Anson Weeks

Anson Weeks (born February 14, 1896 in Oakland , † February 7, 1969 in Sacramento ) was an American jazz bandleader and composer .

Anson Weeks comes from the San Francisco Bay Aera and directed his first bands while studying at the University of California at Berkeley . His first professional engagement was in the Oakland Hotel in the early 1920s ; further guest appearances followed at the Senator Hotel in Sacramento and at the Tahoe Tavern in Lake Tahoe . The first recordings were made in Oakland in 1925 ; This was followed by a multi-year engagement at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, where the slogan Dancin 'With Anson was used.

In the late 1920s, Anson Weeks' orchestra was one of the popular Territory Bands of Northern California and recorded records for Columbia in 1928 ; In 1932 Weeks moved to Brunswick , where further recordings were made until 1935.

Her appearances in the 1931 nationally broadcast radio show Lucky Strike Magic Carpet were famous ; Her singers at the time included Art Wilson, Harriet Lee, Donald Novis, Bob Crosby , Carl Ravazza, Kay St. Germaine and Bob Gage. During this time the Weeks Orchestra enjoyed nationwide popularity - also through their Brunswick recordings; In 1934 they made guest appearances at the Regis Hotel in New York City; Successful guest appearances in Chicago, Kansas City, St. Louis, New Orleans and Los Angeles followed. In 1937 the orchestra had a recording session for Decca .

In 1941, Weeks was involved in a car accident in which he was seriously injured. He then had to take a break for a few years and undergo some operations; it was not until the late 1940s that he started working again as a band leader. In the early 1950s he recorded a series of records with dance music for the then local label Fantasy .

He returned to the music business in the late 1950s, making his comeback at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco and finally finishing it off in the 1960s at the Sacramento Inn , where his career began.

Weeks also worked as a composer of some of the band's songs, such as "I'm Writing You This Little Melody", their signature tune, as well as "I'm Sorry Dear", "Senorita", "That Same Old Dream" and "We'll." Get A Bang Out Of Life ”.

literature

• George T. Simon: The Golden Era of Big Bands ("The Big bands"). Hannibal-Verlag, Höfen 2004, ISBN 3-854-45243-8 ,
• Leo Walker: The Big Band Almanac . Ward Ritchie Press, Pasadena. 1978

Web links

• Anson Weeks in the database of Find a Grave (English)
• Weeks in the Bigband database