HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS ISSUE:

An interview with JOHNNY MANDEL

Review of a new DORIS DAY book

Mystery face from TRIVIA QUIZ

An article about 16 inch transcriptions

And the latest on two ballrooms being preserved and restored

FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID Atlanta, GA Permit No. 2022 BIG BAND JUBP NEWSLETTER

VOLUME 100______BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005

JOHNNY MANDEL INTERVIEW

The Background

Johnny Mandel is probably best-known for the music from the motion picture, THE SANDPIPER, develop­ ing into the hit song, THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE. You may also recall the song A TIME FOR LOVE derived from the music he wrote for 1965’s movie AN AMERICAN DREAM. There is so much movie work to his credit. Starting in the fifties, he ’ s the one who wrote the sensitive background music for the motion picture THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, BEING Johnny Mandel conducts THERE, CADDYSHACK and THE VERDICT. The music introducing M*A*S*H each week on television single word. “Now,” he said. A rush to the studio to came from the Mandel pen. warm up the digital recorder and switch the line to the control board, and we were ready to go. As off the cuff As noted in the interview, the young Johnny Mandel as it turned out to be (for our notes were in the other was in demand by Big Bands in the ’40s because so office) Johnny Mandel was a good interview subject. many musicians were in military service. As a result, Early in the interview there was one answer that nearly starting in 1943 he played for a number of name mirrored a Les Brown interview comment word-for- orchestras including Buddy Rich, Jimmy Dorsey and word, recalling the Brown answer to the same question Count Basie as well as others mentioned by him in the in this newsletter over a decade ago. B oth of them said interview. something such as, “There was music around the house,” an environmental influence so often cited as Mandel, a native of New Y ork City, was well schooled. the reason for key musical personalities to become After attending New York Military Academy he went professional musicians. to the Manhattan School of Music as well as Juilliard, honing his arranging and composing skills while play­ BBJ: Tell us about your musical background. How ing trumpet and later trombone with a number of did you start? orchestras. He retired from composing for movies and TV in 1990. JM: Well, I always had music around the house. My mother was a j azz hound; she played some The Scene piano, not professionally, and she was an opera singer before that, also not professionally, but she always It’s not easy to get in touch with Johnny Mandel, for he supported me because she saw that I had something screens all his calls through his phone recorder. We got going....and there was always music around the house his personal phone number from publicist and author and it was jazz. I realized when I was twelve years old Peter Levinson, whose book on Tommy Dorsey will be I really wanted to be a musician. In those days you released in October. After leaving word, we finally got could hear bands broadcasting from “high atop” any­ to talk with him and after a couple of delays. When he where, the hotel, whatever. That was the cheapest way did answer in person we asked him when would be a they could fill up air time. You got to hear all kinds of good time to do the interview. He answered with a bands, good and bad, the mickey bands, the jazz bands VOLUME 100 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005 and so forth and they all had to play the same songs JM: Between myj unior and senior unlike today. They played the hit parade songs. I kept year when I was seventeen I tuned to the radio. I wanted to hear Benny Goodman or played with Joe Venuti during Tommy Dorsey or anybody else I could get. I wasn’t summer vacation. It was truly a into classical music at that time. baptism by fire.

I’d hear a song and I’d say, “Geez, I don ’t like that song, BBJ: Venuti was a practical joker. it’s not a very good song,” and then another band would Do you have a favorite story? come on playing the same song and I’d think I must have been crazy. The song sounds wonderful. I’d go JM: One of my favorite Joe Venuti stories was through a couple of weeks of that and I suddenly when he was with Paul Whiteman. It was 1930 realized it wasn’t the song, it was the way the band at the peak of the depression. He goes to Paul and says, played it. It was not j ust that but whoever wrote the way “Paul, I’ve been with your band a year, the most they played it, and that’s when I realized there was such wonderful yearjaf my life. The music’s great, the a thing as an arranger, and that’s what I wanted to be. money is wonderful and you’re the best. Would you come to dinner tomorrow night to meet my wife and BBJ: How did you learn to arrange? mother?” (They were playing at the Chase Hotel in St. Louis at the time.) JM: I studied with Van Alexander who was a big bandleader at the time, but I guess he was Whiteman was a courtly gentleman and said he’d be teaching on the side, and right away I knew I wanted to honored, so Joe has the dinner catered by the hotel up write for jazz bands....big bands....and he showed me in his suite. Joe had hired two hookers, and old one and how and said, “Go home and write something.” No a young one and coached them in their parts as his musical theory, nothing of that kind. So that’s what I mother and wife. Venuti arranged for the desk to call did. I could pick out things on the keyboard by ear, and him away, and the minute he leaves these two girls that’s how it started. Then I started playing trumpet at descend on Whiteman and tear his clothes off. the same time. Whiteman’s panicked because he thinks Joe’s coming back any minute. I was in school and for my senior year ended up going to New YorkMilitary Academy; gotamusical scholar­ He gathers his clothes together and as if in a Laurel & ship there because the big marching band was a source Hardy comedy, goes out the hotel window onto the fire of pride in that place. Strangely enough I was in there escape with his clothes under his arm looking like with Stumpy Brown from Les Brown’s band and Les Oliver Hardy. At the bottom of the fire escape there’s himself went there in 1932, the three Brown brothers Joe Venuti applauding! did. I was playing in non-union bands, just playing wherever I could, and writing arrangements. Some of BBJ: After high school? them sounded god-awful because I had to learn how to do it. JM: After I graduated I went with Billy Roger’s Orchestra, the girl trumpet player who’d been Between my j unior and senior years in high school they with Woody Herman. He was the first guy to ever hire were so short of sidemen; everybody was over fighting a woman to play in the band as a sideman who wasn’t Germany and Japan. They were at the bottom of the a singer, although she was a very fine singer and a good barrel so a lot of the young guys like A1 Cohn and trumpet player too. After graduation I j oined the Henry myself got jobs in big bands because there wasn’t Jerome’s band. That was the band that had Alan anybody left. It would have taken us five years longer Greenspan and his tenor saxophone while he was to do it if it had been peacetime. working his way through NYU. Leonard Garment, Nixon’s lawyer was the other tenor player. It was a BBJ: Whose bands did you play with? bebop band, believe it or not. From there I went to Boyd 2 VOLUME 100 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005

Raeburn which was a very advanced band. I had It was the German band conducted by Peter switched to trombone then because I realized I wasn’t Herbolzheimer. His first American CD release a very good trumpet player and I took to the trombone was presented in our newsletter last issue. Mr. naturally. Because I had played trumpet I could play Hepworth was introduced to our programs when high on the trombone and they started making me a lead Don Kennedy was a guest on Sheila Tracy's Big trombone player. From there I went to Jimmy Dorsey Band Christmas program in December of 2004, and replaced Buddy Morrow, so I guess I must have broadcast in Britain. He hears us on the internet been OK enough to do that. Buddy Rich’s Band after through links from our web site: that. I went through a lot of bands ending with Count www. bigbandjump. com. Basie in 1953.

BBJ: Did you arrange for Count Basie while you were there?

JM : I did, yes. I arranged for all the other bands, too.

BBJ: You never went to arranging school?

JM: No. There was no such thing.

Next issue, Johnny Mandel tells about writing for movies and television, how the M*A*S*H theme came about, how he hears the music in his head and then comments on the current music scene.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Buddy Johnson Letters to BIG BAND JUMP or the BBJ NEWS­ LETTER may be sent to the address below, or Ray Randolph Enclosed is a newsletter order e-mailed to: [email protected]. When you Nashville, TN for a dear friend of mine. One e-mail, please give your name and address. All summer night in Lexington, letters are answered, but the volume of mail Kentuckyabout 1939or 1940 we heard a black band led sometimes delays a timely response. by a man named Buddy Johnson. Do you know anything about him? BBJ NEWSLETTER Box 52252 He’s pictured above. The record most of us Atlanta, GA 30355 recall by him was FINE BROWN FRAME, re­ leased in 1944 on the Decca label, for which he The published letters have been edited for space had recorded since 1939. His piano-playing leadership and “walk-em ” rhythm made the band considerations, but the meaning has been preserved. a rhythm & blues success, particularly in the ’40s and '50s when he toured the nation to sell-out Roy Hepworth Caught my first DK SHOW crowds, mostly in black venues. Notably, singer Bristol, England yesterday which was great. Arthur Prysock sang with the Johnson Band for a One question: Whose record­ time, and during much o f its earlier life, the band ing of I WON’T DANCE was it that concluded the featured vocals by Johnson's younger sister, Ella show? Johnson.

3 VOLUME 100 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005

As with Big Bands in general, Buddy Johnson’s rhythm & blues style fell out of favor when rock and roll emerged. His contract with Decca ex­ pired in the early ’50s when his band moved to Mercury and then to Roulette. His final recorded side was for the obscure Old Town label in 1964.

John Erwin You do a wonderful job with Studio City, CA the newsletter. Keep up the good work. My friends enjoy the newsletter as much as I do.

Art Fowler For many years I’ve enjoyed your pro- Clawson, MI gram from 8 to 10 each Saturday night from Canada. (CKWW in Windsor serving the Detroit area.) I have one goal left in life and that is to play the saxophone. We’re grateful for the enjoyment you have passed on to so many people. Massive transcription turntables of the ‘40s CKWW in Windsor, Canada programmed BBJfor just short of twenty years. A few weeks after Mr. (Photo courtesy Gene Joslin) Fowler's letter came, the station program direc­ Oran Reese T o d a y I logged on to tor phoned to say CKWW was changing its music Blackhawk, CA www.bigbandjump.com format and would no longer carry BIG BAND and saw the message that the JUMP. We encourage Detroit area listeners to audio feed of BIG BAND JUMP has been suspended avail themselves of the internet feeds of BBJ. The indefinitely. I was stunned. Since we here in the San letter below also refers to BBJ's now cancelled Francisco Bay Area are limited to one hour of BBJ from broadcast in the Detroit area. 6 to 7 AM on Sundays on KCSM-FM out of San Mateo, the unavailability of BBJ on the internet is devastating Joe Boivin I understand but do not like the news of the highest order. While I understand “rising Lake Orion, MI change. You should know that the costs” involving music licensing and internet charges,” BIG BAND JUMP program was I fervently implore you to explore any and all avenues the only Big Band music (except for an occasional for restoring BBJ to the internet. I feel like I’ve just had Spitfire tune) they’ve played for the last five years or the wind knocked out of me. so. I can and will listen to your programs on the internet. Mr. Reese is referring to the cessation o f the “on- demand” availability of both the two hour weekly Jack Nelson A recent BIG BAND JUMP BBJ and the five hour weekly DON KENNEDY Alameda, CA program was devoted to tran­ SHOW. The “on-demand" service was provided scriptions. What are they, and by Stay Tuned America but had to be suspended how do they differ from regular records? because of the recording industry fear of pod­ casting, the activity centered around I-pod users A favorite subject because transcriptions were so downloading programs. The recording industry much a part of the development of sound record­ has assessed an additional royalty charge for ing in America. Your letter resulted in an article “on-demand ” services even though the same pro­ about transcriptions in this issue. gram is streamed as part of a 24 hour program ** service.

4 VOLUME 100 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005

This does not, however, preclude the scheduled feeds at various times for BBJ and the DK SHOW on either of three streaming services for which links are provided. We're told the ridiculous additional licensing fees assessed for separate

“on-demand ” music audio services will be worked out through a co-op organization negotiating with the poorly managed, inefficient record in­ dustry. All this fear occurred in the thirties when records weren ’t allowed to be played on the air for fear people would then not buy those records. The exact opposite was true. The opposite is true today with computer services, but the record company executives don 't seem to get it. There are, of course, people who download digital cop­ ies of recordings and bootleg them. There are also computer-geeks downloading music for their own use, but greater numbers o f the population would buy recordings IF the quality of those recordings was worthy of purchase.

Even younger generations are getting tired of senseless rap, guitar-strumming electronically enhanced rock and unimaginative, non-creative lyrics. Record companies need to look to them­ selves rather than attempt to make up their losses Sheet music cover from Book by charging fees to those who use their music on provided the many families with pianos the latest tunes the internet. Most if not all of the programmers from Broadway and Hollywood, music that would on the internet are devoted to the music they play become the classic pop songs of the nation and the in whatever style. They promote it, they expose it world. Sheet music covers illustrate this book along to a larger listening public, they increase appre­ with intimate photos of composers from Kern and ciation of it. Just as in 1930’s radio, their use of Gershwin to Lemer and Loewe, from Rodgers and Hart the music tends to increase record sales rather to Kander and Ebb. than decrease them. The record folks simply need to improve their product, then let everyone Zinsser brings various lyrics to the fore for us, remind­ ing us that we know them, that they’re a part of our hear it. The more people who hear a melody or a lives. “Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you/ group, the more people will be apt to buy a CD of Embrace me, you irreplaceable you,” or “A woman’s a that melody or group. More than you wanted to two-face/A worrisome thing/Who’ll leave ya t’sing/ know, Mr. Reese. The blues in the night.” There is some analysis of the melodic structure, some of which is more applicable to (^BOOKS & RECORDS TO CONSIDER^) musicians than to the casual reader, but for the most part the explanation educates those of us who can’t EASY TO REMEMBER carry a tune. The photos of the composers, the sheet The Great American Songwriters & Their Songs music covers, the index of movies and musicals....all William K. Zinsser combine to entertain the reader. The author points out that the America of his boyhood Scores of wonderful photos. 243 pages plus indices. in the late ’20s and into the ’30s was a self-entertaining Published by David R. Godine. About $35.00. Most nation. The brisk sales of sheet music of that time good book stores can order it for you. H.W. 5 VOLUME 100 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005

YOUNG DICK HAYMES with HARRY JAMES INTERMEZZO and GEORGIA ON MY MIND, Ballad DHS-CD-9 among others. Dick Haymes sings MAYBE, MY GREATEST MISTAKE, THAT’S FOR ME, FOOLS The year was 1939. The Harry James Band had been in RUSH IN, BLUEBERRY HILL, I’M NOBODY’S existence for six months when James hired young BABY and FRENESI as well as some titles forgotten over the years.

This CD was produced by the Dick Haymes Society with their usual care and knowledgeable selection. Add the audience atmosphere, the radio programming style of the time and the careful technical restoration and you’re in for an auditory treat steeped in musical history. Nice CD booklet, too, with ten photos and background information. Haymes & James Single CD - $12.00 at www.dickhaymes.com D.K. singer Frank Sinatra. Even though the James name was known through his work with Benny Goodman, the DORIS DAY - Sentimental Journey band was having a hard time meeting payroll. Sinatra’s Garry McGee wife was pregnant with their first child and told Harry he had a chance to go with the established Tommy This is a book all Doris Day fans should have, for it Dorsey organization, then known among musicians as extensively notes all her movies, all her radio appear­ the “Cadillac” of the Big Bands. With Harry James’ ances and all her television work in the last 203 pages. blessing, Sinatra left to join the more popular Dorsey The cast, the date, the songs and the plot are noted for group, leaving James to fill his chair. each movie as well as reproductions of publicity post­ ers or on-set photos. Enter Dick Haymes who considered him­ Her record releases are self a budding songwriter. He was able to noted by title and date meet with James at New York’s World and her radio appear­ Recording Studios where he demonstrated ances, starting with his songs himself. When James heard his Cincinnati’s WLW in voice and phrasing he rejected the songs 1934 are included in a but hired the singer. It was the beginning of four page narrative. Her a career for Dick Haymes and this CD takes television career, starting us to those early years in excellent quality with the Doris Day Show recordings from the Eastwood Gardens in in 1968, also includes Detroit, the New York World’s Fair and guest appearance notes the Blue Room of New York’s Hotel Lin­ as late as 1995. coln. If you’re a Haymes OR a James fan, you’ll enjoy this trip to another time. The first 72 pages of the As you would imagine some of the band book are biographical, arrangements sound stilted, reflecting the sub-titled by the author, style of that time six and a half decades ‘Yesterday and Today.’ ago. That said, you’ll enjoy the early Doris Day fans will re­ development of both Haymes and James. call most of the facts: EASY RIDIN’ is the instrumental opener Cincinnati bandleader after the theme with other pure early James Barney Rapp was the one including SWANEE RIVER, SONG OF who changed her name THE ISLANDS, SHARP AS A TACK, from Kappelhoff to Day, 6 (Please fold on dotted line)

(Please fold on dotted line)

BBJ NEWSLETTER Box 52252 Atlanta, GA 30355

BBJ NEWSLETTER Box 52252 Atlanta, GA 30355

(Tape or Staple Here) CENTER PAGE SURVEY miUMBER ONE SURVEY - This is not going to be easy for yon. Please seleet yonr single favorite Big Band record­ ing of all time. It’s the old desert island idea. If yon were able to take one and only one Big Band recording to a desert island where you’d he isolated the rest of your life, which one would it be? (The presumption here, of course, is that your special desert island is equipped willi the latest playback outfit and massive speakers.).

On the weekend of 5-0 November the BIG BAND tIUMP program will he based on the results of this survey and the BBd web site survey asking you to pick one, and only one, AWL-TIME FAVORITE BIG BAND RECORDING. Please do not submit a selection both here and on the internet, for that would be a double vote. We’re combin­ ing all the internet votes with these center page votes.

Please note yonr all-time single favorite Big Band re­ cording below. Fold, stamp and send to be part of this survey, the first we’ve conducted in half a decade. Please put your name and city or town and state. We don’t want your address, we don’t want your phone number and the information is for the survey only.

ALL-TIME SINGLE FAVORITE BIG BAND RECORDING (Title & Artist of ONE recording only.)

TITLE

ARTIST______

YOUR NAME______e rr r a n d st a t e

Thank you for your vote. Please remember that the results of this survey will be part of the BIG BAND JUMP program scheduled for 5-6 November, 2005. COMING UP IN FUTURE ISSUES OF THE BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER

In-person interviews with outstanding Big Band music personalities.

Reviews of books and records to consider for serious collectors of Big Band music and information.

Anecdotes and background stories about the key personalities of the Big Band scene.

News about the men and women keeping the Big Band sound alive in the United States and throughout the world.

BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION FORM

IT'S RENEWAL TIME FOR NINETY FIFTH ISSUE SUBSCRIBERS TO THE BBJ NEWSLETTER

If your address label has a (95) on It, this is the iast issue of the BBJ NEWSLETTER you'll receive under your current subscription.

If you'd like to receive the BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER for a year, six issues, one every other month, please fill out this form and charge or send check or money order for $22.95 to:

NEWSLETTER Box 52252 Atlanta, GA 30355

( ) [New subscribers] Yes, please send me the BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER for a year. I'll receive six copies, one every other month.

( ) [Renewals] Yes, please renew my subscription.

Account Number Expiration Date

Month Year

NAM E______

ADDRESS ______

CITY______STATE______ZIP

I’m enclosing a check or money-order, or please charge to my VISA or MASTERCARD, as above. ( 100) (Please fold on dotted line)

(Please fold on dotted line)

BBJ NEWSLETTER Box 52252 Atlanta, GA 30355

BBJ NEWSLETTER Box 52252 Atlanta, GA 30355

(Tape or Staple Here) VOLUME 100 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005 based on the lyrics of a song at the time, DAY AFTER DAY. The story of her SIDELIGHTS aspirations to become a Humorous stories musicians tell dancer and the tragic car each other. accident ending those ambitions is told, an event BASIE IN BED In the days leading to her career as a when black singer. Certainly any bands could not stay in hotels in Doris Day fan knows of her progression from the the south they stayed in private Bob Crosby Orchestra to homes when on tour. In one city the Les Brown Band and leader Count Basie and trumpet the single recording el­ man Clark Terry wound up in the evating her to solo status. same room of such a private resi­ Her resulting movie ca­ dence, but with only one bed. No reer, her four marriages, problem there: Basie took the bed, and her later life animal Terry slept on the floor. The activist involvement is all difficulty came because Count part of the short but de­ Basie liked to sleep with the light tailed biography section along with plenty of pho­ on, Terry with the light off, but tographs. Ifyou’reafan, Terry had a plan. Since Basie the pictures alone are liked to read comic books before nearly worth the price of he went to sleep, Terry decided to admission. wait until he dropped the book, then turn out the light. He waited One off-key note: In the Doris and Les foreword, the author is there on the floor, looking up at apparently compelled to tell us Doris Day is not his Basie until his head fell forward and the comic book fell favorite singer OR his favorite actress. We puzzled out of his hands. Ever so quietly, Clark Terry stole over that until we realized Garry McGee was bom in softly to the light switch, easing it to the off position. 1966, reaching adulthood well after the music and the mov­ “Who did that!” Basie ies he’s writing about were yelled. “Turn the damn light popular. In fact, in his teens back on!” They slept with he would have been exposed the light on all night. to The Beach Boys, Janis Joplin, KISS and the Carpen­ ART BLAKEY When ters with rock a heavy influ­ drummer ence. It began to make sense, then, that the book seems to Art Blakey was young he contain so much com­ would twirl his sticks in the puter-like material: dates, air and wave his arms while newspaper and magazine re­ playing. Bandleader Chick views, awards....the stuff of Webb, a drummer him­ internet research. No matter, self, took Blakey aside to the book is entertaining and patiently explain, “Son, the certainly factually pertinent, music is on the drum, not but perhaps lacking in heart. in the air.” McFarland & Company - Jefferson, NC and London Blakey picked up drumming A young Art Blakey About $45.00 at any large on his own,but the story bookstore or they can order it. has it he wasn’t a good drummer until Dizzy Published in 2005. H.W. 7 VOLUME 100 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005

Gillespie told him how to play. He took a job with the on a side, today’s I-Pods filled with thousands of Billy Eckstine Band and was so bad, the story goes, that selections, CDs containing well in excess of an hour of Dizzy took him aside and told him how to play. Later high-quality sound and DVDs capable of capturing that same night the sidemen noticed a distinct improve­ movies with multiple sound tracks, it’s not easy to ment. One of them said, “Dizzy knows how to explain realize that the state-of-the-art was at one time tran­ things so you can learn in one time!” scriptions with a maximum time of about fifteen min­ utes on a side. It all started with the movies.

UPDATE - SUNNYBROOK BALLROOM / In 1927 when Warner Brothers issued “The Jazz SWEET’S BALLROOM Singer” the sound was on a sixteen inch disk attached by a cable to the motion picture proj ector motor, the physical interconnection on the theory that if the Precisely two years ago this newsletter did a feature on playback needle was placed accurately on the disc the Pottstown’s Sunnybrook Ballroom, reporting then that sound would synchronize with the picture. The theory the ballroom was still used for banquets, meetings and was good, but seldom worked well and before long the special events as is the case with so many ballrooms sound was placed directly on a film track beside the adapted to later use. This summer the Pottstown, picture to assure the sound would emerge at the proper Pennsylvania paper published a report on the ballroom moment to match the actors mouth movement. Warner indicating it was closed, but attempts were being made Brothers was left with all this equipment to produce to preserve and re-open it. There was a sheriffs sale of sixteen inch transcriptions, gathering dust in sound the property on July 27th to Cap Financial Properties stage closets. Enter a man named Lang. which held the mortgage and foreclosed on the former owner. Costs to renovate the building as a ballroom/ Warner Brothers was happy to get anything for their restaurant are estimated at two million dollars. The now useless transcription cutting devices and Lang had an idea. Why not create a company devoted to record­ Sunnybrook opened in 1931 with an 18,000 square foot ing five or six selections on each side of a sixteen inch dance floor said to be one of the largest in the nation. transcription and lease the discs to small radio stations across the nation? Most large radio stations had staff Meantime on the other side of the continent, Sweet’s orchestras in those early radio days, but smaller sta­ Ballroom in Oakland, California is up for sale, accord­ tions in both large and small towns couldn’t afford to ing to a Bay Area web site. Asking price is reported to hire ‘live’ musicians, and commercial record compa­ be 5.2 million dollars for the building, currently hous­ nies such as RCA Victor, Decca and Columbiaput legal ing the ballroom, a charter school and a clothing shop. injunctions against radio station use on their labels.* A Sweets Ballroom opened in the 1920s. transcription service was the answer. Long before LPs with microgrooves, these sixteen inch in diameter vinyl transcriptions turned at 33 1/3 revolutions per minute THE TRANSCRIPTION STORY - with grooves the same width as commercial 78s, the An adventure in sound technical standard then. The 33 1/3 speed, however, was unknown then to the general public. Current generations look upon 10 inch 78s and even 12 It wasn’t long before several companies were making inch LPs as ancient sound devices, much the same as transcriptions. Among the best-known were World, those in their seventh decade might think of the original Standard, Lang-Worth, NBC Thesarus, Associated and Edison cylinders. There was, however, another record­ later Capitol, each providing a variety of music. Reli­ ing system originally bom of the need to add sound to gious pipe organ and hymns sung by professional motion pictures and then adopted by radio stations as a choirs were available for Sunday morning radio station long-form way (for the time) to preserve sound. With programming. Classical works filled entire sides of yesterday’s microgroove LPs holding twenty minutes some discs, pop-concert selections by David Rose,

8 VOLUME 100 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005

until about the mid-’50s when LPs and 45s provided high quality sources of sound for radio stations, and record companies encouraged use of their records on the air. Those transcriptions have provided a rich source of fresh material by well-known artists, as off- label CD makers reach back to find material from the era when America was, for the most part, turning out quality music by players and singers with remarkable talent.

Sometimes the identical arrangements available on commercially released 10 inch 78s are heard on the transcribed versions, but usually the transcriptions contained varied melodies and often fuller presenta­ tions because of the lack of recording time constraints. The informal atmosphere in the transcription studios often led to a more relaxed, musically superior product for the leader or the sidemen didn’t have to be careful to satisfy commercial public tastes because the tran­ scriptions were “pre-sold” to the radio stations.

Transcriptions are increasingly rare today, but a few avid collectors have been able to assemble full files of these giant discs, either for their own enjoyment or for use in producing CDs. The word “few” is the key here, for not many sixteen inch turntables remain, able to reproduce these precious few discs. On the other hand, much of the valuable music contained has been issued 16 inch transcription & 10 inch 78 on CDs. Mosaic has made excellent use of transcribed material, Hindsight has considerable transcribed prod­ Frank DeVol and A1 Sack were available for late night uct, Soundies makes use of transcriptions. There are dream shows. College fight songs were available as an others, of course, and we’re fortunate that the bulk of adjunct to football score programs. Youngbandleaders the music contained on these giant discs has been helped to make payroll by recording for the transcrip­ forever preserved on CD. tion companies for scale or less. For example, Benny Goodman’s Band before it was popular was paid $ 1.00 *ln the early days of radio record companies tried to per selection per man for a one day marathon session keep radio stations from playing their commercially for Thesarus resulting in fifty selections by “The Rhythm available 78s thinking that if the public could hear the Makers.” Harry James recorded for World Transcrip­ records on the air, they wouldn’t buy the records. Just tions when his band was in its second year. June the opposite was true, of course, and a 180 degree Christy was asked to cut some transcriptions for Capi­ switch was made with record promoters urging an­ nouncers to present new releases, even later illegally tol with a small group, as was Peggy Lee. Groups then paying DJs to air their records. Today, record compa­ known as hillbilly bands recorded; every kind of nies are attempting to keep people from downloading music was available exclusively to radio stations, their product on the internet, not understanding that often performed by bands and soloists who would the expansion of their listening audience will for the later become musical stars. bulk of the public increase interest in the artists and the commercially produced CDs. History is Transcriptions were manufactured from the early ’30s repeating itself.

9 VOLUME 100 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005

1 - Singer of Gene Krupa’s original DRUM BOOGIE: TRIVIA QUIZ (Be careful here!)

A question from a listener about a trumpet solo on a famous Big Band recording was the genesis of 2 - Female singer of Krupa’s original LET ME OFF this quiz. UPTOWN: There was a time when fans of the Big Bands 3 - Trumpet soloist on Goodman’s original knew the AND THE ANGELS SING: sidemen and singers on spe­ cific record­ 4 - Two players who were in “ sax duel” on ings, m uch as M iller’s original IN THE MOOD: baseball fans know the names of play­ 5 - Boogie-woogie piano player who intro­ ers on certain duced HONKY TONK TRAIN BLUES: teams, so in ­ volved were the fans of re­ 6 - Claude Thornhill singer who gained cording. fame with SUNDAY KIND OF LOVE:

We’ve listed some key re­ 7 - Band first issuing a popular version of Name this man & know the answer to one of the cordings, ask­ ______questions______IN A PERSIAN MARKET: ing you to fill in the names of the people who performed on those recordings. As in the last issue, there w ill be no 8 - Trumpeter whose classic solos appeared on matching column but simply blanks, making the Tommy Dorsey’s SONG OF INDIA and MARIE: quiz tougher by requiring you to use your knowl­ edge with no chance to match names. Without using reference books, if you’re able to come up 9 - Name the first nationally-known Big Band for with ten correct answers we can assume you’ve which Frank Sinatra performed: reached the genius category, at least in Big Bandom. Eight correct w ill certainly not be shabby, but six or fewer correct might indicate 10 - Who was the bandleader whose theme was more study is necessary. SINGING WINDS?

This is a quiz not only for those who lived in that time, but all serious Big Band fans of any age who How did you do? Answers as always are revel in their sound, their history and their excel­ stashed elsewhere in this issue but it’s our lence. Pencils up, mind in gear, ready....begin. most fervent hope you didn’t look at them until you finished the quiz.

10 VOLUME 100 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005

September 24-25, 2005 One of the over­ UPCOMING BBJ PROGRAM TITLES FRAN WARREN SPEAKS / looked singers of the RANDOM PICKS Big Band Era is Fran September 3-4, 2005 (Repeat listing for Warren. She is not, FIFTIES INSTRUMENTALS new subscribers.) So of course, unknown but she’s not in the front of most many ideas for pro­ fan’s minds when singers are mentioned. Fact is, she’s grams come from listeners, some directly and others one of the finest singers to come out of the inadvertently. In response to a comment Era. We talk with Fran Warren and listen to on the air about there being few instru­ mental hit recordings in the fifties, a both listener wrote to list some of them. That C laude Thornhill list plus some reference recordings to put the fifties music in perspective make p e rfo r­ up this program, including Victor Young, m ances Jackie Gleason, Richard Maltby and by heras Tex Beneke. Pianists Eddie Heywood well as and Erroll Gamer contribute their top later recordings of the ’50s, as well as Pee solo se­ Wee Hunt and Perez Prado. lections. BBJ host Don Kennedy The re­ mainder September 10-11, 2005 Seldom do we realize that of the program will Thornhill stands/Warren smiles ROMANTIC MUSIC Big Bands ALSO present be devoted to ran­ ballads. This program is dom recordings, not based on any theme or criteria made up of those ballads so artfully offered in instru­ except pure musical fun. Selections will vary from mental versions in a few notable instances plus roman­ unknown to oft-repeated, from silly to serious, from old tic lyrics in about a 50/50 mix. The idea here is to to new. indicate how full, rich instrumentation can build a mood, often without words. The pure instrumental October 1-2, 2005 After hearing the BBJ moods will be woven by Duke Ellington, Gene Harris BURKE-VAN HEUSEN/ Johnny Mercer and Harry James. The songs will feature Eddy Howard, NOVELTY RECORDS program, a listener Doris Day, Lynn Roberts and Woody Herman among wrote to suggest we others. Romance is the key to this session. do a series of programs based on composing teams such as Jule Styne/Sammy Cahn, Harry Warren/Mack September 17-18, 2005 As you might imagine, we Gordon, Etc. While doing the research on some of CLASS OF 1940 get requests for not only those teams for future programs, we discovered a certain recordings but cer­ program in the file based on the music of Johnny Burke tain programs. Among those programs are the “Class and Jimmy Van Heusen. We’d forgotten the program O f’ series highlighting the music of a certain year. The existed and pending others based on the listener’s historic importance of each year in the development of suggestion, the first hour will re-introduce that Burke- the Big Band Era is interesting but it’s also interesting VanHeusen program. to look back to hear some of the music we’ve forgotten from that time. There are the tunes surviving over the The second hour will be devoted to novelty recordings, years, but also nearly extinct recordings appearing on both vocal and instrumental. As with beauty, novelty the national music stage for a brief moment in time. is in the ear of the beholder but we think you might get Carmen Miranda singing DOWN ARGENTINE WAY a giggle or two out of a collection of both old and new is an example, and Bing Crosby singing ONLY FOR­ novelties. Spike Jones, of course, but more standard EVER. Combined with the melodies that have become bands and singers will be heard casting seriousness to popular music classics, this program has both musical the winds. and nostalgic appeal. 11 VOLUME 100 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005

October 8-9, 2005 It’s not easy to do a teners wondering why we don’t play more of the so- UNRESTRAINED SWING program such as this, called standards. As a result we’ve devoted these two for most listeners to sessions to the four bands noted above and presenting BBJ are musical middle-of-the-roaders, preferring their nothing but their top tunes. On this one you’ll hear music to be neither too slow or too fast, but just right. Dorsey ’ s MOONLIGHT ON THE GANGES as well as (Sounds like the three bears!) In this session we throw Stafford and Oliver’s YES, INDEED. Goodman and caution and common programming practice to the wind Tilton’s AND THE ANGELS SING and the trio’s and present some of the more enthusiastic Big Band AFTER YOU’VE GONE will punctuate the session; and small group performances. We will, however, Miller’s SERENADE IN BLUE and PERFIDIA plus attempt to select the most tasteful of the unfettered James’ FEET DRAGGIN’ BLUES and the Haymes/ swing recordings, although the word ‘tasteful’ might James SINNER KISSED AND ANGEL will be part of be frowned upon by some of the listening public to the mix. whom such swing is never such. As we grow older we tend to even out the extremes in all phases of life, but November 5-6, 2005 We’ve asked visi- in this instance we’re all kids again. NUMBER ONE RECORDS tors to the www. bigbandjump.com October 15-16, 2005 Nothingtodo with Willie web site and you in this newsletter to note personal ON THE ROAD AGAIN Nelson, but thanks to favorite number one recordings. This program will be him for the show name. made up of those number one selections. As you can In the past we’ve heard ‘live’ Big Band performances imagine, it will be a varied mix. For the first part of the from specific venues. This program will visit a number program we take the liberty of picking and choosing, of ballrooms, hotels and clubs in different areas of the for the favorites vary widely with some having been nation. Harry James in Florida, Tommy Dorsey in selected by only one or two respondents. At the end of Texas and Goodman in Las Vegas. Kansas City, the second hour, however, we will tabulate the ex­ Boston, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City and Washington, pected number ones bunched together at the top of the DC will also be represented as locations for some of lists to assemble the top five recordings as determined America’s top bands from the thirties to the fifties, and by listener’s e-mail and newsletter responses. a few into the sixties and seventies preserving the flavor ANSWERS TO BIG BAND TRIVIA QUIZ of the Big Band Era. 1 - Irene Daye, often confused with Anita O’Day. Irene Daye went on to sing with Charlie Spivak and wound up married to him. October 22-23, 2005 There are, of course, BIG BAND LEGENDS I scores of bands fall­ 2 - Anita O’Day who traded words with trumpet player Roy Eldridge. ing into the ‘legends’ 3 - Ziggy Elman who recorded the original instrumental on his own category, but on this program we listen to four of the which became AND THE ANGELS SING when Johnny Mercer most-recalled Big Bands with their most remembered added words. He was so tied-in with that tune he used it as his theme recordings. Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Benny during his short tenure as a bandleader. Goodman and Harry James all personified the era so 4 - Tex Beneke and A1 Klink who had to play it the same way forever we’re devoting this and the next BBJ to their music. On after in ‘live’ performance to satisfy the listeners who wanted it to this program we’ll hear OH, LOOK AT ME NOW, the be identical to the recording. light-hearted T ommy Dorsey/Sinatra/Haines/Pied Pip­ 5 - Meade Lux Lewis. The Bob Crosby Band had the most popular ers song and the now classic Dorsey LONESOME band recording o f the tune. ROAD. Harry James early MUSIC MAKERS and his 6 Fran Warren for whom SUNDAY KIND OF LOVE changed her later Forrest I HAD THE CRAZIEST DREAM will life. make the cut. Goodman’s early GOODY-GOODY 7 - Larry Clinton. His recording made IN A PERSIAN MARKET a popular melody recorded by other bandleaders through the years. with Helen Ward and AVALON by the quartet plus Miller’s JUKE BOX SATURDAY NIGHT and ADIOS 8 - Bunny Berigan who performed for Tommy Dorsey in part to learn the business part of leading a band in preparation for forming will be included, as we re-visit top recordings by four his own organization. of the top bands of the nation in the Big Band Era. 9 - Harry James. Frank Sinatra went with Tommy Dorsey when James had trouble making payroll. James said maybe he’d have to October 29-30, 2005 This program and the become a sideman with Tommy Dorsey if things didn’t work out. BIG BAND LEGENDS II one before it are the They did and he didn’t. result of so many lis­ 10 - Ralph Flanagan, whose picture is at the top o f the quiz. IT'S RENEWAL TIME FOR NINETY FIFTH ISSUE SUBSCRIBERS TO THE BBJ NEWSLETTER

If your address label has a (95) on it, this is the last issue of the BBJ NEWSLETTER you'll receive under your current subscription. If you'd like to renew your subscription to the BBJ NEWSLETTER (and we certainly hope you do) there's a subscription and renewal form in the middle of this issue.

Several subscribers have given BBJ NEWSLETTERS as gifts to friends in other cities (and in two cases, other continents) ... a wonderful idea, both for the friends and for us!

Our thanks to you for being a subscriber!

Who is this handsome guy? Hint: He was a sax player bandleader who retired to Detroit. (Answer next issue.)