VOLUME 42, NUMBER 2 Formerly New York Sheet Music Society www.APSSinc.org NOVEMBER 2020 musicals of the ‘50s about New York What’s a Party Without Arthur? City. The Music of Arthur Siegel Only days before the opening of By Jerry Osterberg Lovely Me, another musical, If the Shoe On the evening of Arthur Siegel’s Lavine’s sheet music. Besides being a Fits, opened and closed within two birth, New Year’s Eve 1923, Eddie musical director and vocal coach, Lavine weeks. The music was by David Raksin, Cantor was enjoying the latest in a string is a prolific sheet music archivist. Having then enjoying acclaim for his score of the of hits: “No, No, Nora.” Growing up in seen Siegel’s own music files many film noir Laura. The lyrics were by June Asbury Park, New Jersey, a long times, he offered to purchase the entire Carroll, who was the sister of producer established and highly successful collection from the estate, which he did Leonard Sillman. The fortuitous pairing Summer community, it’s entirely likely with the assistance of Brian Gari, a of Siegel and Carroll was instrumental in that Siegel’s performing and songwriting grandson of Eddie Cantor, after speaking the next stage of Siegel’s career. Sillman during his high school years were with the composer’s brother Eddie. had produced a radio program a decade inspired by the exciting environment and After providing interesting earlier called New Faces, and now a cosmic connection to Cantor. background about Siegel’s career, Lavine decided to resurrect the concept. He hired The admittedly stage-struck the team to create what became New Siegel attended the American Faces of 1952. It opened on May 16 Academy of Dramatic Arts and and ran for 365 performances. The Julliard. An Academy classmate was successful production not only Marilyn Cantor, one of Eddie increased the visibility of Siegel and Cantor’s five daughters. Following an Carroll, who wrote 8 of the revue’s 20 introduction to her father, Siegel songs, it launched the careers of Paul became his accompanist, assuming a Lynde, Alice Ghostley, Eartha Kitt, role once filled by Jimmy Durante. He Robert Clary, Carol Lawrence, Ronny toured with Cantor for several years Graham, Mel Brooks and a 28-year- in the 1940’s before mounting his first old Sheldon Harnick. Broadway production in 1946. The Jon Peterson, a Drama Desk play, Lovely Me, in which he also Award nominee, contributed one of appeared, was written by Jacqueline the show’s songs: “Penny Candy,” and Susann. Siegel contributed two songs, Tonya Pinkins, whose many accolades both lyrics by Jeff Bailey. Alas, his include a Tony and two Tony Broadway debut ran for just 37 performed the first song of the afternoon. nominations, sang what became a performances. Although the word “vocalist” does not signature song for Eartha Kitt: APSS Board member Michael appear on his resume, Lavine gave a “Monotonous.” Ms. Kitt came to the Lavine, a longtime friend of the late more than credible performance of “I production with a unique resume which Arthur Siegel, opened the new season Want You to Be the First One to Know,” included starring as Helen of Troy in with his usual flair. While not all the making for a perfect segue to the Orson Welles’ Doctor Faustus. Pinkins, brilliant composer’s songs are well- program. who had once performed “Monotonous” known, many of them are memorable, T. Oliver Reid, among the brightest with Kitt at Carnegie Hall, now and helped launch the careers of many stars of cabaret, sang the title song of performed it from Seoul, Korea. aspiring stars in the world of Siegel’s first show “Lovely Me.” KT Four years after the first production, entertainment. Lavine got to know Sullivan sang “Lampoon for Louie” from Sillman was back with a new Siegel, when the cabaret performer Steve Siegel’s penultimate production The Last presentation: New Faces of 1956, again Ross brought Siegel to check out Musical Comedy, a spoof of Broadway Continued on page 3 PAGE 2 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY NOVEMBER, 2020 American President’s Message... Popular Song Linda Amiel Burns, President Society President: Warm Greetings to all of our members, friends, and guests: Linda Amiel Burns (212) 315-3500 I cannot thank our Board Member, Michael Lavine, enough for last month’s brilliant Program on the late songwriter/pianist/entertainer, Arthur Vice Presidents: Joan Adams Siegel. It was a great launch for our 2020-2021 season. You can read all about it Sandi Durell in this issue of our APSS Newsletter. Additionally, if you were unable to attend via Zoom, Michael has made a corrected version that you can watch either on Treasurer & Membership: Youtube or on our website. Glen Charlow
Secretary: Since October was the first virtual Zoom meeting of the season, some Marilyn Lester technical difficulties were experienced. We are all learning this new technology, and to ensure that similar problems would not happen again, Sandi Board Of Directors: Durell, Michael Lavine, Jerry Osterberg, Tom Toce, and I had a meeting with an Elliott Ames expert in the field, Jamie Maletz. When we produce and direct acts at clubs, Danny Bacher Bill Boggs there is always a Technical Director on lights and sound, and there is no reason Will Friedwald that our monthly events should not have someone handling this complex position Michael Lavine for us. We are happy to announce that we have hired Jamie Maletz as Sandy Marrone our new”Technical Director/Zoom Expert/Trouble Shooter,” to handle the Jerry Osterberg Andrew Poretz rehearsals and the show each month. We are also hoping that she will be able to Judy Stewart answer any questions we may have, and perhaps hold a Zoom seminar for Tom Toce APSS. Jamie is also a fine songwriter and you can read her extensive bio in this Mark William issue. We are thrilled to welcome Jamie to the team! N E W S L E T T E R There are always challenges and last minute changes to our schedule, and I Editor/Publisher: Jerry Osterberg want to thank those dedicated members who are producing and hosting our [email protected] Contributing Editor: Marilyn Lester Programs. Be sure to check out the monthly line-up in the Newsletter and on our [email protected] website. Coming up on Saturday, November 14th from 12-2, Michael Lavine and Associate Editor: Joan Adams Tom Toce are co-producing a “Tribute to Composer Lew Spence” on his [email protected] centennial. In 2004, Lew came to NY from California and was our in-person Graphic Designer: Glen Charlow guest, talking about his life in music. You can read about this great past event in [email protected] the Archives. Photographer: Rose Billings [email protected]
I hope you Linda with her father Membership Mailing Address: Jack Amiel and are all staying American Popular Song Society safe during this famed composer Irving Caesar (Tea P.O. Box 5856 difficult time. Pikesville, MD 21282 Sending you my For Two) celebrating his July 4th at The Why is that the mailing address? best wishes for Singing Experience Because the treasurer lives good health, as we all sang his in Baltimore, Maryland. happy times, and songs to him. [email protected] lots of music in This email address goes to Glen Charlow your life! Memberships can be paid with: Linda
MEETING LOCATION: Our programs during the inside the via Paypal 2020 pandemic are being (570 10th Ave. 4th fl) at www.APSSinc.org brought to you by... 11:00am - 2:00pm Come early to look thruwww.zoom.us Sheet Music & CD’s & stuff, all FREE. NOVEMBER, 2020 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 3 with Siegel’s participation. Many of the composers. She went on to say that “… Kent, who first started working on show’s performers would likewise go on he knew every song, every verse…” For Broadway in the 1920s. Presumably, the to stardom: Jane Connell, Billie Hayes, several years, Stewart and Siegel song is one of his earliest. T. Oliver Reid Tiger Haynes, Virginia Martin, Inga performed together at Michael’s Pub and returned to perform “America is a Swenson and Maggie Smith. Beautiful Word.” Another song from Jay Aubrey Jones performed “Tell 1962, the lyrics are by the poet Ada Her” and singer/songwriter/recording Greenfield Morley. Lavine commented artist Sara Zahn, accompanied by “I think that Arthur would be moved at composer/arranger Allan Kashkin, how prescient the song is.” sang “Don’t Wait,” both songs from Amanda Gari the daughter of Janet New Faces of 1956. More than twenty Gari, and Eddie Cantor’s years after the second production, granddaughter, contributed a Siegel collaborated with deliciously funny: “A Peppermint Kiss lyricist/librettist Tony Lang and From a Navy Blue Bear,” which she director Miriam Fond in a play called wrote with Siegel. The song has special Corkscrews, which featured “Psychotic significance for her: “He accompanied Overtures,” a send-up of the film me on my very first cabaret, and I still Psycho. Presented in the manner of treasure his scribbled lead sheets!” One Sweeney Todd, it incorporated parodies of several songs written by Janet Gari of songs from Company and Follies. Wolf Trap. Like most of the shows he did with Siegel is “It’s Great to Have From this came a relatively tame “Make solo during his later years, their sets were Mellowed at Last” here performed by it Another,” delightfully rendered by always focused on a specific composer Steve Ross. Her son Brian, who was very Steve Ross. From New Faces of 1956 and/or lyricist. Stewart added “He was a close to him, sang his own composition was also “The White Witch,” performed dear, gentle soul who loved music and “What’s a Party Without Arthur?” by Jay Aubrey Jones. brownies with real whipped cream.” Steven Brinberg sang the finale: New Faces of 1962 introduced Patty Stewart and Charlap presented “Where is “Love is a Simple Thing,” arguably Karr, Marian Mercer and the writer of Me,” which Siegel wrote for New Faces Siegel’s most famous song. It came from homey humor Jean Shepherd, still years of 1968, the last of the New Faces revues. New Faces of 1952 and has been a away from his cult classic A favorite of many vocalists. One must Christmas Story. Natalie Douglas, listen carefully to hear the many spot- always a welcome presence, sang on voices sown into Brinberg’s “Depends Upon How You Look at presentation. I managed to find only Things.” Robert Clary, one of the two, the obligatory Barbra Streisand best-loved performers to emerge from and perhaps a bit of Bette Davis. It’s a the New Faces series, not to mention great song and easy to like. TV’s Hogan’s Heroes, was unable to There’s much more which could join the cast this day. The 94-year-old be said about Siegel, but space doesn’t actor, who lives in Los Angeles, spoke allow. Michael Lavine provided us some kind words about Arthur Siegel, with a good sense of the man and who he referred to as his best friend. countless examples of his talent. Sandy Stewart, one of several Clearly, Michael had excellent iconic cabaret artists with whom material to work with and many Siegel worked, joined the festivities wonderful singers to convey the with her pianist son, Bill Charlap, from Lavine mentioned that he’s “… stories. Apparently, Arthur Siegel wasn’t Steinway Hall. Stewart met Siegel in always been a fan of Arthur’s haunting prone to tooting his own horn. Indeed, 1961 through Kaye Ballard, while they melody…” for “The Other One,” here according to Michael Lavine, “I sum up were appearing on the Perry Como Show. performed by long-time Broadway Arthur’s humility and modesty with the Siegel had also backed Ballard for many veteran Fay DeWitt and Carol Weiss. Jon three words or phrases I most associate years. Stewart referred to him as a Peterson returned to sing “Don’t Hang with him: “walking encyclopedia” of theater and Up,” written by Siegel with Charlotte Me? Really? and You liked it? PAGE 4 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY NOVEMBER, 2020 “If You Knew Susie”––She Might Be Playing a Banjo By Marilyn Lester The subject of this month’s meeting, reason this was so is that many players models) became the stringed instrument songwriter Lou Spence, was born in then didn’t read music; tunes were of choice in these bands, it was the banjo, 1920, on the threshold of the Jazz Age. learned by ear. known for providing a lot of volume, that Spence, like many of the great writers The melody lines in compositions was preferred. In the late 1800s, the who built the American Songbook, grew were the provenance of the trumpets (or banjo had become a very popular up with the music of Tin Pan Alley and cornets). Early on, around the turn of the instrument upon which technical the earliest days of jazz. This was a 20th century, legendary New Orleans experimentation and advancement was period of musical evolution and an cornetist, Buddy Bolden, had brought explosion of new sounds, made more that instrument to ascendancy. He was exciting with the development of radio deemed a “king” of the instrument, with and advances in technology. The question the title passed down next to Freddie is, then, what were these young people of Keppard and then Joe Oliver, with whom that era experiencing musically? What Louis Armstrong got his start. Some jazz was the sound like? What instruments bands had a violin that was part of this most defined the music of their time? To “front line.” A violin in jazz may seem an answer these question, let’s explore. oddity, but considering that New Orleans was the birthplace of jazz and the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra 1924 rhythms that influenced American lavished. The banjo had become so popular music, this fact isn’t a stretch. prevalent that it was even taken up by New Orleans was also a city of divergent members of high-society. Banjos that cultural influences in which violins (or found their way into these early jazz fiddles) were prominently used. W.C. bands were five-string models, which Handy was especially fond of violins and were tasked with playing counterpoint to had three of them in his orchestra. the tuba’s bass lines. Embellishing the melody were the As for the tuba, this mighty bass-line “second voices,” clarinets, and as the timekeeper was used as an extension of Duke Ellington's Washingtonians 1925 music developed, saxophones, which music played in marching bands––think The first two decades of the 20th provided melodic counterpoint and John Philip Sousa or James Reese century were seminal in the growth of provided the greatest opportunity to Europe. In the 1920s the upright (or American popular music. It was a time improvise. Trombones were also string or double) bass began to replace when Black (African) rhythms began responsible for the melody, but their the tuba as principle timekeeper in the heavily influencing European-based function was primarily to add texture to band. The reasons for this change are musical styles. Ragtime and the blues it with slides, smears, trills and other twofold. First and foremost, the evolution were morphing into the developing genre similar embellishments. of the beat; there was a shift in two-step of jazz, played on a core of instruments composition to four-beat styles––the that defined the sound. Even the Tin Pan walking bass line. Additionally, as Alley sound and the so- called microphone technology advanced, string “symphonic” bands, such as Paul basses could be better heard than ever Whiteman’s, played with the same basic before. The upright bass also offered style and instrumentation of the jazzmen. more room for variation in playing. Early jazz and popular music was not Paul Whiteman Orchestra 1922 Many tubists of the era could play both only defined by the instruments played, instruments, as well as bass saxophones. but by the way the sound was delivered. Harmony––generally very simple–– Still, even with the tuba’s prominence Basically, musicians played as a unit, all and rhythm, were supplied by the piano diminishing, many bassists continued to the time. Solos were inserted into a set and banjo, while tubas and drums (not emulate the two-step sound of the tuba. piece to give other musicians a rest. In the complex sets of later periods) kept This way of playing soon dissolved into the beginning of jazz, improvisation was time. While pianos were often solo the past when a few players began to minimal, and generally based on the instruments showcasing great players, explore the instrument’s capabilities melody, which meant pieces became set such as Jelly Roll Morton, in a band more fully. after a collective agreement arrived at setting their role was supportive. Before As jazz and American popular music how they should be played. Part of the the guitar (mostly acoustic archtop of the 1920s slid into the 1930s and the NOVEMBER, 2020 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 5 beginning of the swing era, the evolution the early, so-called “jungle music” of sophisticated. To get a taste of how the of rhythm and style brought further “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo” (1927) to music sounded in the 1920s, though, we changes to how the music was played “Showboat Shuffle” (1935) and have Vince Giordano. He and his and heard. Listening to Duke Ellington’s “Caravan” (1936) to “Cottontail” (1940) Nighthawks are a real-time trip to the music over the years is a pretty good and beyond, it’s easy to hear how much magic and excitement of that era gone tutorial for tracking these changes. From the music had evolved and become more by––the Jazz Age.
Welcome - Our New Zoom Techie - Jamie Maletz Jamie Elizabeth Maletz is a composer/lyricist, bookwriter, and producer. In New York, her works have been featured at Lincoln Center, Feinstein's/54 Below, Dixon Place, Under St Marks Theater, and Broadway Night at Prohibition. She received her MFA from the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at NYU Tisch. Maletz has written 12 full-length original musicals, most of which have received workshops/readings or productions in New York and Arizona. As a composer/lyricist, Jamie has studied with Mindi Dickstein, William Finn, Rachel Sheinkin, Michael John LaChiusa, Steven Lutvak and Sybille Pearson. Jamie is the Administrative Assistant for Maestra Music, and she writes the Women Who Wow Us series for the Maestra blog. She is also the Events Coordinator for Ring of Keys, and has worked as an intern with Tom Viertel/The Commercial Theater Institute and Ken Davenport. She is a member of The Off-Broadway League, Maestra, ASCAP, The Dramatists Guild of America, and Fractured Atlas. www.jamiemaletzmusicals.com | @jamiemaletzmusicals
2020-2021 SEASON SCHEDULE October 10- March 13- Michael Lavine Nancy McGraw: The Lyrics of on Songs of Arthur Siegel Johnny Mercer. Musically directed by Mark Nadler
November 14- April 10- Lew Spence Jazz Month featuring Danny Producers Tom Toce and Bacher. Producers Marilyn Michael Lavine Lester/Danny Bacher December 12- May 8- Jon Weber. Songwriter Series. Producer Jerry Osterberg Produced by Sandi Durell
January 9- June 12- Jaime DeRoy and Friends Nat King Cole & Will Friedwald's latest book. Producer Will Friedwald February 13- Peggy Lee / James Gavin “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings Producer Will Friedwald to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” ― Plato PAGE 6 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY NOVEMBER, 2020
If you have any member news, or other items you would like to have considered for this newsletter, please send it by e-mail to the Editor, Jerry Member Osterberg: [email protected]. It will be subject to editing, depending on size and content, and please remember that we try to go to press two weeks before each monthly meeting. We often get very good items that get to us after News... the newsletter has been finalized and made available to the membership.
Linda Amiel Burns, APSS President, is celebrating four decades for us. Sheet music was the reason we were founded thirty plus of The Singing Experience. Several APSS members have taken years ago, after all, and she’s only a phone call or e-mail away. this workshop, some more than once. For those of us who have, Sandy continues to be willing to offer free appraisals with no we can assure you that you’ll feel like a pro by the night of the expectation of having right of first refusal and can provide performance. Although many students have never sung in unbiased advice as to how and where to sell music. It’s not a public before, the supportive environment has prepared them secret, pass it on please. well for their debut. Call Linda at 212-315-3500 to sign up. The In November 2009, to celebrate the centennial of Singing Experience Cable TV show continues MNN Time songwriter/singer Johnny Mercer, Minneapolis radio Warner: Channel 56 or RCN: Channel 111. The program personalities David Cummings and Les Block produced and broadcasts are every Sunday at 5:00 PM. You can also see broadcast a 100th birthday tribute to Mr. Mercer. The show your fellow NYSMS members on YouTube at any time. features original interviews with a distinguished roster of Member David Tane is available to play the piano at your next Mercer-connected performers and writers, showcasing party or other event. David specializes in classic American recordings of Mercer songs sung by the guests and presenting standards. Rates are reasonable. Call or text 914-714-2489 for valuable comments on the songs and on the man. Among the more information. more than twenty celebrities interviewed were Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Kay Starr, Nancy Wilson, Robert Steve Ross reports that the classic radio interview show New Kimball, Barry Manilow and Margaret Whiting. Sadly, our York Cabaret Nights, which was broadcast on WNYC, can be interview with Miss Whiting was her last. The show is being accessed anew by going to https://www.wnyc.org/series/new- archived by the Library of Congress which acknowledged that york-cabaret-nights. “…it would be impossible to produce a work of this quality on Sandi Durell, Publisher-Editor of TheaterPizzazz.com, a vital Johnny Mercer today.” The entire show can be heard online at website that presents up-to-date theater reviews, news, the following URL/web address: interviews and previews, along with cabaret reviews and video. https://archive.org/details/mercer100/ksav-mercer-1.mp3 OR There is a large contributing group of writers who offer
STAY SAFE AND KEEP SINGING !!! End