VOLUME 42, NUMBER 8 Formerly New York Sheet Music Society www.APSSinc.org MAY 2021 ALL THAT JAZZ: Marilyn Lester & Danny Bacher An All-Star, Sparkling Afternoon of Music By Jerry Osterberg 1938, has been described Louis Armstrong said: as “The single most “If you have to ask what important jazz or popular jazz is, you’ll never music concert in history.” know.” No questions were Goodman, who played the necessary on the clarinet, alto saxophone, afternoon of April 10, as and baritone sax, began members streamed onto his career at the age of 14, the latest edition of playing in a band which Marilyn Lester’s annual featured Bix Beiderbecke. salute to Jazz. Co-hosted He is best known for his by Danny Bacher, the racially integrated band program featured many of and for catapulting swing the greatest talents of the music to the premiere genre by way of video position of American clips of their music in the late 1930’s performances, together and into the World War II Danny Bacher & Jon Weber with live renditions by era. Although Goodman Bacher, accompanied by dabbled in Bebop for a the irrepressible Jon Weber. Known affectionately as “Floorshow” for while, partly based on an admiration for Gathered within the limitless cloud of his versatility, he was given a horn and Thelonious Monk, he eventually found the Zoom Room, were Louis Jordan, Ray vocal solo by Ellington, appearing in the himself no longer in sync with Monk, Nance, Benny Goodman, Tex Beneke, first recording of “It Don’t Mean a Thing who said: “The piano ain’t got no wrong Jack Teagarden, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).” Nance also notes.” The King of Swing countered with Gillespie, Clark Terry, Louis Prima and created the iconic solo in “Take the A “Basically it’s all wrong. It’s not even Keely Smith. The show opened with Train” in an arrangement knowing the scales.” Louis Jordan’s “Let the Good Times which remained the Roll” and “If It’s Love You Want Baby, standard for the next It’s Me.” Jordan, a saxophonist/singer twenty years. played with the Chick Webb Orchestra Perhaps influenced by before forming his own Tympany Five, George Gershwin’s opinion which in one eight-year period produced “Life is a lot like jazz – it’s 57 R & B chart hits. His biggest influence best when you improvise,” was Fats Waller. The music was said to Jon Weber did just that. No contain some of the early foundations for one can insert as many Rock & Roll musicians such as Chuck snatches of popular songs Berry, Bill Haley, and Jerry Lee Lewis. within an improvisation as Ray Nance, who had his own band in he does! Even an alert the 1930’s and played with Earl Hines for listener, blessed with a two years, was a trumpeter, violinist, and good ear, is unable to singer, whose most important identify them all as Weber contribution to popular music was his moves from one short Clark Terry time with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, phrase to another. where he replaced Cootie Williams who Benny Goodman’s had joined the Benny Goodman Band. legendary concert at Carnegie Hall in Continued on page 3 PAGE 2 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY MAY, 2021 American President’s Message... Popular Song Linda Amiel Burns, President Society Greetings to APSS Members, Friends, Family and Fans, President: Linda Amiel Burns (212) 315-3500 We are thrilled to have nearly gotten through the 2020-2021 season so successfully on Zoom. We are immensely thankful to Vice Presidents: you all for your continued support. And we are all so grateful to the producers, Joan Adams performers, musicians, and historians who have given so generously of their time, Sandi Durell delighting us with incredible programs that help to keep this important Treasurer & Membership: organization thriving and making new memories. Glen Charlow April is Jazz Month, and each year with the help of Producer Marilyn Lester, we Secretary: get to celebrate this great American art form. Last month, Danny Bacher co- Marilyn Lester produced the program with Marilyn Lester, and presented an exciting afternoon, Board Of Directors: featuring Danny’s own terrific performance, accompanied by the always- Elliott Ames marvelous Jon Weber on piano. As expected, Marilyn’s insights were extremely Danny Bacher perceptive and engaging. Also, many thanks and a warm welcome to our new Zoom Bill Boggs Director, Amy Englehardt, who guided the program smoothly without any Will Friedwald Michael Lavine technical glitches. We are all getting used to Zoom, but are still hoping for the Sandy Marrone day when it will be safe to gather and hold our APSS meetings in person. Jerry Osterberg Andrew Poretz For those of you who missed the program, or just want to re-live the pleasure, Judy Stewart Tom Toce please read the lead story, by our Editor-in-Chief, Jerry Osterberg. Mark William A special highlight of every APSS season has been Sandi Durell’s popular Annual N E W S L E T T E R Songwriter Series. This is her 16th year (!) producing these unique showcases, Editor/Publisher: Jerry Osterberg and I found it amazing how many remarkable composers and performers she has [email protected] featured, many of whom were just starting out and are now renowned in their Contributing Editor: Marilyn Lester fields. So, please don’t miss this jam-packed program on Saturday, May 8th from [email protected] Associate Editor: Joan Adams Noon to 2:00PM, hosted by our own Board Member and the Creator/Editor of [email protected] Theater Pizzazz. I know that I am eagerly anticipating yet another “Durell Graphic Designer: Glen Charlow Spectacular Event!” [email protected] Photographer: Rose Billings I hope that you are all well, vaccinated, and starting to resume your lives, [email protected] especially now that the weather is better and Spring has Sprung! Looking forward to seeing you and saying Membership Mailing Address: hello, even if it is still in a little American Popular Song Society box on my computer screen. P.O. Box 5856 Pikesville, MD 21282 Happy Merry Month of May and Why is that the mailing address? Because the treasurer lives I’ll see you on May 8th. in Baltimore, Maryland. [email protected] Best, This email address goes to Glen Charlow ❤ Memberships can Linda be paid with: Linda Amiel Burns, President American Popular Song Society Billy Stritch, Marilyn Maye (who just celebrated her 93rd birthday), and 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. MAY, 2021 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 3 After listening Build a Dream & Weber, the members joined Keeley to a rare example On” and “La Vie Smith to sing the immortal words of of Goodman’s En Rose.” Bacher Irving Caesar: “I ain’t got no body,” not singing voice in also performed once but several times. The iconic refrain “Gotta Be This or “La Vie En Rose” comes from “Just a Gigilo,” originally That,” Danny in his own translated from the German. A song, Bacher followed inestimable style. whose original lyrics referenced the with “Goody A major figure social decline of post-World War I Goody,” which had in the development Austria, ultimately brought us all a great been recorded by of bebop and deal of joy. Helen Ward and modern jazz was “A great deal of joy” pretty much the Goodman band Dizzy Gillespie. In summed up the day. The informative and in 1936. Always a describing his witty narration of Marilyn Lester, charismatic style and method, together with the superb performances of performer, Bacher he explained “I try Danny Bacher and Jon Weber, plus the not only plays a to play the bare rare video clips from Will Friedwald, soprano Benny Goodman essence, to let combined for yet another afternoon of saxophone, but he everything be just unbeatable entertainment! With such is also an excellent vocalist. Given the what it’s supposed to be.” He was a nature of popular music nowadays and trumpeter virtuoso and bandleader who the distinct decline of Big Band music first played music at the age of four. By and its resident soloists, Bacher is a rare twelve he had mastered both the trumpet breed and a welcome presence. and trombone. Gillespie was heavily Tex Beneke, who joined the Glenn influenced by his idol Roy Eldridge. His Miller Band in 1935, was both a early band experience came through Cab saxophonist and singer. He was notable Calloway and Earl Hines. He would later for several of Miller’s hits: “In the be instrumental in teaching Miles Davis, Mood,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” and Fats Navarro, and other musicians as “I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo.” Miller well as singers such as Johnny Hartman. disbanded his group to head up the Glenn Bacher and Weber presented a wonderful Miller Army-Air Force Band during example of one of Gillespie’s most WWII. Beneke took over its leadership popular songs, “Ooh Shube Doobie,” following Miller’s death during a war although without the benefit of stylish talent in our midst, the American Popular related accident, before going out on his berets. Song Society has continued to weather own in 1950. The video clip featured Bacher and Weber seized yet another the challenge of Covid with much flair. Beneke’s performance of “Somebody opportunity to shine by way of a tune Just imagine what it will be like when our Loves Me,” after which Bacher and which must have taken a lot of practice, membership is able to express its Weber joined in a hilarious send- up of “Mumbles.” Introduced by Clark Terry, a appreciation in real time and with audible “Chattanooga Choo Choo” entitled “Sao legendary player of the trumpet and applause! Paulo Choo Choo,” for a much longer flugelhorn, “Mumbles” consists of a ride than one to Tennessee.