Dal Richards and Friends: One More Time
From 1940 to 1965, Dal Richards was the toast of the town at the Panorama Roof high atop the hotel Vancouver; playing the longest gig of any hotel orchestra in North America. Every Saturday evening – and for many years s years on Wednesdays as well – the "Band at the top of the town", as it was known, broadcast into homes across the country through the facilities of the CBC Radio Network. So it is entirely appropriate that the CBC radio service in Vancouver would inaugurate its new state-of-the-art recording studio with the production of Dal's big band CD in May of 2009. Studio One has been the source of countless national broadcasts and recordings of the Vancouver CBC Radio Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony and a host of internationally-acclaimed musicians. Its engineers have been nominated for and won not only Juno awards but, most recently a Grammy for Bramwell Tovey and the VSO. After extensive renovations, the corporation invited Dal and his orchestra to christen the new facility. And what an achievement it is. In the notes to Dal's previous CD, 'Dal Richards And Friends', I said that the musical styles – from the forties to today – and the talent – from long-time Dal Richards band members to the stunning debut of the new young talent he has recruited - are a perfect tribute to the maestro's life in musical entertainment.
The song list includes big band instrumentals, vocalists Jamie Croil, Diane Lines, Jennifer Hayes and Bria Skonberg singing with the big band and also with the jazz quartet. Jim Byrnes guests again and, as always, delivers a show-stopper. A highlight is the novel and original 'Swinging With Dal', composed by Jamie for Dal's memorable 90th birthday celebration concert that sold-out the Orpheum Theatre January 5th, 2008.
As well as highlighting the many talents of the current members of the band, this CD also includes a rare recording from the CBC archives of a Panorama Roof broadcast from those golden years - a nostalgic medley of songs featuring Dal and his long-time female vocalist, the late Mrs. Richards – Lorraine McAllister.
Have a listen to the first 5 songs off the album below. More Info.
One More Time! The Dal Richards Story
Dal Richards teams up with Jim Taylor to recount his life story as a legendary bandleader and musician. One More Time! The Dal Richards Story details his incredible career, from playing the clarinet in the Kitsilano Boys Band to leading the Dal Richards Orchestra in nightly gigs at the Panorama Roof to meeting and befriending a legion of stars in the days when Hollywood's big-name performers made Vancouver a regular tour stop. We also hear about Dal's experiences at the Pacific National Exhibition—where he's been playing for over seventy years—and what it was like conducting the BC Lions marching band for 30 seasons.
His book vividly brings to life the entertainment scene in Vancouver in the '20s, when the public's appetite for vaudeville shows was insatiable, and the '30s, '40s and '50s when Prohibition was in full swing. It recalls the days when clubs like the Penthouse had tables with built-in drawers specifically designed to hide the patrons' bottles of booze during the police raids, and the music business was rich with characters
like "Two-for Joe," who ran the spotlight at the Cave and frequently took it off the performer to turn it on his girlfriend lest she was cavorting with a new beau.
Dal also looks back at his personal life-his career in hotel management when the big band gigs were drying up, his previous two marriages, his delight in being a devoted father, his experiences mentoring generations of new musicians, and his good fortune to have found and married the love of his life at the young age of 83.
After 91 years of living, Richards' list of accomplishments is a mile long. But what weaves his life and his many achievements together is the music that has kept the Dal Richards Orchestra playing all these years, the music that Dal has always loved and shared with generations of fans. One More Time! not only provides us with an inside look at the life of an extraordinary man, it keeps the spirit of the music alive with his remarkable stories and memories.