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BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER FIRST-CLASS MAIL Box 52252 U.S

BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER FIRST-CLASS MAIL Box 52252 U.S

IN THIS ISSUE:

& An interview with ARRANGER , Part 2

it Reviews of BOOKS AND BIG RECORDS to consider BAND it A new BAND SLOGAN TRIVIA QUIZ JUMP ★ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR about NEWSLETTER CLANCY LOWERED THE BOOM, ONE O'CLOCK JUM P, CHEROKEE and others

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

VOLUME 96 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005

INTERVIEW WITH GLENN MILLER ARRANGER NORMAN LEYDEN, PART 2 ______

THE BACKGROUND

This is a continuation of the Norman Leyden interview as conducted by BIG BAND JUMP producer Dave Riggs. In the last issue composer/arranger/conductor Leyden told how he came to work for the Military Miller Band, the move to England to directly entertain the troops, the living conditions and the highlights of his experience there. We learned of the use of his arrangement of AND FAR AWAY for Glenn & Dinah in England singer ’s guest appearance with the orches­ tra and his work with vocalist . He going over my score. It was written especially for her explained how there were sub-groups which performed because she would have different keys. We did a lot of separately, enabling the Miller organization to average arrangements for visiting guests on the program, En­ three concerts a day in addition to radio broadcasts. glish mostly. But Dinah was one of them and Bing was another. Norman Leyden is considered one of the foremost authorities on Big Bands and the , with over BBJ: Glenn Miller was always described as a very 300 of his Big Band arrangements in his library as well stem taskmaster and business man, well suited as 1,200 symphonic arrangements and a number of to military discipline. Did you ever see another side of Broadway show choral charts. From 1946 to 1949 he him? was chief arranger for the orchestra. He has been a professional musician for nearly 70 years. NL: I did in a way, but I never spent much time socially. Some of the fellows did because they THE SCENE knew him before and were more on the inner circle. All I know is that if you did your j ob and tended to business, The interview was conducted by phone from Norman why Glenn was on your side and he would treat you Leyden ’ s home in Portland, Oregon, where he holds the very decently. After all, he made my career on a post of Laureate Associate Conductor of the Oregon minimum of contact. I never cease to wonder how Symphony. He retired in May o f2004 after 34 years at those breaks happened to come my way the way they the helm of the ’s Pop series and 29 did, particularly early on when he put me in that job as seasons as Associate Conductor. One of his arrange­ conductor on the “Winged Victory” show, and then the ments with the Miller Military Orchestra was for guest way it worked out that allowed me to write for his band vocalist Dinah Shore, which led to the first question. when I wasn't a member of it. I feel like my lucky star was shining there. Maybe he figured that in some way BBJ: Which Dinah Shore song did you arrange? I would amount to something sometime and he was sort of helping me on my way. I’m very grateful for it and NL: That’s my arrangement of “All I Do Is Dream I do know that, at least in my case, he was a very Of You” and in the picture of Dinah and Glenn he’s congenial and helpful father figure, I guess. V O LU M E 96 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005

BBJ: There's a story that wrote the ar­ rangement for “The Trolley Song” in a bath­ tub. Did you have any similar experiences?

NL: No, but I can see why somebody might. That used to be the thrill of the week. The Red Cross was one of the few places that had a lot of hot water. It became kind of a special mission to get to the Red Cross and get in a hot tub. That would be a big deal so we all took advantage of the connections with the Red Cross people to get those hot baths whenever we wanted them. I’m not gonna question that story of Jerry writing while sitting in a tub. Quite possible.

BBJ: Do you have any favorite arrangement that the other arrangers did for the band—Jerry Gray or ?

NL: I had great respect for Jerry's versatility and Arranger Leyden in the '40s ability to take something like “Holiday for notes.” All the rest of my career, I've been trying to Strings” and turn it into a real experience. write good arrangements with fewer notes. That was BBJ: What about Mel Powell's work with the band? the best advice I ever got. BBJ: When Glenn turned up missing in December NL: Mel wrote things every now and then—and 1944, how did you and the other band members they were always interesting, like “Pearls on find out about it? What was your reaction? Velvet” and “Bubble Bath” and other things. But he didn't have any particular assignment. When he got NL: The band itself left the next day and arrived in moved to do something, he'd do it. He was a wonderful Paris and Glenn was not there to meet them. So player in the tradition. I always won­ they found out right away. Those of us in England dered why he went into contemporary avant garde didn’t know for maybe a week that anything was composition later on. But he was one of a kind and he wrong. Finally Lt. Haynes talked to somebody and marched to a different drummer sometimes. said, “By the way, Glenn is missing.” We didn’t hear about it right off the bat; disbelief at the beginning, but BBJ: What's your favorite Glenn Miller anecdote or in a short time it became despair. memory from the time you were with the band? BBJ: Everyone wonders what direction he would NL: I remember one time I brought in an arrange­ have taken musically if he had survived. What ment in England------some up tempo tune------are your thoughts on that? ”1 Want to Be Happy” or something like that. I thought I’d done a great job on it. The band rehearsed it and it NL: Well, two days before he left he called me into sounded fine to me, but it didn’t make much of an his office at Bedford and in the course of impression on the band------or Glenn. He took me conversation said, “I’d like you to come to work for me aside later on and said, “Norm, that was a nice try, but after the war.” I was in seventh heaven that I’d made it remember it ain’t what you write, it’s what you don't clear to the top. I said, “You bet! I'll be there.” And that write.” That became my motto for arranging from then was the last I ever saw of him. I kind of feel that he on. I changed it around to “When in doubt, leave it would have picked up where he was there. I don't know out.” And I always tell people: “Don't write so many whether he would have done the touring------whether 2 V O L U M E 96 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005

he would have gone back on the road to play for I have a book that shows the dancing. I think he would have gone into radio produc­ start of this thing. It’scalled tion, more like did. Whether he could “This was Your Hit Parade” have sustained his kind of music into the rock period, and the book is nothing but we’ll never know, of course, for it’s hard to make a a compilation of all the conjecture in that respect. The mega-trends would Lucky Strike “Hit Parade” probably have been too strong for even Glenn to programs from 1935 to survive this long anyway. 1960, the tunes that they played every week. It’s BBJ: Could you give me your ideas on the future of interesting to see the char­ popular music? acter of the music from the beginning, when this pro­ NL: Have you got another hour? In the long haul, gram went on the air—Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, I’m pessimistic. I just came from Clarinda, Richard Rodgers------and all the rest of them------Iowa where the Glenn Miller flame is burning brightly. Jerome Kern------were all on the “Hit Parade.” As the But it’s burning brightly for a lot of people my age. I years went by, into the war years, they're still big and don’t see the younger generation rallying around in any good songs------Johnny Mercer and all those guys------significant numbers. Here and there there’s a little during World War Two. After that you begin to see the glimmer of hope, but the big bands------those that are quality of the music gradually—oh-so-subtlety------still around------are not reaching the audience they week by week------change. Less interesting music. reached before, which was all the teenagers. People And then came the Beatles and rock and roll music from 15 to 30 now have settled for some abysmal started, and Lord knows what's happened since then. goings on that they think is music, and it’s pretty hard You could see the disintegration and the decline. to dissuade them with the peer pressure being what it is.

The course of popular music is sort of divided here. The I've been right in the middle of this, working at it, and popular music that is popular with the young people I see these things happening and they’ve happened to now has nothing to do with music as far as I’m con­ me in subtle ways. The marketing department doesn’t cerned. The events happening, and people like Brittany want to do Victor Herbert programs any more. They’re Spears and others who probably don’t know what a half pandering to this younger culture trying to get more note is, are ruling the roost. That whole repertory------people to come to symphony “pops” programs. Even and I’m speaking not just of big bands----- I’m speak­ the Boston Pops that formerly used to be the banner to ing of the whole------songs of the period, say from the which we all rallied, with Arthur Fiedler anyway------twenties on into the fifties, that whole repertory, are an and to a certain extent John Williams—that is—he's endangered species. turned it into just a—uh—well—a—uh—well, all the crappy stuff they do now and they put it on simply More than that, it’s virtually extinct. I know because because it's popular with the younger crowd to the all these last 34 years I’ve been with the Oregon exclusion of the best music. Symphony, I’ve been doing the maj ority of their “pops” programs. And I’ve seen the interest wane for that There'll be room for special concerts from time to time, whole repertory from Victor Herbert on to Lemer and but as far as broad trend, I think something else is going Lowe. New generations follow the crowd in their early to take its place—well, has taken its place. It ’ s crowded years, going with the latest trends. It isn’t that they don't it out so nobody knows about it—not co-existing. respect the music, they have no knowledge, they just go Nobody's doing the standard songs any more. That with what’s there, and gradually this music is dying on whole repertory. It’s the glory of the 20th century the vine. So with the exception of the few outstanding popular music. It’s just so great—and it’s just gone. bands still slugging it out, I don’t see, barring some strange and unexpected circumstances, that this music The song is destroyed completely. Our culture, our will ever have the effect it had before. world is so different, there’s no room for tender feel-

3 V O LU M E 96 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005

ings any longer. And romance is gone— it’s how fast ment and according to Basie himself was named can I get to bed with her. one night in the '30s when music was needed to fill a “live ” radio remote broadcast. It was, Norman Leyden still practices his clarinet daily Basie recalled, several minutes until one o 'clock and often adds his own solos to pops and Big and he told the announcer to call it ONE Band programs. O'CLOCK JUMP. The American Society Of Com­ posers, Authors and Publishers credits Basie as LETTERS TO THE EDITOR the composer and dates it to 1938. Incidental to the story is the riff had a name given to it by the Letters to BIG BAND JUMP or the BBJ NEWS­ band members before that broadcast that wouldn 't LETTER may be sent to the address below, or be acceptable in polite society. Also, BIG BAND e-mailed to: [email protected]. When you JUMP began its life as a local program heard at e-mail, please give your name and address. All 1 PM titled “One O 'clock Jump. " When it was letters are answered, but the volume of mail syndicated and thus heard at varying times on sometimes delays a timely response. Stations across the nation, it was re-named.

BBJ NEWSLETTER Jack Nelson Box 52252 San Francisco, CA Atlanta, GA 30355 I’m trying to find out the name of the The published letters have been edited for space drummer in the clas­ considerations, but the meaning has been preserved. sic arrangement of Charlie Barnet’s Dennis Vertees Was there a song named CHEROKEE. Sterling Heights, MI CLANCY LOWERED THE Would there be BOOM? someone there who would be able to Alas, there was. It was sung, as we recall, by help? This particu­ who was a singing star of the highly lar arrangement re­ popular radio program. It was a part ally gets to me with of the mid-fifties novelty song craze which faded its great rhythm and just in time for rock to take its place. One major background beat. market classical music FM station played the The drummer was song constantly, over and over for a full 24 hour Wesley Dean. period as part of some sort of contest to call CHEROKEE was attention to the fact they programmed otherwise. Charlie Barnet poses the first million selling record for Judy Glickner We listen to your program Charlie Barnet, arranged by a very young Billy Louisville,KY every Sunday morning. May who played trumpet in that band. Another Today we heard ONE CHEROKEE is mentioned in the next letter. O’CLOCK JUMP and wonder when this song was written and who made it popular? Ron Wilbanks Several months ago you had Ypsilanti, MI a program featuring trumpet This question is indicative of the fact more players. One song you played younger generations are listening to Great Ameri­ by was a driving arrangement with a lot of can Music, for those who were there would know tom-tom drumming. This selection was excellent qual­ the melody was the theme. It grew ity, which leads me to believe it was a later recording. from a riff the band played for their own enjoy­ I’ve been trying to discover the name of the song since 4 V O L U M E 96 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005

I first heard it on KMOX in 1984. Ironically, the only Following are other time I heard it was on your show. e-mails from younger genera­ It was probably the Harry James 1976 direct-to- tion fans of the disc recording of CHEROKEE with ’s Big Band sound, drumming. It was recorded in Hollywood’s Wylie and listeners to Chapel by the Sheffield Lab engineers who chose BBJ. We include the location for its acoustics. James ’ comment at them because the time was, “In 36 years of recording I have we 're convinced never been so pleased with the sound. ” 1957 Pied Pipers the fan base of relatively youth­ Kim Munroe My mom, Kim Kimberly, was ful listeners is Marietta, GA a Big Band singer with Bob growing, and Crosby while she was still in while still on the high school about 1937 or ’38. Also sang with Les periphery, seems Brown’s Band for a short time when left to to be increasing. go to Hollywood for the first time. She was married to my dad (Bobby Clark, trumpet player) while they were Dave Horvat both with . Sang with Chico Marx’ Band Hoffman Estates, IL when I was bom in 1941, when Mel Tonne was singer Today’s Pied Pipers Just a note to let you and drummer. My question is, where might I find radio know I LOVE (his caps) the DK SHOW and BBJ! I am recordings or press releases during those years? one of your “younger” fans (42), and you have helped Most large record shops have a fund of recording addict me to swing and Big Band music. There is not information in their computers. Ask that they put a single day I don’t listen to Stay Tuned America or the Kim Kimberly name in and see what they can WBDH for my music fix. Thanks for a great program find. Ed Burke, who possibly has the largest and keep the music coming; we are out here and eager archives of broadcast material of the Big Bands, for more. Talent like the Big Band artists and yours is reports not being able to find any recorded broad­ not lost on ALL of us who are younger! casts with Kim Kimberly during the short time she sang with Les Brown. Tom McElroy A powerful show! I’m45and Atlanta, GA can’t express with words the Allen Johnson Do you have any idea feeling I get hearing your Rancho Cucamonga, CA where I can find the show. Thank you for the show. Pied Pipers on CD? I have searched everywhere and there’s nothing to be Robert E. Bodow Do you have a station in Min- found. Appleton, WI neapolis-St. Paul? My 12 year old grandson is interested. There are three Pied Pipers recordings on the two CD set of “The Groups Sing” available from BIG BAND JUMP is beginning its eighteenth BBJ Sales at 1-800-377-0022. A wonderful single year o f affiliation with KLBB in St. Paul at AM CD # 55222 with twelve of the 1957 version of the 1400, heard every Sunday at 8 PM. It is dupli­ Piper’s in a tribute to is available cated on KLBF at AM 1470. from Simitar Entertainment - 5555 Pioneer Creek Drive - Maple Plain, MN 55359-9003, phone (612) 479-7000. The latest version of the Pied O ZZIE NELSON PROFILE Pipers, led by singer Nancy Knorr has a single CD with 18 tracks on Courtney Records CD # One of the oddities of the passage of time is the change CACD 7101 at www.thepiedpipers.com. in status connected with it. In a conversation with a twenty-something person not long ago, I mentioned 5 VOLUME 96 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005

Ozzie and Harriet and their famous son Ricky. The young person didn’t recall Ricky or the Ozzie and Harriet TV show, let alone Ozzie Nelson as the leader

The 1942 Nelson Band of a band. There was, however, a time in the now The young Ozzie & Harriet distant past long before television when Ozzie Nelson was a well-known singing bandleader. As happened so a radio sitcom so successful Ozzie dropped the band to often in the Big Band Era, Ozzie was still a college devote full time to the weekly series. It is, of course, a student at Rutgers when he put together a band to part of early TV history that the radio program devel­ appear at the Glen Island Casino for the summer. That oped into a highly profitable TV show with not only summer engagement was such a success Ozzie decided Ozzie and Harriet but their real sons, David and Ricky. to drop out of college and become a full-time bandleader. By the time the TV program was cancelled in 1966, the The year was 1930. It wasn’t long before he was Ozzie & Harriet radio and TV shows had been on the air playing top locations in the east and eventually nation­ a total of twenty-two years. wide. A few interesting random facts about the Ozzie Nelson A pretty singer named Harriet Hilliard joined the band Band: At various times it employed trumpeter Charlie in 1932. Her duets with Ozzie became an important Spivak and a trombone player named Jerry Colonna. A part of the band’s listener appeal on the radio, assuring lady who was to become a prominent comedienne in the her a permanent job with the band made even more movies, Cass Daley, was one of the singers with the permanent in 1935 with her marriage to Ozzie. She left band. Even though the band became a national success, the band when their first son was bom, but the Nelson it continued to use as a theme, LOYAL SONS OF band continued to tour and to appear in movies in the RUTGERS. early ’40s when studios realized the Big Bands would attract audiences. At various times the Nelson band Ozzie Nelson died of cancer in 1974 at age 69. provided the music for the Joe Penner and Red Skelton radio shows, among others. It was the power of radio (BOOKS & RECORDS TO CONSIDER) that brought about a major change in Ozzie Nelson’s life. PORTRAIT OF JOHNNY - The Life of John Herndon Mercer Ozzie was an excellent businessman and as such, saw Gene Lees the potential of a radio series featuring himself and Harriet, similar to other primetime radio shows of the Gene Lees is himself a lyricist, as well as an author of era highlighting married couples in comedic situations. fourteen previous books including one titled, “The The result was “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet,” Modem Rhyming Dictionary: How To Write Lyrics,” (Please fold on dotted line)

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(Tape or Staple Here) CENTER PAGE OFFER - GEORGE SHEARING

This four CD set contains 9 7 recordings of the marvelously talented George Shearing from his professional beginnings in 1939 to his commercially successful quartet recordings in the late '4 0 s and early '50s. Apart from and Benny Carter, George Shearing has enjoyed one of the longest careers as a professional musician in the world of , a career that now spans nearly 65 years. The sub-title of the , "from Battersea to Broadway" refers to George Shearing's birthplace in an area of southwest London. He was born blind, and although his family was devoid of musical ability, by age three he was picking out melodies on the otherwise untouched living room piano.

George Shearing came to the United States in 1948, Album cover __ achieving nearly instant success with his "locked fingers" quintet style with the melody prominent in the arrangements. This album, however, presents that style only on the last of the four CDs, stressing instead the solo piano and jazz group examples of Shearing with both British and American groups. There are numerous standards, but also numerous jazz melodies. This album is a fresh look at the Shearing talent, moving well beyond the way many fans view his work, presenting a broad musical picture.

The very first track of this remarkable Shearing history is H O W COME YOU DO M E LIKE Y O U D O ? dating to 1939. In addition to solo work, we hear George George Shearing in 1950 Shearing perform ing with jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli and the early trio of piano, guitar and Cozy Cole's drumming with SO RA R E and H A V E Y O U M E T M ISS JO N E S? The piano and vibes combination sound enters the sound picture in 1949 when Marjorie Hyams became part of the Shearing Quintet. (BJ-7) 4 CD Boxed Set - $50.00 - Always FREE shipping and handling. To order, please fill in the form below with your Visa or MasterCard number and name and ad­

W. BHH dress, or send a check or money-order. If you wish, you can order directly by toll-free phone at: Shearing & Peggy Lee heard in one track of the collection. 1-800-377-0022.

Please send me: (BJ-7) Four (4) CD boxed set: George Shearing Collection $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.

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

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Ginny Mancini, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen and . All contributed, either directly or by reference, to the Mercer mosaic so deftly assembled.

The dark side of Johnny Mercer was, in simplistic summary, the result of drinking and the depression brought on in part by a loveless marriage. While we’re invited to observe his amorous liaisons with and his nasty comments while under the influ­ ence, we’re also shown the scrupulous honesty, gener­ osity and flowing talent that was part of the Mercer personality. Gene Lees said it all in the closing chapter Johnny, his mother & Ginger when, in a conversation with she asked him, and was a friend of Johnny Mercer during the last “Now that you’ve really studied him, how do you feel decade of his life. Thus, Lees is ideally suited to write about him?” He answered, “I love him, Jo.” You will about Mercer with uncommon insight and sensitivity. too. The book is a well-crafted work using bits of never Pantheon Books - New York published autobiographical observations of Mercer 339 pages plus index - About $27.50 at bookstores himselfplus comments from scores of Mercer ’ s friends and collaborators mixed with the chronology and ob­ DK servations of the author from his unique perspective. It isa totally absorbing look at the complex personality of - The Quiet Man Of Jazz a man who became a writer of songs reaching the Derek Coller average listener, but despite what seemed to be simplic­ ity, lyrics filled with wit, depth and the result of infinite This is a triple-header soft-cover book with not only the skill. biographical information about this nearly forgotten piano artist, but a full discography and a CD containing Some time ago a BIG BAND JUMP program was fourteen cuts of the Jess Stacy piano. You may recall fashioned as a tribute to Johnny Mercer, displaying his it was Jess Stacy who contributed the innovative piano warmth, his lyricism and some of the stories behind the solo at the legendary 1938 Carnegie creation of his most remembered songs. This book is Hall Concert. He went on to perform for a half century, also a tribute to Mercer, but a more searching view of with a talent for the most part not well known for he not only the public Mercer but the private demons was, as the sub-title indicates, a quiet man not given to which plagued him all his life. Gene Lees is a Mercer self-promotion. fan, no question about that, but he is also devoted to allowing us to see Johnny Mercer as a multi-faceted The author became a fan of Jess Stacy’s work when genius, exposing the good (and there was so much Stacy was with the Orchestra, a co-op good) and the occasional bad. organization run by the musicians and for that reason a highly musical group admired as much by their peers as While the book centers on Mercer’s life starting in by the public. The book is written, then, from the Savannah, Georgia and following him to New York and standpoint of a fan and is highly personal with photos Hollywood, we ’re privileged to meet some other promi­ from the earliest days of Stacy’s life through his pass­ nent songwriters and show business characters along ing in 1994 at age 90. His abilities were summed up in the way. Some of the comments and information from a statement by jazz critic John Fordham: “If Jess Stacy interviews came from such personalities as Jo Stafford had emerged in the 1980s as an upcoming youngster, Weston and , , Glenn playing the way he did around around 1935, he would Wallichs, David Raksin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, have been a solo star....his talent was largely over­ Richard and , Bing Crosby, Henry & looked except as skilled assistance to powerful leaders.”

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HARRY JAMES AND HIS NEW JAZZ BAND Mr. Music MMCD 7010 & 7012 JE S S s m c T (Two separate CDs) rTlic C^niei oj ¿Jazz.

How, you may logically ask, can any new material be presented by Harry James? Surely every note ever blown by the James horn has been made available over the years, but this is a new look at Harry James’ considerable abilities, for it is two CDs of his smaller group in 1956 when James disbanded the large group for economic reasons. He called it his New Jazz Band, consisting of key players from each section of his previous Big Band with the exception the drum chair, filled by who turned down a European tour to join James. The recordings in these two CDs came from the group’s appearance at the Hollywood Palla­ dium and a Hollywood studio where they were re­ corded for a government agency transcription service.

Harry James was under contract to a major label during the short time this group was in existence, but for some reason they ignored the potential of sales of this in­ Book cover with a young Stacy spired group to swing fans all over the nation and the world. A total of forty tracks have been preserved by Singer Helen Ward, who had perfect pitch, related a the Mr. Music label, twenty on each of the two CDs. story indicative of the Stacy personality and his ten­ dency to call attention to others. In front of the entire Goodman Band he would regularly call to Helen across the room, striking a random key on his piano and asking her to identify the note. She always did, to the amaze­ ment of the rest of the band; the focus was on Helen by way of Jess Stacy’s generous nature.

The foreword is by Jess Stacy’s wife, Pat. In addition to the biographical information and numerous photo­ graphs, there is a section listing his solo engagements from 1948 to 1964, his musical associates, his compo­ Buddy Rich Peggy King as they appeared with Jazz Band sitions and his awards and tributes, plus notes on the CD enclosed with the book. The CD contains fourteen tracks including five with the Stacy solo piano. All the standards are included as you might imagine, many from the full orchestra’s book, but presented with Jazzology Press - 1206 Decatur Street - New Orleans, a freedom and driving beat not always possible with a LA 70116. $39.95 plus S&H larger organization. PERDIDO, WHAT AM I HERE 282 pages, index, and the CD. On the web at: FOR, PALLADIUM PARTY, BACK BEAT BOOGIE, www.jazzology.com Phone: (504) 525-5000 TWO O’CLOCK JUMP, THOU SWELL, IN THE NIGHT, HONEYSUCKLE ROSE, MY FUNNY HW VALENTINE, DON’T BE THAT WAY, LOVER COME BACK TO ME and CAXTON HALL SWING

8 V O L U M E 96 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005 are some of the tunes on the first CD. Many of the (B) Even when there IS a station with a proper format staples of the James Big Band were re-written by Neal in a city, they’re not always eager to accept a syndi­ Hefti to fit the ten piece group. Singer Peggy King was cated program, for it means more work for them. also part of the group with some ballads also presented Sometimes such a station owned by a giant corporation by drummer Rich as well as some novelty numbers may also want to program its own Big Band program, sung by alto sax man Willie Smith. or one from another syndicator which their manage­ The second CD offers another 20 tracks including: ment likes better. ROLL ‘EM, SLEEPY TIME GAL, LOVER, YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU, MACK THE KNIFE, 2 - Why is the public broadcast version of BBJ only one MOONGLOW, CARAVAN, TENDERLY, hour? THERE’LL BE SOME CHANGES MADE, , CRY ME A RIVER, Because of the non-commercial nature of public broad­ STARDUST and two written by and James, cast stations. The version heard on public broadcast SIX, TWO AND EVEN & THE GREAT LIE. stations is an edited version of the two hour program If you’re not a James fan, it may be that the fun of these with the commercials and some of the music removed two CD could escape you, for the approach and so it will fit into their time slots. The subject matter of overall effect varies a great deal from the larger orga­ the public broadcast versions varies from that listed in nization. If you are a James fan, you’ll thrill to the this newsletter for distribution reasons. Very few looseness, rhythmic drive and engaging solos that seem public stations use BBJ, so the one hour programs are to go hand in hand with tighter little groups. rotated between stations. Available from: BBJ Sales - Phone 1-800-377-0022. HW 3 - Why can’t we buy copies of the BIG BAND JUMP programs? FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Aside from questions about the name of the end theme Someone wrote a long letter just before this newsletter on BBJ (Li’l Darlin’) this is the most frequent question went to the printer, suggesting we sell copies of BIG asked. Stringent copyright laws prevent us from either BAND JUMP programs. That question, which is asked selling or giving away copies of the programs. If we over and over again, is what we discovered the internet were to legally do that, we’d have to have each selec­ terms FAQs. Since everyone doesn’t have access to the tion on the program researched as to publisher, register BBJ website where we answer a multitude of questions, the list with a copyright clearing house and submit a we thought it might be useful for us to put the three payment for each selection times the number of copies most-asked questions here, along with the answers: of that program sold.

1 - Why isn’t BIG BAND JUMP heard in every city? The sheer time to simply do that for one program is daunting. Would that were possible! (A) Every city doesn’t have a station with the kind of programming (or format) You can, however, tape or otherwise record BBJ pro­ which lends itself to BBJ. Frustrated listeners have grams either off the air or off the streaming computer suggested we try stations programming rock or so- feed for your own use. The record companies and the called “oldies” but their program directors want to stay copyright office have not yet invaded the sanctity of with a narrow selection of music, not even considering your home in this way. (Please see commentary on specialty programs such as BBJ on the weekends. recordcompanyintemettaxatwww.bigbandjump.com.)

9 V O L U M E 96 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005

BAND SLOGAN TRIVIA QUIZ Ready? Fill in the bandleader's name to match the ------slogan. Gracious! A newsletter reader wrote to say the most recent Big Band Trivia 1______St the Casa Lomans. Quizzes were much too easy, and enclosed his own trivia quiz. The level of the quizzes 2 ______is, of course, highly subjec­ sc the Clouds of Joy. tive, for what might be a snap for some readers might be difficult for others. Hav­ ______t ing said that, let's give our the Idol O f the Airianes. reader's quiz a try. He's suggesting you attach a leader's name to the slogans 4 ______identifying many of the sc his Rippling Rhythm. bands, and additionally sug­ gests that we make it a pure fill-in-the-blanks quiz rather 5 ______than a matching problem, SC his Musical Knights. thereby making it all the more challenging. The fact that dozen questions O^e of th© Quys below end his singer, B©tty Greble 6 ______rather than our traditional sc the Dawn Patrol. ten adds another level of difficulty, but increases your chances of a high percentage of correct answers. 7 ______SC his Five Pennies.

You'll have to search your memory to come up with the names associated with each of the slogans 8 SC the Top Hatters. below. M ost should be easy for Big Band enthu­ siasts; two or three will stretch your knowledge a trifle, but give it a try. O ne of the guys in the office came up with every answer except one. It would 9 SC his Oriole Terrace Orchestra. seem that it would be relatively easy to come up with at least nine of the leader's names to fill in the blanks before the slogans, so we'll award those of SC of you who score nine or more with a gold star. 10 the Band Renown. (You'll have to find your own gold star, but it's the thought that counts.) Seven or eight correct certainly isn't shabby. Six or fewer possibly 11 sc the Music Makers. indicates one of two things: You grew up after the Big Band Era or you were on the sidelines of the music scene then. Either way, we salute you for taking the quiz and not looking for the answers not 12 SC the Light Brigade. so cleverly hidden elsewhere in this issue.

10 V O L U M E 96 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005

UPCOMING BBJ PROGRAM TITLES through the alpha­ bet in a systematic January 8-9, 2005 (Repeat listing for new sub­ way. We’d done class of ’46 scribers.) The war was over programs before and soldiers were coming based on artist’s back home to get married, find a job or return to one, last names, but raise families and resume their lives where never they left off years earlier. It was an emo­ i n tional and frequently traumatic time, re­ regu- flected by the hits of that year. I’VE GOT 1 a r THE SUN IN THE MORNING, IT’S A inter­ GOOD DAY, I’ M A BIG GIRL NOW and vals. There are some artists whose names DOIN’ WHAT COMES NATURALLY begin with X, Y and Z, but not many, and were some of the titles we’ll hear in this certainly not a lot of them fitting the Big nostalgic trip to a year when Big Bands Band and associated artist style estab­ and singers were vying for supremacy in lished by BBJ over the years, thus the the hearts of radio listeners and record “plus” designation so we don’t wind up buyers. with a full program of Si Zentner or Zim BBJ host Don Kennedy Zemarel, for example. We’ll do our best, January 15-16, 2005 W e’ve however, to be true to the designation. THE FORTIES PLAYBOOK presented various “songbooks” on BIG February 5-6, 2005 Just a year ago we did BAND JUMP, tied to dates, authors and specific sing­ SINGLE WORD TITLES/ the first program ers. On this session we present the instrumentals that GEORGE SHEARING made up of single rose to the top during the forties, plus some more word titles. Now, pre­ obscure melodies we should review. Recalling a time cisely a year later, we take an hour to catch up on some when the Big Band instrumental sound was as impor­ of the titles we missed, assembled with the help of a tant as the singers, this full two hours will be devoted listener who came up with the idea originally and entirely to music withoutwords. No words, but expres­ submitted a massive list of such titles. We’ve added sive none-the-less. some of our own, too. It’s a pleasant hour.

January 22-23, 2005 The last time we did this was The second hour we look into the history of pianist BIG BAND TWINS three years ago. It’s a pro­ George Shearing, one of the three or four foremost gram presenting two orches­ piano talents working today, and perhaps in the top ten tras playing the same title, something that seldom if keyboard musicians of the past half century. Thanks to ever happens in the current music scene, filled with some recently discovered early recordings we’re able rock and rap groups performing, for the most part, their to start with George Shearing’s British beginnings, own material. In the Big Band Era if one orchestra then follow his progress to the United States where he’s came up with a hit recording it was covered by other been performing since 1948. orchestras or singers who worked for competing record labels. We’ll play first the most familiar of the melo­ February 12-13,2005 Some programs are dies, then come up with a twin. Should be fun and WHOSE BAND IS THAT? more fun than others, somewhat of a challenge. and this is one of those. We dig into the archives for lesser-known January 29-30, 2005 We wanted to be true recordings by well-known Big Bands and ask you to THE X-Y-Z FILE, PLUS to plan and complete identify the band, then we play one of that band’s the alphabetical pro­ familiar recordings. There are no prizes for this kind of gramming series started at the end of 2002. It was on self-quiz, simply the fun of figuring out the name of the December first of that year when we began going band. We reveal the band’s identity after the selection 11 V O L U M E 96 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005

quiz, but you get the length of the recording to strain screen. Such music was most often written by top your brain, attaching a name to a musical style. Often composers and lyricists whose talents created melodies a solo instrument is the key, sometimes an identifiable that have since become a permanent part of the Music sound or a distant memory of a title. An exercise for Big of America. On this BBJ we present that music along Band fans; enjoyable for everyone. with anecdotes about the composers and the stories behind the scenes. February 19-20, 2005 Sometimes we over- BIG BAND PROFILES VI look the obvious Sports or news events sometimes alter BBJ pro­ when setting up pro­ gram times or subjects, so please check with your grams for BBJ, assuming that each listener hears every local Adult Standards station for exact day, time program or is regularly exposed to Big Bands of all and title of BIG BAND JUMP in your area. , ...... , , kinds. To circum­ vent that tendency SIDELIGHTS the “Profile” series Musicians are strange and wonderful people who was instituted, do strange and wonderful things, often out of touching two or boredom between gigs. Here are some of those three musical orga­ unusual activities. nizations in each program to achieve One musician confessed that when he was on the road a condensed version he became so bored being with the same people every of what would nor­ night on the bandstand and daily in the hotel, he would mally be a full pro­ go to court. He was able to get away, but still be with gram for each. In people, albeit criminals, lawyers and judges. Hefound Bunny is musically profiled this program we pro- it not only refreshing to his soul, but a way to keep his file , mind working on something besides music for a few Bunny Berigan and Charlie Barnet, recalling some hours at least. facts about them and sampling representative recordings. Musicians seem to enjoy referring to each other by February 26-27, 2005 As previously noted, these nicknames, sometimes prompted by the actual or imag­ REQUESTS programs are coming more ined resemblance of the musician to an animal. Alto frequently with the increased sax artist Johnny Hodges was known among the Duke use of e-mail, seeming to make it easier for listeners to Ellington band members as “Rabbit” supposedly be­ fire off their preferences. We’ve scheduled this session cause of his penchant for lettuce and tomato sand­ far enough ahead so readers will have an opportunity to wiches. Count Basie ’ s long-time friend and bass player get in touch, either by e-mail at [email protected] Walter Page was called “Hoss” by his fellow sidemen; or by mail at: BIG BAND JUMP - Box 52252 - Atlanta, sax man Ben Webster’s nickname was “Frog,” but GA 30355. Requests lend variety to the programming, perhaps the most famous nickname was attached to but also tend to let us know which of the oft-heard short-lived trumpeter Roland Berigan who was, of standards listeners want to hear again. Often we’re so course, “Bunny” to both his friends and to the public. close to the music and the repetition we forget that you, William Smith would have been an undistinguished the listener, don’t hear Big Band music as much or as name for a famous Harlem piano player, but when he often. It’s a balancing act, but we’ll attempt to include was called Willie “The Lion” Smith, his persona and some of the regulars with the fresh suggestions. his fame were given an extra boost.

March 5-6, 2005 Much of the music of ANSWERS TO BAND SLOGAN TRIVIA QUIZ TOP MOVIE MELODIES America came from 1 - 2 - Andy Kirk 3 - Jan Garber 4 - motion pictures. That 5 - 6 - Dolly Dawn 7 - Red Nichols 8 - Jan Savitt music was given even greater popularity later on re­ 9 - Ted Fio Rito 1 0 -Les Brown 11 - Harry James 1 2 -Enoch cordings and the radio after being introduced on the Light (The picture is Ted Fio Rito with his most famous vocalist.) 12 IT'S RENEWAL TIME FOR NINETY FIRST ISSUE SUBSCRIBERS TO THE BBJ NEWSLETTER

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Duke Ellington sax man Johnny Hodges, whose unusual nickname is noted inside.

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