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NEWSLETTER

BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER FIRST-CLASS MAIL Box 52252 U.S. POSTAGE Atlanta, GA 30355 PAID Atlanta, GA Permit No. 2022 BIG BAUD JUMP NEWSLETTER

VOLUME XL BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1995

A conversation with the German bandleader Thilo Wolf was schedided for this issue, but overseas logistics and a Thilo Wolf marriage and honeymoon delayed the interview. It'sour hope we canfeature him in a future issue. MARILYN KING INTERVIEW

The Background

Marilyn King is the youngest of , taking over when one of the older sisters was temporarily out of the group for some reason. She’s been brought into the spotlight this time with the Capitol release of a KING SISTERS , an event that’s long overdue.

Marilyn King is a solo performer now, working such outstanding locations as the Rockefeller Center Rainbow Room, the , San Francisco and Dallas Fairmont Hotels, the Las Vegas and Tahoe rooms and Hollywood’s Vine Street Grill. She’s in demand on cruise ships, as co-hostess for telethons across the nation and as the star of such stage hits as HELLO DOLLY, GUYS & DOLLS and SOUTH PACIFIC.

We first met Marilyn King at a Big Band Academy of Marilyn King smiles America dinner at Studio City a couple of years ago. Not knowing she is nearly three decades younger than warm and friendly. the oldest King Sister, it was difficult to reconcile her youthful appearance with the King Sisters of the late There w as seemingly no question we could ask her that 30’s and early 40’s, but she’s a genuine King Sister and she w'ouldn’t or couldn’t answer, for she’s not a shy possesses the bouncy ebullience that was one of the key person. We got the impression she’s: 1) Instantly ingredients of the sister act. comfortable with nearly everyone she meets, and 2) She can take care of herself. The Scene Our first question had to do with her youthful appearance. Marilyn had just had breakfast and a dip in the pool on one of those extremely hot Los Angeles days. It was BBJ: You’re a King Sister, but you appear so young. a late breakfast, for she’d been working a Los Angeles area club into the wee hours of the night before. No MK: I come from a big family; I’m the baby of eight. matter, Marilyn King was bubbly and cooperative, The seven were two years apart, and dad thought VOLUME XL BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1995

that was a nice little family, but twelve years after my MK: Not directly. My sister Yvonne who lives youngest sister, I was born. I was called a “mistake”. in San Francisco put on a big fund-raiser for her church, and she suggested that the King Sisters and BBJ: Were you a genuine King Sister? Alvino and the whole family do a variety show. Now, the family w'ere not professionals; we just sang at M K : Yes, but I substituted for each sister when they parties and picnics....we sang all our lives. The fund­ got pregnant or got married.... getting married first, raiser was such a success that w'e started raising funds I should say.... in that order. One of my sisters had for all these churches and we went up to B.Y.U. and the five children and we put her out to pasture and I took her TV crew at Brigham Young filmed it for us and Vonnie place. sent it to ABC and they just fell in love with it. They pre­ empted a Hollywood Palace program one night and we After I graduated from high school I went on the road with got so much fan mail that they put us on as a series ’s as a soloist. Then I went to college. without doing a pilot; we also followed It was then the King Sisters decided to start singing again; on ABC, so it w'as kind of like a family night. they had gone into retirement to raise their little kids. BBJ: How long did the TV prominence last for the BBJ: How did the now famous KING FAMILY TV King Family? SHOWS come about? MK: Our network TV shows were on for about ten MK: We began with a local NBC TV show with years; we did a lot of specials. Harry Von Zell and Alvino Rey’s big orchestra. It was a smash out here but it was just in Los Angeles, BBJ: You’re doing a single now. so we started doing night clubs again in Tahoe and Vegas and we went back east and did the Copa and MK : I never thought of myself as being a vocal started doing a lot of the variety shows that were on in group. Daddy was a teacher, and he those days. That’s when we started recording with taught each child how to play an instrument and how to Capitol. Iw'as with the sisters at the time. I replaced sing, and before I was bom they toured around the west Donna. That was when we did our IMAGINATION as a vaudeville troup when daddy wasn’t teaching album, and Playboy Magazine nominated us as an “up school. They’d get in this old Dodge touring car and go and coming new vocal group” not realizing that my from small city to small city. He’d put a poster up on sisters had recorded for RCA VICTOR in the 40’s and telephone poles and say “Concert tonight at the old had a lot of hits like and IN THE church down the street!” Mother made the costumes. MOOD and all those things. It was kind of amusing that That’s how they really got started. Playboy said “up and coming new vocal group.” BBJ: The King Sisters sang first with . Also we were up for the Grammy Awards, but that was when they first started and they didn’t have the MK: Yes. They first went professionally with categories neatly organized yet, so the only two vocal Horace Heidt when they were discovered and groups that were nominated were the King Sisters and started broadcasting and recording. Les Paul and Mary Ford. She’s not a vocal group. .. she over-dubbed her voice, but they won. We laughed BBJ: Meantime, you were home. about it because Les Paul and Alvino Rey are such close friends. Because we were nominated we started MK: Daddy taught me opera; I was going to be a big doing all the variety shows like Steve Allen, Ed opera star.... a Broadway type thing. He was Sullivan and George Gobcl. very disappointed when I left high school to go on the road and began singing . BBJ: Did those guest appearances lead to a perma­ nent TV slot? B BJ: What did you do when you weren’t singing with the King Sisters? 2 VOLUME XL BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1995

MK: Between singing with the King Sisters I had my back into my acting career. I’m having a ball. I’m own career. I sang with a lot of bands.... Freddy single; I’m a widow. My sw'eet husband passed away Martin and .... and 1 had my own TV show up with cancer. He aid, “Honey, you just get yourself in San Francisco. We won our own Emmy Award up in shape and go back and stay in show business.” there. I’m a grandma; I’ve got five grandchildren and one on And then I studied drama all my life, so I got to really do the w'ay. I feel like I’m thirty years old. some musical comedy. I’ve had my own night club act and I’ve been in some TV show's as an actor. I’m the Nice, confident lady who knows where she’s going and only King sister that’s performing now. has the talent to get there. Parts o f the interview will be heard on the September 9-10, 1995 BIG BAND BBJ: How did the current King Sisters album come JUMP program, along with comments from an earlier about? interview withAlvino Rey and his wife, Marilyn’s sister Luise. MK: The young people that work in the catalog department at Capitol decided to resurrect some The King Sister's Capitol release referred to in the of the masters of the great artists that had w'orked interview should be available at any good record store. there; we’ve got some things on the new King Sisters album that’ve never been released. It’s called the (D.K.) Spotlight Scries, and this is part of the continuing series of the Great Ladies of . They’ve had such great EARLY BBJ NEWSLETTER INTERVIEWS reaction from the record stores and the deejays around the country. Our current subscribers missed some o f the earlier interviews with outstanding musical celebrities. Last BBJ: Is there anything special about the new King issue we capsulized Shaw’s pre-bandleader days. In Sisters album release? this issue, comments on moments that led to the organization o f his own band and the moment o f MK: We decided to go with more of a success. when the IMAGINATION album was origi­ nally made, kind of like or the HiLos. THE ARTIE SHAW CAPSULE­ We were kind of like the first progressive female group. BANDLEADING SUCCESS When we recorded at Capitol, they brought in the brass section w'ith all those w'onderful trom­ bones and that great sound. We’ve got MEMORIES OF SHAW: There w'as a sw'ing concert at the Imperial YOU with a huge band.... it makes me cry when I hear it. Theater in New York. I w'as one of the SPRING IS HERE is on the album, and Steve Allen’s , and I decided I’d write a piece for a string IMPOSSIBLE, which is a wonderful song. Capitol and jazz it, and add a small when combined several to come up w'ith eighteen the jazz stuff started, just for a kick. I called it digitized re-masterings including THAT OLD FEEL­ INTERLUDE IN B FLAT, because it w'as in B flat and ING, DEEP PURPLE, EARLY AUTUMN... A TRAIN. it w'as to fill an interlude. It lasted three minutes. To There’s even a little Haw'aii on there with Alvino’s my astonishment and everybody else’s, the thing really guitar. broke up the show.

BBJ: How are you personally? BBJ: Did that lead to your becoming abandleader?

MK: I’ve never felt better in my w'holc life. I’m SHAW: I started getting calls from agents, and walking a mile around the lake every day and I put together a and a small I’m swimming and I’m singing and I’m going to get . It was called the ART SHAW ORCHES-

3 VOLUME XL BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1995

TRA. One evening my agent said he was getting took, you know. One big record in those days and you complaints from the hotel manager where wc were were on the way. playing. They liked the music, but nobody was coming to hear it. Next issue, a condensation o f our interview with drummer, bandleader and vocalist Ray McKinley. His BBJ: What did you do about that? recent death prompts us to recall portions o f his incisive comments originally published early in 1991. SHAW : I decided to put together the loudest G D band in the world. If the public wanted a loud band, I’dgive LETTERS TO THE BBJ NEWSLETTER them a loud band. Letters are edited for space considerations but the From the time I put together ART SHAW AND HIS meaning is retained. We attempt to answer all letters NEWMUSIC until it succeeded, about a year and a half, personally. A cross-section o f those thought to be o f there was a period of intense, concentrated hard work, most gteneral interest are presented here. trying to find an identity for the band different from other bands. Questions and comments about either the BBJ NEWS­ LETTER or the BIG BAND JUMP radio program may I also did something totally unheard of. I hired Billie be sent to: Holiday. BBJ NEWSLETTER BBJ: Did she create any problems with the public? Box 52252 Atlanta, GA 30355 SHAW: The problem began when we did one-night stands down in the south. We played a W alter Plummer Where can I get the Lionel couple of nights and it was OK; they loved her, until one Frederick, MD Hampton version of STAR­ night there was a red-neck in the audience. The guy DUST heard on your show yelled, “Have the nigger w'ench sing another song.” last Sunday (August 6) on WWMD FM 104.7? I’ve Actually he didn’t mean it badly. It was his way of followed big band/small combo jazz/ for well over talking about a colored girl. Billie had an explosive fifty years (I went to grade and high school w ith Neal temper, and he kept yelling, and all of a sudden a knot Hefti!) however I’ve never heard this of of people formed, and we had to hustle her out into the STARDUST. bus and drive her away. That STARDUST came from a 1947 Gene Norman BBJ: was your first big JUST JAZZ concert at Pasadena Civic Auditorium, hit. How did that come about? and included solos by Willie Smith, Charlie Shavers, Slam Stewart, Barney Kessel, Tommy Todd and Corky SHAW: We stopped to do a one-nightcr, a prom Corcoran. Lee Young played drums. MCA, who owns at the University of Indiana. During the the Decca master, decided not to make any more copies evening we played a number of tunes and among them o f the recording, even though there's some talk about was BEGIN THE BEGUINE. All of a sudden the combining it with other Decca Hampton masters in a boxed set to be released in several months. There’s a audience started to applaud at the end of the song. I limited supply o f some old CD's and Cassettes o f that assumed the crowd was reacting to some dancers. I concert discovered in a dusty warehouse. Phone 1- paid no attention and went on, and during the course of 800-377- 0022 if you ’re interested in checking to see the evening somebody came along and asked me to play if any are left. BEGIN THE BEGUINE again. “How' did you know about it?” I asked. They said they heard the record. I John J. Moore Another Big Band leader dies, in didn’t even know'the record was out. We played it again Hernando, FI Dallas, Texas.... Les Elgart. Your to huge applause, and we all knew we had a hit. After newsletter should have an obit column fourteen years I was an instant celebrity. That’s all it for great music makers. VOLUME XL BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1995

It’s probably a head-in-the-sand -viewpoint, but we This was in the late 40’s. I recall one night Johnny decided early not to celebrate death, preferring to telling me he had to buy Norma her first pair of dress consider all the Big Band people alive perpetually shoes so she could sing with the band. through their recordings. Les Elgart was scheduled to be our guest on the Seventh Annual Big Band cruise I remember also hearing that the first time she appear­ on the S/S Norway in late November. He can't be ed on television as Jill Corey, her family and friends all replaced, o f course, but brother Larry Elgartwill be on went to the local general store, which had a television the cruise with both sets o f . set, so they could see her.

J.D. Rowell I must point out that you and Laird Anderson I was a patient at Mare Island Sacramento, CA your so-called “erudite” friend White Bear Lake, MN Hospital during WWII, and still did not get one day while out “maxixe” quite right. walking, I heard a band playing while the marines were The correct pronun­ drilling. As the band came closer to me, much to my ciation of “maxixe” is amazement the leader of the band was a marine not “mah-sheesh” as corporal. As I watched I thought he looked familiar, so you indicated. The I approached him and asked “Aren’t you Ray Bauduc?” correct pronunciation is The reaction was instant. He threw his arms around me “mah-shee-shee.” and said, “You’re the first person who knew who lam!”

Maxixe is a Brazilian He called the band members together and played SOUTH dance rhythm which RAMPART STREET PARADE for me. He was not originated in the only a nice guy, but I think one of the top drummers of “cidade maravilhosa”, the Big Band Era. Rio de Janeiro.

naving uvea in t poses marvelous city , ------know about f maxixe, and the way it is correctly pronounced, Portuguese.

This all began because Don Kennedy said that Bob Crosby pronounced BOOGIE WOOGIE MAXIXE “max-eeks” on a dance band remote broadcast, and Kennedy said he'd read that as a dance it should be “mah-sheesh ”. Kennedy went on to say the pronun­ ciation wasn ’t important....the music was.

Next time it’ll be “mah-shee-shee”, but Kennedy says Ray Bauduc plays he won’t be comfortable saying it! Charles Geiger Your last issue of the BBJ Jim Elliott I particularly liked the Quickie Lady Lake, FL NEWSLETTER came with a State College, PA Quiz on original and profes­ wide sheet of paper with two sional names. I knew Norma staples in the center. I would prefer the previous single Speranza, AKA Jill Corey, when she was a teenager sheet with a single staple in the upper left hand comer. singing with the Johnny Murphy Band from Please go back to the style of newsletter I’ve received Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. Norma was from a little the past couple of years. Ifilemyold copies. Itismuch mining town, Avonmore, a few miles from Vandergrift. easier to file the single sheet issues. VOLUME XL BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1995

We received a letter from an irate reader some time ago the 52 minute total of this loving tribute. admonishing usfor not printing the newsletter as it was done the last two issues. The current method is more May be ordered directly from: CRAIG RECORDING efficient, and we suggest that reader Geiger could COMPANY - Box 943 -El Dorado, AR 71730 simply cut along the fold and file his copies as he always has. DICK HYMAN-RALPH SUTTON - Concord Duo Series Carolyn S. Baker Thank you for the great music Concord CCD 4603 CD or Cassette Fayetteville, GA you play on Big Band Jump. These two guys with different styles of playing the piano My twenty-three year sat down at two instruments in November of 1993 and old daughter has come to love the Big Bands too. She played twelve melodies without the benefit of written asked me the name of the song you play when you are music. The event took place at Maybeck Recital Hall going off the air. in Berkley, , and resulted in jazz; not easily defined, but jazz nonetheless. It 'sLI’LDARLIN', written and arranged by NealHefti (see letter above). It isn't the question, which has been Dick Hyman has been described as having a superior asked and answered before on these pages, but the technical mastery of the keyboard with a brilliant sense encouraging fact that some younger people are dig­ of complex harmonic patterns. Ralph Sutton’s style is ging the Big Band sound, and our letters and phone said to be more down-to-earth, with a bluesy flavor. reaction continue to indicate a trend toward wider I’VE FOUND A NEW BABY, I’M GONNA’ SIT acceptance o f Big Bands by a younger group. RIGHT DOWN AND WRITE MYSELF A LETTER, ALWAYS, I’M SORRY I MADE YOU CRY, EV­ (H.W.) ERYTHING HAPPENS TO ME, ALL OF ME, SUNDAY, OL’ MAN RIVER, SPIDER AND THE BOOKS & RECORDS TO CONSIDER FLY, THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR THE SUN­ RISE, DINAH and EM ALINE make up the hour plus of delightful piano artistry. OUR MAN W OODY - Bill Perkins Big Band Jazz M ark 110 Should be available at any good record store, or they can order it for you, but you’ve got to ask. A listener called this recording to our attention, having heard it on the air on one of the satellite music feeds. It A VIEW FROM THE SIDE - The Band turns out to be by a reed man who played with Woody JVC-2050-2 Herman for a time beginning in the early fifties. About half the band consists of men who had played with one This is a guy who’s been at the Big Band business for 45 of the organizations; the rest are more years, writing and arranging his own material and mature musicians such as Bob Cooper, Jack Nimitz, making a recording about once every seven and a half Rick Baptist and Dave Stone. years. He’s looked upon by his peer group as a classical jazz arranger and , having been This 1991 recording was cut, as you might guess from described as “linear and simple and clear.” the lineup, on the west coast. Arrangements were originals written just for this session from a There are nine long-form cuts on this Bill Holman selection of melodies connected with the Herman Band, recording, including six compositions by him. Their but not the ones most often used in Herman salutes. titles really don’t make any difference, but for the sake TENDERLY, I C A N T BELIEVE THAT YOU’RE IN of completeness, they’re: NO JOY IN MUDVILLE, LOVE WITH ME, I’VE GOT THE WORLD ON A ANY DUDE’LL DO, PETALUMA LU, I DIDN’T STRING, I GOT IT BAD AND THAT AIN’T GOOD, ASK, MAKE MY DAY and A VIEW FROM THE MY FUNNY VALENTINE, BLUE LOU, I’VE GOT SIDE. A surprising inclusion is TENNESSEE A LOT OF LIVING TO DO, SWEET LORRAINE, WALTZ.... yes, the Pee Wee King composition....the 9:20 SPECIAL and FOR WOODY make up one so often heard sung by Patti Page. It’s not sung

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(The BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER makes an excellent gift for anyone interested in the Big Band Era, the development of Big Band music or those who collect recordings and books about the Big Bands.)

COMING UP IN FUTURE ISSUES OF THE BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER

In-person interviews with outstanding Big Band music personalities.

Reviews of books, records and videos 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. SURVEY SHEET

Elsewhere in this newsletter, we announced a November 4-5 program playing the top twenty Big Band selections as picked by our readers. We’d be honored if you’d take part, for the more readers who send us their selections, the more representative our survey will be.

Simply note your single Big Band instrumental favorite on the line below. We know that’s not an easy task, for any Big Band fan has several favorites, but for the sake of our survey, please try to make one instrumental rise to the top of your brain.

This sheet has the return address printed on the back, and if folded in thirds and stapled or fastened with an adhesive sticker or sticky tape, is a self-mailer.

MY FAVORITE ALL-TIME BIG BAND INSTRUMENTAL IS:

NAME OF RECORDING ______

NAME OF BIG BAND PERFORMING RECORDING

YOUR NAME: ______

ADDRESS: ______

CITY:______

STATE:______ZIP:

COMMENTS, IF DESIRED:______

() You may use my comments as part of the BIG BAND JUMP RADIO PROGRAM.

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( ) No, please don’t use my comments.

Not necessary, but appreciated, would be the name and address of someone you know who may want a sample copy of the BBJ NEWSLETTER.

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(Tape or Staple Here) VOLUME XL BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1995 here, nor is BUT BEAUTIFUL, but the lyrical quality can take in the general knowledge of modem music. makes you synthesize the words as you listen. St. Martin’s Press The record shop kids will probably stare at you when 1,408 pages - 220 photographs About $50.00 you mention the album title or Bill Holman, but it can be ordered directly from: JVC MUSICAL INDUSTRIES BANDS, BOOZE AND BROADS - 3800 Barham Blvd. -Suite 305 - Los Angeles, by Sheila Tracy CA 90068 Sheila Tracy is a “presenter” of jazz and Big Bands on the British THE STEINVVAY SAGA Broadcast­ by D.VV. Fostle ing Corpo- For years the name Steinway has conjured up at least ration, two images: The essence of culture and American having es­ business success. Author Fostle gained access to both ta b lish e d corporate and family records to build a story about the herself as Steinway family, separating the truth from the myths an author­ that have developed over their long tenure as leading ity on Big suppliers of quality pianos to the world. Bands and the m usi­ There was tragedy and violent disagreement along the cians that way in the building of the Steinway name and corpo­ play in ration, and we hear about all of it in this meticulously them both researched book about a unique business. Asifwriting in the U.S. for a TV mini-series, Fostle gives us intimate insight of and in En- how the house of Steinway and Sons carved out a gland. position of power in four generations, having started as Now she’s poor German immigrants. g a th e re d to g e th e r Sheila Tracy grins Includes details of how Steinway pianos are constructed, this fund of plus comments from pianists throughout the world. information, putting it in a book of interviews of more than sixty American musicians who played with such Scribners - New York bands as , and Tommy 384 pages - 32 photographs - About $30.00 Dorsey. The book was published in Great Britain in the spring of this year. THE NEW GROVE DICTIONARY OF JAZZ Edited by Barry Kernfield The story is told in the words of the people who were directly involved in the beginnings, the growth and the In 1988 the Grove Dictionary of Jazz came out as two fadeout of the Era, giving the reader the atmosphere giant volumes, including everything anyone would want and romance of that time. to know about jazz in great detail. It was a useful reference, sometimes a trifle pedantic, but deeply ex­ There’s a quote from trumpeter Johnny Best that planatory. Now a new edition has been introduced, illustrates the tenor of the book: “I do things when I’m listed as the “World’s most comprehensive single drinking that I wouldn’t try to do if I was sober.” volume of jazz reference.” It includes over 4,500 articles, 1,800 discographies, 1,000 cross-references, MAINSTREAM PUBLISHING 220 photographs and 100 musical examples. 320 pages - 50+ photographs About $30.00 May be ordered directly from: MAINSTREAM This new chubby single volume covers performers, jazz PUBLISHING - 7 Albany Street - Edinburgh, SCOT­ terms, styles, instruments, festivals, clubs and record LAND EH 1 3UG - Telephone Oil 44 131 557 1448 labels. It’s been useful in this office since its original Fax Oil 44 131 556 8720 (Best to use credit card) two volume introduction in the late eighties. If you make use of it, you’ll find it’s one of the best steps you (H.W.)

7 VOLUME XL BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1995

QUICKIE QUI^

In this day of vocalists, we recall some of the nice- looking ladies who sang with the Big Bands, some of them going on to greater notoriety in movies or later, in television. (We’re told that the use of the term “ladies” in reference to those of the female persua­ sion is looked down upon by some among that same group. Those may substitute: girls, chicks, women, females, babes or chirps if they so desire.)

Simply match the list of Big Bands in the left-hand column with the vocalists who sang with them noted in the right-hand column. There is a trick to this one, so if your computer-like mind insists on order and elimination of all the possibilities, you’re gonna’ be sunk. This approach may be a bit unfair, but it’s fun and that’s the whole idea. There are, as you may have guessed, multiple answers for some of the Keely Smith glows bandleaders; one group conveniently bunched for your ease and comfort. (Sounds like an airline 1 A announcement, doesn’t it?) Answers are somewhere else, so you won’t be tempted to conveniently peek. 2 Stan Kenton B Anita O’Day If you’re a demon for numbers, ten means you’re a genius; eight puts you in the upper bend of the bell 3 Les Brown C curve; six ain’t bad, but four or less means you Chris Conner might want to consider switching to country and 4 D western or rap. Just kidding, you understand. 5 Jack Jenny E Ann Richards

Additionally, you may want to guess which of the 6 Frankie Carle F Sarah Vaughan vocalists is the sister of Ann Southern and which one is the daughter of the bandleader for whom she sang. 7 G Janet Blair There are a couple of wives of bandleaders, too, but 8 H Keely Smith that doesn’t count. 9 J Bonnie Lake (E.S./H.M.) 10 Vincent Lopez K Marjorie Hughes J>J J>J L Dinah Washington M Betty Hutton Answers on page 10 N Jo Ann Greer

P Irene Daye

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SIDELIGHTS JACK & GLENN It was a phone call from Glenn Miller to fellow trombonist GERSHW IN INSIGHT In the NEW YORK that resulted in a set of to BASIN TIMES feature, STREET BLUES. Miller was supposed to record it the “Metropolitan Diary,” a mother reported that her son next day, and asked Teagarden to come over for supper, took a music test in elementary school which required help write some lyrics and sing them the next day. With that he list three and a composition by each. Glenn Miller at the piano and Jack Teagarden looking One of his three answers named George Gershwin as over his shoulder, they finished a set of lyrics for composer of “Rap City In Blue.” That’s not the kicker. BASIN STREET BLUES as the sun came up the next His alleged teacher marked his paper “excellent.” day.

PARSIMONIOUSNESS When Artie Shaw had The record was cut, and it’s become the most popular a full size band at the Jack Teagarden vocal recording. The lyrics were later New York Paramount Theater, guitarist Eddie Condon included in the for BASIN STREET and drummer found a clever way to cut BLUES, but they never carried the names of the men down on uniform expense. Since Wettling’s right foot who wrote them....Miller and Teagarden in an all-night was hidden by his drum, and Condon’s right foot session. appeared on a chair for a but his left foot was hidden, they bought only one pair of shoes. George Bill Crow and Ken Smith contributed to these Side­ wore the left one, Condon wore the right one. lights. Bill Crow is the author o f JAZZ ANECDOTES.

MIXED BAND During the time Willie Smith was featured alto VAUGHN MONROE player with , they were often approached by southern city sheriffs who heard their was a black There are thousands o f Vaughn Monroefans through­ player in the band and told Harry James that he couldn’t out the world who recall Vaughn Monroe’s unique play in that town with a mixed band. Harry had the voice and hit records toward the end o f the Big Band answer for the sheriff: “All right,” he’d say, “point out Era. Quite a few younger citizens remember him as the one that mixes it.” The sheriffs never were able to a spokesman fo r RCA in the black & white television tell, and the problem was solved. days. We recall some of the salient facts o f his life in this issue covering his birthday month. Our thanks to Bill Rogers of Pittsburgh for supplying source material.

Vaughn was born in Akron, Ohio on October 1, 1911, the son of a rubber experimental engineer. The family moved a lot during his early years, living in Kent and Cuyahoga Falls in Ohio, Cudahy, Wiscon­ sin and finally in Jeannnette, Pennsylvania. It was in Kent, when Vaughn was eleven years old, that he brought home a battered old given to him by a schoolmate who decided he would rather be a drummer.

When Vaughn was fourteen he won a statewide championship trumpet contest in Wisconsin, but Willie Smith blows more significant was his sideman work with local bands. Meantime, some vocal work with the Jeannette 9 VOLUME XL BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1995

Methodist Church led to a decision to study voice at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Tech while play­ TIMELESS TUNES: THEIR STORIES ing his trumpet at night to pay tuition. The gruel­ ling schedule was too much, though, and after two WILL YOU LOVE ME IN DECEMBER years he left college to work with Austin Wiley’s AS YOU DO IN MAY? band and later with Larry Funk, then moved to Boston to work for Jack Marshard, eventually be­ The lyrics of this popular ballad were written by New coming leader of one of Marshard’s society units. It York’s Jimmy Walker in 1905, long before he be­ was Marshard and booker Willard Alexander who came its 97th mayor (1926-1932). Jimmy mastered thought Vaughn should become a singing bandleader. the piano at age five and for many years, songwriting The year was 1940. was a serious avocation. However, none of his efforts in this area achieved anything like the popu­ It was touch and go from 1940 until 1945, with larity of “December”. The song was introduced by Vaughn’s weekly salary averaging $25.00. There Janet Allen of the vaudeville team of Allen & was a 1941 New York Paramount Theater date, McShane. In 1912 Janet became Jimmy’s first wife. and a run at the Commodore Hotel, but it was a The tune was used as Walker’s theme song during his string of one - nighters that gradually began to mayoralty and was even played at his funeral. The attract the public’s attention. It was, though, the melody was composed by Ernest R. Ball (WHEN January 1945 recording of THERE, I’VE SAID IT IRISH EYES ARE SMILING, DEAR LITTLE BOY AGAIN that became a national sensation, selling one OF MINE, A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN, SURE and a quarter million copies. (THERE, I’VE SAID THEY CALL IT IRELAND, Etc.) and was his first IT AGAIN was supposed to be a “throw-away” big hit. on the other side of RUM AND COCA-COLA, (K.S.) recorded to merely fill that space.)

There followed a series of Monroe recordings ANSWERS TO QUICKIE QUIZ whose titles are astoundingly familiar to this day: LET IT SNOW, BALLERINA, COOL 1 -G WATER, RIDERS IN THE SKY and SOMEDAY. As a result of becoming a recording star, Camel 2 - B-C-D-E (That was easy, wasn’t it?) cigarettes signed Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra 3 - A-N for the Saturday night CB S Caravan program. 4 - H There was even a motion picture titled SINGING 5 - J GUNS which co - starred Walter Brennan, Ella Raines and Ward Bond. 6 - K 7 - F During those years of prominence Vaughn made 8 - B-P (Not the gasoline, you understand.) his home in Boston where he was owner of 9 - L THE MEADOWS restaurant. He was happiest, though, building model trains, being an amateur 10-M photographer, collecting pipes, riding his motor­ cycle and flying his Lockheed-12 airplane. Even Bonnie Lake was Ann Southern’s sister - Marjorie after semi-retirement, he continued to fly for the Hughes was the daughter of Frankie Carle. Keely Civil Air Patrol in and around his home in Stuart, Smith was married to Louis Prima, and Ann Richards Florida, where he died in 1973. married Stan Kenton. (H.W.) (E.S/H.M.)

10 VOLUME XL BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1995

September 9-10, 1995 When the letters begin to pile UPCOMING BBJ PROGRAM TITLES THE MAILBAG up we devote our two hours to playing the specific music September 2-3, 1995 the listener’s requests indicate they want to hear. As REMEMBERING before mentioned, such programs often take us far afield from a program based on a particular subject, and the result is added variety with some surprises once in a Kay Kyser was a man who while. In this of the listeners says he’s possessed a strict ethical and “mildly entertained” by the program, and suggests some financial sense, while ap­ recordings that would entertain him to a greater degree. proaching his public image Another listener writes about the less popular bands, with fun and light-hearted suggesting we play specific selections by a list he nuttiness. The combina­ provides. tion of music and the fun resulting in the Kollege of BBJ host Don Kennedy October 7-8, 1995 Taken from new releases of Musical Knowledge on ra­ grimly smiles VOCAL vocal classics by the greatest dio, and a Big Band that RETROSPECTIVE composers of the past half- landed somewhere beyond just sweet, so talented were century, these two hours fea­ its members. We hear the voices of Kay himself, his wife ture such vocal favorites as , King Cole, Dean Georgia and daughter Kimberly who tell the Kay Kyser Martin, Keely Smith, , Judy Garland and story, along with significant musical cuts. Dinah Shore among others. The great studio provide the Big Band sound backing these vocals. September 9-10, 1995 Marilyn King talks about her This’ll be two hours of relaxation and wonderment of KING SISTERS & sisters and the family, and we the words and music so skillfully crafted by composers ALVINO REY hear the marvelous harmony who’s art will endure not for years, but for decades. of the King Sisters in the first hour. In the second hour we talk to the man who worked so closely with the King Sisters that he wound up marrying one of them. Alvino Rey talks about his electronic as well as musical contributions.

September 16-17, 1995 A listener who just discovered A LISTENER’S BBJ sent a list of less-often BANDS played Big Bands he’d like to hear. We’ve played them all at one time or another, but as a new listener he’s missed some nine years of programs. We combine such bands as Randy Brooks, Bob Crosby, , Ralph Flanagan, Eddy Howard, Elliot Lawrence, Syd Lawrence, , and Claude Thornhill into one program.

September 23-24, 1995 We sometimes introduce BBJ NEW RELEASES as containing “Music of the Big Bands and associated art­ ists.” That gives us some leeway to play small groups, vocals with studio aggregations and solo efforts if they fit into a Big Band style. Here is a program of new sings releases in the Big Band style. It is, in a phrase, pre-rock music.... a style that’s being ignored by most recordng companies but paid attention to by a large slice of the October 14-15, 1995 It’s our good fortune that the record-buying public and radio listeners. V-DISCS/ TRAN­ U. S. military during the later SCRIPTION FILE years of WWII approved a V- Disc effort, taking record­ 11 VOLUME XL BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1995 ed entertainment on 12 inch 78 recordings to the troops, long-time manager. These irreplaceable recordings, along with wind-up phonographs and steel needles. digitized and recently released, make up this two hours. Musical stars from all over the nation volunteered to It’s as if you’re in a time warp in one way; it is in sing and play for V-Discs. We hear some of those another way an opportunity to objectively assess a slice recordings the first hour. of musical history. The technical quality of these recordings may not always be up to the standards of our In the second hour, we hear some of those radio ears grown accustomed to the sound of crisp, clean transcriptions, also preserving varied musical artists modem recordings, but the artistic and archival value during the Big Band Era and into the 50’s, presenting is beyond question. music by familiar musicians generally not commer­ cially released. TheKrupa and orchestra, June November 4-5, 1995 Our experience has been that Christy, the instrumental King Cole Trio, Jan Garber, TOP TW ENTY people love surveys....they and Charlie Bamct among others. want to know w'hat others are thinking, probably so they October 21-22, 1995 She was the first female Big can compare their thoughts with a larger homogeneous HELEN WARD Band vocalist, hired by Benny group. This is an opportunity for listeners to discover SPEAKS/RIFFLIN’ Goodman at the very begin­ what BBJ NEWSLETTER readers have selected as ning of what we now term the the top twenty Big Band instrumentals, as indicated “Big Band Era.” Helen Ward is retired in a suburb of in the mail survey sheet included in this newsletter. Washington, D.C., but she stays in touch with many of BBJ NEWSLETTER readers are, by their very the musicians who are still around. She recalls with nature, more attuned to Big Band excellence, and it’ll warmth and a smile her early days with Benny be fascinating to see how this survey comes out. Goodman as we hear those recordings as well as cuts from her last recording before retirement. Rifflin’ Each of our readers who chooses to take part will through the records in the second hour gives us an select their single favorite Big Band instrumental. The opportunity to cherry-pick and in some cases delve compilation of all the responses will determine the top deeper into the files. It’s as if friends were over and we ten picked for this program. were going through the files picking whatever caught our fancy at the moment. You ’re the friends in this hour. (D.K.)

October 28-29, 1995 In addition to V - Discs and HARRY JAMES transcriptions made exclu- DANCE BAND sively for radio station use, REMOTES some of the thousands of dance band remote broadcasts were captured as airchecks, adding another means of preserv­ ing the sound of the Big Band Era. Some of these broadcasts were recorded by engineers on professional equipment, some by home recordists....but all on acetate discs....the only method of recording available at the time except sound-on-film. At the time they were recorded for the enjoyment of the moment, but the passage of the years has made these aircheck recordings someofthe most valuable permanent remembrances of compositions and arrangements not always otherwise available.

Hundreds of Harry James late night dance band broad­ casts from such locations at the Meadowbrook, the Hotel Astor Roof, the Blue Room of the Hotel Lincoln, Roseland, the Hotel Pennsylvania’s Madhattan Room, the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf and various commercial radio programs were available from the James family and the family of Pee Wee Monte, his Harry James looks into distance while holding horn 12 IT’S RENEWAL TIME FOR THIRTY-FIFTH ISSUE SUBSCRIBERS TO THE BBJ NEWSLETTER

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