Ensa-complete Concerts / Various - Ensa-complete Concerts / Various - Music CD

Every Night Something Atrocious - the squaddies interpretation of those initials was, in some cases, pretty near the mark. There were many entertainers to whom ENSA was a lifeline. All the major stars visited the theatres of war to give the troops a show, ENSA itself, with Geraldo supervising the musical side, gave many post-war stars their first experience. Among these, Tommy Cooper, Jimmy Edwards, and the lesser lights who made a steady living in show business owed much to the organisation. Trumpet star Syd Lawrence just one of the musicians who had their beginnings in troop shows. ENSA could fill a book - and probably has - but these recordings highlight one particular aspect of it's work - the radio broadcasts to servicemen all over the world. Here are real pieces of history, available to be heard for the first time since the 1940's. These programmes featured the civilian bands of Henry Hall, Geraldo and Bob Farnon along with, on this compilation, the Blue Rockets Dance Orchestra from the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. In their entirety, the broadcasts presented so many of the top musicians, vocalists and Kenneth and George Western in some light relief for the 'cads'.