This appears to be a pseudonym for Bob Deikman & His Orchestra. Sadly no visual material is available. Deikman was born in Lima (Ohio) in 1903. Soon, he was providing the music for dances. A May 4, 1924, ad for John’s Music Store, 134 W. High St., celebrating National Music Week, noted Beikman’s “orchestra is different and will play the music that you will like to hear.” In July 1924, the orchestra was playing at Shawnee Country Club and at McBeth Park. August saw the band at Welcome Park near Ada. In November, “Bob Deikman and His Eight-Piece Orchestra” was at the Elks’ club. In addition to Deikman, the orchestra in 1924 included Bill Chew on banjo; Chuck DuPere, saxophone; Gil Miller saxophone; Merle Johnson saxophone; Cliff Selig, bassoon; Ray Snyder, drums; and Raymond Zint trumpet. The composition of the band would change often over the years. In 1925, Deikman’s orchestra would record several more sides. Deikman’s orchestra had already become one of the first to be broadcast. On May 6, 1925, the Lima News reported WJAZ, “portable radio station of the Zenith Radio Co.,” would broadcast from the corner of High and Elizabeth streets. On Labor Day 1925 Deikman’s band performed at Kuenning’s Grove in New Bremen. During the latter half of the 1920s, Deikman’s orchestra seemingly was playing everywhere. Deikman and his orchestra were regulars at dances in Zanesville’s Moxahala ballroom, Gordon State Park in St. Marys and the Coliseum Ballroom in Mansfield. Deikman also was a regular at McBeth Park, the Crystal Ballroom at McCullough Lake and the Elks’ Club. In January 1927, Deikman opened Danceland at 139 N. Main St., the first of several dance halls he would manage. Deikman eventually took over the Elks’ ballroom, renaming it the Palais Royale Ball Room. On Jan. 14, 1932, during the Great Depression, Deikman’s orchestra and the Buckeye Melody Boys held their annual benefit ball for the Lima’s unemployed at the Palais Royale. With an invitation to “dance under the stars,” Deikman announced in a May 26, 1933, ad the opening of Springbrook Gardens, “Northwestern Ohio’s most beautiful outdoor gardens and summer ballroom.” Deikman’s band continued to perform through the 1930s, often advertised as Bob Deikman and his band of 12 musicians conducted by Carl Young. The band performed at such long ago dance halls as the Terrace Gardens in Springfield, the Green Mill Gardens in Findlay and the Crystal Lake Dance Pavilion in Marion. On Sept. 21, 1939, an ad revealed that “Bob Deikman and Ray Snyder now playing with Art Mowery’s Orchestra” were appearing at Lima’s Blinking Owl Club. Deikman moved to Dayton in the 1940s. A 1950 Dayton city directory lists him as a factory work. He died April 17, 1975, in Englewood and is buried in New Carlisle.. This disc was in very poor shape, which made extensive restoration necessary; yet, taking into account the rarity of this performance, I decided to share it. The vocalist on this outstanding 1927 side is Kermit Simmons.
