Dinah Kaye - publicity photos
DINAH KAYE
from Grahame L. Newnham
Dinah Kaye - publicity photos
Dinah Kaye was a UK dance band singer from the early 1940s. She sang with various small groups including Harry Parry and his Radio Rhythm Club Sextet. Later she appeared weekly on Humphrey Lyttelton's jazz programme and did spots at many London up market clubs.
She was actually born Kay Cumming in Burma on the 2nd February 1924; her parents were Scottish and by the time she was five years old had returned to Edinburgh, Scotland, UK where she spent her childhood. After entering local singing competitions, she began singing with local bands and in jazz clubs.
Kaye first went to London in 1943 and became resident singer with Harry Parry and his Band ( often as his Radio Rhythm Club Sextet). After touring with them for a few years, she left to go freelance and spent two years in the Netherlands. On returning to London, she became the popular resident singer at Fischer's and had regular spots at the Savoy Club and Café de Paris. Edmundo Ros's Coconut Grove was another popular spot for her. In great demand, she sang with many of the popular bands of the day: Nat Allen, Cyril Stapleton, Tommy Sampson and Terry Lightfoot, to name a few.
She appeared on BBC Radio in "Linger Awhile", a programme with the Ronnie Aldrich Quartet in the 1940s; by 1947 Dinah Kaye was in radio broadcasts with Tommy Sampson & his Orchestra on the BBC Light programme; also on French radio and in a radio broadcast from the Aquarium Ballroom, Brighton.
Edmundo Ros chose Kaye to record with him for Decca and she sang "My Jealous Eyes". The record caused a stir, and she signed with Decca as a solo artist. Her first record for them was "Just Another Polka" produced by Dick Rowe. Billy Daniels, the popular singer of "That Old Black Magic", heard her work and in 1953 took her to the US to pursue her career there on 'out of town' dates. Decca immediately released her record there.
This was an exciting new phase in her career: she
appeared with Louis Armstrong, who remained a friend throughout
her time in America. She also supported Tony Bennett and
travelled extensively in America and Canada, appearing with many
of the big names and making friends in the American showbiz
world. After four years in the US, she came home and relaunched
her career in London.
In 1960 there were problems when she was to sing "Do
It Again" - the BBC panel had to
authorise the performance!!
She sang in night clubs and restaurants and, in July 1962, Acker Bilk threw a party in London for Kaye before she went to Poland to represent the UK at the Sopot Jazz Festival, where she sang new words to the tune "Stranger on the Shore" and was presented with a Silver Salver.
During the 1950s and '60s, Kaye toured in South Africa, Israel, Poland, Malta, Tanzania, Rhodesia, West Germany and Switzerland, and was well-received everywhere she went. As an indication of her popularity here, she came second to Cleo Laine in a 1965 Melody Maker Jazz Poll. She broadcast regularly on the BBC, as well as in many of the countries she visited.
Dinah Kaye was still listed in the Stage Year Book for 1967.
Kaye had a great sense of humour and had fun with many of the stars with whom she appeared, and she always enjoyed an excellent rapport with her audience.
Dinah Kaye died in her home town of Edinburgh on 12th September 2011. She was 87 years old.
.(My thanks to an article by Pam MacKinnon in the Independant dated 19th October 2011, plus other bits from refernce books and the internet!)
RECORDINGS
Date Title Group Label / Details
??Jan1945 Don't You Know I Care Harry Parry Sextet Parlophone R2957 17Mar1948 Little Grey Home In the West Harry Parry Parlophone CE12198 R3166 24Feb1949 Blues Are Brewin' Harry Parry Sextet Parlophone CE12533 ????????? Sophisticated Lady Harry Parry Sextet Parlophone 1953 Part Of Your Heart Decca F10171 ????????? My Jealous Eyes Edmundo Ros Orch. Decca ????????? Just Another Polka Decca 1954 False Hearted Lover RCA (USA) X0005 45/78prm 1954 Strike A Match RCA (USA) X0005 45/78rpm 1954 Butterscotch Mop RCA (USA) X0074 45/78rpm 1954 When Are You Coming Home, Joe RCA (USA) X0074 45/78rpm ????????? Slow Coach
Now listen to Dinah Kaye with The Harry Parry Sextet sing "Sophisticated Lady" - 78rpm Parlophone record - recorded 1945?
Then listen to Dinah Kaye with The Harry Parry Sextet sing "Don't You Know I Care" - 78rpm Parlophone record R.2957 - recorded Jan1945
Decca double LP set
Note: The recording of 'My Jealous Eyes' was included in a Decca 2LP set 'Edmundo Ros - The Early Years'
Wow! 3/11d in 1963 (about 20p today!
ARC (Associated Recordings Company) were a reduced price label
1963 THE ROARING TWENTIES 33rpm EP ARC 38
Dinah Kaye with Tubby Sykes and the Powerhouse Seven
The Black Bottom
Baby Face
Charleston
Miss Annabelle Lee
Hear a rather scratchy transfer of this "Roaring Twenties" EP record
Now listen to a decent transfer from the LP! - Dinah Kaye sings "Carolina Moon"
And another decent transfer from the LP! - Dinah Kaye sings - "Somebody Stole My Girl"
1963 THE ROARING TWENTIES 33rpm LP SOC 913
Dinah Kaye with Tubby Sykes and the Powerhouse Seven
Charleston The Black Bottom
Somebody Stole My Girl Miss Anabelle Lee
Dinah Carolina Moon
Tiger Rag Sweet Georgia Brown
Ain't She Sweet Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider
Baby Face Some Of These Days
(The above four track EP came from this 12 track LP)
another photo of Dinah Kaye
FILM SHORTS
Entry in the Pathéscope Monthly magazine October 1951
JIVIN' AND JAMMIN' (17mins) GB 1949 Prod/Dir/Ed: Frank Gardner (issued on 9.5mm optical sound Oct 1951 as T.9692) The Maurice Arnold Sextet play "Loch Lomond", "Three Blind Mice" & "I've Found A New Baby"; vocalist Dinah Kaye sings "Honeysuckle Rose" & "These Foolish Things"
BETTY SLOW DRAG / BETTY AND THE GAMBLER GB 1953 Two musical numbers with The Humphrey Lyttleton Band (Humphrey Lyttleton - trumpet, Bruce Turner - saxophone, Wally Fawkes - clarinet, Dill Jones - drums,Dinah Kaye - vocals)
Dinah Kaye / gln / 1Aug2016
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Created 01Aug2016 ......... Last updated: 21 September 2019 ........
musdinahkaye.htm ............. © MMXV1 Grahame L. Newnham Web
Pages
17Jun2019 - Dinah Kaye LP track downloads added / 23Jun2019 -
Edmundo Ros LP photo added
7Jul2019 - two Harry Parry 78rpm record tracks downloads added /
19Jul2019 - " Jivin' and Jammin' " Pathéscope
announcement added