oris Day eiiq Up Top R°ie luits Warners |n ’Pete Kelly's Blues (Tradraurk Re«l.tered U.S. Feral OIIir»l Primed by Joba Maher Frlallag Co- Chiras» w I Hollywood — Doris Day, after Vol. 22—No. 5 Chicago, March 9, 1955 Hollywood—Jack Webb was negotiating at deadline of Might years With Warner Brothers, [ha- been released from her con- Part One of Two Parts this issue to sign Ella Fitzgerald for the role of Maggie Kract at her own request. Jackson in the upcoming screen version of Pete Kelly’s P In 1947, after soloing on one of Blues, Richard Breen’s films- ILes Brown’s biggest records, Senti- adaptation of the radio serial of hmntal Journey, she left the band the same name Webb starred in Ko make a try as a single. She got some years ago. las far as a date in a small New Maggie Jackson was one of the lYork club and didn’t appear to be principal characters — a Kansas [going much further when she was City night club singer—in the radio New York — One of the [signed, at the suggestion of song- serial but the role will be expanded plagues of a jazz ptanist'« life [writers Sammy Cahn and Jule into one of more importance in the is the state of unharmony of [Styne, by producer-director Michael film. The locale and general out­ piano« Curtiz for the lead in Romance on lines of the story remain the same, club» and auditorium». Recently, ' the H igh Seas. with Webb in the role of the trum­ I She recently completed the lead pet player (the soundtrack to be in MGM’s Ruth Etting biofilm, recorded by Dick Cathcart). Opening scenes will show a jazz Love Me or Leave Me, on a loan just before the concert began, musician being laid to rest in a from Warners, and as partner with turned to one of the promoters, her husband and business manager, New Orleans cemetery, with the smiled grimly, and said, “Nice Marty Melcher, in Arwin Produc­ traditional jazz-legend band in at­ harpsichord you have there.” tions she is scheduled to star in tendance. The sequence will be shot her own biofilm, Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans, and the music will and at least one other picture for be recorded there by a New Or­ Warner release. A CARLOAD of talent gathered at a meeting of the west coast leans band assembled there by National Ballroom Operator« Association members in Los Angeles last Webb’s music adviser, Matty Mat­ month to discuss problems of mutual interest to leaders and operator». lock. Starting date is tentatively New TVer Spots On hand from the band fronts were (front row): Sam Donahue, Woody set at March 1. Bands Push Herman, Leo Anthony, and Jerry Gray. At Rear: Stan Kenton, Lawrence Welk, I-es Brown, Harry James, Ray Anthony, Freddy Martin, and McKinley s Ork Into Midwest Orrin Tucker. (Photo by Dave Pell) Columbia Debuting Chicago—General Artists Corp., New York—Ray McKinley and is pointing its name bands in this 'Hall Of Fame LPs a 12-piece orchestra will provide the music on WABC-TV’s new 2’s- direction for its seasonal midwest- Rogers Joins Atlantic Records New York—Columbia Records is em push. Nearly a dozen of them hour variety show, Entertainment. issuing a handy collection of rec­ which debuts Feb. 28. McKinley’s will go out on tour before or dur­ ord classics in its new Hall of ing the spring. band will include such musicians Fame series. The first two 12-inch as Mel Powell, Bobby Hackett, and Jan Garber runs out his current As Music Director And Artist LPs in the series are A Treasury Billy Butterfield. one-niter itinerary on March 3 of Song Hits, which presents top when he opens the Roosevelt hotel to be seen week­ Hollywood—The first act of Nesuhi Ertegun after joining vocalists in a collection of their Entertainment, in New Orleans. Russ Morgan and days from 12:30 to 3 p.m., will brother Ahmet’s Atlantic Recording Corp, as vice president hit songs, and Ballroom Band­ Ralph Flanagan will make this stand, anthology of (xipular in­ feature Ted Postoq as emcee, with territory through March, while Joy was the signing of trumpeter Shorty Rogers to an exclusive strumental hits. singer-pianist-guitarist Bob Carroll Caylor and her all-girl band em­ contract under which Rogers will^ The record­ and Marion Colby, who is current­ is a leadei' in the modern jazz Ballroom Bandstand bark later in the month. Henry be music director (including a&r 1 ing features such well-known in­ ly appearing in Pajama Game. movement and will give Atlantic Busse will spend March circling activities), as well as a recording 1 strumentals as The program will originate each more of the strong package mer­ Two O’clock Jump Texas and other southern points. artist. | ’ by Harry James, Drummin’ Man Monday through Friday from Ralph Marterie and Buddy Mor- chandising it is planning.” Rogers, who has been heading a by Gene Krupa, Jersey Bounce by ABC’s Little Theater in Times vow have their midwestern dates small unit featuring Shelly Manne t)(>fol.e when the latter was han- Benny Goodman, and Northwest square, playing before a live au­ in April, and the Billy May ork Passage by Woody Herman. dience of 300. With Sam Donahue at the helm here, formerly was under contract d|ing ly22 i-eleases for Contem to RCA Victor u- come through in May. Ray An­ porary. making the switch because it will| thony is reorganizing his band to give him “greater freedom and begin a tour of New England on April 9, and Stan Kenton is sched­ wider opportunities.” uling the central states for May “We are pleased,” said Nesuhi Mary Lou Waxes And June. Kenton, incidentally, is Ertegun, “to inaugurate Atlantic’s First Nitery Date In 21 Years planning to carry his dance lib­ expanded EP and LP program with rary, not his concert book. an artist of Rogers’ stature. Shorty For Jazztone Discs New York—Mary Lou Williams, A Big Fred Waring Success back in this country after several Flash Disc Stars, With No Biz months Europe, recorded album recently for the new Jazz­ Las Vegas—Fred Waring’s Pleasure Time Revue of 1955, tone society (Down Beat, Feb. 9). his first nitery appearance in 21 years, scored a big success Accompanied by Wendell Mar­ with Vegas audiences during their$" in Show Biz, Called Ruinous shall and Osie Johnson, Mary Lou first night club appearance in the performed in a widely varied pro­ Congo room of the Hotel Sahara. gram which included an old blues Everything about the show was Turk Murphy The in-person circuit is in no her mother had taught her; a rag­ in keeping with the high musical Chicago — There’s a grow­ happy state today, as is shown time piece; Roll ’Em; a modern standards and excellent sense of ing cynicism among certain with fewer night clubs operating composition, I Love Him, that she showmanship that has long been Set For East talent agents over the future profitably each year. A cheapening had completed the day of the ses­ associated with the Pennsylvan­ of performances, at increasing tal­ sions; Jericho in a mambo-born, ians. Since the production came to of a show business that has ent prices often determined by a cha-cha-cha framework, and some the Sahara as a complete package San Francisco — Turk Murphy, Allowed itself to become heavily de­ single disc, conceivably could so standards. show, it really had to stand on its who is currently breaking all rec­ pendent upon the record industry. sour the consumer on stage shows own merits in order to make it. ords at the Tin Angel, waterfront On several numbers, Mary was Dixieland joint, leaves early in The bookers are grumbling, but as to bring about the virtual de­ heard without accompaniment. The Besides personable leader Waring, not too loudly, about the quality April for a three-month tour of the mise of the shows. Or at least it records will be available to Jazz­ the revue featured an 18-piece ork, east which the Gale Agency is now of personal appearances by artists could necessitate complete recon­ tone society members and may also whose members also sing and dou­ who have cashed in for quick rec­ struction of talent programs in be released in record stores on the ble on many instruments, and a setting up. ord hits, who have risen suddenly booking agencies which have been Concert Hall label. (Turn to Page 24) Murphy has replaced pianist to fame but who have no grasp of geared strongly to record stars. Wally Rose with Pete Clute, a stu­ the finer art of entertaining live Particularly what is found ob­ dent of Wally’s, and will probably audiences with what is called show­ jectionable in live performances by have Don Kinch on trumpet instead manship. record singers is that they defer to of Everett Farey, and Squire Gers- Today nearly any singer can the audience, never having learned, bach on bass when the group goes make records if only on small as have the old showmen, how to east. They are tentatively set to labels. And, disc successes being as be both superior and ingratiating open in Chicago at the Preview on unpredictable as they are, even at once. What agents are afraid of March 31, followed by dates in the poorest of singers can emerge is that this will result in show Toronto, Pittsburgh, and New with something of a name by way business losing its important il­ New York—In olden days, it was the custom for a music- York.