I joined around 1977, first with Mick McDonagh in the West End, then marketing with Peter Goodchild at Albert Embankment and also helping out with International with Marcel Stallman and his crew. So many happy memories and fun working with Frank Rodgers, Tony Watts, David Wedgbury, john Tracey and so many others. Stayed with Polygram International working with Rein Klassen and through to the early days of London Records with the late John Preston, Tracey Bennett and Roger Ames. Remember it like it was Yesterday. nighthawk66 12/03/19

A&R Christmas Party Invite from the 70's HelindaPerryaolcom 08/03/19

While celebrating Decca's 90th Anniversary in 2019 we should remind ourselves of the massive contribution made by Annunzio Paolo Mantovani (1905-1980). A Decca artiste from 1940 until his retirement in 1975, Mantovani was a celebrated conductor, composer and arranger of light music which reached into many households in Britain and America between 1950 and 1975. You could say that his sound was instantly recognized from 1951 with the million selling Decca recording of Charmaine. His large orchestra with its trademark "cascading strings" effect sold millions of albums for Decca and its American off-shoot London Records and ensured that Decca could fund many other projects from its headquarters at West Hampstead. There were several huge selling Decca singles, too, including Cara Mia, a collaboration with singer David Whitfield, which topped the British record charts for ten weeks in 1954. At his peak Mantovani was constantly on the move, touring Britain, USA, Canada, Japan and elsewhere, as well as filming, broadcasting, recording and composing. When Decca adopted stereo sound in 1958, Mantovani was at the forefront, and by 1959 had become the first recording artiste anywhere to sell over a million selling stereo albums. "Monty" was gentle, disarming and humorous - except on the podium where he was a dynamic larger-than-life character, letting loose his deepest feelings on his musicians until obtaining the results he sought. This trait applied particularly to his Decca recordings with "The Mantovani Sound" immediately recognizable as his sound, and his alone. His music is still enjoyed today through those Decca recordings, which were of the highest quality, and a series of DVDs digitally restored from his ATV television series. An added bonus is the British Magic of Mantovani Orchestra, under the guidance of Paul Barrett, which has been playing concerts since 2008 using original manuscripts loaned by the Mantovani family. Their next appearance is at the Bournemouth Pavilion on 28 April 2019 when Benjamin Pope will conduct a special programme entitled "Strictly Mantovani". It is certain to bring back many memories of Decca's superstar of light orchestral music. Colin MacKenzie, author, "Mantovani A Lifetime in Music". CMS user 08/03/19

This photo from Albert Embankment days. With Frank Rodgers, Carol Rodgers (Goldsmith) Jane Potter, Stephen Greene and Helinda Perry HelindaPerryaolcom 06/03/19