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Home , Down the Road a Piece, Frankie Carle, Harry James, Lester Lanin, Milt Raskin, Old Devil Moon

Hagen Williams discovers the internet

A book about the early TV ‘Lucky Strike Hit Parade’ N EWSLETTER JIMP FIRST ISSUE OF TWENTY-FIRST YEAR OF PUBLICATION

VOLUME 121 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER MARCH-APRIL, 2009

The BIG BAND JUMP radio program had been in - 4" ISSUE syndication nearly three years when the first issue of this BBJ NEWSLETTER was published, dated March- (He explained his first interest in April, 1989. The first issue was typewritten with a music.) I just wanted to get up there separate photo page, run off on a copier. The lead article on the stage with those pretty girls and bright lights and get out of where of that first effort was a commentary by Hagen W i lliams I was living. By the time I got a followed by a double matching quiz involving bands saxophone, that was my key to the golden kingdom. with their most popular records and musician’s nicknames. New records to consider at that time - 6" ISSUE involved, among others, a new Dean Hudson LP plus the first mention of Canada’s Spitfire Band. (A different person on stage?) I’m Buddy Rich, THE Buddy Rich when Under the heading “The Human Side” were anecdotes I’m on stage. I involve myself with about giving $5,000.00 my playing and with my band and when the Miller Band was struggling, become one with the audience. It being taught by Fats Waller to play the organ and isn’t a separate thing. There’s an energy level when Charlie Barnet’s ‘other’ name on some compositions. people listen and understand what you’re doing and you become one thing - the energy goes from them to us - In the early issues we listed where the ‘ghost’ bands from us to them. were playing and which stations carried the BIG BAND JUMP radio program, but each of those lists took too - 10" ISSUE much space away from articles of wider general interest (About being on the road most of his and so were dropped by the second issue. Also omitted life.) Traveling to me means freedom. in issue number two was the list of upcoming BBJ Freedom means a great deal to me. If program titles, followed by a rash of complaints. We I took a job conducting some never made that mistake again! show in Los Angeles orNew Yorkthere’dbe no freedom there. You’re at the mercy of some producer In a nostalgic look back to the beginning of this or program director. When we’re on the road we play newsletter, here are some cogent interview comments our music the way we think it should be played and we from the first five years of have absolute freedom. I think if I had to punch the same publication: time clock every day and go to work the same way and eat the same food every day, I think I’d probably die of COUNT BASIE - Is' ISSUE boredom.

(In answer to his musical ideas.) CHARLIE B A R N E T -16" ISSUE They come from some very talented arrangers who have been writing for the band in the past fifteen to twenty (We asked if he was happy in years. They’re the ones with the brainchilds. I’m not retirement.) Oh, yeah! I’ve been married to a wonderful girl for 33 going to take credit when it’s not due. (When it was years, the greatest time of my life. suggested he was being too modest.) I’m being truthful! (Our comment about his previous dozen or so wives.) VOLUME 121 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER MARCH-APRIL, 2009

Well, you know, I always thought it was a good idea to issue will present a second interview with Harry rehearse. James, who was our subject the first time in issue number 48. Next issues ’ more in-depth conversation BILLY MAY - 24,h ISSUE with was conducted by the highly knowledgeable Fred Hall in 1976. It is a revealing (Could Big Bands regain public conversation with a top name from the Big Band status?) I think there is a possibility. Era who was a difficult man to know. I think it’s going to take a while, but I think it’s gonna’ come back. First LETTERS TO THE EDITOR of all, I think rock and all this acid s—t... er... stuff, will collapse on itself, because it’s become the black hole of Letters to BIG BAND JUMP or the BBJ NEWSLET­ music. All these heavy metal bands....it’s nothin’ but TER may be sent to the address below or e-mailed noise. Noise and a beat; it’s getting back to the jungle, to [email protected]. Whenyou e-mail,please and the lyrics, whatever the hell they are, they don’t give your name and address. All letters are an­ mean anything to me. swered, but the volume of mail sometimes delays a timely response - 27™ ISSUE BBJ NEWSLETTER Box 52252 (She was asked about her biggest Atlanta, GA 30355 current joy.) I have so many things that make me joyful. Just being The published letters have been edited for space alive, we’ll start with that one. I can considerations, but the meaning has been pre­ do whatever I want, which is great, but I also love served. working. It’s also fun not to work, I don’t care. If I work, I love it; if I don’t work, I love it. I’m very A1 Jarvis, Jr. I got a chuckle with your assertion fortunate because I’m not walking around here fretting Woodland, CA that names beginning with “I” or that I’m not working. Many, many scripts are sent to “J” are not popular letters for last me but I really haven’t found one I’d jump for joy to do, names. (“The I-J FILE,” page 11, January-February and I’m not going to do something just to be busy. I’m BBJ NEWSLETTER.) I checked with the census very busy right now here with all my animals I love and bureau and was informed that more people in the adore and I have a great home in the choice spot in United States have last names beginning with the letter Carmel. “J” than any other letter. (Jones, Johnson, Jackson, James, Jordan, Jameson, Johnston, etc.). Thanks for the laugh. And thus a glance at selected comments from the interview features in the first five years of BBJ Thank you for the heads-up. We weren ’t aware that NEWSLETTER publication. If this look back at Mr. Jarvis is a subscriber, but if he ’s the son o f THE some of the music personalities was interesting for Al Jarvis it’s good to hear from him. Al Jarvis was you, please let us know at: Newsletter - Box 52252 one of the top record announcers in Los Angeles - Atlanta, GA 30355 or on line at: and a genuinely nice man whose talent and ideas [email protected]. If you would like to see led the way for those to follow. selected interview comments in a look back at the secondfive years o f publication, please let us know Bob Morrison I heard you explain about Harry James either by U.S. mail or e-mail. I f the reaction is Norwich, CT and not being allowed to positive, we’ll plan such a feature for the July- record together because of contract August, 2009 issue. restrictions, but they made one record together with Betty using the pseudonym “Trudy (I think) Haag.” Is The second issue o f the 21s' year, the May-June, 2009 that CD available?

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Mr. Morrison goes fifties to promote their cars? They sang “It’s delightful, on to recall the it’s delovely, it’s DeSoto.” “Haag ” is Harry 's Mr. Kales sent middle name after along a photo of a the circus his DeSoto Skyview parents workedfor cab. at the time he was born. The CD with Richard Runsky Betty Grable Lake Ariel, PA singing I CAN’T BEGIN TO TELL I think a good feature of the newsletter would be YOU (as Ruth t o have a schedule of the present Big Bands (ghost Haag originally) bands). is available from The ‘40s Betty Amazon.com and As noted in the introduction of our review of other dot com sources. interview segments, we published such schedules in early issues but they took up a great deal of Richard Wraight The Elmer’s Tune/Skylark room and only had significance to those few Norwich, CT session on XM last night was subscribers who happened to live within a so great. Lots of information reasonable distance o f the appearance location. we’d never heard before. Thanks so much and please keep on producing great shows as long as possible. I In answer to Ms. DeStefano in the last issue, several love them. people phoned who recalled JUST A GIRL THA T MEN FORGET as performed by Fran Warren and Brian Connelly Just a few lines expressing Lisa Kirk. A former sideman phoned to say he Gateshead, England my pleasure in listening to recalled he and the band members singing the song your Big Band Jump show. I when he was with Frankie Carle. discovered your show on the internet about six months ago and make a point not to miss it each week. If I may A record store computer wouldprobably turn up a CD. say your specializing of a different subject or format Normally we ask a letter writer to supply first and last each week makes the show most interesting plus your name and location, but thefollowing postcard, with no relaxed and informative voice is a pleasure. I have been postmark and no last name, was so amusing we’ve into ‘our’ music (along with crooners, and the included it as a “kicker ” as they used to say in the news American Songbook) since my teens in the fifties so to business. discover your show is a joy to me. Stan Kenton married his singer June Christy. Before Michael Tucci I appreciate being able to tune- that he was married to his singer Ann Richards. P.S. Harrisburg,PA in BBJ on Stay Tuned Are you still dating Jane Monheit? You lucky dog you! America. Now I can listen Who was the bad guy in the movie “Laura”? whenever I want to your great commentary and big band music. Kenton, as you well know, did not marry June Christy, but was married to Ann Richards. Don Letters like these make it worthwhile, not just Kennedy says he wishes he was dating Jane Monheit because o f the complimentary nature but the fact but his wife might object, and Jane would possibly, they have discovered the program on the internet. just possibly, be put off by the vast age and physical Please see article about that in this issue. disparity. She’s 31 and pretty; Kennedy will be Richard Kales You played IT’S DELIGHTFUL eighty next year and, well, shows it.. Oh, and the San Francisco and I wondered if you knew bad guy in “Laura ” was played by Clifton Webb as DeSoto adopted that song in the noted by researcher Ethel May Sadler.

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Alan Baker I’ve only recently discovered other than my passion for big band music and to not let Clarkesville, GA BIG BAND JUMP and am it shrivel into extinction. mystified how I managed to Thanks for adding so much fun to my life each week! survive these 51 years without it. IT’S FANTASTIC!!! (His caps and points.) I was bom in 1957, a little late for Humbling to get this kind of letter. The answer, of the big band era one would think, but one would be course, is Mr. Baker can hear the two hours on wrong. My father was a huge big band fan and there demand on his computer. (Please see Hagen's com­ were countless Sunday afternoons in our Altoona, PA mentary in this issue.) A thrill to get such a letter, fo r home when we would spin 78s and recount tales of it points out when Big Band music is heard, it is most those brittle old discs. He had these enormous boxes of generally liked, but the public ofwhatever age has to records that seemed like an endless library of big band be exposed to it. history------it was like a live broadcast of Big Band Jump in our living room. Letters continue on page 10

My brothers and sisters were somewhat unaffected by ARRANGER PRO FILE - S Y O LIVER the sounds that poured out of the old Magnavox, but I on the other hand was captivated, and still am. I remember in the early ‘70s when all my friends were listening to the likes of , Led Zepplin, etc. and I was always mildly inhospitable to their musical choices and thus arrived one day carrying under my arm some of the works of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, , et. al., and announced, “Today we’re gonna’ listen to some good music.” I fully expected to receive the berating over my musical choices as I gave theirs, but that was not to be. I played the records I had brought along with the little gems of knowledge my dad had given me, pointing out the horns or percussion or the harmony when it warranted. My audience was hooked. I believed they were surprised that this music our parents listened to could be “cool!” I remember when I was leaving that day, one of the guys whom I thought would be the most vocal dissenter among the crowd called out, “Hey, that was pretty good—bring them back again.”

My dad died ten years ago but before he did he told me he wanted me to have his collection of records. What an honor! I listen to BBJ on my satellite radio but it is only an hour long program and I understand BBJ is a two hour presentation. Where can I pick up the entire Some of the arrangers profiled in past issues were not program? 1 live in Clarkesville, Georgia and don’t seem well known, others were stars. Melvin “Sy” Oliver was to be able to find a station that carries more than one a star, mostly as a result of his work with Tommy hour. Any suggestions? Dorsey. The story of his being hired by Tommy Dorsey Lastly, I have another request. If you have ever given is the stuff of musical legend: Dorsey offering him a any thought to a successor if you’re not able to carry on blanket five thousand dollars more a year than he was as host of Big Band Jump, I want to do it!!! (His being paid by Jimmie Lunceford. That hiring resulted exclamation points.) I freely admit I have no experience in some of the most famous Tommy Dorsey recordings 4 VOLUME 121 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER MARCH-APRIL, 2009 including OPUS ONE, SUNNY SIDE OF THE BOOKS & RECORDS TO CONSIDER STREET, WELL, GIT IT!, YES, INDEED and SWANEE RIVER. DON’T BURY ME IN A TUXEDO Daryl “Flea” Campbell Sy Oliver was exposed to music from his moment of birth in 1910.His mother was a piano teacher and his There are adventure father demonstrated saxophones at a time when saxes books about explorers, weren’t often used. Sy became a trumpet player and left detectives, spies and his home in Battle Creek, Michigan at age 17 to play soldiers but this is an J with Zack White andhis Chocolate Beau Brummels and adventure book about a then Alphonse Trent’s band, singing and playing trumpet trumpet player. Well- in both organizations. By 1933 Sy caught the attention known in the Big Band Don’t Bury Me of bandleader J immie Lunceford where he continued to business, “Flea” in a play growling trumpet, sing and most importantly, Campbell made his i Tuxedo arrange. AIN’T SHE SWEET and MY BLUE HEAVEN living for most of his are representative of his arranging work for Lunceford. lifetime playing the Memoirs It was 1939 when he attracted the attention of Tommy trumpet and thereby ofa Dorsey and became one of the first black men to have a hangs the tale. Born to >_9 Trumpet Player prominent position in a white band. Sy Oliver changed teen-age parents and the sound of the Dorsey band. raised by a great aunt, “Flea” was called Daryl Daryl “ flea” Campbell Of the many stories about Oliver’s contributions to the until a bunch of Army Dorsey sound is the recording of his composition and buddies decided to name themselves after various creatures and because of his size, Daryl was known as arrangement of YES, INDEED. He had written it while he was still with Lunceford, but Lunceford considered “Flea” forevermore. it to be too religious. The Dorsey recording, featuring It may not be great literature, but his life story is the singing of both Oliver and Jo Stafford, became an absorbing to the point this reviewer couldn’t wait to see all-time Tommy Dorsey hit recording. His arrangement what happened next. Flea’s life was spent on a bus and of OPUS ONE is still used as an opener by the current in a succession of apartments, condos, double-wides Tommy Dorsey band, led by Buddy Morrow. and hotel rooms until the permanency ofhis retirement. He was married most successfully to singer Lynn After leaving Dorsey, Sy Oliver worked as a free-lance Roberts, and despite their divorce years ago they’ve arranger. Hisworkfor Broadway’s “Where’s Charley” remained lifelong friends, now living near each other in resulted in an appealingly loping hit recording of ONCE the same development on IN LOVE WITH AMY. His reputation resulted in his the coast of South Carolina. becoming Decca Record’s music director. Until 1980 he led his own jazz band. Flea’s career began in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Why Sy instead of Mel or Melvin? Nick-name stories playing with local bands and tend to vary through the years but the most persistent radio station staff orchestras, explanation had to do with Oliver’s professorial de­ then with such names as meanor and the guys in the band bringing their troubles Charlie Spivak, the estate to him. Sy, it seems, is short for psychologist. His , Ray singing, arranging and trumpet playing became a mem­ McKinley, Les Brown ory on May 28, 1988 in when one of the Benny Goodman and Big Band greats left the bandstand. Tommy Dorsey among so many others.

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The overriding impression the reader leaves with is that was impressing viewers in you ’ ve got to be in love with the business to put up with major cities connected by the hardships and economic uncertainty that’s apart of cable. From 1949 to 1952 being a musician. Often Flea writes about being out of Sue Bennett was a part of work, either because a string of band appearances is this history, told through over or his own dissatisfaction with the leader or inside stories supplied by conditions. Somehow at these times, Flea always some of the people who were found a way to survive, for a time in real estate, there: Snooky Lanson, operating a frame shop or working with stained glass Dorothy Collins, Merv windows, but always returning to his trumpet. Flea Griffin, Raymond Scott and Sue Bennett at work Campbell’s life adventure is fun to read. Kay Kyser among others.

185 pages plus index. Lots of photos. Soft-cover Because the early TV story is told through the $ 19.95 plus S&H available at: www.fleacampbell.com impressions of a young author who wasn’t there, but with access to facets of the process from floor director THE LUCKY STRIKE PAPERS to music director, we’re looking from the inside out at Andrew Lee Fielding a time never to be experienced quite the same way again. Lots of photos and inside stuff. This is a story told by the son of an early Hit Parade performer who sought out details of his mom’s career $24.95 - Available through on-line booksellers or at www.luckystrikepapers.com years after it was over. He knew his BOOGIE BEAT COLLECTION m other was a singer in early SC 4625 - Two CDs television and on the radio, but it A new two CD set with half a hundred top boogie- wasn’t until later woogie originals. The complete listing is on the yellow life he began to centerpage of this issue. Consisting of mostly Big Band assemble the boogie-woogie, this collection also includes selected information small group and vocal boogie examples from the Big contained in this Band Era. behind-the-scenes story. Through FIVE MINUTES MORE - BLUE SKY 5 PLUS 2 interviews and Groove Juice Records GJR-1947-02 photos, we get an inside look at what Often CDs arrive filled with performances by unknown it was like to work groups. Usually they’re not reported here simply be­ in those early TV cause their contents may not have broad appeal. We days as his mother, then Sue Bennett, appeared with report this one because it’s amusing to hear. The word Kay Kyser, and on Your Hit Parade. “amusing” is not to signify a bad performance at all, but reflects the enthusiasm of the groups performance. The Even for those who were of age when TV began in other factors in reviewing this CD is its dixieland flavor America, most of our recollection of that time is filtered giving it broad appeal and its mixture of familiar titles through the rose-colored memory of the past. Andrew with original compositions, all in a light-hearted style. Fielding takes us inside early TV to let us in on the confusion, uncertainty and thrill of performing ‘live’ in Here are some of the titles you know so well: I CAN’T a black and white world before videotape. Despite GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE - I DIDN’T meager production budgets, this new thing called TV

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BBJ NEWSLETTER Box 52252 Atlanta, GA 30355

BBJ NEWSLETTER Box 52252 Atlanta, GA 30355

(Tape or Staple Here) CENTER PAGE OFFER - BOOGIE BEAT COLLECTION Hi” It.imi & Small (im up This brand new collection of boogie-woogie concentrates Big Band and some small Boogie Beat group and a sampling of vocal boogie into a two CD set introduced a t a very special ( b s $ k Original* from fhe lit«* U»n