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Will Quintrell

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Will Quintrell
Will Quintrell c. 1914
Will Quintrell c. 1914
Background information
Birth nameWilliam Herman Quintrell
Born(1888-06-27)27 June 1888
Died13 August 1946(1946-08-13) (aged 58)
GenresJazz

William Herman Quintrell (27 June 1880 in Moonta, South Australia[1] – 13 August 1946 in Sydney, New South Wales)[2] was an Australian jazz band leader, pianist, and conductor, active during the early 20th century.

Career

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Quintrell's father was a musician in South Australia, and formed a concert group with his eight children. Will Quintrell studied music and then left Australia to tour with Maurice Bandmann. After he returned to Australia, in 1911 he became music director at the Tivoli Theatre, Adelaide.[3] Three years later, he had moved interstate to work as conductor for the Tivoli, Melbourne,[4] and then the Tivoli theatre, Sydney in 1915.[5][6] At the same time, his brother Fred Quintrell was also a conductor in New York.[7]

In August 1919 Will Quintrell married pantomime artist and musician Esmee Ellen McLennan.[3]

Royal Squadron Syncopators (1925)

First formed in 1925 by Quintrell, the Royal Squadron Syncopators featured members of the pit band at the Sydney Tivoli, and accompanied singer Miss Wish Wynne.[8] They toured the Tivoli circuit over five months,[9] led by Quintrell,[10] including a show in Brisbane.[11] In 1926, Quintrell led a new band called the Royal Spanish Syncopators, also at the Sydney Tivoli.[12]

Tom Katz Saxophone Band, 3LO, and 'Breeze' (1928)

At the beginning of 1928, Quintrell formed the Tom Katz Saxophone Band,[13] a Blackface music group who toured Australia, New Zealand, and England, and recorded music for Columbia.[14] He also formed a new orchestra for the radio station 3LO,[15] specialising in classical music, and another specialising in jazz.[16]

Quintrell also arranged and recorded a version of the song 'Breeze' for Columbia in New Zealand. By May 1928, it had sold approximately 8,000 copies in New Zealand,[17] and sold over 21,000 copies.[14]

Later life (1930s–1940s)

During the 1930s, Quintrell left the Tivoli and joined J.C. Williamson's company.[3] He worked for the Regent Theatre in his final years,[18] and revived the Royal Squadron Syncopators for a series of seasons at Hoyts' Regent theatres in Brisbane (1940–1942) and Sydney (1943–1944).[9]

Will Quintrell died 13 August 1946, and was survived by his wife and two children.[19] Mrs Quintrell died in 1949.[20]

His archive is held by the Australian Performing Arts Collection.[21]

References

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  1. ^ South Australian Births, Index of Registrations 1842 to 1906
  2. ^ "Will Quintrell Dies in Sydney". Herald. 13 August 1946. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Music Directors & Composers [Industry]". Australian Variety Theatre Archive. 15 December 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Mr. Will Quntrell". Punch. 30 April 1914. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Gossip of the Theatres and Pictures". Referee. 9 June 1915. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Personal". Barrier Miner. 27 July 1915. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  7. ^ Quigley Publishing Co. (1916). Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1916). MBRS Library of Congress. New York : Motion Picture News. p. 1873.
  8. ^ Variety 1925-08-12: Vol 79 Iss 13. 12 August 1925. p. 2.
  9. ^ a b "Orchestras and Bands [M-Z]". Australian Variety Theatre Archive. 2 March 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Business card for the Royal Squadron Syncopators, c.1925". Arts Centre Melbourne. 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Tivoli Theatre - Special Attraction - Royal Squadron Syncopators". The Daily Mail. 16 August 1925. p. 11. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  12. ^ "Tivoli Theatre". The Age. 24 March 1926. p. 14.
  13. ^ Tide, Timon (29 August 1937). "Between You & Me". The Sun. p. 4. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  14. ^ a b Bourke, Chris. Blue smoke : the lost dawn of New Zealand popular music 1918-1964. C. Bourke. OCLC 706475786.
  15. ^ "3LO Orchestra". The Register. 11 February 1928. p. 12. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Everyones Vol.7 No.413 (1 February 1928)". Trove. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Letter to Will Quintrell from Columbia Graphophone Ltd, 1928". Arts Centre Melbourne. 1928. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Mr. W. Quintrell Dies In Sydney". Barrier Miner. 15 August 1946. p. 8. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Mr. W. Quintrell Dies In Sydney". Barrier Miner. 15 August 1946. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  20. ^ "Personal". The Tumut and Adelong Times. 3 May 1949. p. 2. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Will Quintrell Collection". Arts Centre Melbourne. 2018.
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