Lou Raderman

Lou Raderman (3 July 1902—October 1981) was an American jazz violinist, bandleader, and musician from New York. He was the leading violinist and concertmaster of the Victor Studio Orchestra and later a concertmaster for various Hollywood studio orchestras.

Active from the early 1920s through the mid-1950s, he worked with Jack Shilkret, Nathaniel Shilkret, Vernon Dalhart, among others, and led various bands—Lou Raderman And His Orchestra, MGM Studio Orchestra, Pelham Inn Society Orchestra, Ray Beagle And His Hounds Of Music, Plantation Dance Orchestra, Plantation Jazz Orchestra, and Raderman's Novelty Orchestra.

He also performed/recorded under the pseudonym "Marie Gravelle".

Lou Raderman was born Louis Raderman in New York City on July 3, 1902, to Elias Raderman and Esther Pepper (Pfeffer). He is the younger brother of famed New York trombonist and dance band leader Harry Raderman (1882—1940). Harry is known for his trademark "trombone laugh".

Growing up with a musician brother, Lou got his start in music at an early age. In 1921, when he was 19, he played violin (uncredited) on Harry Raderman's Jazz Orchestra's recording of "Mazie", originally written by Eli Dawson, Lou Gold, and Sidney Caine. He was accompanied by Nathan Glantz (alto saxophone); Pincus Glantz (bassoon, double bass); Dave Raderman (drums); Henry Scharf (piano); and Harry Glantz and Walter Kahn (trumpet).

In 1923, Lou released a recording of Fritz Kreisler's "Tambourin Chinois" and Ludwig van Beethoven's "Minuet In G" on Cameo Records (362).

Lou then joined his brother Harry Raderman in the orchestra of Jack Shilkret, older brother of celebrated bandleader Nathaniel Shilkret (1889–1982), and was involved in several recording sessions for Victor Records. They recorded "I Want Somebody To Cheer Me Up", "I Want Somebody To Cheer Me Up", "No One", and "Ain't She The Sweetest Thing", featuring Arthur Hall (vocals); Bernard Baker, Harry Shilkret (trumpet); Clyde Doerr, Andy Sannella (saxophone); Edward T. King(conductor); Jack Wasserman, Al Roderman (clarinet and saxophone); Joe Green (drums, xylophone); Lee Conner, Harry Reser (banjo); and LeRoy Shield (conductor). In 1926, Lou and Jack Shilkret recorded "Thanks For The Buggy Ride" (vocals by Frank Crumit) and "My Bundle Of Love" (vocals by Gene Austin).

In March 1924, Lou, with the International Novelty Orchestra, recorded "Innocent Eyes" and "Say It Again". "Innocent Eyes" is a track from the musical comedy Innocent Eyes written by McElbert Moore, Jean Schwartz, and John Frederick Coots. "Say It Again" is a track from the musical comedy "Moonlight", written by Con Conrad and William B. Friedlander. In the music conducted by Nathaniel Shilkret, Lou played the violin alongside Rudy Wiedoeft (alto saxophone), Harry Shilkret (cornet), Carson Robison (guitar), Borrah Minevitch (harmonica), Vernon Dalhart (kazoo), Ed Smalle (piano), and Charles Randall (trombone).

In May/June 1924, Lou was on Wendell Hall's recording of "Pickaninny Lullaby" (Victor Records - 19392). Two months later, he recorded "The Prisoner's Song" with Vernon Dalhart. The song was composed, or co-composed, by Dalhart's cousin Guy Massey. Also in 1924, Lou, Nathaniel Shilkret, Jack Shilkret, and Vernon Dalhartrecorded Carson Robison's composition of "De Clouds Are Gwine To Roll Away". In November 1925, Lou and Jack Shilkret provided music for singer Nina Tarasova's recording of "Memories in the Moonlight" (Victor Records).

During that time, Lou also recorded as "Lou Raderman And His Orchestra" and "Lou Raderman And His Pelham Heath Inn Orchestra". A regular member in his bands was trumpeter Manny Klein.

On March 10, 1927, Nathaniel Shilkret directed the recording of Jack Yellen and Milton Ager's "Forgive Me" with Milton Rettenberg and Jack Shilkret (piano); Andy Sannella and Larry Abbott (clarinet, alto saxophone); Joe Green (drums); Chuck Campbell and Sam Lewis (trombone); Del Staigers and Earl Oliver (trumpet); Murray Kellner (violin); and Lewis James (vocals).

With Pelham Inn Society Orchestra, Lou made a few recordings in 1928 for Regal, Apex, and Plaza Music Company's Domino Records.

Between 1927 and 1929, Lou played violin on "I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling " and "Maybe! Who Knows", sharing the stage with Gene Austin (vocals); Milton Rettenberg and Fats Waller (organ, piano); Dick "Richard" Cherwin (bass); Joe Green (drums); Andy Sannella (clarinet, alto saxophone); Carl Kress (guitar); Mike Mosiello (trumpet); and Murray Kellner and Jascha Zayde (violin).

In March 1928, he directed the recording of P.G. Wodehouse, Ira Gershwin, and George Gershwin's composition of "Oh Gee! Oh Joy!" with Bix Beiderbecke (cornet) and Irving Kaufman (Vocals).

Oh Gee!-Oh Joy!: Lou Raderman & His Pelham Heath Inn Orchestra (1928, Sony Music)

In 1937, Lou recorded "I Still Love To Kiss You Goodnight" and "Don't Save Your Love" with vocals by Joey Nash. As "Ray Beagle And His Hounds Of Music," he made a recording for Vocalion/ARC 78 in 1937.

In 1938, Lou, Erno Neufeld, and George Devron played the violin on Allan Jones' recordings of "The Donkey Serenade" and "Giannina Mia" with Robert Cherwin (bass); Vic Berton (drums); Perry Botkin Sr. (guitar); Louis Bring (piano); Archie Rosate, Glen Johnston, and Joe Bayer (saxophone); Marlo Imes (trombone); and Harry Geller (trumpet).

After his audio recording work slowed down by the end of the 1930s, Lou shifted his focus to playing for movie soundtracks with various studio orchestras in Hollywood. He did make a few audio recordings sporadically in his late career, most notably with Henri René and His Orchestra (1951), Gordon Jenkins And His Orchestra for Time Records (late 1950s/early 1960s), Frances Langford (1945), and Cliff Edwards(1955).

Notable movies

Lou married his wife Sally in 1950.

Lou died in Los Angeles, California, in October 1981. He was 79.