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Art's Big Break
Art's big break came when he joined the Roy Fox Band in February of 1933, staying with this band until 1938
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Art with The Roy Fox Band at The Kit Kat Restaurant and Cafe de Paris in London 1933
Art is sitting front right with alto sax
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Art is on the right in sax section infront of string bass player
(Holborn Empire 1935)
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Art relaxing with rest of the Fox gang before going on for Command Performance for King GeorgeV and Queen Mary at the Palladium in London
Art is sixth from the left in the middle row
It was while he was with The Roy Fox Band, that Art Christmas became a household name around the music scene in both Britain and Europe. The British music magazine Melody Maker referred to Art as "...the most sought after musician in England" and Art soon became billed as Britain's 'Leading sax and multi instrumentalist' as he not only played lead alto sax for Roy Fox but was often featured on trumpet, trombone, xylophone, drums, piano and even a routine with the bagpipes and sousaphone.....He didn't just play these other instruments but mastered them nearly to the same degree as he had the alto sax and clarinet.
Melody Maker Magazine
1938
"Art Christmas' alto sax playing is distinguished by a daringly virtuoso style and inventive technique that displays a harmonic and rhythmic sophistication well in advance of his time...................."
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This caricature of Art was drawn by Slade for "Rhythm Magazine" in 1933
Listen to Art playing the Alto Sax solo in "Bye Bye Blackbird" 1938 by clicking on his saxophone in the caricature above
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Another caricature of Art (almost center behind microphone) this time leading reed section of the Roy Fox Band
("Rhythm Magazine" in 1933 also drawn by Slade)
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Art as he was depicted on a set of cigarette cards of well known British musicians
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Art again playing lead alto sax with Roy Fox band at Holborn Empire in London 1934
(Art is third from right)
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A series of recordings on three CD's of the Roy Fox Band featuring Art on all saxes, clarinet, trumpet and trombone from 1933-1938
After Roy Fox was forced to disband due to health problems in 1938, Art worked with Arthur Rosebery from 1938 to 1939, Sid Millward's "Nitwits" and Joe Ferrie in 1939, before joining Jack Jackson (playing with the Jackson band on one recording session in November of that year). From 1940 until late 1946, Art played with his dear friend Jack Payne. The Jack Payne band was just too busy (with BBC shows every week and public performances all over Britain) to do much recording between 1940 and 1944 but there was a session in 1945 that Art played.