The BBC Dance Orchestra was formed in 1928 under the leadership of Jack Payne before Henry Hall took over in 1932. In the 1950s, the format and purpose of the Dance Orchestra was changed and modernised, and it became a big band with strings in the Billy May style, known as the BBC Showband, under the leadership of Cyril Stapleton. The band, featuring many British jazz players, was heavily featured on the BBC Light Programme and also began to be used widely in television in the company of homegrown talent, including a then unknown Matt Monro, and with international stars such as Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. The BBC Big Band came into existence in 1964 when the existing BBC Variety Orchestra and BBC Revue Orchestra were amalgamated creating the BBC Radio Orchestra.
Links to Peel[]
Peel played some material from the orchestra on his shows and included tracks from them in his Peelenium and the Pig's Big 78.
Shows Played[]
- 1971
- 28 August 1971: The General's Fast Asleep
- 1998
- The Dansette Story: Radio Times (featuring Dan Donovan)
- 29 July 1999: 'The Wedding Of Mr. Mickey Mouse' (Peelenium 1933)
- 2002
- 16 January 2002: 'Choo Choo (Quick Fox Trot)' (Columbia) - Pig's Big 78
- 25 April 2002: Mucking About The Garden (Pig's Big 78)
- 08 May 2002: 'Get Up Nice And Early' (78) (Pig's Big 78)
- 2004
- 29 January 2004: I Breathe On Windows (Unknown) Columbia (Pig's Big 78)
- 11 March 2004: Mine's A Hopeless Case (78) Columbia (Pig's Big 78)
- 06 April 2004: 'Mucking About in The Garden' (Columbia) (Pig's Big 78)
- 15 June 2004: Mucking About The Garden (Pig's Big 78)
- 15 July 2004: 'The Waltz You Saved for Me' (78) Columbia (Pig's Big 78)