Philip Lewis & His Dance Orchestra, a.k.a The Rhythm Maniacs (directed by Arthur Lally) play a nice laid-back version of Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?". This is the rejected take 2 (take 1 was issued, taken from a 78 rpm vinyl master. As far as I am aware, take 2 has not previously been issued.
The star here is Sylvester Ahola, who plays a lovely muted solo after the vocals and then opens up the throttle for a blistering 8 bars leading into the collective improvised ending. The Melody Maker's reviewer liked this side overall but warned against what it described as "Dixieland" inclinations towards the coda! Danny Polo plays some fine obbligato subtone clarinet during the vocals and is his usual excellent self on clarinet elsewhere. Joe Brannelly does some nice things on his four-string tenor guitar (tuned to banjo fingering) during the arranged sax passage.
PHILIP LEWIS AND HIS DANCE ORCHESTRA
Arthur Lally, alto sax, baritone sax, directing: Sylvester Ahola - trumpet / Ben Oakley - trombone / Danny Polo - alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet / Johnny Helfer - tenor sax / Claude Ivy - piano / Joe Brannelly - guitar / Tiny Stock - brass bass / Rudy Starita or Harry Robbins - drums, vibraphone / Maurice Elwin - vocals.
Recorded at Decca's studio at Chenil Galleries, Chelsea, London, July 20th, 1929
DJ-3-2 What Is This Thing Called Love? Decca test pressing (unissued - issued take 1 on F-1512)
Decca's antiquated recording set up in its studio at the Chenil Galleries couldn't cope with Hooley's open trumpet in particular, and as a result there is distortion on some of the loud notes. The recording equipment used was just about the worst in London at that time, and things didn't improve until a re-fit of the studio in September 1929 (and it would take a few years more before Decca really got it right).
