[Dixielandjazz] FW: Orange Blossoms photo.

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Dr Nowicke,
Bob Romans has passed on your query (through the DJML) about the Orange
Blossoms' photograph.
I thought I had one of this band somewhere. But where?
Here is what I have about Goldkette's Orange Blossoms.
It was originally formed in Detroit (mid-'20's) by a group of musicians out of
the various bands that were then managed or booked by Jean Goldkette. The band
was named The Orange Blossoms. They played under the Orange Blossoms name until
1929, when the band reorganised and then called themselves "The Casa Loma
Orchestra, managed by Francis O'Keefe". 
On Labor Day, 1925, Goldkette's 'Orange Blossoms' consisted of: 
Henry Biagini (trumpet & leader); Ed Arnold (trombone); Gene Prendergast  and
Ray Eberle (altos); Reggie Comben (tenor); Tommy Gargano (drums); Oscar Legassey
alternating with Irish Henry (tuba); Al Cox (banjo) and Ed Murray (piano). 
During the winter of 1925-26, while the band was at Webster Hall, Detroit,
Comben was transferred to the Detroit Athletic Club. His replacement was 'Spike"
Glen Gray Knoblaugh (also spelled Knoblauch, and later known as Glen Gray ).
However, Spike's tenor saxophone so intrigued Gene Prendergast that in no time
it was in his possession and Knoblaugh was in the alto chair. 
At the beginning of summer, 1926, The Orange Blossoms played at Lake Orion,
outside of Pontiac, Michigan, and in Mid-summer were shifted to the Bob-Lo
Boats, cruise ships operating in Lake Erie, later playing at the Graystone
Ballroom, in Detroit. They opened The Commodore Perry Hotel in Toledo during
winter 1926-27 with the following men: 
Clem Johnson (trumpet); Ed Arnold (trombone); Glen Gray (alto); Gene Prendergast
(tenor); Vic Polant (violin); Itsy Ritskin (piano); Dimitri "Doc" Sayor (string
bass); Howdy Cox (drums). 
The Orange Blossoms reorganised in early 1927 and returned to Detroit, with:
Gene Prendergast as leader and on tenor; Henry Biagini and Clem Johnson on
trumpets; Walter "Pee Wee" Hunt on trombone; Doc Snyder and Larry Teal on altos;
Knox Pugh replacing the recently deceased Tommy Gargano on drums; Marlin Skiles
on piano; Bill Maitland on tuba; Francis Grinnell on banjo. 
Under Henry Biagini's leadership the Orange Blossoms played for six months in
1927-28 at the Casa Loma apartment hotel in Toronto, Canada. It went bankrupt in
mid 1928, the band took the Casa Loma name and went to New York, with Golkette's
approval, as Goldkette's Detroit work was drying up.
I hope there are some leads here as, unfortunately, you do not provide a date
for the photograph.
I would love to see the photograph. 
Kind regards,
Bill Haesler (from Australia).