The Flower Of The Musical World - Ray Bloch

 

The Flower Of The World

The Flower Of The Musical World

Ray Bloch and His Chorus and Orchestra

Coral Records CRL 57064

1955

From the back cover: THE TITLE OF THIS ALBUM is not only significant but appropriate. Its origin is interesting. At the beginning of the Jackie Gleason TV show Gleason comes before the camera and, with his characteristic manner, makes a reference to Ray Bloch, leader of the orchestra, as "The Flower of the Musical World." Whereupon Bloch lifts his baton, goes to work, and proves that Gleason is right in his enthusiastic phrase.
This new album is a further proof of Ray Bloch's eminence. Here is displayed this bandleader's unusual versatility, disclosing him as an expert in all sorts of rhythms, classical, standard, and ultra-modern. The music in this collection comes from many sources, from the vanished past of "Lost Horizon" to the vivid yesterday of "Wedding in Monaco."

Ray Bloch's verve and versatility have not been achieved by chance. Bloch is a tireless worker, but, although under constant pressure, he never lets his multiple assignments get him down. He trained himself for his chosen work from the very beginning. While still a boy, Ray Bloch was brought to America from Alsace-Lorraine, where he was born August 3, 1902. His father was a chef with a taste for music and, when he saw that his son had musical talent, he was glad to make sacrifices in order to pay for his lessons. At the age of eight, the Bloch childish soprano could be heard in neighborhood choirs. Singing in choirs didn't appeal to him, but directing them did; so when he was 12, he conducted his first chorus at a Christmas festival. He has been leading choral groups ever since.

Ray Bloch was first employed as office boy at $6.00 a week for the New York French language newspaper, Courrier des Etats-Unis. His first job of any importance was as a piano player for a leading music publisher. He turned from this to play piano with ballroom bands in the city. During these formative days in the early 1920s he also played with an orchestral quintet which was billed opposite the famed original Dixieland Jazz Band, a fact which gave him the greatest emotional boost of his young professional life.

Bloch's initial experience as a maestro came when he organized a jazz quintet which toured from New York to California. In the late 1920s he switched to radio, as pianist at various stations. In 1931, he became arranger-accompanist for the popular quartet of the day, the Eton Boys. Following a long stay with this foursome, he became leader of several choral groups, the most notable of which was the Swing Fourteen. His advent into conducting came through a CBS sustaining series and a prominent sponsored show, "Johnny Presents," which had been fronted by such toppers as Ferde Grofe, Leo Reisman, Russ Morgan, and Johnny Green. Early in this series, Bloch had charge of the choral group. Later, he was promoted to orchestra leader. This was the turning point of his career-he launched into an energetic schedule of conducting, coaching, orchestrating, and choral directing that gained tempo and laurels with the passing years.

The years have been good to him. They have ripened his gifts and combined them into a personality that is entertaining and exciting-the personality of Ray Bloch, "The Flower of the Musical World."

Wedding In Monaco
Nobody's Heart
Cano Canoe
I See Your Face Before Me
Theme from "What Is A Wife?"
La Chnouf
Lost Horison Introducing: Shangri-La
We Could Make Such Beautiful Music
Donkey Tango
Candlelight
Au Revoir
Brave Margot