Chateau Gai Orchestra

Band: Chateau Gai Orchestra
Year: 1946
Genere: Big Band

The Chateau Gai Orchestra was formed in 1946 at the home of Walter King in Blenheim Ontario.

Original members:
Mac McCutcheon – piano
Leighton Rumble – bass
Max McGregor – drums
Gord Tricker & Claire Scafe – trumpets
Phil Carney – trombone
Jack Trotter & Walt King – saxophones

Other players were Bus Bowers, Stan Betts, Sam Ryan, Bill King, Ray Macdonald.

The Chateau Gai Orchestra was noted for its sweet sound and danceable music often related to the sound and style of the Guy Lombardo band. The band played at many popular sites e.g. the Hi-Neighbour dances at the Kinsmen auditorium in Chatham for many years, Rondeau Park’s new and old dance halls, Blenheim High School Alumni Dances (49 out of 50), and Kenwick on the Lake, Sarnia. They were also in demand in London and many other towns and cities.

In later years Ted Pudney of London took over the band and they continued to play in the Lombardo style for many years.
This band was truly part of the big band era in Ontario.

Info source by K. Crone: http://www.londonbigbands.ca/chateau.html
Get audio of this band online here: http://www.londonbigbands.ca/chateau.html
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The Bob Jacks Band

Band: The Bob Jacks Band
Year: 1941
Genre: Big Band

Bob was born in Chatham Ontario and passed away in Wallaceburg Ontario January 2 1972 at the age of 57. Bob taught music in the schools of Wallaceburg  and his mother Mary Jacks also taught music.
Bob formed his first band while attending Chatham Collegiate High School in 1935. He quickly established a reputation for good dancable music and became house band at the Primrose Gardens in Wallacburg from 1941 to 1953.. Over the years he had more than 50 musicians and 12
vocalists.

Bob started at the Gardens working in the coat check room. In 1940 he moved to Wallaceburg to work at Schults Die in the office. The band normally had 10 – 12 members plus girl singers and was so popular that Friday nights at the Gardens was always full. They also played at the high school dances service clubs as well as many dance halls in Chatham, Rondeau Park, Sarnia and Erie Beach. The band had a reunion in 1969 and in 1995 and both were well attended. Bob was also a very good pianist

Source: http://www.londonbigbands.ca/chathamJacks.html
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The Pyranon Ballroom Chatham

Venue: The Pyranon Ballroom
What: Chatham’s premier dance hall
Location: Chatham Ontario
Year: 1945

Note:
   When record hops were the in thing, as many as 1,600 young people would come out on a Friday night to dance. The music they were excited about was Elvis Presley, Pat Boone and the likes of.
   Many big acts of the time played this venue on Colborne Street.  The Wilf Lancaster Orchestra was the local band that performed there regularly.

The Pyranon was constructed by Maurice Smyth. The first group to play the hall was Al Edwards and his band from Windsor.
Other events at the Pyranon: Bingo, wrestling, proms, fashion shows, banquets, social and political gatherings.

Big Bands that played: Sammy Kaye, Victor Lombardo, Vaughn Monroe, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, The Glen Miller orchestra, Les Brown, and Gene Krupa. The local ‘Big Band’ Wilf Lancaster Orchestra performed there regularly.
 
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The Castaways in 1963

click pic to enlarge

Group: The Castaways
Formed: Circa 1963
Home: Chatham Ontario Canada

The Original Trio:
Al Burniston – Trumpet/vocals
Roy Robinson – Drums
Dick Butler – Organ.

The above Castaways picture is circa 1965.

  In the beginning, they were known as the “Al Burniston Trio“. When Dick left, Cheryl Lancaster joined the band and soon after Fred Carney (trumpet/vocals) joined them. They changed the name to “The Castaways” around 1965.
 Cheryl left in 1968 and Dick re-joined the band and they kept the name. The Castaways continued to play at various halls throughout Kent County.
 

Thanks again to Cheryl L. for providing the photo & info.

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Wilf Lancaster Orchestra 1938

Band: Wilf Lancaster Orchestra
Formed:  1938
Genre: Big Band

Pic 1: Circa 1939-40   Pic 2: Unknown date   Pic 3: Chatham Vocational School (Date Unknown)

  The band began as an 8-piece but had to disband as the war was breaking out. The group later reunited in 1945. They would perform 3-4 nights a week to 700-800 people at the Pyranon Ballroom a night. The war was over and dancing was popular as the soldiers came back and the girls once again had dates.
   The band gained much respect and drew fans of the music from far and wide. They would also share the stage with acts from out of town such as “the world’s fastest drummer”…Buddy Rich.
  After the initial start, the band was commonly playing as a 12 piece orchestra.
  Wilf Lancaster retired in 1970 as leader of Chatham’s best known orchestral group.

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Wilf Lancaster Retires 1970

Click the pictures above to enlarge

Musician: Wilf Lancaster
Position: Band leader and drummer
Year: 1970

The following news was written in the CDN Monday November 2nd 1970. The concert advertisement ran in the CDN around the same period. No Author name posted.

Wilf Lancaster Retiring Big Band Sound Goes On

   Wilf Lancaster is retiring as leader of Chatham’s best known orchestral group, but the “big band sound” he initiated will linger on.
  Mr. Lancaster, who will pack up his drums following the band’s engagement at the Pyranon Ballroom Nov. 13th, has decided to listen to his physician, who told him “You will have to give up something”. His work at the International Harvester and Chatham Blueprinting has precedence, he says, so the band work has to be curtailed.
    However, his name will still be connected with the band, which was reactivated four years ago following a long lay off. Fred Foster has been named musical director and Dr. W. Pritchard business manager.
    During the last four years the band has played 27 engagements to more than 13,000 fans.
    “I’m glad the band will carry on and I am flattered they are going to use my name”. Mr. Lancaster said today.  “But it is going to be hard to quit because it has been  a tremendous thrill having such a grand group and playing for the best audiences in the world”.
     Mr. Lancaster said he played his first summer engagement at a resort on Lake of Bays in 1930, which makes more than 40 years of music.

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