Frederic Efrem "Freddie" Rich was a Polish-born American pianist, bandleader and composer who was active from the 1920s to the 1950s. Among the musicians in his band were the Dorsey Brothers, Joe Venuti, Bunny Berigan, and Benny Goodman. In the early 1930s.
Rich made his reputation in the recording studios and on radio. He served as musical director for the CBS network from 1928 to 1938. He also led several successful dance bands, his first in New York (resident at the Astor Hotel) between 1922 and 1928. This group recorded prolifically and thus attracted many top notch musicians, who would later rise to greater fame, such as Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Ray Bauduc, Joe Venuti, Adrian Rollini and Bunny Berigan. After 1929, Rich made several important 'hot jazz' recordings, which featured the likes of Roy Eldridge, Babe Russin and Red Nichols. Under various names, the Freddie Rich organisation remained on the scene until the early 1940's. It had the singular distinction of being the first orchestra of its kind to appear in a Royal Command Performance, before King George V (in 1928).
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