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Melle Weersma

Melle Weersma (January 22, 1908, Harlingen - September 14, 1988, Putten) was a Dutch composer, arranger, and bandleader, who played in jazz, light music, and symphonic styles.

Weersma played in the late 1920s with The Electorians, and then in the early 1930s with Juan Lossas and Bobby 't Sas. From late 1931 to early 1932 he worked in Berlin as a film score arranger. He founded his own short-lived large ensemble called the Red, White and Blue Aces in 1934. Early in 1935 he worked with Jack Hylton in London, then moved to Chicago later in the year, where he did arrangements for Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and Andre Kostelanetz. Returning to England in 1936, he took a position as an arranger for Henry Hall at the BBC.

Weersma moved to Argentina in 1938, working with dance bands and radio programs, and that same year wrote the song "Penny Serenade", a hit on record for Nat Gonella. During World War II he did a stint in the United States Navy, then returned to Argentina after the war, where he composed his works Criollo Suite and Peruvian Waltz (Gaviota). In 1954 he returned to the Netherlands, where he worked in the radio and records industries.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 22, 1908, Died September 14, 1988

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1939

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-031815 10-in. 1/20/1939 Penny serenade Jimmy Brown ; Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus composer  
Victor BS-031898 10-in. 2/8/1939 Penny serenade Three Reasons ; Dick Todd Male vocal solo, with female vocal trio and jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-032879 10-in. 4/17/1939 Penny serenade Marimba Pan-Americana Marimba band composer  
Gramophone 0SB1078 10-in. before 1/26/1940 Si, si, si Karl Gerhard ; Rudi Bolmis Orkester Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Gramophone 0RA3872 10-in. 1939 Penny serenade Wilhelm Strienz Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and instrumental ensemble composer  
Gramophone 2EA4042 12-in. 8/25/1936 Paraphrase on "Ich muss weider einmal in Grinzing sein" Jack Hylton Orchestra Jazz/dance band arranger  
Columbia (U.K.) CL7051 10-in. 5/1/1939 Sérénade sans espoir Marcel Carivan ; Tino Rossi Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia (U.K.) CL7082 10-in. 6/1/1939 Sérénade sans espoir Orchestre Victor ; Boris Sarbek ; Gus Viseur Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia (U.K.) CL7083 10-in. 6/1/1939 Sérénade sans espoir Lucienne Delyle ; Orchestre Victor Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia (U.K.) CL7127 10-in. 6/30/1939 Sérénade sans espoir Marcel Carivan ; Lucienne Delyle Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Weersma, Melle," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/114228.

Weersma, Melle. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/114228.

"Weersma, Melle." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/114228

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