Victor Silvester Victor Silvester's Jive Band 1943-1945 (CD)

Victor Silvester

Victor Silvester became very popular throughout the world with his unique style in strict tempo records for dancing. In the thirties and forties he only had one other strict tempo orchestra in competition with him. Namely that of Josephine Bradley whose orchestra was sometimes directed in the recording studio by Geraldo. Silvester had learned the piano as a boy, studying at the London College of Music. This proved to be a great asset in the forming of his orchestra. The master began his career as a dancing instructor at a salary of one pound per week. At the age of twenty two Silvester won the World Dancing Championship and opened his new dancing school in Bond Street, London People came from all over the world to learn dance there.
The success of his records in Britain soon spread to Europe, Australia, South Africa, and even in India they were doing the Quickstep! All the dancing schools were using his records. Year after year Silvester's records were top sellers in numerous countries and were also used in cinemas, theatres and skating rinks. This outstanding popularity of Victor's records automatically meant that the BBC were anxious to secure his services and in 1941 he devised the world famous radio programme "The Dancing Club", to which some 0 10,000,000 listeners tuned in to his weekly broadcasts. BOB ELDRIDGE