Syd Dale
Encyclopedia
Syd Dale was born in York
, England
. He was a self taught composer
and arranger
of funk
, easy listening
and library music. His music played an important role on TV, radio
and advertising
media
of the 1960s and 1970s. It is still extensively used today.
Syd Dale started as an apprentice engineer
at Rowntree's
chocolate factory at 16. Soon Big Band
music, very popular in the 1940s, became his passion. He spent as much time as possible listening to the Big Bands and studying the arrangements. Three years later, in 1945, he left the factory and joined several local bands as pianist
and arranger
.
Many years later, in the middle 1960s, his talent was widely recognized. Syd Dale's music, which emphasized melody and harmony with intricate arrangements, was ahead of its time. He worked on many television
and radio
projects. He was musical director on Oh Boy
, Six-Five Special
and Braden's Week. He had also co-arranged and co-produced some 007 themes as many other commercial successes. Another of his many production music
pieces, the bongo drum
and harpsichord
-driven "Cuban Presto" (originally released on the 1966 KPM album Accent on Percussion), was used by WPIX
(Channel 11) in New York City
as the theme for its late-night movie show, The Channel 11 Film Festival, from the late 1960s to the 1980s. http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/3821/, http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/2314/
In 1971 he founded Amphonic Music record label
, with the special purpose of recording and producing his compositions and supply music to TV, film
and radio
business. Thirty years later, the company is still working.
In the mid 70's he also released one of his more memorable tracks to the disco/teen market "The Flasher", creating a dance craze of Skipping backwards and forwards on the dance floor widely demonstrated at Spenborough Youth Club, West Yorkshire
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was a self taught composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
of funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
and library music. His music played an important role on TV, radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
of the 1960s and 1970s. It is still extensively used today.
Syd Dale started as an apprentice engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
at Rowntree's
Rowntree's
Rowntree's was a confectionery business based in York, England. It is now a historic brand owned by Nestlé, used to market a range of fruit gums and pastilles formerly owned by Rowntree's. Following a merger with John Mackintosh & Co., the Company became known as Rowntree Mackintosh, was listed on...
chocolate factory at 16. Soon Big Band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
music, very popular in the 1940s, became his passion. He spent as much time as possible listening to the Big Bands and studying the arrangements. Three years later, in 1945, he left the factory and joined several local bands as pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
.
Many years later, in the middle 1960s, his talent was widely recognized. Syd Dale's music, which emphasized melody and harmony with intricate arrangements, was ahead of its time. He worked on many television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
projects. He was musical director on Oh Boy
Oh, Boy! (TV series)
Oh Boy! was the first teenage all-music show on British TV airing in 1958 and 1959. It was produced by Jack Good for ITV.Good had previously produced 6.5 Special for the BBC Television, but wanted to drop the sport and public-service content from this show, and concentrate on the music...
, Six-Five Special
Six-Five Special
The Six-Five Special is a British television programme launched in February 1957 when both television and rock and roll were in their infancy in Britain.-Description:...
and Braden's Week. He had also co-arranged and co-produced some 007 themes as many other commercial successes. Another of his many production music
Production music
Production music is the name given to recorded music produced and owned by production music libraries and licensed to customers for use in film, television, radio and other media.-Introduction:...
pieces, the bongo drum
Bongo drum
Bongo or bongos are a Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of single-headed, open-ended drums attached to each other. The drums are of different size: the larger drum is called in Spanish the hembra and the smaller the macho...
and harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
-driven "Cuban Presto" (originally released on the 1966 KPM album Accent on Percussion), was used by WPIX
WPIX
WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...
(Channel 11) in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as the theme for its late-night movie show, The Channel 11 Film Festival, from the late 1960s to the 1980s. http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/3821/, http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/2314/
In 1971 he founded Amphonic Music record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, with the special purpose of recording and producing his compositions and supply music to TV, film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
business. Thirty years later, the company is still working.
In the mid 70's he also released one of his more memorable tracks to the disco/teen market "The Flasher", creating a dance craze of Skipping backwards and forwards on the dance floor widely demonstrated at Spenborough Youth Club, West Yorkshire
Discography
The list below is only a small sample of his profuse work.- The Penthouse SuiteThe Penthouse SuiteThe Penthouse Suite is a library music theme by the English composer Syd Dale.Written in the 1960s, and very redolent of that era, it is an upbeat, cosmopolitan theme featuring brass, wordless vocals and percussion over a string section. It has had a variety of uses, but became better known in the...
- Walk and Talk
LPs
- The Sounds Of Syd Dale (1966)
- Impact And Action (1967)
- Flamboyant Themes - Vol. II (1968)
- Impact & Action - Vol. 2 (1970)
- Love Isn't Just For The Young Various Volumes
Post-Mortem Compilations
- Syd Dale: Retro
- Kitsch UK
- Cinemaphonic Soul Punch
- Swinging 60's
- Cocktail Lounge
- Dusty FingersDusty FingersDusty Fingers is the name of a series of compilation records of songs that are widely admired as breakbeats collected by Bronx, NY DJ and collector Danny Dann the Beat Mann. Some of the songs featured contain "open breaks" which are solo drum passages which enable DJs to easily transition into them...
Volume 13