New York Clipper (Jul 1923)

28 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER July 11, 1923 BAND MEN IN CONVENTION The National. Association of Band In- strument Mannfarturers, at tbe convention held recently in Chicago, took steps to do away with several of the most glaring faults in the trade, such as excessive dis-. counts, rebating, giving of instruments and other prevalent practices that have not been conducive to harmony and have only served to cut profits to a minimum. In connection with the motion passed by the convention the leading band instnnnent mannfacturers and jobbers have inserted an advertisement which appears elsewhere in The Clipper, over their signature. More important than the ending of the trade abuses mentioned in the announce- ment will be the effective stopping of vari- ous forms of exaggeration and misrepre- sentation on the part of professional musi- cians. Heretofore many bandmasters and indi- vidual soloists have boasted that this or that manufacturer had presented them with gold or silver instruments as an ac- knowledgment of superior musical capa- bilities, and, infereiitially, because the in- strument manufacturer would deem it a great honor if the bandmaster, orchestra leader or soloist would use and endorse his make of instruments. Nine times ont of ten soloists and band- masters twalrtfig such claims have been mis- representing the facts in the case. As a general mle the average bandmaster or soloist who was granted a 10 per cent professional discotmt would tell his fellow musidans he had gotten 40 or 50 per cent or was given his instrument or instruments for nothing. In nany cases musidans would tell one manufacturer that another one had offered them a big disccunt or instruments on loan or free instruments. . In the vast majority of such cases these statements were untruthful to say the least. To rid the entire band instrument in- dustry of the troi^ble and annoyance of run- ding down such tales, and to eliminate the mntual suspidon such stories aroused among the manufacturers and dealers, the National Association of Band Instrument Manufacturers and dealers, in convention assembled at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, passed the preamble and resolutions printed in another column over their signatures and took ample precautions to see that every manufacturer in the association will live up to the letter and spirit of the reso- lutions. According to the manufacturers and dealers there has been too mnch granted by way of professional discoums. There has hecn some loaning of instruments and possibljr snbsidization on a very small scale. All^ this is now done away with and the entire industry put upon a basis of good business and mutual respect and trust ORCHESTRA NEWS UNITED ORCHESTRAS TOURING The United Orchestras, Inc., combina- tioii, known as the Leviathan Reserve Band win contmne its tour through New ^g- land this week and will appear during the week of July 16 at Harvey's Lake. Pa., at the dance casino there. On July 23 the or- chestra, which is under the direction of James Lynch, will assume the vaudeville dates of the other Leviathan orchestra, osmg the same settings and effects. The office has booked Robert Beme in charge of a five piece combination at Briar- diff Lodge for the summer. Fred Salter' and a six piece combination opened at the New Bedford Roof Hotel, New Bedford, Mavi, and Joe Raymond, with the nine piece orchestra he has been using at the I'alais Royal, opened last week at the Pavilion Royal for the summer. OPEN AIR CONCERTS START The first of the forty-two open air con- certs foy the New York PhDharmom'c Or- chestra was given on last Thursday night at the Lewisohn Stadium. The orchestra tmder the leadership of Willcm Van Hoogstraten is composed of one hundred and six men. There is a new $15,000 orchestra stand at the Stadium and it works finely, so well in 'fact that the audience on the far rim of the semi-drde can hear the faintest soiud of tiie strings. FIRE AT CASINO PIER The Casino Pier at Wildwood, N. J., which is being operated by the Lannin Brothers under the personal supervision of Sam Lannin, narrowly escaped burning last week-when a fire started in the Sweet Block at Schellenger avenue and the Board- walk and was fanned towards the Pier by the high wind. The Sweet Block, which was destroyed at a loss of about $200,000 is owned by Mrs. Belle Sweet and com- prises bathhouses, a steam plant and many stores and concessions with apartments above. Firemen from nearby towns helped extinguish the blaze and keep it from spreading to the Casino Pier and other nearby buildings. Business at the Pier was not seriously interrupted and the Memphis Five and Howard Lannin's seven piece orchestra were on hand the following evening to play for the dancing in this magnificent struc- ture. BENNETT BACK FROM LONDON Robert Bennett and -his Frisco Synco- paters, recently returned from a London engagement, opened last week at the Cafe des Beaux Arts, Atlantic Cty, for an in- definite run. _ Bennett is using ten men in his combination and is playing for the re- vue that Joe Moss is running there besides furnishing the Xlance music Over the fourth, in spite of inclement weather, At- lantic City conditi<ms took a turn for the better and it is possible that Moss will keep the revue going, instead of closing it as he had at first intended. Bennett and his men were in England for several weeks, having been booked in one of the Lyons restaurants by Paul Specht, who is now playing at the Comer House there. PARTY FOR HOFMANN Charles Domberger, playing with his orchestra in George White's "Scandals" tendered a party to Louis Hofmann his drummer, last week, the occasion being the anniversary of Hofmann's joining Dora- berger's organization. Hofmann has been with Domberger longer than any other man in the hand. Present at the party were several prindpals from the show, Benny Selvin and several other orchestra leaders and musidans. FROST AT EDGEMERE Chester Frost and his Bostonian Orches- tra, having closed their engagement in Maine, will open on Saturday at the Lor- raine Hotel, Edgemere, L. I., for a summer run. Frost has increased his organization to dght men. adding another saxophone.' Until his opening date Frost and his men will continue to give radio concerts at WJZ and other broadcasting stations. BRADiER OPENS SEASON Ellsworth T. Brainer and his orchestra, an organization composed of eight men, opened thdr summer engagement last week at the Oaryle Hotel, Qarence, N. Y. Brainer, who formerly ran a music shop beside his orchestra work, has sold out the shop so as to be able to devote his entire time to music from now on. TOM BROWN GOING TO ALASKA Tom Brown and his band will not spend their vacation in the East as previously planned but are going to Alaska as guests of the San Francisco Chamber of Com- merce. Seattle and Los Angeles. The party is scheduled to leave San Francisco on July 20th for a thirty or forty day trip. KERR AT ATLANTIC CITY Charles Kerr, prominent Philadelphia leader, and his orchestra, opened Saturday night at the Garden Pier, Atlantic Gty, for a summer run. Kerr has become more or less of a fixture at Atlantic Gty having played at the Pier for several years. DIMINELLO SERIOUSLY INJURED Alfred Diminello, the comedian string bass player with Elmer Grosso, and bis versatile orchestra, was seriously injured Tuesday night while on his way to the "Ben Hur," a roadhousc at City Island, where he has been playing nightly. Diminello and Grosso were waiting at West Farms for a City Island bus when the bus pulling in at the curb crushed Diminello against a telegraph pole which was very dose to the curb. An ambulance was summoned and Diminello was rushed to the Fordham hospital with several broken ribs and other internal complica- tions. He was quite a favorite with the guests at the Ben Hur and it is hoped that he will be able to join Grosso again in a very short time. BALDWIN AND ELKINS SWITCH The change predicted in the Clipfeb several weeks ago, whereby Buddy Bald- win, who was then playing at the Nassau would switch with Eddie Elkins, who had been engaged to play at the Castles-by-the- Sea, took place on Thursday night. Unless further changes are made Baldwin will furnish the dance music at Castles from now on and Elkins will, play at the Hotel. The theory is that the crowd at the Nas- sau are older and more appredative of the type of music furnished by Elkins and an organization of his dimensions while the crowd that patronize Castles like fast, peppy music of the Baldwin type. GILLEN AT GALLAGHER'S The new Frank Gillcn orchestra which opened last week with the revue at Gal- lagher's Broadway Gardens, proved a new wrinkle in the style of combination playing cabarets and supper clubs. Each of the musicians in the five piece orchestras are accomplished soloists and are required to do a single out on the floor. This includes such bits as a triple tongue solo by the comctist and imitations on the violin of a bagpipe, Sousa's Band, etc. DAVIS BAND IN DEER PARK The iMeyer Davis office has again placed an orchestra in the Deer Park Hotel, Deer Park, Maryland for the summer. The Davb oflicc now have their summer busi- ness well under way, holding the majority of their usual engagements and adding several new hotels and cafes to the list. BLUM REPLACES SIEGEL Irving Blum and his orchestra; a six piece combination, is now furnishing the dance music at the Nightingale Restaurant, repladng Al Siegel who goes to the Castil- ian Gardens, Lynbrook, formerly known as the Fountain Inn. LONG CONTRACT FOR FREY Fred L. Frey and his orchestra, a com- bination of nine pieces, last week signed for a year and four months to appear in vaudeville with Fred Ferris over the Keith time. The boloking was made through Harry Walker, Inc. DAVE BERNIE AT LAKE PLACID Dave Bernic and his orchestra opened at the Stevens House, Lake Placid last week The organization is booked to play there until Labor Day. ROMANO NOT AT THE BROADWAY I^il. Romano and his band did not play B. S. Moss' Broadway theatre with Cliff Nazarro as reported recently. EN SIViCETEN and his Orchestra tTtOMnmntfy at NOVEL ORCHESTRA EXPERIMENT Hany Stoddard and his orchestra, while playing in Keith's Theatre, Washington, D. C, recently, assisted in a novel experi- ment made in the psychopathic ward of the Walter Reed General Hospital. The hospital is maintained entirely for service men incapacitated during the war and con- tains several thousand patients. On Wed- nesday of the week, Stoddard, with several other of the acts on the bill, went out to put on an entertainment for the patients and hospital staff. Learning that none of the so-called "basket cases" were present Stoddard expressed a desire to play for them and went to the ward in which they arc kept, giving a number of songs for them. Later in the week, meeting some members of the hospital staff at the Na- tional Press Club, mention was made of the '400 insane patients and the discussion turned on what effect music of different kinds would have on them. The doctors expressed regret that they had not thought of this when Stoddard and his men were there on Wednesday but Stoddard told them that, if they wished, he would bring his men out on Sunday and the doctors accepted. At twelve o'clock on Sunday Stoddard and his orchestra again visited the hospital and were seated in the psychopathic ward. The doctors who were expert in mind dis- eases and many others were present and the most notable cases of insanity were held under close surveillance. Stoddard played songs of various types from old fashioned waltzes to snappy low down blues, the doctors observing results on the faces of the inmates and charting them according to the type of number. It was found that the most felicitous effect was obtained with fast fox-trots built around sweet melodies, that waltzes were soothjng and that low down blues aroused carnal instincts. As a result of the ex- periment the doctors are trying to work out some system whereby music can be employed as a curative in diseases of the mind and it is probable that other visiting and local musical organizations will be asked to assist in the reclamation work. While Stoddard and his men were in Wilkes-Barrc the leader was made an honorary member of the local Police De- partment by Mayor Daniel L. Hart, for- mer author and playwright, who is known as the actor's friend by alt those who have ever played the town. TOMMY GOTT TO REMAIN Tommy Gott, member of Paul White- man's orchestra, now in England, will not leave the organization when the orchestra returns, as had been announced, any dif- ferences that may have existed having been patched up. At the time it was rumored that Busse was leaving Whiteman but these were set at rest by the statement that Gott was to leave and a new man was be- ing sought to replace him. Now that Gott is to stay the orchestra which will appear in the "Follies" will be the same as that with which the California leader has made his success overseas with possibly one ex- ception. MONOHAN BAND FOR EMPIRE Tom Monohan and his band have been engaged to furnish the music for the races at the Empire City Track, Mt. Vernon, N. Y. during the current racing season there.