Gene Kardos

Eugene Kardos (June 12, 1899 – July 27, 1980) was the leader of a jazz and dance orchestra in the 1930s. He recorded for Victor in 1931–32 and then recorded for ARC's labels (Perfect, Melotone, Banner, Oriole, Romeo, Vocalion etc.) through 1938.

Born in Yorkville, New York, of Hungarian heritage, Kardos learned to play the violin and saxophone and worked in vaudeville pit orchestras until organizing his first band around 1930. A New York territory band, its usual home base was the Gloria Palast, a German-American ballroom and café on East 86th Street in the Yorkville neighborhood. Due to the location of AFM Local 802 headquarters nearby, many music professionals caught Kardos's band.

Among his musicians were Hymie Schertzer (sax), Vic Schoen (trumpet, arranger), Joel Shaw (piano), and Bernie Green (arranger-composer). There were a sizable group of Kardos recordings issued on Crown under Shaw's name and various ARC recordings under names such as Gene's Merrymakers, Art Kahn, and Bob Causer. From the mid-1930s, Kardos' style changed more to a hotel dance band style. Dick Robertson and Bea Wain were vocalists on many of his recordings.

Disbanding in 1939, Kardos married and took employment with the postal service in New York City by day, while leading a small café-style band evenings at Zimmerman's Hungaria, a popular restaurant in Yorkville. His run there continued into the 1950s.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 12, 1899 (New York City), Died August 27, 1980 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1931 - 1932

Roles Represented in DAHR: director, violin, saxophone, vocalist, songwriter

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 65 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor ABRC-69922 10-in. 6/10/1931 Jig time Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus director  
Victor ABRC-69923 10-in. 6/10/1931 Left my gal in the mountains Gloria Palace Orchestra ; Gene Kardos Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor ABRC-69924 10-in. 6/10/1931 Georgia on my mind Gene and his Glorians ; Gene Kardos Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor ABRC-69925 10-in. 6/10/1931 Lazy river Gloria Palace Orchestra ; Gene Kardos Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-70187 10-in. 8/27/1931 Waiting for the moon Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-70188 10-in. 8/27/1931 Red-headed baby Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-70189 10-in. 8/27/1931 Mean music Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-70190 10-in. 8/27/1931 China Boy Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-70904 10-in. 10/23/1931 A hot dog, a blanket and you Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus director  
Victor BRC-70905 10-in. 10/23/1931 Sweet violets Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-70906 10-in. 10/23/1931 Peter and Paul Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus director  
Victor BRC-70907 10-in. 10/23/1931 What are you thinkin' about, baby? Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-70908 10-in. 10/23/1931 You've got to sell it Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus director, vocalist, songwriter  
Victor BRC-70950 10-in. 11/13/1931 Freddy the freshman Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-70951 10-in. 11/13/1931 (Potatoes are cheaper, tomatoes are cheaper) Now's the time to fall in love Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-70952 10-in. 11/13/1931 Down on the farm (They all ask for you) Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet director, vocalist  
Victor BRC-70987 10-in. 12/18/1931 Tell-tales Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director, instrumentalist, violin  
Victor BRC-70989 10-in. 12/18/1931 Sweet violets Bob Dickson Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band director, instrumentalist, violin  
Victor BRC-70990 10-in. 12/18/1931 I forgot to buy the license Bob Dickson Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, violin, director  
Victor BRC-70991 10-in. 12/18/1931 Business in "F" Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal chorus instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
Victor BRC-70992 10-in. 12/18/1931 Corn-fed Cal Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Joel Shaw Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, violin, director  
Victor BRC-71232 10-in. 1/15/1932 The new twenty-one years Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet director, instrumentalist, violin  
Victor BRC-71233 10-in. 1/15/1932 Fifty years repentin' Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet instrumentalist, violin, director  
Victor BRC-71234 10-in. 1/15/1932 Waiting Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet instrumentalist, violin, director  
Victor BRC-71235 10-in. 1/15/1932 My Carolina home Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet instrumentalist, violin, director  
(Results 1-25 of 65 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kardos, Gene," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109625.

Kardos, Gene. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109625.

"Kardos, Gene." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109625

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