403:
ran the band as a commercial unit until his death in 1997. Following Bence's death, the future of the civilian band was in some doubt. Musical arranger and trumpet player Greg
Francis then approached Mrs Mary Aldrich (Ronnie's widow) asking if he could obtain her permission to re-form the 'New Squadronaires' as a tribute to the original wartime Dance Band. He wanted to present the band 'as it was then' - with young players, dressed in RAF uniform, but most importantly, playing the music of the era. Mary Aldrich was delighted to offer her kind support in this. And so, the civilian 'New Squadronaires Orchestra' was re-formed in September 1997. It played its inaugural concert on the Isle of Man where the original band had performed for 11 years during the 1950s and 1960s. As the original venues, the Palace Ballrrom and Theatre had long since been redeveloped, the band played the concert at the Villa Marina.
35:
419:
In 1997, along with the relaunch of the orchestra, a new CD was issued, featuring transcriptions of some of the original
Squadronaires music. The parts were actually thrown on a bonfire by ex-leader Aldrich in 1964, and so, it was necessary for Francis, who is owner of the registered trade mark name
411:
in London. Not only this but, the New
Squadronaires has played its part in RAF recruitment. In 2002, the orchestra played (in the pouring rain - as they might have during the war) alongside the RAF recruitment exhibition in Blackpool - the very town where the Squadronaires played their first date in
334:
In 1985, a new big band orchestra was organized under the title "The Royal Air Force
Squadronaires." Many original members of the band were contacted and several were present at the official launch of the new band at Headquarters Music Services, RAF Uxbridge, on 8 January 1987. Original band leader
402:
In the light of the decision of Ronnie
Aldrich to disband the orchestra in 1964, nothing much happened with the Squadronaires Orchestra. At some later time, bandleader Harry Bence approached Aldrich, asking if he could re-form the orchestra. Bence subsequently reformed the 'New' Squadronaires, and
252:
which continued until 1963. They played in the
Ballroom every night except Sundays when they played concerts in the Palace Theatre. A cut-down version of the band (The Squadronetes), compared by vocalist Peter Morton, appeared every afternoon in the Palace Gardens (1960–1962). The Squadronaires
215:
band and likely the best known of the
British military dance bands of the time, with hits like "There's Something in the Air" and "South Rampart Street Parade." The Squadronaires played at dances and concerts for service personnel, and also broadcast on the
247:
replaced him as pianist and also helped with the arrangements. The touring season of 1951 was the busiest period of activity the band had ever experienced. In 1952, The
Squadronaires began a regular summer engagement at The Palace Ballroom in Douglas,
210:
In 1939, the Royal Air Force implemented a plan to raise morale and entertain the troops during wartime, and The
Squadronaires was one of the bands organized as a result. The band drew from some of the best musicians of the day. It became a popular
406:
The New
Squadronaires Orchestra has since played at thousands of military and non military events, including many of the RAF stations in the UK. It has played at the RAF Museum in Hendon, at Duxford and other airshows, and at the
615:
394:. The band performs the majority of its concerts for charity, and in 2004 completed an eight-date tour of the South East to raise money for The Royal Air Forces Association.
420:(The New Squadronaires Orchestra) to transcribe many of the original titles, from the existing recordings. The CD features amongst other top professional musicians, ex
384:
600:
610:
202:. The official title of the band was 'The Royal Air Force Dance Orchestra', but it was always known by the more popular title "The Squadronaires".
235:
campaign but had to return to Britain because of military operations. After demobilization, the members formed a civilian band of the same name.
590:
52:
390:
In August 2004, the band performed at the Edinburgh International Jazz and Blues Festival, and appeared on television as part of the
474:
118:
99:
595:
71:
56:
346:. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Royal Air Force, the Squadronaires produced an album entitled
461:
326:
After the war, Jimmy Watson replaced Clinton "Froggy" French on trumpet, and Monty Levy replaced Harry Lewis on alto sax.
78:
358:
283:
85:
391:
413:
67:
416:
for two years, 2001 and 2002, and has remained popular with the many big band enthusiasts and holidaymakers.
45:
290:
456:
585:
466:
424:
saxophonists Norman Brown and Andy Taylor, and also features Francis playing the trumpet features.
408:
322:, Billy Nicholls SNR, Suzy Miller, Jackie Lee, Joan Baxter, Peter Morton, Ken Kirkham, Beryl Davis.
605:
92:
470:
506:
370:
366:
294:
191:
301:
276:
236:
195:
144:
579:
221:
231:, the Squadronaires went on to entertain service personnel engaged in the Northwest
421:
262:
199:
570:
249:
34:
380:
335:
Jimmy Miller conducted the band's theme tune, "There's Something in the Air."
319:
240:
17:
307:
375:
244:
154:
243:, and the band was then billed as Ronnie Aldrich and The Squadronaires.
559:
239:
had been the arranger and co-piano player, but in 1951 he took over as
362:
232:
354:. Recordings from the original band are also available as reissues.
224:
label. The orchestra's first broadcast took place in January 1941.
565:
228:
212:
158:
531:
217:
28:
357:
Under band leader Sgt. Jamie Deighton the band has played in
253:
continued to work together under Ronnie Aldrich until 1964.
261:Many of the members formerly played as side men in
174:
164:
150:
140:
133:
59:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
501:
499:
616:United Kingdom home front during World War II
8:
385:Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance
350:in 1993, and in January 2002, they recorded
462:The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music
451:
449:
447:
445:
443:
441:
439:
437:
265:'s band. During the war the members were:
130:
119:Learn how and when to remove this message
412:1940. The orchestra was resident at the
433:
7:
560:Ronnie Aldrich and The Squadronaires
57:adding citations to reliable sources
601:Musical groups established in 1939
194:band which began and performed in
25:
338:Since then the band has recorded
611:Cultural history of World War II
293:, Jimmy Durrant, Andy McDevitt,
33:
44:needs additional citations for
562:in the Internet Movie Database
493:(2018), Chapter 5, pp. 127-148
279:, Archie Craig, Clinton French
1:
383:. They performed at the 2004
591:Bands of the Royal Air Force
387:, also backing Will Young.
289:Saxophones: Tommy Bradbury,
632:
571:The Squadronaires newsreel
398:The Civilian Squadronaires
392:Edinburgh Military Tattoo
414:Blackpool Tower Ballroom
359:Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
170:1939–1964, 1985–present
596:British jazz ensembles
318:Vocals: Jimmy Miller,
272:Manager: Arthur Maden
340:Big Band Spectacular
315:Drums: Jock Cummings
269:Leader: Jimmy Miller
220:and recorded on the
53:improve this article
507:"The Squadronaires"
467:Guinness Publishing
409:Imperial War Museum
342:and a second album
68:"The Squadronaires"
465:(First ed.).
312:Bass: Arthur Maden
198:during and after
188:The Squadronaires
182:
181:
135:The Squadronaires
129:
128:
121:
103:
16:(Redirected from
623:
547:
546:
544:
542:
528:
522:
521:
519:
517:
503:
494:
487:
481:
480:
469:. p. 2353.
453:
297:, Maurice Stokes
167:
131:
124:
117:
113:
110:
104:
102:
61:
37:
29:
21:
631:
630:
626:
625:
624:
622:
621:
620:
576:
575:
556:
551:
550:
540:
538:
530:
529:
525:
515:
513:
505:
504:
497:
491:The Mood Modern
489:Lomax, Oliver.
488:
484:
477:
455:
454:
435:
430:
400:
371:Highgrove House
367:Prince of Wales
332:
295:Cliff Townshend
284:George Chisholm
259:
208:
192:Royal Air Force
185:
165:
136:
125:
114:
108:
105:
62:
60:
50:
38:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
629:
627:
619:
618:
613:
608:
603:
598:
593:
588:
578:
577:
574:
573:
568:
563:
555:
554:External links
552:
549:
548:
523:
495:
482:
475:
459:, ed. (1992).
432:
431:
429:
426:
399:
396:
344:Swing Squadron
331:
328:
324:
323:
316:
313:
310:
304:
302:Ronnie Aldrich
298:
287:
280:
277:Tommy McQuater
273:
270:
258:
255:
237:Ronnie Aldrich
207:
204:
184:Musical artist
183:
180:
179:
176:
172:
171:
168:
162:
161:
152:
148:
147:
145:United Kingdom
142:
138:
137:
134:
127:
126:
41:
39:
32:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
628:
617:
614:
612:
609:
607:
604:
602:
599:
597:
594:
592:
589:
587:
584:
583:
581:
572:
569:
567:
564:
561:
558:
557:
553:
537:
533:
527:
524:
512:
508:
502:
500:
496:
492:
486:
483:
478:
476:0-85112-939-0
472:
468:
464:
463:
458:
452:
450:
448:
446:
444:
442:
440:
438:
434:
427:
425:
423:
417:
415:
410:
404:
397:
395:
393:
388:
386:
382:
378:
377:
373:, supporting
372:
368:
364:
360:
355:
353:
349:
345:
341:
336:
329:
327:
321:
317:
314:
311:
309:
305:
303:
299:
296:
292:
288:
286:, Eric Breeze
285:
281:
278:
274:
271:
268:
267:
266:
264:
256:
254:
251:
246:
242:
238:
234:
230:
225:
223:
219:
214:
205:
203:
201:
197:
193:
189:
177:
173:
169:
163:
160:
156:
153:
149:
146:
143:
139:
132:
123:
120:
112:
101:
98:
94:
91:
87:
84:
80:
77:
73:
70: –
69:
65:
64:Find sources:
58:
54:
48:
47:
42:This article
40:
36:
31:
30:
27:
19:
18:Squadronaires
539:. Retrieved
535:
526:
514:. Retrieved
510:
490:
485:
460:
457:Colin Larkin
422:Syd Lawrence
418:
405:
401:
389:
374:
365:and for the
356:
351:
347:
343:
339:
337:
333:
330:Band revival
325:
263:Bert Ambrose
260:
226:
209:
200:World War II
187:
186:
166:Years active
115:
109:October 2010
106:
96:
89:
82:
75:
63:
51:Please help
46:verification
43:
26:
586:Dance bands
566:USO website
532:"'S' Bands"
511:Maybole.org
352:Flying Home
348:Squads Away
291:Harry Lewis
250:Isle of Man
580:Categories
428:References
381:Will Young
320:Joan Regan
282:Trombone:
241:bandleader
79:newspapers
606:Big bands
541:26 August
516:26 August
308:Sid Colin
275:Trumpet:
379:winner,
376:Pop Idol
306:Guitar:
245:Syd Dale
233:European
155:Big band
536:Nfo.net
300:Piano:
257:Members
206:History
196:Britain
178:Various
93:scholar
473:
363:London
227:After
175:Labels
151:Genres
141:Origin
95:
88:
81:
74:
66:
229:D-Day
222:Decca
190:is a
100:JSTOR
86:books
543:2010
518:2010
471:ISBN
213:jazz
159:jazz
72:news
369:at
361:in
218:BBC
55:by
582::
534:.
509:.
498:^
436:^
157:,
545:.
520:.
479:.
122:)
116:(
111:)
107:(
97:·
90:·
83:·
76:·
49:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
