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Wonderland By Night (German title
Wunderland bei Nacht), with its haunting solo trumpet by Charles Tabor, muted brass, and lush
strings, topped the American pop charts and turned
Kaempfert and his Orchestra into international stars. Tabor was an
Austrian jazz trumpeter, born 5 January 1919 in
Vienna,
Austria, died 29 July
1999 in
Griesstätt,
Bavaria,
Germany.
In his capacity as record producer, Kaempfert played a part in the rise of The Beatles. In 1961, he hired the Beatles to back Tony Sheridan on an album called My Bonnie.
Sheridan had been performing in Hamburg, and needed to recruit a band
to play behind him on the proposed tracks. Kaempfert auditioned and
signed the Beatles, and recorded two tracks with them during his
sessions for Sheridan: Ain't She Sweet (sung by rhythm guitarist John Lennon) and Cry for a Shadow (an instrumental written by Lennon and lead guitarist George Harrison). The album and its singles, released by Polydor Records, were the Beatles' first commercially-released recordings.
On October 28, 1961, a man walked into the Liverpool music store owned by Brian Epstein
and asked for a copy of My Bonnie, a song recorded by the Beatles but
credited to Tony Sheridan. The store did not have it, but Epstein noted
the request. He was so intrigued by the idea of a Liverpool band
releasing a record that he investigated. That event led to his discovery
of the Beatles and, through his efforts, their signing by George Martin to Parlophone Records after Kaempfert helped them avoid any contractual claim from Polydor.
The "B" side,
Dreaming the Blues, is a languid,
New Orleans,
ragtime, tune that is a perfect
vamp song! I used it for one of the girls at the
Hungy i on
Broadway (
link below).
I have always enjoyed reading the artists who recorded for a label that were
advertised on the record sleeves: I'd count to see which were the ones
listed I had.
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A - Wonderland By Night (Wunderland Bei Nacht), written by Klaus Gunter-Neumann* - 3:12
Side 2:
B - Dreaming The Blues, written by Bert Kaempfert - 3:00
Companies, etc.
Manufactured By – Decca Records, Inc.
Published By – Roosevelt Music Co., Inc.
Pressed By – Decca Records Pressing Plant, Gloversville
Credits:
Soloist [Trumpet] – Charly Tabor
Notes:
Recorded in Europe by Deutsche Grammophon/Polydor (R) Series
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Pressing Plant ID (B side label): ✤
Matrix / Runout (A side matrix code - label): (DGG 24 086 A)
Matrix / Runout (B side matrix code - label): (DGG 24 086 B)✤
Matrix / Runout (A side matrix code - runout (stamped)): 45 DGG24086A 7
Matrix / Runout (B side matrix code - runout (stamped)): 45 DGG24086B 3
Matrix / Runout (A side matrix code (variation 1) - runout (stamped)): 45 DGG24086A 2
Matrix / Runout (B side matrix code (variation 1) - runout (stamped)): 45 DGG24086B 5
Matrix / Runout (A side matrix code (variation 2) - runout (stamped)): 45 DGG24086A 10
Matrix / Runout (B side matrix code (variation 2) - runout (stamped)): 45 DGG24086B 2
Rights Society: BMI
Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra* – Wonderland By Night (Wunderland Bei Nacht)
Label: Decca – 9-31141
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Gloversville Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1960
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Style: Big Band, Easy Listening
YouTube links:
