1930 Ray West & His Cocoanut Grove Orchestra: St. Louis Blues

Ray West & His Cocoanut Grove Orchestra. Ray West played at various Los Angeles spots, such as the Cocoanut Grove (Ambassador Hotel) and the Cafe de Paris, where, in 1933 he replaced Orville Knapp after Knapp received bad notices. In early 1926 Ray West & His Orchestra was heard on network radio, emanating from KNX in Los Angeles. In 1928, after his engagement at Miller’s Lafayette Cafe, West’s orchestra replaced Maurice Menge at El Patio, also in Los Angeles. It was publicized that movie actor Lew Ayres got his start as a musician (banjo) with Ray West’s Orchestra.