Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

HEATH, Ted

(b 30 March 1900, Wandsworth, London; d 18 Nov. '69, Surrey) Trombone, bandleader. Played for Jack Hylton and Ambrose; left Geraldo '44 to form his own band for a BBC series, led it until illness '64 (it carried on in his name for five years and subsequent reunions). Well-recorded by Decca, with good arrangements and many UK jazz luminaries passing through, it was among the best big bands of the post- war years (in any country); band singer Dickie Valentine went on to solo stardom. The band always played well, but had a special fire and enthusiasm in its early years, e.g. Kenny Baker's 'Bakerloo Non-Stop' '46 (available on a Hep CD), Dameron's 'Lyonia' '49 (Dameron's stint with Heath followed his appearance that year at the Paris Jazz Festival). Sunday concerts at the Palladium became an institution from '45; records sold well in USA, enabling tours there. Among many albums: Strike Up The Band incl. 'Vanessa' and 'Hot Toddy' ('53 hits), 'On The Bridge', 'La Mer' etc; Fats Waller Album incl. arr. of Waller's 'London Suite'; also At The London Palladium, Hits I Missed, Kern For Moderns, Rogers For Moderns, Shall We Dance, Spotlight On Sidemen, Olde Englyshe, Swing Session, Swings In Stereo. Big Band Percussion and Big Band Bash charted in USA.