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  Tony Capaldi

Tony Capaldi was born in Italy, but his family moved to Glasgow when he was a baby. He ran The Sportsman's Cafe in the south-east of the city, and when he met Bob Smith, who ran a nearby photography business, they agreed that Tony should join Bob Smith's Ideal Band. Shortly afterwards - around 1930 - began an extensive recording career for the band and for Tony as a soloist on continental accordion, and backed by Bob Smith's band.

This discography is based on the sources listed below. I am interested in any other material relating to Tony Capaldi and Bob Smith's Ideal Band (email me).


KEY
Code Description
78 78rpm records in my collection
vBO LP, Better Than An Orchestra Topic Records, 1977. A compilation of recordings from 78rpm records.
vIM LP, Ideal Music for All the Year Round Topic Records, 1977. A compilation of recordings from 78rpm records.
aTM Article, Bob Smith's Ideal Band Traditional Music magazine No.7, 1977.
aKC Article, Beltona Discography Sent to me by Keith Chandler.

TONY CAPALDI (continental button accordion) February 1930
M12620 St Bernard's Waltz
Believe One If All; Come Back to Erin; Eileen Allanah		 Beltona 1515 78
M12625 Highland Schottische
Orange and Blue; Kafoozalum		 Beltona 1515 78
TONY CAPALDI with BOB SMITH'S IDEAL TRIO Tony Capaldi (accordion)
April 1930
M12783 Patience Quadrille Fig. 1 & 2 Beltona 1512 78
M12784 Patience Quadrille Fig. 3 Beltona 1512 78
M12785 Patience Quadrille Fig. 4 Beltona 1513 78
M12786 Patience Quadrille Fig. 5 Beltona 1513 78
M12787 Flirtation (Quadrille Fig 6) Beltona 1514 78
M12788 Blaze Away (Military Two Step) Beltona 1516 78
M12789 La Varsovienne (La Va) Beltona 1514 78
vIM
TONY CAPALDI (continental button accordion) April 1930
M12790 Mamma Mia Valse
 Beltona 1516 78
TONY CAPALDI with BOB SMITH'S IDEAL TRIO Tony Capaldi (continental button accordion)
April 1930
M12792 Paul Jones
(Medley of Traditional Scottish Airs)		 Beltona 1517 78
M12793 Pietro's Return March
 Beltona 1517 78
BOB SMITH'S IDEAL BAND
with Tony Capaldi April 1930
M112794 Dreaming Waltz Veleta
(Bell and Smith)		 Beltona 1542 78
M12795/
M12796		 The Canal Cruise Parts 1 & 2
(Park and Smith)		 Beltona 1541 78 vIM
TONY CAPALDI (continental button accordion) April 1930
M112797 Adeste Fideles
Beltona 1539 aKC
M112798 La Paloma
Beltona 1539 aKC
M112799 Oh Marie!
Beltona 1626 aKC
BOB SMITH'S IDEAL BAND
with Tony Capaldi April 1930
M12801 I Still Love You Waltz Hesitation
 Beltona 1542 78 vBO aKC
M12803 A Dream o' Hame
 Beltona 1543 aKC
M112804 Eightsome Reel Pts 1 & 2
 Beltona 1540 vIM
M112805 Annie's Tryst
 Beltona 1543 vIM
TONY CAPALDI with unknown (piano) November 1930
M13104 Valse Variata
(T Capaldi)		 Beltona 1658 78
M13118 Athol Highlanders
 Beltona 1599 aTM aKC
M13119 Polka Fantaisie
 Beltona 1626 aKC
BOB SMITH'S IDEAL BAND with Tony Capaldi
November 1930
M13125/
M13126		 Bringing In the New Year Pts 1 & 2
 Beltona 1596 aTM aKC
M13127/
M13128		 A Record Trip Round the World Pts 1 & 2
 Beltona 1615 aKC
TONY CAPALDI with unknown (piano) November 1930
M13129 Farewell to St Kilda
 Beltona 1599 aTM aKC
M13130 The Nameless Lassie
 Beltona 1658 78 aKC
M13137 The Sketers' Waltz
 Beltona 1613 aKC
TONY CAPALDI (accordeon solo)
December 1930
M13183 Tony Among the Girls Beltona 1636 78
M13184 O' Sole Mio Beltona 1636 78
BOB SMITH'S IDEAL BAND with Tony Capaldi
August 1931
M13654/
M13655		 The Ideal Lancers 1st-4th Figs.
 Beltona 1691 vBO
M13656 The Ideal Lancers 5th Fig.
 Beltona 1692 vBO
M13657 The Boston Two-Step
 Beltona 1692 vIM
M13658 Horseguards Blue
 Beltona 1689 vIM
M13662/
M13667		 Oor Laddie Pts 1 & 2
 Beltona 1784 aKC
M13663/
M13664		 The Auld Hoose
 Beltona 1699 aKC
M13665/
M13666		 The Canal Cruise Parts 1 & 2
(Park and Smith)		 Beltona 1722 aKC
TONY CAPALDI (accordeon solo)
August 1931
M13668 Willie McKenna March Beltona 1690 aKC
M13669 The Bonnie Lass o' Bon Accord Beltona 1690 aKC
M13671 Fairy Frolics Beltona 1763 aKC
ANONYMOUS (BOB SMITH'S IDEAL BAND with Tony Capaldi)
August 1931
M13673 The Red Flag
 Beltona 1700 vBO
M13674 The International
 Beltona 1700 vIM
TONY CAPALDI (accordeon solo)
August 1931
M13675 The Barren Rocks of Aden Beltona 1763 aKC
M13676 King Robert the Bruce March Beltona 1725 aKC
M13677 Pearls de Crystal Beltona 1725 aKC
BOB SMITH'S IDEAL BAND with Tony Capaldi
October 1931
M13868 The Ideal One-Step
 Beltona 1744 vBO aKC
M13870 Days
 Beltona 1741 aKC
M13874/
M13875		 Fun In a Music Shop Pts 1 & 2
 Beltona 1804 aKC
M13876/
M13877		 Playgrounds Pts 1 & 2
 Beltona 1760 aKC
M13878 An Old Fashioned Waltz Medley
(Feldman)		 Beltona 1743 aKC
M13879 An Old Fashioned Waltz Medley
(L Wright)		 Beltona 1743 aKC
TONY CAPALDI (accordeon solo)
October 1931
M13882 Serenata Beltona 1746 aKC
M13884 Ave Maria Beltona 1746 aKC
BOB SMITH'S IDEAL BAND with Tony Capaldi
October 1931
M13885A/
M13886E		 A Scotch New Year Parts 1 & 2
(Park & Smith)		 Beltona 1742 78
-- Summer Sunbeams
 Beltona 1744 aKC
-- Fair Friday Pts 1 & 2
 Beltona 1826 aKC
TONY CAPALDI (hawaiian guitar)
January 1932
M14106 Hawaiian Waltz
 Beltona 1811 aKC
TONY CAPALDI (accordion)
January 1932
M14108 The Melodies
 Beltona 1811 aKC
TONY CAPALDI (accordion)
March 1932
M14194/
M14195		 Accordeon Novelties Pts 1 & 2
 Beltona 1811 aKC
M14211 Lilly of Laguna
 Beltona 1849 aKC