IN THIS ISSUE:

k An interview with KAY KYSER, GEORGIA CARROLL KYSER and KIMBERLY KYSER BIG k Reviews of TONI TENILLE and JIM M Y DORSEY albums and a BAND book about ANDY RAZAF JUMP ★ A BIG BAND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE TRIVIA QUIZ NEWSLETTER ★ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR about MEL TORME, ARTIE SHAW’S SUMMIT RIDGE DRIVE, JO STAFFORD, RALPH SHARON and more

BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER FIRST-CLASS MAIL Box 52252 U.S. POSTAGE PAID Atlanta, GA 30355 Atlanta, GA Permit No. 2022 BIG BAND JUMP N EWSLETTER

VOLUME 90______BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004 INTERVIEWS - KAY KYSER, the band. He also GEORGIA CARROLL KYSER, valued his KIMBERLY KYSER audience, refusing to The Background shorten stage ap­ In one of those “everybody doesn’t hear every BBJ pearances program” inquiries, several people have inquired about so theater Kay Kyser, with the latest question in a letter published owners in this issue. A BIG BAND JUMP program was could produced about Kay Kyser using archival interview squeeze in segments with Kay himself, his wife Georgia Carroll an addi­ Kyser and one of his daughters, Kimberly Kyser. tional per­ Those interview comments form the basis of this formance feature, dispensing with the usual question and answer to increase form. box office totals. Kay Kyser led a phenomenally successful orchestra in the later thirties and forties, an amazing feat consider­ Musically ing the fact that Kay was not a musician. He was, the Kyser however, a tireless promoter of his product and a organiza­ dynamic personality who made himself and his band tion was into top radio and motion picture stars. Wednesday sometimes night on NBC Radio, forty million listeners tuned in to looked hear the “Kay Kyser Kollege of Musical Knowledge” down upon presented with a studio audience who answered silly by “hip” questions purely as a device to introduce the music. To music put the success of the radio program in perspective, the fans, but population of the United States in the forties was just some of 130 million, so nearly one-third of the entire citizenry the ar- was listening to Kay Kyser each Wednesday. range- ments were highly pleasing and precisely performed, The motion pictures were no less successful, even particularly some of the recordings prepared by George though they consisted of simple and predictable stories Duning, who later went on to write for motion pictures, generally casting Kay as a country rube who in spite of most notably the theme from “Picnic.” himself topped the sophisticated city folk by the final reel. In life, Kay Kyser was an astute business man and The Scene energized performer who placed primary importance on the character of the band members, for they were Through a mutual friend we were introduced to Kim­ together more than the members of their families. He ’ s berly Kyser, whose comments are recorded here, and quoted as saying, “You can make a musician out of a who supplied recordings of previous interviews with gentleman, butyou can’t always make a gentleman out her mother and father. At the time we met Kimberly she of a musician,” in reference to selecting members of had just appeared in a crowd scene for a television VOLUME 90 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004 motion picture starring Candice Bergen, a childhood ing all previous attendance records at the Blackhawk, friend during her early years growing up in Hollywood. leading to a network broadcast. After the Big Band Era was over, and as a consequence, the motion picture stardom for Kay Kyser diminished, BBJ: What kind of a man was Kay Kyser? Daughter the family moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Kimberly Kyser comments. There was an attempt at early television, as referred to in the interview, but Kay Kyser ’ s final years were spent KIMBERLY: There were moments in my life when in the family home in Chapel Hill. I was with him and I needed him and I can hardly talk about it without getting choked up, but We generally imagine that success comes overnight for he was there with you on such a level you couldn’t such personalities as Kay Kyser, but that’s just not believe anybody was so thoughtful and right there with true. For Kay as for so many musicians, it was eight you. On the other hand, he could be as remote and years of playing one-nighters from 1926 at the Univer­ distant and very private as he was warm and with you. sity of North Carolina, through 1934. The first com­ I think the qualities that are his greatest were that he ment was about those years. always listened and he took criticism extremely well. On the other hand, someone named him the “holy KAY: Just barely made it those early days. We drove terror.” He wasn’t mean or vicious, he could be quick- in our cars; I had a thirty dollar Ford Fd had in tongued, very high strung. You can see that in the high school and brought to college with me, and I fixed movies and the tapes of the shows. His energy level it up and so we rode around in that car. We named it is....it’s going to explode....it’s bigger than life. “Passion.” BBJ: Kay Kyser and his band starred in seven mov­ BBJ: The driver for passion was a fellow named ies. He himself was in three other motion Mack Rigsby, who had also worked for Hal pictures. He liked to have fun made of him. There’s a Kemp, the band that preceded Kay Kyser’s at UNC. classic line in the movie “Swing Fever” when Tommy Dorsey and Harry James are supposedly playing in the KAY: Mack was a waiter at the cafeteria next to the Kyser band. James and Dorsey get up to leave the band post office in those days, and Mack said he was with Dorsey saying, “That square will never get any­ going to go north with us if we ever went north like Mr. where. He looks too much like Kay Kyser!” Kemp did. I thought he was kidding, but boy when he heard we were going he was right there with his With the advent of WWII, the Kyser organization suitcase. So, he drove me in my car. He cooked for the played only for service personnel, appearing six hun­ whole band that first summer up in Cleveland. Stayed dred times at military installations, refusing to take with me twenty years, bless his heart. He was more other engagements. than a brother to me. KAY: It was absolutely the most gratifying experi­ BBJ: The “Kollege of Musical Knowledge” origi­ ence I’ve ever had, in fact I told my friends I nated at the Blackhawk in Chicago in 1934 never wanted to play commercially anymore. I’d tasted when Kay’s orchestra followed Hal Kemp into that what real gratitude, really out of the bottom of the heart location. The prime advantage of the Blackhawk ap­ self-effacing gratitude, was all about. pearance was the radio wire and a regular Saturday night broadcast with the band and professional acting BBJ: There was a romance between Kay Kyser and talent. About that time the union insisted that the dark-haired, glamorous Ginny Simms. That actors, who had been working gratis for the exposure, romance never resulted in marriage, but it was source of should be paid. They couldn’t keep the program on the confusion for fans, according to Kimberly Kyser. air if they had to do that, and so Kay came up with the idea of using the audience, asking them questions KIMBERLY: My first realization that Ginny Simms about song titles. It was an immediate success, break­ had been a serious girlfriend of daddy’s

2 VOLUME 90 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004 was when, as people have done all my life, have come crossed the Nevada line her way of accepting his up to me in public and said, “You know, you look just proposal was to say, “Kay, don’t you think you’d better like your mother.” I would thank them and say I never slow down?” heard that before. I was told I looked just like him. They’d squint a moment and then say, “Your mother BBJ: A marriage between Kay Kyser and Georgia had such dark hair.” I told them then my mother is very Carroll was headline news in the '40s, and they blond. They were remembering Ginny Simms. I’d wanted to keep it a secret. smile and say, “No, he didn’t marry her. He married KIMBERLY: They went to the Justice of the Peace in Georgia Carroll.” Las Vegas at 2 AM and got him out of bed. He put on his holster on top of his pajamas, did the BBJ: A t the time ceremony, and they checked into a motel under an Georgia assumed name. Carroll, who displayed a perfect face and fig­ The next morning the headlines were: “KAY KYSER ure, was described by MARRIES.” It turns out the justice of the peace was a John Robert Powers, stringer for AP. who ran a model agency, as “The Most beautiful BBJ: The story is Kay Kyser wanted to retire several girl in the world.” She times during the forties, but was talked out of it every recalls how she met Kay. time. If was after a brief sojourn into television he finally broke up the band and moved to Chapel Hill, GEORGIA: I met Kay on a USO show, and one North Carolina. time when we were traveling on a bus and singing to pass the hours away, my friend who was GEORGIA: Kay always wanted to live in Chapel sitting next to me told Kay I could sing a little bit, so Hill and he always wanted to retire next time I went out on a USO show, Kay asked me to early. We came down here to try out this house he had sing. One thing led to another and he lost the singer he inherited. We were just going to stay a few months of had at the time, Trudy Erwin, and he put me on as a the year, but we got so interested in doing it over and singer to see how I would do. I was so nervous it took liked Chapel Hill so much we’ve been here ever since. me quite a while to get accustomed to being on this “live” radio. BBJ: A reflection of the man is the fact that Kay Kyser endowed musical scholarships at the BBJ: Georgia Carroll became more than just a per­ University ofNorth Carolina, was instrumental in build­ former on the Kyser radio programs. A ro­ ing a hospital there and was the reason one of the first mance developed between Kay Kyser and Georgia educational TV stations in the nation was built, on the Carroll. UNC campus.

KIMBERLY: Mother was singing with the orches­ KIMBERLY: He never specifically talked about the tra and they were playing a show in past with us. He was so intent on the desert on a military base. Daddy asked if he could moving forward in life and not looking back and think­ drive her back to Los Angeles where she lived with my ing, “Weren’t those the glorious days.” He spent many grandmother, but instead he went the opposite way. years after his retirement doing public works. He was driving very fast and he was stopped by the highway patrol. He got out and whispered to the Kay Kyser died of heart failure at his Chapel Hill, policeman that he was kidnapping my mother to get North Carolina office on July 23, 1985. He was married in the middle of the night. When the officer 80. Our thanks to Kay K yser’s daughter Kimberly found out who it was and where they were going, he and his wife Georgia for their comments and escorted them at ninety miles an hour, and when they contributions in this "interview profile. ”

3 VOLUME 90 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004

at the early hour of 6:00 to 7:00 AM on Sunday LETTERS TO THE EDITOR mornings. I look forward to finding ways to hear more of your programs at a more convenient time. Letters to BIG BAND JUMP or the BBJ NEWS­ LETTER may be sent to the address below, or Among the great tunes you played on a recent program e-mailed to: [email protected]. When you was one by Artie Shaw titled “Summit Ridge Drive,” e-mail, please give your name and address. All which you introduced as being named for the street in letters are answered, but the volume of mail some­ Pacific Palisades, California where Artie lived at the times delays a timely response. time. I respectfully offer a different explanation. It is my understanding that Mr. Shaw lived on Summit BBJ NEWSLETTER Drive in the town of Summit, New Jersey. Thank you Box 52252 for providing us with such good music. Atlanta, GA 30355 Thank YOUfor the nice words. NickFatool, who The published letters have been edited for space played drums on SUMMIT RIDGE DRIVE origi­ considerations, but the meaning has been preserved. nally mentioned to us it was the name of the Street in California where Artie Shaw was living Stan Krolick M e 1 at the time, and where SUM­ Delray Beach, FL Torme MIT RIDGE DRIVE was re­ a n d hearsed prior to its September Bob Wells wrote the 3rd, 1940 recording at RCA CHRISTMAS SONG. Who Victor’s Hollywood studios. It wrote the music and who wrote was confirmed by album notes. the words? Would appreciate the Not so incidentally, BBJ used answer. to be on San Francisco’s KABL, but was cancelled a few We checked with Ray Anthony years ago when a new pro­ who also wrote a Christmas gram director took over. song with Mel Torme and he That's the reason we solicited told us the lyrics were written the non-commercial KCSM, before the music by Bob Wells. which apparently can only We were told it was the open­ schedule the one hour BBJ ver­ ing line, “Chestnuts roasting sion early Sunday morning. on an open fire " that inspired Mel Torme to write the melody David Lewis The Artie which so neatly fits those now Oakland, CA Shaw theme classic lyrics. It may be of must surely be interest that just the opposite is true of MY one of the greatest pieces ever written for and per­ CHRISTMAS DREAM, a lovely holiday song writ­ formed by a band. I have always marveled at that ten shortly before M el’s death with the melody when I’ve heard it. It is so against the grain, and written by Ray Anthony and the words by Mel hauntingly complex without being as a jazz composi­ Torme. The first nationally heard song with both tions can be - rambling. words and music by Mel Torme dated to 1941, when a sixteen year old Torme interested Is Jo Stafford the most underrated vocalist of all time? bandleader Harry James in recording LAMENT I hear her and think she might be my all-time favorite. TO LOVE. Her voice is so lucid, like pure water, and has so much in it (so many different style nuances), not the least, John Milano I love to listen to your program on timbre. San Mateo, CA KCSM even though it’s broadcast 4 VOLUME 90 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004

The Ralph Sharon Dr. H. Reiter John Shore, a trum- solo: as for his “joyful Brookville, NY p e t player, invent­ liberties” taken, well, ed the tuning fork in those demonstrate to 1711, and tuned to A-440, which is the me one of the central pitch used today. (He refers to 440 conceits of Big Ego cycles or hertz per second, a tone jazz artists - that they which is ".A ” on the musical scale. are better composers ED.) than the actual ones. We saw this at its Jim Penna Stan Kenton recorded abominable worst Ocala, FL SEPTEMBER SONG when La Streisand three times, the well- took the Rodgers & known whole band vocal in the early Hart song “My Favor­ 1950 ’ s, the selection from the “road show” ite Things” and virtu­ Jo Stafford with the lucid voice album with June Christy and the Four ally rewrote t h e ------F re s h ­ melody when she recorded it. I’ve never been men and the Tex Ritter impressed with that aspect of jazz. Thanks for a album from ’62. Just neat program. another little comer of musical history. Mr. Lewis was reacting to a specific BBJ pro­ gram. Our answer to him mentioned both Erroll Bill Sullivan Your Garner and Ralph Sharon as being able to take Sun City, AZ " Song some liberties without destroying the melody; in Date” our opinion enhancing it. There is, most critics trivia quiz for LOVE agree, a fine line between tasteful improvisation IS HERE TO STAY and some of the jazz played seemingly for the brings to mind a story. Kenton musician’s benefit alone. Les Brown, Sr. summed Gershwin only wrote it up a few years ago when he said, “Some musi­ nine bars of the song before his death in 1938. Fortu­ cians play as if they ’re being paid by the note. ” nately, Oscar Levant remembered the rest from hearing In the final analysis, the appreciation of all it played and the chorus was completed. Good friend music is subjective. Mr. Lewis tells us h e ’s the Vernon Duke wrote a verse and fra Gershwin finished author of “Broadway Musicals: A Hundred Year the lyrics. An unusual combination of creative talents, History. ” all done after George died. Lois Cherner I heard your “Sweet Bands” San Francisco, CA BBJprogram. Iwentto school in Chicago and I have to tell you that my crowd thought the sweet bands were corny, and we hated Guy Lombardo and Lawrence Welk. I still can’t stand them. However, it was fun to hear the program and be able to sing all the lyrics to CECILIA. I wonder if today’s high school students will still remember lyrics sixty years from now? I doubt it, although since they are mostly one or two syllables, maybe they will. Thanks for your program. Once in a while people write to simply state some interesting musical facts as repre­ Ira & George at work sented by the following three letters.

5 VOLUME 90 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004

Edmund R. Galli I just finished listening to the Aging rocker Rod Stewart put out an album of standards Leesburg, FL Kay Kyser CD purchased a few months ago, singing songs as written by such from BBJ Sales. It was most composers as the Gershwins, Rodgers & Hart and Cole enjoyable. It has been years since I’ve listened to his Porter. That album immediately shot to the top of the recordings. I was impressed by the fine arrangements, charts, no doubt fueled in part by Rod Stewart fans, but and now realize he had a fine band. The reason for this equally due to the quality of those timeless lyrics and letter is: Can you recommend any books that can tell beautifully crafted melodies. What happened then, of me about Kay Kyser, his side men and singers? I enj oy course, was that other rock and some country folk also very much your weekly programs and the newsletter. tried their hand at an album of the standards, and Rod himself issued a second CD of melodies written mostly Our local book store with two computer book in the ’30s and ’40s. search programs could not find any book about Kay Kyser, but there is considerable informa­ While we don’t think Rod Stewart’s performance is tion on the internet at www. ibiblio. org/kaykyser/ ideal, the success of his album and the resulting albums with pictures and history. This letter also caused issued because of that success are serving to acquaint us to publish interview material in this issue new generations to Great American Music, and encour­ using comments from Georgia Carroll Kyser, aging some artists who know how sing such songs to daughter Kimberly Kyser and archival comments either re-issue their CDs or record new ones. (Toni of Kay himself, all revealing facets of the Kyser Tennille is an example. Her newest album is reviewed legend. Our thanks to Mr. Galli fo r his interest in in this issue.) Kay Kyser resulting in our discovery that we had not previously used the interview material from a Maybe, j ust maybe, the record companies will take a cue BBJ program about him in this publication. from the rocketing sales of the two Rod Stewart albums of standards and the resulting similar releases by others This is one o f those printed apologies that are and realize that music quality is a major factor. There sometimes headlined ERRATUM or CORREC­ have been some wonderful songs written in the imme­ TION in newspapers. We goofed in the last BBJ diate past decades, but their numbers are few simply NEWSLETTER issue when we said Sonny Dunham because: (1) performers can’t do “real” songs and inno­ would be 89 in November. Our watchdog o f birth vative melodies justice, and (2) the public has been and death dates, Doug Parker, wrote to tell us deluged with simple three-chord music and repetitive Sonny Dunham died in Miami, Florida on July 9, lyrics for so long they think that’s what music is. 1990 at age 75. There are some outstanding performers of Great Ameri­ THE RECORD BUSINESS can Music extant today; they simply need to be pro­ moted, particularly in the light of the success of the Commentary by Hagen Williams standards by some performers who are less able to present such melodies well. This could be the beginning Hagen Williams is our resident curmudgeon. of a trend or simply a blip on the screen of time, but the success of such albums proves that quality might be the Recently the merger between Columbia Records/ answer to drooping record sales. SONY and RCA Victor Records/BMG was finalized in their effort to cut costs and somehow improve their (^BOOKS & RECORDS TO CONSIDER^) profit figures. Retail record sales have been dropping rapidly in stores across the nation; rock and rap record­ TONI TENNILLE - MORE THAN YOU KNOW ings don ’ t seem to be selling as well as they did in past Varese Sarabande 302 066 507 2 years. A tiny percentage of the drop in retail record sales is due to internet downloading, but perhaps Why, you may ask, would a Big Band newsletter review there’s another factor....the quality of the product. a vocal recording by an artist whose original reputation

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(Tape or Staple Here) CENTER PAGE OFFER - 101 DICK HAYMES RECORDINGS

Reviewed in an earlier issue, this Dick Haymes collection is the ultimate album for Haymes' fans. Every significant recording made by him from 1941 through 1952 is included in this very special set, beginning with his Harry James recording of I'LL GET BY and ending with IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU with Victor Young in 1952 and ADIEU with the Andrews Sisters in 1949. In between are nearly all the musical mileposts of the Haymes career.

There are four of the early recordings with Harry James, then his first hit for Decca in f 9 4 3 , YOU'LL NEVER KNOW. Eighty-two of the recordings are solo performances, with the others including duets with the Andrews Sisters, Helen Forrest, Four Hits and A Miss, Ethel Merman, Eileen Wilson and in one instance even Bing Crosby joins Dick Haymes for THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS.

Rare moments from Haymes radio broadcasts are included, as well as a few shining examples of his work on radio transcriptions not heard by the public until recently. O f course, the most memorable Haymes recordings are included: LITTLE WHITE LIES, IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING, LET THE REST OF THE WORLD GO BY, LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY, THE MORE I SEE YOU, LAURA, I'LL BUY THAT DREAM, I WISH I DIDN'T LOVE YOU SO, YOU'D BE SO NICE TO COME HOME TO, WHAT'LL 1 DO and so many others, all performed in the precise way that characterized the Haymes style, but at the same time with the emotion so necessary to make a song come to life.

The technical quality is superb, the performances are, of course, outstanding. Dick Haymes was without doubt one of the prime singers of the 20th century whose personal problems prevented him from becoming the star he should have been. This collection restores Dick Haymes to his rightful place among the top vocalists.

(H -9) Four CDs-101 songs - Five hours of music - $50.00 with free shipping and handling.

To order, please phone 1 -800-377-0022. If you prefer to order by mail, use either Visa or MasterCard as below.

Please send me: (H-9) 101 DICK HAYMES RECORDINGS $50.00 (FREE S&H)

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In-person interviews with outstanding Big Band music personalities.

Reviews of books and records to consider for serious collectors of Big Band music and information.

Anecdotes and background stories about the key personalities of the Big Band scene.

News about the men and women keeping the Big Band sound alive in the United States and throughout the world.

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(Tape or Staple Here) VOLUME 90 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004 came with an entirely different kind of music as part of same time have such value, one for a fresh approach the “Captain and Tennille?” Two reasons: She is a to the valued music of inspired songwriters, the other credible singer with the four final recordings made by Jimmy Dorsey, introducing a plus some later Lee Castle/Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra list of Great cuts as originally released on the Cincinnati-based American Fraternity label. Songs to what could be a new After issuing a vocal hit with Cathy Carr in 1956, the listening pub­ new Fraternity label hired Jimmy Dorsey in what was lic, and the ar­ then described as a rear-guard action against the bur­ rangements on geoning popularity of rock. Jimmy Dorsey was termi­ the CD are by nally ill with the cancer that eventually took him, but he Sammy went to a New York City studio to cut four sides in a sax Nestico, one of style he later said was influenced by Earl Bostic, who today’s finest coincidentally had made his modest fame with another musical crafts­ Cincinnati label. men. There is a welcome The four sides cut that November day in 1956 included trend in the past SO RARE, MAMBO EN SAX, SOPHISTICATED few months for SWING and IT’S THE DREAMER IN ME, all with the aging rock Artie Malvin singers and the alto sax solo work of stars to record Jimmy Dorsey. In April of 1957 SO RARE began an America’s impressive twenty-six week stay on the record charts, popular clas­ peaking at number two. The issued SO RARE was sics, and while actually take two; both takes are on this archival CD, some of those along with the other sides noted above. Jimmy Dorsey stars are perhaps beyond their abilities, they ARE was presented his SO RARE gold record days before he introducing Gershwin, Porter, Mercer, Arlen and oth­ died. ers to a younger generation. In addition to the original Jimmy Dorsey sessions, the Toni Tennille’s recording can be recommended, for CD is rounded out with the Lee Castle-led Dorsey band she knows how to treat a song, and the production in JAY-DEES BOOGIE, SPEAK LOW, JUNE NIGHT value both technically and musically is beyond re­ and others, some in the SO RARE style in an attempt to proach. The title song, MORE THAN YOU KNOW is cash in on the unexpected popularity of that recording. joined by DO IT AGAIN, I GOT IT BAD AND THAT The fun here, though, is the master-like quality of the AIN’T GOOD, OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY, original Dorsey recordings and the alternate first take, LET’S DO IT, DREAM, MOONGLOW and eleven presented in raw form. It is a piece of auditory history. others equally captivating. This is a way to again hear those enduring standards, but with a fresh, soaring 14 tracks - 37 minutes sound. Should be available in any large record store, or they can order it. 19 tracks - 70 minutes Should be available at any large record store. BLACK AND BLUE - The Andy Razaf Story By Barry Singer THE FABULOUS JIMMY DORSEY Varese Sarabande 302 066 479 2 You may legitimately ask, “Who is Andy Razaf?” He’s the nearly unknown lyricist who wrote the words to This album came in with the above Toni Tennille CD. AIN’T MISBEHAVIN, MEMORIES OF YOU, HON­ Seldom do two issues from the same company at the EYSUCKLE ROSE, BLUE TURNING GREY OVER 7 VOLUME 90 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004

YOU, S’POSIN, SQUEEZE ME and hundreds of oth­ operated for the most part without the benefit of a ers. He worked with a number of melody writers, most permanent office and with numerous affairs. His notably Eubie Blake and Fats Waller. Author Barry genius was displayed not through his lifestyle, but through his thoughtful lyrics. Most of his lyrics did not reflect his frustration with racial prejudice. One no­ table exception was his composition BLACK AND BLUE....’’what did I do to be so black and blue.”

Andy Razaf died on February 3rd, 1973 of the compli­ cations of tertiary syphilis, but not before he was inducted into the writer’s Hall of Fame. In the year before his death he ruminated on his life. “My color made life interesting,” he said. “With it came a sense of humor and the gift of laughter and a soul. It has given me something to strive for and shown me every advan­ tage over thousands of white men, bom with every advantage, who turned out to be nobodies.”

A list of the hundreds of Razaf songs is included at the end of the book, as well as a roster of recommended recordings of those songs. The text is extremely detailed, but with some assumptions where hard facts Andy & Alicia Razaf with uncle John Waller, Jr. weren’t available. The writer obviously did extensive research, using material supplied by the Razaf family Singer has done exhaustive research, giving us an intertwined with information from newspapers, play­ intimate look into the background, the personality and bills and the recollections of Razaf peers, plus books the lyric contributions of Mr. Razaf. written about the years involved. There is, perhaps, more information than the casual observer would want Andy Razaf was bom Andrea Razafkeriefo, the product to know, but provides fascinating background of the of the daughter of a career diplomat assigned to the time. Read in small doses, it’s a most interesting island of Madagascar and the nephew of the island’s reflection of the songwriting business in general and hereditary queen, but his birth was in Washington, Andy Razaf in particular. D.C., and his early years were spent in communities in and around Manhattan. His grandfather, the highly Schirmer Books - New York political activist John Waller (no relation to Fats) died 444 pages when Andrea was 12 years old; his father died before he was bom. It’s said that Andrea’s grandfather Waller liked to write light verse, Andrea’s mother fancied GENERAL KNOWLEDGE - herself a poetess and his mother’s step-sister Minnie was a singer and lyric writer, so it was no accident that BIG BAND ERA TRIVIA QUIZ Andrea began writing poetry at an early age. His ability to beat perfect time at age six and his own memory of It’s a fact that most teenagers and many college stu­ having written his first original verse at age 10 are dents today have never seen a 78 RPM recording; one subjects of family legends. 40 year old, having seen a 78 for the first time thought it was an album, thinking of it as an LP, the only disc It was Andy Razaf who penned the lyrics to the 1929 she’d ever seen. With that in mind, we’ve crafted a Broadway hit “Hot Chocolates” and who lived a some­ “General Knowledge” quiz from the Big Band Era, what random life in the mode of Fats Waller, ignoring posing questions about recording of the time, but his first wife and, while more organized than Fats, dropping in others of a widely varied nature. 8 VOLUME 90 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004

3 - Harry James recorded early for what minor label?

(A)Fonen - (B) Varsity - (C)Decca - (D) Beaumont

4 - Guy Lombardo had a brother-in-law who sang. He was:______

(A) A1 Leibert - (B) Kenny Gortman - (C) Kenny Gardner - (D) Kenny Sargent

5 - Which musician was a pioneer with multi-track recording?______

(A) Fred Waring - (B) Joe Carr - (C) Doris Day - (D) Les Paul

, , 6 - The first “Gold Record” award went to: Fred Waring, who may or may not be germane to this quiz.

This time we’ve made the quiz multiple choice. Please (A) In The Mood - (B) Chattanooga Choo Choo - select one of the four answers provided, jotting down (C) Bei Mir Bist du Schon (D) Begin The Beguine your choice in the blank at the end of each question. Because the quiz is multiple choice, and because the 7 - Doris Day originally wanted to be a: answers should be part of most reader’s life experi­ ence, we’re suggesting that you should get a grade of at least an eight. If you do you’ll rate an ‘A’. If you get (A) Stand-up comedienne - (B) Movie actress - all ten correct, you will of course be eligible for an (C) Dancer - (D) Teacher ‘A+’, and with six or seven correct we’ll award you with a ‘B’ but if you come in at five or fewer right 8 - 78s were made of a compound of shellac. LPs answers you’ll have to be satisfied with a ‘C’ and work were made from:______out a way not to show your report card to your parents. We have not, you’ll notice, provided for letter grades (A) bakelite - (B) glassine - (C) aluminum - (D) below ‘C’ simply because we don’t want to embarrass vinyl any student in this politically correct time. Answers will be elsewhere in this issue, and we wish you good 9 - There were two sizes of LPs for a time. They luck, particularly with the tough grading. were:______

1 - After the 78 RPM disc came two other speeds. They (A) 10" & 12" - (B) 7" & 10" - (C) 5" & 12" - were:______(D) 16" & 12"

(A) 50 & 30 - (B) 45 & 76 - (C)45&78 - (D)45& 10- Before he had his own band, Frankie Carle 33 1/3 played with:______

2 - Stan Kenton’s first national recording company (A) Fred Waring - (B) Benny Goodman - contract was:______(C) Glenn Miller - (D) Horace Heidt

(A)Decca - (B) Capitol - (C) Columbia - (D) Bluebird

9 VOLUME 90 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004

THE ELECTRIC PARK BALLROOM older patrons. Territory bands still appear and once in - Waterloo, Iowa a while a ‘name ’ band will attract a large audience, such as the current Miller Orchestra when 750 dancers Every so often we recall one o f the ballrooms o f the attended. The National Cattle Congress currently Big Band Era, the locations throughout the nation operates the ballroom. playing host to local, regional and national bands. HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM IN Located in west Waterloo, the Electric Park Ballroom DANGER OF DEMOLITION is one of the few dance venues in the nation still in As an addendum to this ballroom article, the word is that the famous Hollywood Palladium is in danger of THE HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM King Of The Big Band Ballrooms

Electric Park Ballroom in the ’80s operation with a remarkable history spanning over a century. It was 1902 when the original Electric Park Ballroom opened its doors, but as is the case for all the nation’s dance palaces, its glory days were the ’30s and ’40s. The original building was destroyed in 1931, but replaced with the current structure attracting crowds of from 500 to nearly 3,000.

Locals recall the WMT radio broadcasts from the ballroom, always opening with the announcement: “ From the beautiful Electric Park Ballroom on Whitney Road just off Rainbow Drive on the near west side of Waterloo, we bring you..... ” A special night for both radio broadcasting and those who were there was the June 23rd, 1941 appearance of Glenn Miller. Admis­ Palladium poster on opening night October, '41 sion was $1.25 per person for those special events, but young people could dance on Tuesday nights for fifteen demolition. Recently this landmark has been poorly cents admission; on Sundays if the couples arrived maintained and little effort has been put into securing before 8:30 PM they paid just twenty-five cents each. bookings for this magnificent dance and conference Saturday night was singles (stag) night. center location. According to reports, the current owners are attempting to sell the Palladium and the During the ’80s, the Electric Park Ballroom continued surrounding area (mostly parking lots) for a residen- to open on Tuesdays for teen dancing and Thursdays for tial/retail development, (continued next page)

10 VOLUME 90 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004

Los Angeles supporters of the Palladium contend that sections, this part devoted to the Big Bands, both with with proper management, it could be profitably used vocals and purely instrumental. Glenn Miller will be for trade shows, and its 12,000 foot main room and represented, of course, but so will Billy May, Vaughn kitchen make it ideal for banquets and convention use. Monroe and Henry Mancini as well as others. There Given its future potential and its past history as a vital part have, as you would imagine, been full programs con­ of music, broadcasting, movies and telecasting, it would cerned with each of the above bands, but in this alpha­ be disastrous to lose such a world-famous landmark. betical designation we sample the workof each of them.

UPCOMING BBJ PROGRAM TITLES January 24-25, 2004 Those were GOODMAN REMEMBRANCE pace-setting January 3-4, 2004 (Repeat list- days, the REMEMBERING TEX BENEKE/ ing for new early days of the Benny Goodman Orchestra, a band TRAVELING MUSIC subscrib­ that carved a niche for all the Big Band music to follow. ers.) Back in In this program we hear not only the earlier Goodman 1998 we interviewed Tex Beneke and we hear his recordings, but comments from early singer Helen comments on the first hour of the program, Ward, from Benny Goodman himself and along with his music both with the Miller the stories behind the music. You’ll hear Orchestra and with his own post-war band. excerpts from the historic Goodman If s a bit of nostalgia as we hear him speak Carnegie Hall concert, the ground-break­ about his career and review his remark­ ing Fletcher Henderson and Jimmy Mundy able contributions to music. arrangements and the later Goodman re­ cordings resulting from his tours of Eu­ The second hour will feature music with rope. It promises to be both a nostalgic destinations or travel in the titles. Kay musical trip and a delightful informational Kyser’s SLOW BOAT TO CHINA and experience. LOVE ON A GREYHOUND BUS, for example. Artie Shaw’s SUMMIT RIDGE Jan. 31/Feb 1, 2004 Years ago DRIVE will be heard again, along with THE SMALL GROUPS when we last destination recordings by Woody Herman, featured the the Andrews Sisters and Benny Goodman, among others. small groups within some of the Big Bands, we confined ourselves to instrumental groups. In this January 10-11, 2004 Such a format seems terribly program we mix those ’40s groups with some of the HOST’S CHOICE self-involved, but we thought later groups emerging as quality players in the style of it would be interesting to sim­ the Era. These newer groups will be heard along with ply let program host Don Kennedy select some of his the reliables: Artie Shaw’s Gramercy Five, Woody own favorites. We know from past experience that Herman’s Chips, Goodman’s Sextet and the Will Bra­ Harry James is one of his favorite bands from the Era, dley Trio, among others. The melodies of these small and he’s devoted to Gene Krupa for reasons both aggregations have often been termed “chamber jazz” musical and personal. The program may include snip­ and as such, create a fresh sound for listeners. pets of past interviews with musical personalities when they apply to favorite recordings being presented. February 7-8, 2004 A listener came up There will, we suspect, be an atmosphere of informal­ SINGLE WORD TITLES with this idea. “Why ity to these proceedings. not,” he wrote, “do a program with one word in the title.” There will be such January 17-18, 2004 Last month’s ‘M’ FILE dealt melodies as CANDY, MOONGLOW, MISTY, RUBY, THE ‘M’ FILE with vocalists whose names OH!, CHEROKEE, LAURA, TENDERLY, SKY­ began with the letter ‘M’. LARK, AVALON, SNOWFALL, DIANE and so on. Because of the size of the file, we’ve split it into two Basing the program on titles will yield a variety of

11 VOLUME 90 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004

many such intriguing facts creating a most entertaining program.

February 28-29, 2004 Years ago a listener chided us REQUESTS for having even one request program in a two year period, but it seems the maj ority of listener s enj oy hearing their requests, particularly in this day of e-mail and the ease with which a request can be made. There are always surprises when listeners write, for tastes vary widely, lending a fresh sound to the proceedings. You may hear a selection you’ve never heard before and imme­ diately after one of the old reliables. It is this variance that contributes to the appeal of such a program.

March 6-7, 2004 The time was the late ’40s. SAUTER-FINEGAN/ New technical recording tech- ARRANGERS niques expanded the poten­ tial for fresh sounds in Big A laughing Claude Thornhill whose theme Band recordings. Two arrangers who had worked for will be heard on SINGLE WORD TITLES. others got together at this time and caused a mild sensation using unusual instruments with arrangements artists and styles which is one of the advantages of such crafted especially for listening. While the Sauter- a plan. Should be a fun program. Finegan approach didn ’ t revive the Big Band business in the United States, it did cause considerable talk February 14-15, 2004 As a general rule BBJ doesn’t among a group of aficionados. ROMANCE cater to music to fit certain dates, with the exception of During the second hour we look into some of the other the Christmas season but we’re making an exception in arrangers whose importance has been generally over­ this program to be filled with romantic music. Ro­ looked in the glare of the spotlight upon leaders, mance is, of course, the basis for so many lyrics, and singers and sidemen. quitea few instrumentals. It’s our hope we can combine both forms to create a smooth and pleasing listening Sports or news events sometimes alter BBJ pro­ experience for Valentine's Day. gram times or subjects, so please check with your local Adult Standard station for exact day, time February 21-22, 2004 Most of us recall Ray Conniff and subject of BIG BAND JUMP in your area. RAY CONNIFF as the director of the appeal­ ing “Ray Conniff Singers” which recorded popular LP albums in the sixties. This program looks into the background of Ray Conniff, Answers to General Knowledge Trivia Quiz who was a trombonist in the Big Band Era, and arranged for many of the Big Bands over the years, including 1-D 2-A 3-B 4-C 5-D Charlie Spivak and Harry James. In one memorable instance, Ray Conniff used the same arrangement for 6-B 7-C 8-D 9-A 10-D one of his choral recordings that was used years earlier by Harry James. Producer Dave Riggs has researched

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