DAVE DALLWITZ

David Friedrich "Dave" Dallwitz was born in Freeling, South Australia on 25 October 1914, the son of (Joseph) Ernst Dallwitz and his wife Clara Magdalena Dallwitz (née Rohde). He studied violin as a child, and after moving with his family to Adelaide in 1930 he developed an aptitude for jazz piano. From 1933 to 1935 he studied concurrently at the South Australian School of Art and the North Adelaide School of Fine Art. Dallwitz was a jazz pianist, bandleader and composer in both the ragtime and dixieland idioms. He is perhaps best known for having worked with some of Australia's more progressive musicians such as John Sangster, Bob Barnard and Len Barnard. He also led the Dave Dallwitz Ragtime Ensemble.

He led the Southern Jazz Group from 1945 to 1951, then abandoned jazz for a period, during which he studied at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, composing symphonic and chamber music and playing cello and bassoon in various groups. He became involved in composing and arranging music for revues, leading to the formation of the Flinders Street Revue Company, for which he also directed and played piano.  He returned to jazz in 1970 and resumed recording shortly after and is regarded as one of Australia's important jazz personalities. Dallwitz recorded many albums mainly on the Swaggie label during the 70s.

A highlight of his career was the appearance of his band with Sydney and Brisbane musicians at the Esso Jazz Summit on Sydney's Bondi Beach in 1986. The band's set was shown on ABC-TV and was released on ABC Records. Dallwitz died on 24 March 2003 in Adelaide after finishing the artwork for his album 'The Dave Dallwitz Big Band live at Wollongong, December 1984'. This album was the result of the band's second appearance at the Australian Jazz Convention, Wollongong in 1984 and was mastered and co-produced by trumpeter Greg Englert, who was lead trumpet for the concert. In 1986 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for contributions to music.

ALBUMS
'South Coast Jazz' 1960 Swaggie
'Dave Dallwitz & His Jazz Band' 1973 Jazznote
'Ern Malley Jazz Suite' 1975 Swaggie
'Illawarra Flame' 1976 Swaggie
'Sunday Morning Rag' 1978 Dawn Club
'Gold Fever' 1977 Swaggie
'Gulgong Shuffle' 1978 Swaggie
'Cinderella Girl' 1984 Swaggie
'Floating Palais' 1985 Swaggie
'Eucla Nymph' 1986 Swaggie Records
'Elephant Stomp' 1986 Stomp Off Records

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Dallwitz