The Organ Came from Daniel for Hosting Our Chapter Both in the Strand Theatre in Pottstown, Penn January and Last Year , Too
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Chapter ~otes John Muri Walt Winn J~~ Fox Theatre's Jay Mitchell on the Grant Park Alders ATLANTA gate United Methodist Church 's 317 Kimball Theatre 404/ 428-4809 or 404/948-0267 organ. We started the year with two perfor cently. It was a very enjoyable occasion . mances on the 3/7 Kimball theatre organ We thank Grant Park Aldersgate United The Alabama goes to the dogs?? John Muri seren in Atlanta's Grant Park Aldersgate United Methodist Church and the Rev. Sally V. ades a "friend. " Gary w.Jones photo Methodist Church. The organ came from Daniel for hosting our chapter both in the Strand Theatre in Pottstown, Penn January and last year , too. sylvania, in 1945, where it had been in John Muri entertained us again on ALABAMA stalled in 1925. Reasonably enough, the February 19, on the 2/9 (mostly) Morton Birmingham church replaced the organ 's Kinura with organ at Charles Walker 's Theatrical 205/942-561 I or 205/644-3606 a Diapason, but otherwise it remained a Paraphernalia. His program consisted of The new year brought a lot of changes theatre organ. 25 (count 'em, 25!) Richard Whiting for the Alabama Theatre and Alabama Jay Mitchell, organist at Atlanta 's numbers, including "Japanese Sand Chapter. The theatre got a new name - fabulous Fox Theatre (4/43 Moller), was man," "Ain't We Got Fun?," "Louise, " The Alabama Theatre for the Performing heard first on the church's Kimball on "On the Good Ship Lollipop," and "Be Arts, the firm of Goettler and Associates January 22. Jay is originally from Ala yond the Blue Horizon.'' Muri's last piece (Columbus, Ohio) began the capital funds bama, where he helped start the ATOS was one with which Whiting had become campaign for the theatre, and Walt Winn Alabama Chapter while he was playing dissatisfied while writing and had thrown performed his annual Christmas/Decem at Birmingham's Alabama Theatre . After into his trash basket. It was rescued by ber program in January! moving to Atlanta, Jay's exciting style a secretary who took it to his publisher , Walt has always presented a Decem dazzled the patrons at the suburban who published it toward the end of World ber show, but for various reasons we Marietta pizza place, The Music Grinder, War I. It was a surprise to us, and we have missed him two years in a row. which later became Show Boat Pizza. won't tell you what song it was (you'd After doing a little shifting around, we He also played here at the historic Excel recognize it immediately) for John some were able to schedule a chapter meeting sior Mill. time might want to hold you in suspense, on January 22. Walt's fabulous arrange Jay did some interesting things for us, as he did us. We do appreciate John's ments and special styling always leave weaving church tunes through the popu playing, and are so glad that he's now us wanting more, and this program was lar ("Bringing In the Sheaves" with "Get nearby. Bill Hitchcock no exception. Me to the Church in Time," for example) February 12 brought another Georg and playing a medley of songs pertaining ian to Alabama when John Muri spent an to roses. Also he gave us selections from afternoon delighting chapter members The King and I and The Student Prince. with songs and stories of yesteryear. We His encore, "Jealousy," left us all jealous are so fortunate to have John living so of his musicianship , and we hope he'll close to Birmingham now - he took play for us again. time out from his Chinese lessons to The second performance, on January come to the chapter meeting. He even 29 on the church's Kimball was by veter brought various friends and animals with an theatre organist John Muri, a master him for the event. of silent-film accompaniment, 1977 The Alabama Theatre for the Perform "Organist of the Year" and member of ing Arts continues to be busier and the ATOS Hall of Fame. We're delighted busier. We have been recognized in the that he has recently taken up residence Southeast as one of the best performing in Atlanta. arts centers by several national artists With apologies for being a bit late, and organizations , and word is spread John began with a Christmas medley. ing of the amazing acoustics and the Then he swung into his main piece, the friendly ATOSers who manage the Charlie Chaplin classic silent, The Gold At left, Grant Park Aldersgate United Methodist theatre. Gary W. Jones Rush, which he accompanied magnifi- Church 's pastor , Rev. Sally V. Daniel and John Muri. 34 • MAY/JUNE THEATRE ORGAN For the Christmas Holiday season, the Shea's Buffalo Theatre Stage was flanked i~H[[~~~ with red poinsettias. Lance Luce, house New York organist at the Organ Grinder Pizza Res 716/694-9158 taurant in Toronto, played on our Mighty Wurlitzer. The Shea's Choral Group Did you know that the North Tona shared the limelight, accompanied by a wanda Barrel Organ works joined forces piano and by Lance on the Wurlitzer. CENTRAL FLORIDA Tampa with Wurlitzer around the turn of the A spring-like day, January 29, was 813/577-1898 or 813/251-8325 century? They specialized in making and topped off by an organ Pops Concert on marketing military band organs, orches the Shea's Buffalo Wurlitzer, featuring Our January meeting was held at the trians, player pianos, and other like in three local artists: Sherri Morris has per Tune Town Keyboards store located in struments. formed in a variety of music events. Paul New Port Richey. Marlon Scott, who had Did you know that Famy Wurlitzer W. Staley is a member of the design previously performed on the Tampa joined the firm in 1904 and became the and engineering staff of the Schlicker Theatre 3/12 Wurlitzer and who works at manager of the North Tonawanda plant? Organ Company and Music Director at this store, presented a very fine program Did you know that in 1909, Hope-Jones the Kenmore United Methodist Church. shO\Ningthe many capabilities of the new became insolvent and that his assets ·and Ralph Bacha, a newcomer to Buffalo, is Yamaha US-1. We were equally im patents were acquired by the Wurlitzer Music Director at St. Leo The Great pressed by the instrument and by the Company? After the death of Hope-Jones Church in Amherst. organist. in 1914, the company continued with the On February 26, Gaylord Carter played For our February meeting, we assem name Hope-Jones Unit Orchestras until for the silent film King of Kings at the bled at Central Music in Clearwater . The the Hope-Jones patents expired about Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. BAC-ATOS organist, Kathy Hoffman Blanchard, who 1928. Then the company changed the co-sponsored the reception at the church is with Central Music, presented an ex name of its organs to Wurlitzer Unit for Gaylord following the concert. cellent program on a Rodgers Trio and Orchestras . At the peak in 1926, the term March 12, "The Good Old Days" were on a new Rodgers three-manual instru "Mighty Wurlitzer" became in the minds remembered as we watched the silent ment, the Windsor 840. Although in a of many, synonymous with ''theatre pipe film The Mark of Zorro accompanied by straight console, there were theatre and organs.'' Chris Elliott on the 4/28 Wurlitzer. orchestral voicings. We understand that This is some of the history our mem A look to the coming months will see Rodgers will be coming out, once again, bers had brought back to our minds as BAC direct some attention to the matter with a horseshoe console later this year. we held our November meeting in the of getting one or more recordings made Cathy has played for our chapter several "Old Wurlitzer " Factory in North Tona of the Shea's Buffalo 4/28 Wurlitzer. It is times, including at the now defunct Pizza wanda. During the tour, one could wan planned at present to offer a CD plus a & Pipes in Tampa and at fellow members der down the long halls and aisles and record album or cassette tape of each Ken and Ruth Hunt's home in Clearwater envision what might have taken place; recording artist. A high fidelity video cas on their magnificent 4/17 Wurlitzer. fabrication of pipes, making of keys, the sette could also be considered. In this Work continues on the Tampa Theatre voicing room. The factory is now called way, both the sophisticated and casual Wurlitzer. Some nine ranks are now fully the Wurlitzer Industrial Park and houses listener could be best seNed. functional as of March 4, as well as tuned many businesses such as a Greek Bak Since this is a new venture to BAC, percussions, such as the Xylophone, ery, piano restorations, music store, we would appreciate hearing from inter Chrysoglott and Glockenspiel. By the Bagel Bakery, furniture repair and res ested artists and/or recording companies time this is read, the Trumpet, Kinura, taurant for the workers. on helping us achieve these objectives and Salicional will be operational, as well After climbing the brick Wurlitzer Tower with their expertise. Norma J. Marciniak as newly placed pipework, toy-counter, (steel water tower inside), we listened to etc., in proscenium area. imported electronic orchestral organs Fortunately, after a hiatus of some 15 which played by the touch of a button. I months, when the organ was not play am certain that would cause Famy or able, we began using the organ (Novem Hope-Jones to turn over! ber '88) for pre-movie and intermissions.