VOLUME 95 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2004 parents were musicians and Tole says Tommy Dorsey BILL TOLE’S MANY FACETS music on radio and records was part of his growing up. He was hired as a member of the Dorsey “ghost band” Bill Tole is a trombone player who has played Tommy in 1959 after graduating from Duquesne Univer-sity Dorsey in the mov­ with a degree in mu­ ies, who has his own sic. There was a stint Big Band and who with the Air Force also leads the current Orchestra, then work version of the Jimmy as a studio musician Dorsey Orchestra. in New York and fi­ He was, in fact, a nally in Los Angeles, member of the where he now lives. Tommy Dorsey Or­ Dissolve to 2004, and chestra, and when we find Bill Tole as Martin Scorsese was leader of the JIMMY casting his 1977 film, Dorsey Orchestra, “New York, New through a set of un­ York” starring Rob­ usual circumstances. ert De Niro and Lisa Former owner of the Minnelli, he was Jimmy Dorsey name, chosen to portray the Jim Miller, suffered legendary band­ an accident and the leader. singer with the band, Nancy Knorr, happens to be Bill Tole’s sister. She asked him to sub for Miller until he In the opening moments of the movie, De Niro is was able to resume leadership of the band, but his wandering the streets of Manhattan on V-E. Day and injuries led to permanent retirement. Thus, Bill Tole winds up in a ballroom where he meets Minnelli. On has been and is, at various times, a leader of three the bandstand, complete with trombone and the Dorsey- different bands: his own, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra style glasses is Tole leading the orchestra in what turns and in the movies, for a few minutes the Tommy Dorsey out to be a medley of Tommy Dorsey’s hits, OPUS Orchestra. ONE, MARIE and the Dorsey theme, GETTING SEN­ TIMENTAL OVER YOU. The guys on the bandstand In his travels across the country and during annual trips with him were actually members of the Bill Tole to Australia and New Zealand, Tole sees evidence of a Orchestra. The word is some of them had to shave off new audience for Big Band music. “The interesting their beards and get ’40s haircuts in order to fit into the thing is that the younger people are getting into it period portrayed in the film. through dancing. Sure they listen to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and the Squirrel Nut Zippers, but all that music Tole heard about auditions for the Tommy Dorsey role is based on the era of Louis Prima, Louis Jordan and from former bandleader Orrin Tucker, famed for his Benny Goodman. The Dorseys are in there with them.” 1939 hit, OH JOHNNY. Tucker told Tole to wear a pair of round glasses when he went in to audition. He played SOMETHING'S HAPPENING OUT THERE a few notes on his trombone for Scorsese and talked a bit. Scorsese liked the look and the voice and a new We don’t know what permanent effect it will have, but Tommy Dorsey was bom, at least for the time it took for fairly current singers of all persuasions are getting into his appearance on the screen. the Great American Music act. Years ago Linda Ronstadt issued a couple of albums of standards, and Bill Tole was raised on Tommy Dorsey music while Toni Tennille has been in the standard bag for some growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Both his years, but a spate of new performers are now doing it. (continued on page 12} 10.