Roaring Twenties

Roaring Twenties: Ted Wallace Orch., My Kinda Love, 1929

Ed Kirkeby (Ted Wallace, Ed Lloyd) (1891 – 1978) band leader, vocalist, manager, and salesman, is best remembered as the manager of Fats Waller. He was one of the first recording managers at Columbia Records to record jazz. In 1924, as the manager of the prestigious American dance band known as the California Ramblers, Ed Kirkeby decided that a quintet of the band within the band would be an excellent novelty, especially for playing popular tunes of the day for dancers who preferred their music with a strong jazz flavour. So it came about that the Little Ramblers (also performing as the Goofus Five) were fordem.  He used several pseudonyms for his own recording, including Ted Wallace, Ed Kirkeby Wallace, or Eddie Lloyd (and Loyd). Over the years he also managed the Pickens Sisters, was an A&R person at RCA Victor, and worked in the band booking department at NBC. As Fats Waller’s manager he also acted as his archivist building a collection which is held today by the Institute of Jazz Studies. After Waller’s death in 1943 Kirkeby remained active managing many other groups through 1977.  Ed Kirkeby’s Orchestra (Ted Wallace’s Orchestra) personnel includes: Ed Kirkeby, Russell Douglas, Sammy Fain, Smith Ballew (vocals); Bobby Davis (soprano & alto saxophones, clarinet); Jimmy Dorsey (alto saxophone, clarinet); Sam Ruby (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Chelsea Quealey, Tony Gianelli, Bill Moore (trumpet); Abe Lincoln, Tommy Dorsey (trombone); Jack Russin, Chauncey Gray (piano); Tommy Felline, Mike Poveromo (guitar, banjo); Jack Hansen (bass); Herb Weill, Stan King (drums).  Recording: Ted Wallace & His Campus Boys — My Kinda Love (Louis Alter / Jo Trent), Columbia 1929.