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The Cash Box , Music Page 25 February 14, 1955

Getting In The Mood

Like that story we got this week from Gayle Brown and Sarah McLawler when they visited the office. The pair have just cut a terrific disk, “Gone Are The Days,” on the reactivated Brunswick label. When just early teeners, Gayle and Sarah were singing together in a traveling religious group. Fifteen years ago Brown entered Fisk University and McLawler took her formal education at Indiana U. The lad was tapped by Uncle Sam for the army after that and while Gayle was toting a gun, young Miss McLawler began her professional career as vocalist for Lucky Millinder’s band. Her smooth piping soon won her a King recording contract. Sarah also formed an all-girl band that created quite a stir- in r & b circles. In the meantime, Brown had received his discharge from the service ancL studied music for three years at the McArthur Conservatory of Music in Indianapolis, Ind. For eating money, Gayle joined up with “The Brown Inspirational Group,” led by his mother. Bringing the story up to the present time, it seems that Johnny Hartman, R. C. A. Victor recording star and a boyhood friend of Gayle’s, had promised to do what he could to break the ice for Gayle if he ever got to New York. Brown decided to pack his bags and see what the Big Apple had to offer. Hartman put Brown in touch with Phil Rose, newly appointed A & R man at Brunswick, and an audition was set.—Now comes the punch—By the way of celebration, Gayle Brown and his wife decided to cele- brate the forthcoming audition by doing one of Brooklyn’s night spots. Walking into the “Arlington Inn,” Gayle spotted Sarah, who was working there, and Bob Shad, Mercury rhythm and whom he had not seen for fifteen years, since they parted company to go to NEW YORK— A & R head going over a tune with James Moody before they get down to the serious their respective colleges. The meet resulted in the pair cutting a test disk which work of the actual session. The Moody session marked the kick-off to an extensive they took to Phil Rose who signed both immediately. The etching, which is the Mercury drive in the r market. Along those lines, Mercury has first ever for Brown, is strikingly different and fea- & b signed Arnett Cobb and tures the most exciting organ music you have Buddy Johnson and plan release shortly. heard in a long time. Sarah doesn’t sing on this one, but with her talent on the Hammond she doesn’t have to. A Must For Music Ops! / * * * * * Savoy “Slay Trio” ji$| Atlantic getting raves from their distribs about “I the latest “Mama, He Treats Your Daugh- 0 DON'T NEED A DIARY” i ter Mean.” The waxing has taken off like sixty wher- Disk by ever exposed. . . . Arnett Cobb doing his Mr. Saxology Breaks Out 1

stint at Harlem’s Apollo to everyone’s delight. . . . Harlem’s news rave is the Dawn Casino on the site \ DUSTY WALKER the once popularly frequented Bamboo Inn where of Imperial 8179 it’s social mingled in droves during the Roarin’ set NEW YORK—Savoy Records seems Twenties. . . . Arthur Prysock (Decca) playing a string of one-nighters on his way into New York after- to have latched on to what could be RUTH BROWN closing “Club Alabam” in Los Angeles, Calif. Ben De- one of the biggest r & b hits of 1953. Costa picks him up on February 13 in El Paso, Texas, Reports started to trickle into the to work a string of dates for Don Robey, promoter and prez of Peacock and Duke office late last week that “My Kind Records. . . . Willis Jackson into Harlem’s Savoy Feb. 16. . . . Babs Gonzales has his “Shuckin’ ’n’ Jivin’ ” and “Lullaby Of The Doomed” set for his (Babs) Of Woman” by the Emmett Slay Trio label. . ... Robinson Record hit a big one in their “Be True” by The Vocaleers. had broken wide open in Cleve-

Tune is on the Red Robin label and has broken in New York and Philly. . . . land. Nate Kulkin of Ohio Record PRESTIGE RECORD CO. Robert Patterson of the Robert Patterson Singers, has just been released Sales, 446 W. 50th St. * Cl 6-0847 • by the army, and the Group is back in action. They have cut a few sides Cleveland, reported on the tele- N.Y. for Gotham and are looking for some bookings in the religious spots. . . . phone that he had rushed an order Freddie Mendelson, formerly of Regal Records and now head of the new label for 5000 after a tremendous reaction HOT R & B SELLERS “Herald Records,” is lining up a stable of R & B stars and will cut his first to deejay Moondog’s plays on the air. 1. COOL GOOFIN’-Rudy Ferguson-798845 session the latter part of February. . . . Oldtimers remember Detroit Red who teamed up with Gladys Bentley and rendered a corking duo thrilling with Herman Lubinsky, prexy of Savoy 2. TWISTED - Annie Ross - 794 & 45 saucy tunes. Well, Red’s talent scout. The Bentley lass is still now a active on Records, reports that orders from his 3. THESE FOOLISH THINGS-Moody-774 &45 the ivories on the Coast. . . . Duke Hampton ork inked for Cincy’s West Cotton distrib in Texas was in excess of 5000, 4. HEART IN Club February 16. . . . Sultry Wini Brown into Philly’s Powelton February 23. SORROW-B. McGhee-1301 orders from St. Louis totaled 3000 * * * * * 5. SERENATA - Joe Holiday - 786 & 45 and his aggregate total for two days - Bill Doggett into The Casino, Baltimore, Md. . . . 6. DIG Miles Davis - has reached 18,000. “All this,” says 777 & 45 James Moody ork set for Hi Hat February 16. . . . 7. STITT’S IT - Sonny Stitt - 787 & 45 Hal Singer currently * wowing them at Pep’s, Phila. Lubinsky, “without distribs having re- nitei-y. . . . Another name will be added to the Modern 8. MY HEART ISACHIN’-Piney Brown-1305 ceived a single sample disk. All the and RPM record companies. The Bihari’s will call this 9. Farmer’s Market-Warded Gray-770 one Music Masters and the disks will be semi-micro- business was done by playing the etch- &45 groove. Each side will have two tunes instead of the 10. MOOD FOR LOVE-J. Moody-703 ing on the long distance telephone.” & 45 usual one. . . . Todd Rhodes coming East February 16 11. BODY AND SOUL-J. Moody-730 & 45 for a date at the Show Boat, Phila. . . . Tiny Bradshaw The original acetate that Moondog into The Earle on Feb. 20. Bradshaw’s “Soft” climbing 12. DONDE - Joe Holiday - 791 & 45 broke the landslide which was left w-a-a-a-y-y up. . . . Willie “I Don’t Know” Mabon off 13. SMALL HOTEL - Benny Green - 790 on a long tour of the south. Booking arranged by Gale with him by Lee Magid, a & r man, 14. CALL ON ME - - Agency. . . . After her whirlwind performance on the Mello Moods 799 after he had cut the Slay Trio in west coast backed by her superb performance at the 15. THIS IS HAPPINESS-Holiday-767 & 45 Brown Derby in Honolulu, Hawaii, Dinah Washington Detroit. is booked into the popular Blackhawk Club in Frisco. LITTLE ESTHER

Opening is set for Tuesday, February 10. . . . 1953 marks 30th anniversary in newspaper circles for publicist- columnist Ted Yates who is currently ill flu. isn’t? ? ? Brown (Atlantic) was with the And who Ruth Biggest Selling MAMBO line in the Country also bitten by the bug and had to miss her Royal Theater opening day. Just about 50% of the music industry is laid up with the flu and the other 50% are walking around with it. * * TICO * * * RECORDS presents the World's Cootie Williams currently driving them mad at Greatest Latin Swing Pianist the “Home of Happy Feet,” the Savoy Ballroom in

N.Y.C. . . . , Earl Bostic, , Sonny Thompson, Louis Armstrong and Todd Rhodes have been pulling them in at every city they play. JOE LOCO and Trio . . . Tab Smith, H-Bomb Ferguson and Little Esther in his Greatest 2 Sided Hit package touring the Atlantic Seaboard. . . . The 5 Royales went over in a big way at the Apollo Theatre last week. . . . Lew Simpkins of United Records GH reports that the firm have just signed four artists to exclusive recording contracts. They are: The Doz- “STARDUST” & ier Boys (formerly with Columbia and Chess), Billy 0r Ford (formerly with RCA-Victor), Debbie Andrews “?X TICO # 10-141 (formerly with Decca), and Jimmy Coe (formerly with Mercury). Clicking in the pop field, Lew re- ports, is United’s first Dozier Boys’ release, “I Keep ® RECORDING CO. 5 ROYALES Thinking Of You.” Also starting well on its way — 143 W. 41st St., N. Y. (LA 4-0457) is a cute disk by Billy Ford, . “You Foxy Thing,” of which Simpkins says, “This one can break right for the top.”

“It’s What’s in THE CASH BOX That Counts

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