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

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 songwriter, vocalist, director  
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 vocalist, director  
Victor BRC-70987 10-in. 12/18/1931 Tell-tales Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, violin, director  
Victor BRC-70989 10-in. 12/18/1931 Sweet violets Bob Dickson Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, violin, director  
Victor BRC-70990 10-in. 12/18/1931 I forgot to buy the license Bob Dickson Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band director, instrumentalist, violin  
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 instrumentalist, violin, director  
Victor BRC-71233 10-in. 1/15/1932 Fifty years repentin' Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet director, instrumentalist, violin  
Victor BRC-71234 10-in. 1/15/1932 Waiting Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet director, instrumentalist, violin  
Victor BRC-71235 10-in. 1/15/1932 My Carolina home Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet director, instrumentalist, violin  
Victor BRC-71236 10-in. 1/15/1932 An old fashioned home in New Hampshire Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble director, instrumentalist, violin  
Victor BRC-71237 10-in. 1/15/1932 Somewhere in the West Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble director, instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BRC-71269 10-in. 1/22/1932 Blue Danube blues Eliot Everett Orchestra Jazz/dance band songwriter, director  
Victor BRC-71270 10-in. 1/22/1932 I wouldn't change you for the world Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-71271 10-in. 1/22/1932 Fate introduced me to you Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-71274 10-in. 1/25/1932 Alexander's ragtime band Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-71275 10-in. 1/25/1932 Glory Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-71276 10-in. 1/25/1932 I'll keep right on loving you Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter, director  
Victor BRC-72250 10-in. 4/7/1932 My extraordinary gal Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-72251 10-in. 4/7/1932 When nobody else is around Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-72252 10-in. 4/7/1932 He's in the jailhouse now Eliot Everett Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BRC-72253 10-in. 4/7/1932 Sweetest of all my dreams Pan-American Dance Orchestrra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-72254 10-in. 4/7/1932 The dentist and the lady Gene Kardos Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-72255 10-in. 4/7/1932 Charlie, the chiseller Eliot Everett Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-72548 10-in. 5/5/1932 Roses are red, the violets are blue Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-72549 10-in. 5/5/1932 I can't believe that it's you Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-72550 10-in. 5/5/1932 Jam man Dickson's Harlem Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-72551 10-in. 5/5/1932 Who, beside me? (Sits beside you) The New Yorkers Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-72552 10-in. 5/5/1932 Crazy people The New Yorkers Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BRC-72553 10-in. 5/5/1932 Song of the fiddlers The Radio Rascals' Orchestra [Gene Kardos Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor LBSHQ-72557 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 5/9/1932 Dance medley [of] Hoagy Carmichael compositions Hoagy Carmichael Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with piano and male vocal soloists director, instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor LBSHQ-72558 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 5/9/1932 Dance medley [of] Hoagy Carmichael compositions Hoagy Carmichael Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with piano and male vocal solo and duet director, instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor ESHQ-72875 8-in. 6/13/1932 Is I in love? I is Rex Blaine and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor ESHQ-72876 8-in. 6/13/1932 Lullaby of the leaves Gloria Palace Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor ESHQ-72877 8-in. 6/13/1932 Remember, cherie Gloria Palace Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor ESHQ-72878 8-in. 6/13/1932 When the lights are soft and low The New Yorkers Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor ESHQ-72879 8-in. 6/13/1932 Every little bit of me loves every little bit of you The New Yorkers Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor ESHQ-72880 8-in. 6/13/1932 My silent love Gloria Palace Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor ESHQ-72881 8-in. 6/13/1932 Banking on the weather The New Yorkers Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BSHQ-72882 10-in. 6/13/1932 Banking on the weather Pennsylvania Collegians Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor ESHQ-72883 8-in. 6/13/1932 I'm so alone with the crowd Gloria Palace Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BSHQ-72884 10-in. 6/13/1932 In a shanty in old Shanty Town Pennsylvania Collegians Jazz/dance band director  
Victor ESHQ-72885 8-in. 6/13/1932 Having a good time, wish you were here The New Yorkers Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor ESHQ-72886 8-in. 6/13/1932 I got the potatoes, I got the tomatoes, but someone else has got my gal Rex Blaine and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BSHQ-73162 10-in. 8/4/1932 Jazz rondo Dickson's Harlem Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BSHQ-73163 10-in. 8/4/1932 In a little blue canoe with you Eliot Everett Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BSHQ-73164 10-in. 8/4/1932 Sheltered by the stars Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band (take 3); with male vocal solo (takes 1 and 2) director  
Victor BSHQ-73165 10-in. 8/4/1932 Sing (It's good for you) Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BSHQ-73166 10-in. 8/4/1932 This is the chorus of a song Village Barn Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus director  
Victor BSHQ-73167 10-in. 8/4/1932 San Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kardos, Gene," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109625.

Kardos, Gene. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109625.

"Kardos, Gene." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109625

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