NAT GONELLA
Known to thousands, if not millions, Nat Gonella was regarded as Britain’s top Trumpeter in the Jazz sense. Radio and gramophone records spread his fame.
Brought up in an orphanage where he learned to play his favourite instrument, a girl who worked for the same furriers where he was an errand boy showed him and advert. ‘Wanted’ Young boys aged 16 to 18 who play Brass Instruments apply to Mr Archie Pitts, at an address near the Angel at Islington. Nat applied, and got a job.
The year 1927 saw the boys in ‘Way Out West’ and ‘Safety First’ sketches with the 14 piece Band under the direction of Archie Pitt, who married Gracie Fields in 1923 (This was a marriage of convenience in order to keep this Star in the making) Nat told me that Gracie gave him some Jazz records plus an old Decca wind up record player.
Within a short while, he got a job with Billy Cotton and his Band and appeared Scat singing and playing trumpet on his first gramophone record.
When American, Roy Fox came to England, his American Musicians returned home, so he raided Billy Cotton’s Band to enlist a new Band – he took Nat Gonella and others from the Band. Billy Cotton was furious and never forgave or forgot Roy Fox. Fox opened in the Monseigneur Restaurant a new venue where Nat became first trumpeter. Fox became ill and went to Switzerland to recuperate. His pianist and chief arranger Lew Stone took over. ‘Hot’ music was his forte and he excelled in romantic ballads. As the vocalist was Al Bowlly – Lew Stone became a top favourite on Radio and Records. Lew featured Nat and a few others as a ‘Band within the Band’
This gave Nat the idea to form a small group of his own, called Nat Gonella and his Georgians. Leaving Lew, Nat opened at Newcastle upon Tyne in 1935.
He was invited to Holland in the early 70’s and was amazed when he heard a Radio Station playing “Oh Mona” – kids in the street were singing along to it. He had a great affinity with the people of Holland – they loved him.
It was during the mid 1970’s and things hadn’t been going too well and he was appearing in the North East at a Working Mens Club in Hebburn (My home town). He rang me in desperation. “Frank” he said “I’m appearing here and things were going really well, until the bingo started. When it finished, everyone got up and went home – they were only here for the bingo. I went straight over, and shouting for attention in the lounge, I explained the situation, pleading for support for one of our all time greats – let him see some Hebburn support. Thankfully some people heeded my rallying call and the night was saved for Nat.
40 years after he first appeared in Newcastle, I featured at my non-denominational Church Centre, “Nat Gonella and his Geordie Georgians” (see picture). I had archive tapes of the special night, but loaned them to a fella in London – they were never returned!. Nat telephoned me whilst I was on the air, remembering it was my birthday that day, he played Happy Birthday – you can hear this on the small tribute I did to Nat on my Frank Wappat Music programme.
