Dance Bands

Ten years ago Harvard had two dance bands of its own. One of these played under the name of Russ Randolph, having reference to the western half of Adams House. As a matter of fact the Plympton-Bow Street area of those days was a New Orleans in microcosm, swarming with musical talent, and so it is no wonder that when the two groups merged the result was christened the Gold Coast Orchestra.

This organization, until extinguished by the war, enjoyed a pleasant relationship with Harvard dance committees and their patrons, managing somehow to arrive on time at their engagements and otherwise to fulfill the conditions of their contracts in a way that would amaze those whose experience with Harvard dances goes back only a few years.

And now the college has spawned a successor, called in this more dignified era, the Harvardians. In keeping with its name, the newer group is smoother and more suave than were the hell-for-leather Gold Coasters. Many of the old jump arrangements saved from former times by Harvardian trumpeter, George Springer, whose career started back in the Randloph days, have been regretfully left in their covers, apparently unwanted by the jaded dancers of the late forties. The musicians have had to work off their excess energy on fast waltzes, rumbas and sambas. Answering the current demand for gentility in dance music, leader Bob Herman has weighted his ten man group heavily on the saxophone side--there are four of them--and has oriented his style around the "smooth dreamy ballad."

The Harvardians' performances this year indicate that they are a chip off the old block as regards reliability and professional worksmanship--welcome news to dance committeemen, plagued with the now-you-see-me-now-you-don't tactics of the local standbys. If all goes well, they should soon be outstripping the Yale Collegians.