently accepts both male and female students. At one time it had more than 4,000 students attending making this school the largest Jewish school in Europe. The school has been awarded specialist Humanities College status...
, Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music is one of the London music conservatories, based in Greenwich. It is part of Trinity Laban.The conservatoire is inheritor of elegant riverside buildings of the former Greenwich Hospital, designed in part by Sir Christopher Wren...
and the London College of Music
London College of Music
The London College of Music is a music school which is part of the University of West London in England.The LCM was founded in 1887 and existed as an independent music conservatoire based at Great Marlborough Street in central London until 1991...
. He started violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
lessons at the age of seven and later played violin at the Tower Ballroom
Blackpool Tower
Blackpool Tower Eye is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire in England which was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. . Inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it rises to 518 feet & 9 inches . The tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers...
, Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
and also with Oscar Rabin
Oscar Rabin Band
The Oscar Rabin Band was a British Jazz dance band that was one of the most successful bands of the 1950s. Band leader Oscar Rabin played bass saxophone, an unusual instrument then as now. His friend Harry Davis, tall, elegant and good-looking, acted as compère and conductor.-Formation:Oscar...
. Loss started band leading in the early 1930s, working at the Astoria Ballroom and soon breaking into variety
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
at the Kit-Cat Club
Kit-Cat Club
The Kit-Cat Club was an early 18th century English club in London with strong political and literary associations, committed to the furtherance of Whig objectives, meeting at the Trumpet tavern in London, and at Water Oakley in the Berkshire countryside.The first meetings were held at a tavern in...
. In 1934 he topped the bill at the Holborn Empire
Weston's Music Hall
Weston's Music Hall was a music hall and theatre that opened on 16 November 1857 at 242-245 High Holborn. In 1906, the theatre became known as the Holborn Empire.-Early years:...
but in the same year moved back to the Astoria Ballroom where he led a twelve piece band. With broadcasting, recording and annual tours in addition to the resident work the band became highly popular over the next few years.In the 1950s Loss was resident band leader at the Hammersmith Palais
Hammersmith Palais
The Hammersmith Palais de Danse, later simply the Hammersmith Palais, was a ballroom and entertainment venue in London that operated from 1919 until 2007...
and was remembered by a trainee nurse at Hammersmith Hospital as being as kind and gentlemanly when she attended him in hospital as in his public persona. His band's signature tune "In the Mood
In the Mood
"In the Mood" is a big band era #1 hit recorded by American bandleader Glenn Miller. Joe Garland and Andy Razaf arranged "In the Mood" in 1937-1939 using a previously existing main theme composed by Glenn Miller before the start of the 1930s...
" would often be requested three or more times a night.
Loss's daughter Jennifer was the wife of British coach-builder Robert Jankel
Robert Jankel
Robert Jankel was arguably the world's most famous designer of limousines, armoured cars and other speciality vehicles. He also founded the automotive company Panther Westwinds.- Early life :...
.
Loss died on 6 June 1990 and is buried at Bushey Jewish Cemetery in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.
Joe Loss Orchestra
The Joe Loss Orchestra was one of the most successful acts of the big bandBig band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
era in the 1940s, with hits including "In the Mood". In 1961 they had a hit with "Wheels Cha Cha Cha", a version of The String-A-Longs
The String-A-Longs
The String-A-Longs were an instrumental group from Plainview, Texas, produced by Norman Petty on Warwick Records. They consisted of Richard Stephens, lead guitar, Keith McCormack and Jimmy Torres, rhythm guitars, Aubrey de Cordova, bass guitar and Don Allen, drums.Their biggest hit single was...
' hit "Wheels
Wheels (The String-A-Longs song)
Wheels is The String-A-Longs' biggest hit single , in 1961 . The tune peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the number 8 single of 1961 according to Billboard. The track reached number 8 in the UK Singles Chart...
". Other hits included David Rose's "The Stripper
The Stripper
"The Stripper" is an instrumental composed by David Rose and recorded in 1962. It evinces a jazz influence with especially prominent trombone lines, and evokes the feel of music used to accompany striptease artists....
" in 1958 and "March of the Mods (The Finnjenka Dance)" of 1964.
In April 1951 Elizabeth Batey, vocalist with Joe Loss, fell and broke her jaw. Joe was badly in need of a replacement and remembered hearing Rose Brennan
Rose Brennan
Rose Brennan is an Irish singer. She is best known for a long spell with the Joe Loss orchestra in the 1950s and 1960s.-Early life:Rose Brennan was born in Cabra West, a suburb of Dublin...
on radio during a visit to Ireland. Within days he had located her and, before a week was out, she was in Manchester rehearsing with the band. She stayed with Loss for fifteen years, before giving up show-business in the mid 1960s. She wrote many of the songs she recorded with Joe Loss under the name Marella, and co-wrote songs with John Harris. Her co-vocalist with the orchestra from 1955 was Ross MacManus
Ross MacManus
Ross MacManus was an English musician and trumpet player, who performed with Joe Loss and his orchestra, and the father of singer Elvis Costello....
(father of Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
).
The Joe Loss Orchestra carries on to this day under the musical direction of Todd Miller, who was a vocalist with the band for 19 years before Loss's death. In 1989 Joe Loss became too ill to travel and in 1990 he entrusted the leadership solely to Todd. The orchestra has been in constant operation since 1930 and in 2010 it celebrated its 80th anniversary.