Bob Effros

English-born American trumpeter, cornetist, and composer (born December 6, 1900 in London, England - died September 12, 1983 in New Haven, CT, U.S.A.). When he was three years old, Bob Effros' Russian Jewish immigrant family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Having been raised in the South strongly influenced the way Bob played jazz trumpet throughout his illustrious musical career. At age eleven, Bob ran away from home and held a job as a purser on a Mississippi river boat. Along the Great Delta he learned to play the cornet, which led him to his true love, the trumpet. His cornet and trumpet playing was influenced by King Oliver's style. Between 1917 and 1919, Bob served as a bugler in the United States Army. After the war ended, Bob settled down in Baltimore working with Bee Palmer. From 1921 to mid-January 1927, Effros played and recorded with Vincent Lopez And His Orchestra. In 1927, Effros became house musician for the Vitaphone Company. That same year he started working with Ben Selvin, with whom he became good friends. This led to the start of his freelance studio career. In addition to his work with Selvin and the Vitaphone Company, Effros also recorded during that time with Harry Reser. Starting in late 1927, he appears on a number of Harry Reser sides, including "Ice Cream" (which he recorded with Reser's Six Jumping Jacks for Brunswick). He also recorded with Sam Lanin, Victor Young, Adrian Schubert, Bob Haring, Willie Creager, Lou Gold, Nat Shilkret, Jack Shilkret, Benny Goodman, and many other bandleaders. In addition, he accompanied Annette Hanshaw, Ethel Waters, Irving Kaufman, Frank Crumit, Scrappy Lambert, Mae Questel, the Boswell Sisters, and many more artists. In 1929, he also briefly led his own band. Throughout the 1930’s and 1940's, Bob was a staple in the radio studios with The Hit Parade, Camel Hour, and Philco Radio Hours. Bob Effros flourished in this environment, leading him to compose over a dozen hit songs, such as: "Why The Twenties Roared," "Sweet And Hot" (an ode to Chinese soup), "Tin Ear," "Cornfed," "Why Don't You Get Lost?," and “Memr’y of This Dance” (which he co-wrote with Ben Selvin). Bob settled in Queens, NY. It was there that he met his wife, Selma Sternick. They had two sons, George and Alan Effros. Bob Effros enjoyed weekends with his six grandchildren. He lived a healthy, happy life and died in his sleep at age 83 in 1983.