Nme-1952-07-18-S-Ocr

Registered at the G.P.O. as a Newspaper MUSicirAl (XE111111ESS No. 288 (NEW SERIES) EVERY FRIDAY PRICE 6d. JULY 18, 1952 Top left : US singer GuyMitchell,who arrived herethis week to open at the London Palladium, for a fortnight from Mondaynext.Top right: Mike Daniels' Band serenades Tower Bridge, in the first of the fortnightly " Rhythm on the River " trips last Sunday. Centre right: Happyopening of Ivor Kirchin's Man- hattan Club.(1. to r. seated)CabKaye, Phil Moore, Ivor Kir- chin. Standing, Jimmy Walker and Benny Lee. Bottom left: French nation- als celebrate July 14 inappropriatecos- tumeat Chelsea Town Hall.Bottom right:Luscious MarionDavis, who can be heard singing everyFridaynight withAmbrose and his Orchestra. 2 THE NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS formation to NME readers, par- ticularly in Yorkshire. The Palace Cinema,Heck- mondwike,arepresenting on Deal Sift August 1 and 2, a Republic Pic- ELL,ALL WRITE! ture which should be of great interest to jazz and pop fans tErrERs TO THE EDITOR 40 Foreign Orchestras and Musi-attempt cut everybody's throat,alike. cians.Jazz Concerts-June 28their own included. The title is "Chance of Heart"and exciting proposition to me.one way of doing it-if enough and 30. One such critic -cum -compereand features the bands of Count If the experiments come off,people joined in the Bunyard THANK you for publishing theof a well-known West End jazzBasie, Ray McKinley andthen everyone will jump on theProtest Movement, but person- statement we prepared. Ihaunt (in this case a modernFreddy Martin, with specialitiesband waggon to shout " I toldally I think the only way is for could spend a lot of time com-one)brought dawn from theby The Golden Gate Quartetyou so ". Maybe bongoesetc.,theBritishmusiciansthem- menting upon what appears innorth what he called a " newand Dorathy Dandridge. wouldn't have helpedDodds,selves to do something about it the same issue ;but the neces-discovery "(you must play in ImightaddthatfurtherNoone, Bix and Berigan,butwith their Union. After all,if sary time is not available. London before you are " dis-attractions of interest to read-thatis not our concern; theyall the Union members attended One point may be of some im-covered") to blow with the resi-ers will be showing from timewere greats with what they had.the meetings as they are sup- portance ; and I mention it be-dent trio at the aforesaid club.to time at this cinema so if any-InthecaseofBritishJazz,posed to do, and voiced their cause itis my impression that Afterit was all over, " ourone would like to write me Ithere's no such thing, or at leastdisapproval of the existing ban to journalists facts are sacred.friend " apologised to the "poorwould be only too glad to letvery Lyttel.Here thenisa(or would it be approval?) then Your editorial column headedunfortunate "about the treat-them know details and dates. chance to make a genuine con-surely they could bring the mat- " Scapegoats" includes thement and welcome handed out tributiontotheevolutionofter to a head so that the Union statement that " Musicians whoquitefreelyfromthet'rio's DONALD HAIGH.Jazz. as a body would have to recon- were ready to play were gladlyleader. In his own words :" As11, Crossley Terrace, Idon't think Humphreysider the whole question. accepted ;most of them werefar as ... is concerned this club Upper Mount Street, Lyttelton or Wally Fawkes are I am a working musician and MU members." A statement ofis a closed shop." Batley, Yorks. gimmickers. I do think that astherefore mix with many this kind should not be made Yet hardly a week had gone two of Britain's leading jazzmenUnion members. Frankly I have without evidence. by before "our deliverer" asked they know what they are doing,been most surprisedtohear I do not know whether therein his weekly "gab" where the What is Jazz ? and where they are going. nearly everyone I have spoken is any list available of the musi-new blood was and why out of Maybe they will mix a Latin-to say that they would like to cians who were "ready to play"town jazzmen refuse London ? IAT thepresent time. there areAmericancocktailthatwillsee the best bands and soloists or of those who were "gladlywonder if he still pretends he numerous conceptions as toprove very palatable. from the USA allowed to come accepted."Certainlyonly a what is Jazz. To some, only the into the country to work; that doesn't know. music played up to 1927 or '28 is ALAN JACKSON small proportion of those who Next, the fans who see in jazz they do not consider this would appeared on the platform, or the true Jazz.Others believeCumberland Avenue, unemployment,but akindofteenage escapism.that nothing before the '30s andGravesend. create actually played were membersTheir attempt to "go backward" rather that the fillip such visits of the Union, hasresultedinsandalsand would give the music industry It should not be overlookedbeards, or "going forward" and as a whole would quickly re- that Union membership is oftenscreaming at a distorted beat. create a keen interest every- claimed by non-members ;andThis has resulted in jazz taking where-in dance halls, theatres, itisquite possible that somethe place in art that the trailer clubs, and thus bring nothing claimed it at the Jazz Concertsholds in modern cinema, but benefits to the British pro- to support the " line " that mem- So while people think of jazz fessional musicians. bers were ignoring Union in-in these terms, we must accept It seems others, like myself, structions. In fact, very few didthe hand of fate as it is. In the remember the days when we SO. meantime,jazzmenwillstill had Duke Ellington, Louis, and HARDIE RATCLIFFE,play and enjoy their music, car- others here, and what a " shot - General Secretary, M.U.ing little for goatees, typewrit- in -the -arm "themusicbusi- Sicilian Avenue, ers, sandals or screams. ness got from their short visits ! Southampton Row, W.C.1. F. G. CRANE. DOUG PROUDLEY Old Steyre, The Doug Proudley Trio, Brighton. 6 Is Jazz Dying ? Club Meurice, W.11. stage has gone alittleKensington Park Road, W.11. Rush to Defend THEfurther than dying ;we're almost to the point of embalm- Praise for Basil So A. S.Maybury didn't think ing-that is as far as commer- GeorgeBrown'stypeof cialpropositionisconcerned.T'M sure there are a great many music " was what the moderns Whether it dies or not matters1- modernists who will agree paid to hear."Beina a modern little to the musician who playswith me when I say that Basil fan myself, I would like to rush to vent his own feelings, audi-Kirchin is the greatest modern to the defence of (1.-orge Brown. ence or no audience.If follow-drummer we have. Take your partner by the hand, Ithinkhis performance was ers are needed before it can be I have yet to hear a British Step out to the Winstone Band, very good indeed. played, then let's cease callingdrummer with such a fine beat, At square-dancing, they're the champ Ifitwasn'tformenlike it art at all. and sense of rhythm, and the At the Clacton Butlin's Camp ! George Brown, Mr. Maybury, The reasons then for the pre-enthusiasmheshowswhile there may have been no con- sent state of affairs can be laidplaying must almostbeun-nothing after '39 can be called cert at all. on several doorsteps - firstly,equalled. Jazz A Shot -in -the Arm H. E. COOPER. the musician, with his couldn't - F. B. DODSON. Then we have those of us who Shroffold Road, care -less -blast -the -fanattitude.Rom Crescent, think that Jazz began when the for Dance Music Downham, Bromley. I'm sure the club -goer realises Rush Green Road, Romford.lastwarstarted.Doubtless thatitisnothing short of a there are a few, who are still interested to read the anticipating the birth of Jazz. IWASletteryoupublishedlast Underdone ? miracle that he's there at all ; week (NME July 4) from Mr. whether he plays or talks about Jazz Films Regardless of all these flutter - that " Jazz in England the weather matters little. brained fanatics, and myopic -B. Bunyard, and his suggestedTo say Then the non-playing critics, WOULD be greatly obliged ifminded morons, jazz began (soboycott of British bands, record is dying "is like saying : with power of pen tell us allIyou would allow me throughwe are told) around the turn ofand jazz clubs, in an effort to" After two minutes take the the medium of your columns, tothecentury,andhasbeeninduce the authorities to let thesteam pudding out of the oven." what we must do if we are to Americanandotherforeign surviveatall,andinthepass out a little interesting in -around ever since. Quite simple MONTY SUNSHINE isn't it, or is it? musicians into this country to Crane River Jazz Band Let us consider just how longplay. Colvestone Crescent, jazz would have survived,if Well, I suppose this might be London, E.8. DASH MUSIC I there had been no developments, branch -offs and progressions, no Ellington. Armstrong. Hender- son, Basie, Parker or Herman, A -ROUND even Whiteman and Ted Lewis, BAND CALL for they showed the way that Week beginning July 18 THECORNER Jazz shouldn't develop.With- out these evolutionary periods,WINIFRED ATWELL day, Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen. Tues- (BE-NEATH THE BERRY TREE) Jazz would have become stag- Week,RegalCinema,GreatYar- day, Eldorado Ballroom, Leith. mouth. Wednesday, Heads of Ayr Hotel, Ayr. nant and meaningless. Thursday, Ice Rink, Falkirk.Friday. CAMPBELL. CONN LLY In spite of this, there remainCARL BARRITEAU AND HIS BAND Ice Rink, Kirkcaldy. FRANKIE LAINE'S GREAT HIT many" knowledgeable "Jazz Tonight(Friday),BelleVue,Man- critics who refuse to accept pro- chester.Saturday, NCO's Club, BrizeJOE LOSS ORCHESTRA "-Norton.

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