In person in te rv ie w with singer M a rle n e V e rP la n c k A rra n g e r p ro file o f Gordon J e n k in s Presidential photos with m u sician s R ead er's letter about A rtie S h aw BIG BAND N EWSLETTER JUMP VOLUME 138 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2012 INTERVIEW-MARLENE VER PLANCK strongly suggested we also interview The Background her and that was a good idea; hence The phrase, “a singer’s singer” comes to mind when this deeper look into referring to Marlene VerPlanck, so precise is her work. Marlene’scarcer. In Her career began as a very young singer with Charlie our previous con­ Spivak, Tex Beneke and the last Dorsey Brothers Or­ versation we asked chestra. Without knowing it you’ve heard her on dozens how old Bucky of singing commercials as she crisply proclaims, for Pizzarelli was, and example, the goodness of Campbell’s Soup. (Mmm- her answer was typi­ mmm, good!) cal of her forward- moving personality. Her most important work, though, has been bringing to She said, “Enough life both old and new great lyrics, resulting in dozens of with the age!” And CDs and appearances across North America and much she was right. of Western Europe. Marlene VerPlanck was heard on Alec Wilder’s historic ‘70s National Public Radio se­ Artists such as ries, “American Popular Songs” and she’s appeared at Marlene VerPlanck, Carnegie Hall, the Rainbow Room and national TV regardless of age, shows including “Entertainment Tonight,” “The Today continue to promote Show” and the CBS program “Sunday Morning.” Her the most valuable CDs often feature the arrangements of her husband, music of America Billy VerPlanck, providing accompaniment with some and the world with their talent and dedication to quality. of the finest musicians in New York as well as a unique When we asked if she was still involved in commercial album with a French saxophone group. advertising jingles, she responded, “Have you heard the jingles lately?” The meaning of that statement was, of It is Marlene who’s heard with Julius LaRosa and Mel course, that she would not lend her considerable talent Torme on the Glenn Miller Estate Band CD “In A to the kind of music permeating the airwaves of much Digital Mood,” the first Big Band CD to go gold. One of radio and television today. Our first question was of her CDs was the result of a composer’s request. about that very subject; the deterioration of music Richard Adler, who’s best known for the shows “Damn quality. Yankees” and “Pajama Game,” asked Marlene to record some of his songs. Marlene’s CD titled “You Gotta BBJ Today’s music? Have Heart” was the result of that request. She expands MVP Let’s start with rock n’ roll. I don’t understand on that in the interview. the words when they’re speaking, but every­ The Scene body who listens to those records seem to nod along with them. I guess I’m the only one who doesn’t We interviewed Marlene VerPlanck nearly a quarter- understand it. Then we go on to rap, which I find in a century ago when she was appearing in a concert of lot of cases a little too vulgar for my taste. I like the Johnny Mercer songs, but recently got back in touch Great American Songbook which is so beautiful....so when looking for a contact number for Bucky Pizzarelli well crafted into music and words and sentiment. I like whose interview was featured in the last issue. She instrumental classical music like Rachmaninoff and JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2012 VOLUME 138 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER Tchaikovsky, Ravel and Debussy and all those guys. worked with just about everybody in the business as a back-up singer from Sinatra to KISS, and I ve done BBJ: You were a commercial jingle singer. How has every commercial. I had six cigarettes when they went that changed? off the air. MVP: If you listen to the commercials today, the That part of the business is gone. The people they do commercial goes on for thirty seconds, some­ use now are mainly the producers and you can hear the times sixty seconds, whatever the length of time. You quality yourself; I don’t have to remind you about the listen to it and you don’t know what they’re selling. current quality of commercials. They don’t mention the product. That to me is a puzzle because when I was doing commercials....and I did literally thousands of commercials... .the first thing you talked about was the product, whether it was cigarettes or airlines or cars or whatever. You knew right away what we were talking about. Today you listen to the commercial, if you can understand it, and then you think, “What was that? What were they selling?” BBJ: Is there a difference in music appreciation between those audiences overseas and audi­ ences here? MVP: I go to England every March; I work up and down the country, North, South, East and West, and I do a lot of jobs. I get to work every night and it’s an awful lot of fun. The thing they like the most is the fact 1 don’t do the well-known standards. I try to bring in forgotten songs, songs that haven’t been done for The relaxed Marlene years and years. I try to bring something new to the table and they seem to like that. The comment I get after BBJ: Tell us about your recording with Saxomania, almost every show, “I never heard so many songs I a French group. didn’t know but I like!” That to me is rewarding because I do a lot of research and try to bring something MVP: We did three with Saxomania. The first one fresh and new to the piece and that’s what it’s about. was “Marlene VerPlanck Meets Saxomania In Paris” which is one of my favorite albums. The second BBJ: Tell us about your Big Band experience. one was “What Are We Going To Do With All This Moonlight” which is just about my second favorite, and MVP: That’s where I met Billy. He was playing because of those two albums we got a call from the trombone and I was singing with the Charlie songwriter Richard Adler who wrote “Damn Yankees Spivak Band. We had a long and wonderful marriage and “Pajama Game” and he said I want you to do an until two years ago when he passed away. Then we album for me with that group. We finally did the album went on to the Tommy Dorsey Band....Tommy and after about six months; he called about every week. Jimmy, I should say....and we stayed with that band We’ve done a couple of projects over in England as until it dissolved, the same year Jimmy died. Then we well. When I go over in March I’m going to start stayed in New York and Billy got busier and busier and another project with a group I’ve been working with so did I. We became studio musicians for many good now for a couple of years. years. It’s a wonderful part of the business because you never know what you’re going to do, whether you’re BBJ: The only other interview I’ve done with you going to do a commercial or a record background. I’ve was at a Johnny Mercer concert. 2 VOLUME 138 BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2012 MVP: I did a Johnny Mercer album in 1978 for David Thompson I listen to BIG BAND JUMP Audiophile and it’s still one of the best-selling Belleville, TX on the internet. You’re cur­ albums on that label. How can you go wrong with rently playing a somewhat re­ Mercer? He just knew what to do with a song. He had cently recorded CD (sounds great) of the Big Band so many different subjects. He loved birds and he loved themes. Thank you. This reminds me how good music trains and he loved the blues and he knew how to write really was. Unfortunately I was born in 1947 and a love song. He will go down in history as one of the missed it all. Well, except for your program. very, very best. BBJ: What is the makeup of the audience when you Mr. Thompson was referring to the Henry Mancini do a club date or concert? “Big Band Montage” from a CD titled “Moon River. ” The CD notes say all the selections were MVP: I only do places where they sit and listen. It’s recorded before 1972. When we asked Henry a sit down concert for all my club dates. There’s Mancini about that medley he recalled growing no background conversation at the bar. up during the Big Band Era and his appreciation Our thanks to Marlene VerPlanck for her inter­ for the sound of the bands, expressed in this CD view and for continuing to develop appreciation with nostalgic-sounding Mancini arrangements for the Great American Songbook. of the themes of Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Glenn Miller, Stan Kenton, Artie Shaw, Les Brown and Duke LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Ellington. Letters to BIG BAND JUMP or the BBJ NEWSLET­ Elsie Spidle What a great newsletter. I was TER may be sent to the address below or e-mailed to Watsonville, CA sogladyouhadaphotoofBBJ [email protected].