CELEBRATED DANCE BAND

Evening Star, Issue 21482, 5 August 1933, Page 10

CELEBRATED DANCE BAND

FEATURED AT ST. JAMES THEATRE After hearing Jack Payne and his band in ‘ Say It With Music ’ at St. James Theatre, one can have no doubts about the popular appeal of these celebrated players. It is a delight and inspiration to watch them on the stage. The rhythm, tho variety, the enthusiasm, and the all-round quality of the performance is irresistible. • Say It With Music ’ was made to create" a world-wide audience for Jack Payne and his redoutable jazz band—a band that London’s fashionable world loves to dance to; a band that lias broadcast and made gramophone records for the millions; a band that i now comes before tho world in living, shadow form and real sound. Everything is done in a way that only highly-trained and talented musicians could do it, and the volume and harmony of sound that comes from the trombones and saxophones is no less surprising than the skill of duos, trios, and quartets in many-changing combinations. Always there is the skill and leadership of Jack Payne, at times conducting in a spirit that seems to bring the best out of every player, at other times apparently letting the performance move with its own momentum, but always, in foreground or background, , directing affairs masterfully. His singing and that of members of his band is equally good as the instrumental part, and the catchy tunes of such novelties as ‘ Love Is the Sweetest Thing ’ aud ‘ Good Morning, Mr Sun ’ come pleasantly to the car. Part of the appeal may be due to tho winning personality _ of Jack Payne himself and to the fitting of song to story, but it is not only that. It is the power of a tune to set toes a-tapping. The whole performance develops a theme which can bo easily followed. Payne is an engaging persona ity before the camera, and the story that has bben built for him suits him well. While driving to the theatre at which his hand is ploying Payne knocks down a man in tho street who turns out to be a war-time friend, now down on his luck. His efforts to obtain a living by composing have proved fruitless. 1 ayne recalls that during their sojourn. behind the lines in France Ins friend had composed a tuneful little piece called ‘Sav It With Music.’ which Ins band has "been playing with enormous success ever since. This is the popular song which every errand boy wa» whistling ten years ago. The composer. however, has forgotten ho wiote it- in point of fact, his memory .left him as the result of injuries received in an aeroplane crash. Payne, deeply interested in the case, calls in a doctor and between them they concoct a plan to restore his memory and bestow upon him the credit for writing the song. This provides the band with an opportunity to give the well-known tune novel and interesting treatment. Sound and photography are used in striking fashion. The acting is m the hands of Percy Marrnont, Evelyn Eoberts. and Joyce Kennedy. I Outstanding on the supporting pro--1 gramme is a film of Tonganro National Park, giving remarkable views or the central peaks and of distant Egmoiw. This picture shows what the New Zealand camera man can do in making snow photography exciting. The charm of the English countryside is fully exploited in a picture of North Devon, and an interesting and amusing magazine is ‘ Our Belle Factory.’. Views arc shown of aerial exploration »a the gold fields of New Guinea, and Beethovens ‘ Moonlight Sonata ’ is translated to action.