• Source: Ronnie Aldrich

Ronald Frank Aldrich (15 February 1916 – 30 September 1993) was a British easy listening and jazz pianist, arranger, conductor and composer.




Early life


He was born Ronald Frank Aldrich on 15 February 1916 in Erith, England, the only son of a store manager. He started playing the piano at three years old and was educated at the Harvey Grammar School in Folkestone and learned violin at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He travelled to India in the late 30s ahead of World War Two to play jazz and first gained fame in the 1940s as the leader of a Royal Air Force band called The Squadronaires who had a twenty-year-long career before they disbanded in 1964.




Education and career


Aldrich was educated at The Harvey Grammar School, Folkestone, and taught violin at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Before the Second World War, he went to India to play jazz and first gained fame in the 1940s with the Squadronaires, which he led from 1951, when the band was then billed as Ronnie Aldrich and The Squadronaires, up until their disbanding in 1964.
Aldrich was noteworthy for the recording development of playing two pianos in his recordings (the Decca Phase 4 Stereo series). He recorded for the Decca Record Company Ltd in the 1960s and 1970s, moving to Seaward Ltd (his own company) licensed to EMI in the 1980s. He also regularly broadcast on BBC Radio 2 with his own orchestra as well as with the BBC Radio Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Radio Orchestra, based at BBC Glasgow. Aldrich also recorded special tracks that were released by Reader's Digest. All the Decca recordings have been released on CD format by Vocalion. Many of his sessions for radio stations have been released by Apple iTunes in m4a format.
He was appointed musical director at Thames Television, and thus was widely known as the musical director for the television programme The Benny Hill Show.
He was married twice and had a daughter from his first marriage. At the time of his death, he was married to Edith Mary Aldrich (1919-2006), his wife for more than 30 years. In later years he moved to the Isle of Man where he lived with his wife in Strathallan Castle, formerly the Clifton Hotel, in Port St. Mary, but he continued to work in London, where he remained a member of the local Branch of the Musicians Union. He died of prostate cancer at age 77 on 30 September 1993 in Clatterbridge, Cheshire. He found his final rest at St. Luke's Churchyard, Baldwin Braddan, Middle, Isle of Man.




Discography



Ronnie Aldrich and the Squadcats

All Time Hits of Jazz, Ace of Clubs (ACL 1020) 1960 Remastered and re-released 13/10/09 as "All Time Jazz Hits", on double CD with "Top of the World".
Decca Discography "Ronnie Aldrich And His Two Pianos"

Melody and Percussion for Two Pianos, Decca Phase 4 PFS34007 (SP-44007) 1961
Ronnie Aldrich and His Two Pianos, Decca Phase 4 PFS4019 (SP-44018) 1962
The Magnificent Pianos of Ronnie Aldrich, London Phase 4 SP-44029 1963
The Romantic Pianos of Ronnie Aldrich, London Phase 4 SP-44042 1964
Christmas with Ronnie Aldrich, London Phase 4 SP-44051 1964
The Magic Mood of Ronnie Aldrich, Decca Phase 4 PFS4064 (SP-44062) 1965
That Aldrich Feeling, Decca Phase 4 PFS4076 (SP-44070) 1965
All-Time Piano Hits, London Phase 4 SP-44081 1966
Where The Sun Is, Decca Phase 4 PFS4106 1966
Two Pianos in Hollywood, Decca Phase 4 PFS4108 (SP-44092) 1967 (*)
Two Pianos Today!, Decca Phase 4 PFS4132 (SP-44100) 1967
For Young Lovers, Decca Phase 4 PFS4141 (SP 44108) 1968
This Way "In", Decca Phase 4 PFS4152 (SP-44116) 1968
It's Happening Now, Decca Phase 4 PFS 4159 (SP-44127) 1969
Destination Love, Decca Phase 4 PFS4179 (SP 44135) 1969
Togetherness, Decca Phase 4 DDS 2, 1970
Here Come the Hits!, London Phase 4 SP-44143 1970 (**)
Close to You, London H-17156 1970 (**)
Love Story, Decca Phase 4 PFS4222 (SP-44162) 1971
Great Themes To Remember, Decca Phase 4 1971
Invitation To Love, Decca Phase 4 PFS4242 (SP-44176) 1972
Come to Where the Love Is, Decca Phase 4 PFS4264 (SP 44190) 1972
The Phase 4 World of Burt Bacharach, Decca Phase 4 SPA193, 1972
Soft And Wicked, Decca Phase 4 PFS4268 (SP-44195 H-17195) 1973
Top of the World, London Phase 4 SP-44203, 1973
The Way We Were, Decca Phase 4 PFS4300 (SP 44209) 1974
In the Gentle Hours, Decca Phase 4 PFS 4329 (SP-44221), 1975
Love, Decca Phase 4 PFS4361 (SP 44253) 1975
Reflections, Decca Phase 4 PFS4377 (SP-44264) 1976
Webb Country, Decca Phase 4 PFS4397 (SP-44278) 1977
With Love & Understanding, Decca Phase 4 PFS4406 (SP-44286) 1977 (Evergreen USA)
Melodies from the Classics, Decca Phase 4 PFS 4424(SP-44300) 1978
Emotions, Decca Phase 4 PFS4436 (SP-44310) 1978
(PFS is the Decca (UK) original catalogue number; SP is the London label (USA) version) /
(*) Also issued as "Romantic Screen Themes" in Japan (London SLC4484) /
(**) Togetherness (UK double-disc set) was issued as two separate albums in the USA
Decca (Polygram) Discography (One Piano)

Tomorrow's Yesterdays, Decca PFS4436 1979
For The One You Love, Decca SKL5319 1980
Amberjack Discography (One Piano)

One Fine Day, Amberjack 902, 1981
Imagine, Amberjack 1981
Beautiful Music, Amberjack 1982
Silver Bells/Winter Wonderland, Amberjack
Seaward Music recordings licensed to EMI (One Piano)

Night Birds, EMI MFP 1982
Sea Dreams, EMI MFP 1984
For All Seasons, EMI MFP 6016 1987
Ronnie Aldrich, his Piano and Orchestra, EMI CC220 1988 (compilation album)
Seaward also issued a vinyl LP, The Wonderful World of Man, which contained recordings of the sounds of the Isle of Man, where Ronnie Aldrich lived from the 1960s onwards. This record was sold in the island to tourists.
Decca Discography "The New Big Band"

Today - In The Old Fashioned Way, Decca Phase 4 1977




Titles recorded by album






References






Other sources


Ronnie Aldrich (Obituary), The Times (London, England), 15 October 1993, p. 21
Ronnie Aldrich (Obituary), The Daily Telegraph (London, England), 9 October 1993, p. 21




External links


Ronnie Aldrich in the Internet Movie Database
Ronnie Aldrich and The Squadronaires in the Internet Movie Database

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