Will Osborne & His Orchestra - While A Cigarette Was Burning (1938)
Channel: C Porter
Date: 2021-02-01

Vocal version.

Will Osborne was one of about 12-14 lasting bandleaders of the 1920s through 1940s who sang while directing the band --and of that singing, he crooned. Sure it wasn't necessary, not too many people were doing it, and sometimes hard to do, but Osborne pulled it off sometimes better than Rudy Vallee did. He was always pushing to improve his style, unlike most artists would take a break for adjusting other aspects, but no it was always quality he was trying to improve. He had between three and four Orchestras, Most of which always went under the name of "Will Osborne & His Orchestra" but one would sometimes be referred to as "Will Osborne & His Slide Music." 

This Orchestra is the same one to be referred to as His Slide Music. The reason behind this was because in early 1935, he disbanded his original orchestra and "Ballroom" and sweet swing style jazz that he would record the majority of the time when he was with the ARC. Moving ahead to a new sound partially inspired from when he was in college back when he was still thinking of being a drummer. This new sound is best described as 'Glissando' based Swing" which he is the creator of. Taking a his trombonists and making them focus mainly on sliding between note and note. Mix that in with custom made Slide Cornets and Slide Trumpets, while stuffing megaphones down the bells of the horns to make a more distinct sound, and that's what this new sound was. To help people understand their style, they would perform a song on the radio "Listen To The Glissen" in 1936, which I highly recommend you listen to. 

 This new orchestra's new sound would not only give them better success, but would encourage him to leave the ARC in the middle of the year.  Leaving for Decca. They would record there mainly while also recording for various radio transcription discs thorough the rest of the 30s. With this band he also let others record apart from just himself, including a brother and sister signing duo Dick & Dorothy Rogers. Along with the Bassist Dale Jones for novelty purposes Along with many other male and female singers.  Around 1937 they would also be signed onto Varsity records which would last until 1940. The band would stop recording by 1940, and break up by 1941. 

This band of Osborne's had only a few hits. That's What You Think in 1935, Silver On The Sage in 1938, It's De-Lovely in 1937, and So Lovely in 1938.