Mal Hallett publicity photo, 1938
Bandleader Mal Hallett was born in Boston on June 12, 1893, or at least I believe he was. I’ve seen other dates in 1893, and in 1896, but June 12 seems most credible. And he was born in South Boston, unless it was in Roxbury. At least we know he grew up in Roxbury, and attended Roxbury Memorial High School.
Hallett, a violinist, led a pioneering dance band in the 1920s and a powerful swing band in the 1930s, but he merits only a brief mention in the big band history books.
The northeast was the most lucrative dance band market in the country in the 1920s, and Hallett’s band was a major draw from Maine to New Jersey, and from Boston to western Pennsylvania. In 1928, he earned $60,000, an unheard-of sum for a band that played only dance halls. And Hallett had more than a good band. He had a great manager in Charlie Shribman, and he understood the fine art of public relations. He was the “Incomparable” Mal Hallett.
Mal Hallett was badly injured in a fall in 1930, and never played violin again. He was a baton-waver for the rest of his career. Between the accident and the convalescence, he was off the scene for two years, and he lost his band and his recording contracts. But he roared back in 1932 with a band that included Frankie Carle, Jack Jenney, Gene Krupa, and Toots Mondello. It was a swing band in the days before anyone called them that.
Musicians came and went, but as long as his right-hand man, chief arranger Frank Ryerson, anchored the trumpet section, the band played what Metronome’s George Simon called “uninhibited swing.” (Ryerson left in 1938.) And with Teddy Grace and then Irene Daye from 1934 to 1938, Hallet’s band had top-notch vocalists.
Hallett kept a credible dance band afloat during the war years, but it got harder in the late forties, and by 1950 his band was strictly a weekend affair. Students from the New England Conservatory often filled it out. Sometimes rather than put a band together for an engagement, Hallett would rent one, with its book but minus its leader, and call it his orchestra for the night.
Mal Hallett was 59 when he died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1952, his glory days long past. There were no tributes in the Boston papers. There were barely obituary notices. You’d think a guy who bested Duke Ellington in a battle of music would merit more than that.
Here’s music that Hallett recorded in the late 1920s. It was not released at the time, possibly because it was “too much jazz.” Hallett’s record company wanted music that was light and polite and fit for a hotel dining room. Mal Hallett’s guys, like Vic and Toots Mondello, Brad Gowans, and Andy Russo, weren’t interested in dining room music, they wanted to play. And here on “Wang Wang Blues” they did.
Hi Richard. I hope this is not too late of a reply, but my grandfather, too, played with Mal Hallett. Either sometime in the late 20s, or more likely during the swing era. His name was Caleb “Kay” O’Connor, and he was from New Haven, CT. I wish I could find any mentions or photos of engagements he did with “Kay” as a session guitarist, as he was known prior to 1946. Mal was certainly playing in the same spots as “Kay”, including in Bridgeport and New Haven. Perhaps Bristol, CT too, at ‘Lake Compounce’, a spot Mal frequented.
Never too late for more info relating to Mal Hallett. Not familiar with your grandfather, but I’m interested to know that he was part of Mal’s ever-changing band in the 1930s. What else can you tell us about your grandfather’s career?
Separate from playing the guitar, “Kay” also played the banjo and piano. He was making swing arrangements and composing at times for Hartford, CT area pickup bands up to the early 40s I take it, evidenced from “Hartford Courant” articles of the era. I would imagine his association with Mal was centered earlier, around New Haven. He also played with Charlie Barnet for a time. No pictures or hard evidence to prove the claims about Hallett or Barnet, but hope to find.
My husband’s uncle, Ben Curtis Lary, Jr., played saxophone in Mal Hallett’s Orchestra when he was 18, according to his WWII draft card. Would love to see a photo of that. He went on to play with Buddy Rich.
Thanks for that, Janice. I did not know Ben Lary played with Hallett. Many young musicians cycled through his band in the 40s. And photos are hard to find…
This is actually my grandfather, he was a town Auditor for Yarmouth Mass, played for a brief time with Mal, played the sax, clarinet and the drums. He could tap dance too. Died far too young at age 38, 1942.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/creator1/2613508901/sizes/l
my grandfather Herton “Bunk” Hallett played in Mal’s band for a time as a sax man~~he died young in 1942 at age 38~~would love to find a pic of him playing for Mal : )
Do you have a photo of your grandfather Herton that you can share? I can compare it to the Hallett band photos I have to see if I can find a match.
I would like to donate my mal hallett research, 16 pages and the cd that came out.
An update — Bill did indeed send me his Mal Hallett material, and it is mainly 16 pages of references. I’ll be busy tracking these down for some time. And I’ll have to get some of that Hallett music on my YouTube channel. It’s a Swing Time CD, long out of print, “Mall Hallett and His Orchestra 1926-1941.”