Representative Albums: "1936," "Bill Challis and His Orchestra - More 1936"
Biography
As staff arranger for Jean Goldkette (1926) and Paul Whiteman (1927-1930), Bill Challis was largely responsible for majority of the two big bands' most jazz-oriented charts, including "Sunday," "My Pretty Girl," "Changes," "Dardanella," and most notably "San." Challis also wrote for Frankie Trumbauer's small-group dates with Bix Beiderbecke, and assisted Beiderbecke in documenting piano pieces (including "In a Mist"). After leaving, he contributed arrangements to quite a few big bands, including Fletcher Henderson, the Dorsey Brothers, the Casa Loma Orchestra, Artie Shaw ("Blues in the Night"), many radio orchestras, and pop sessions. Challis was active into the 1960s, and in 1986 many of his best arrangements were recorded by Vince Giordano's Nighthawks and Tom Pletcher (The Goldkette Project). ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
