Variety (Jul 1939)

40 VARIETY MUSIC—DANCE BANDS Wednesday, July 12, 1939 Inside Stuff-Bands Band Bookings | Results of the annual band popularity poll conducted by the Make- Believe-Ballroom, recorded Jive program on WNEW, N. Y, again hands the palm to Benny Goodman after the latter was ousted from first place last year by Artie Shaw. Month of voting ended Saturday (8) night. Goodman regained the top spot by a margin of 388 baUots with 112,318 of the total 334,476 votes cast for him and Shaw. Third place to Tommy | Dorsey. Glenn Miller was fourth, after being nowhere In sight last poll; Sammy Kaye, fifth; Gene Krupa, sixth this year, eighth last; Jimmy | Dorsey, seventh, 17th last; Harry James, eighth; Charley Barnet, ninth, 42d last year; Count Basie, 10th, sixth last year; Richard Himber, 11, 14th • last year; Jimmie Lunceford, 12, 11th last year; Larry Clinton, 13, 7th last | year; Glen Gray, 14. 4th last year; Kay Kyser, 15. They were followed by Bob Crosby, Guy XK>mbardo, Eddy Duchin. Woody Herman, Duke Elling- ton, Hal Kemp, Chick Webb, Jan Savitt, Van Alexander, and Horace Heidt. SpUtting the votes into style sections found the first 10 sweet reading: Sammy Kaye, Richard Himber, Glen Gray, Kay Kyser, Guy Lombardo, Eddy Duchin, Hal Kemp, Jan Savitt, Horace Heidt, Al Donahue. First 10 swing: Goodman, Shaw, Dorsey, Miller, Krupa, Jimmy Dorsey, Harry James, Barnet, Count Basle and JiArunie Lunceford. A serious charge against Leonard D'Anna, member of Shea's Buffalo orchestra, were dismissed last week when he produced character 'witnesses consisting of two attorneys, John Ingram, former director of Shea's Orches.- tra, and two other professional musicians.. Owing to a nurtiber' of assaults on local children in Buffalo streets the ca$e was given wide notoriety. The complainant, a boy of 12, charged D'Anna with misconduct In connection with a bbat ride around the Buffalo Yacht Club area. D'Anna protested innocence, citing the fact that he had never been In trouble in his Ufe and had traveled all over the United States as a-member of Sousa's Band, as well as havhig been with Shea's Buffalo Orchestra.for several years, and with various other local musical outfits heard in local theatres and on broadcasts. The dismissal was based upon legal precedents and upon D'Anna's good reputation as outweighing the child's uncorroborated story. In gratitude to past favors when the old DeSylva, Brown and Henderson shows moved Al Goodman up in Importance as a musical comedy maestro, the leader switched plans in order to baton the current Lew Brown musical, ■Yokel Boy,' at the Majesticf, N. Y. It necessitated "Goodman sending Carl Hofl to the Coast to audition the Al Jolson new show for Lucky Strike, since the' leadier wanted to stay close to Brown's stage musical. The Jol- son-Lucky program Idea, if It materializes, is more Jolson, with the band Incidental, hence Carl Hofl could do as competent a job, Goodman told the mammy singer. Jimmy Dorsey's shift from the inside bandstand at the Meadowbrook, Cedar Grove, N. J;, to an outdoor stand and dance floor on fair evenings means a lot of work for the spot's attendants to protect customers from mosquitoes. Each night the 000-seat .outdoor layout is sprayed with an antl-mosqulto preparation' which settles Into the special tanbark under- footing laid out around the dancefloor and lasts for several hours before its effect wears off. Jan Savitt and his arranger, Johnny Watson, have a rhythmic piece titled '720 in the Books' a gag Intra-bad title which the Savitt orchestra at the Hotel I<incoln, K. Y., has been privately plugging.. A publisher heard It and wanted it written up by Johnny Mercer, who finally decided to retain the band's original gag tag, just as Benny Goodman's 'Opus Is now known by that tag. Carl Itfoore, County Fair, Cham- paign, HI., July 29. Buddy Fisher, SUte Lake theatre, Chi., week July 14, set by Charlie Yates of CRA. Ramona, Palisades Park, N. J, week Aug. 5. Frankie Trumbauer, Surf Beach Club, Virginia Beach, Va, July 15. BiUy Scott, Madura DanceUnd, Whiting, Ind., July 13-15-16-20-22- 23. Louis Armstrong, Orpheum thea- tre, Hannibal. Mo., July 12. Al Kavelin, Enna Jettlck Park. Auburn, N.Y., JUly 10-23 placed by CRA, . Rita Rio, Brighton Beach, N. Y., July 9-15. Andy Kirk, Municipal Auditor- ium, Kansas City, July 17; Elberta Beach, VermUion, O, July .27. . Duke EUingtoni July 15, Val Air B. Des Moines; 16. Shore Acres. Sioux City, la.; 17. Neptune B.. Sioux Falls, S. D.; 18, Indianapolis: 10 St Louis; 20, Evansville, Ind.: 21, Youngstown, O.: 22. Sylvan Beach, N. Y.; 23, Rlchifleld. Springs, N. Y.; 24, Ritz-Caritpn, Boston, 2 weeks. Sammy Kaye, ,.July 15, Sunny- brook B. Pottstown. Pa.; 16, Steel Pier. A. C; 17, Magic Key program, N. Y.; 18, Fernbrook Park, Wllkes- Barre, Pa.; 19, Sunset Park. Carroll- town. Pa.; 20. Youngstown, O.: 21. Eastwood and Westwood Gardens. Detroit, two weeks; Au"?. 4. Shea's theatre, Buff&lo. week; 11, Lyric the- atre. Indianapolis, week; 10-27, Mil- waukee state fair. 15 Best Sheet Music SeUers (Week ending July 9, J939) Sunrise Serenade Jewel Beer Barrel Polka , Shapiro ' •Wishing ('Love Affair') Crawford Stairway to the Stars Bobbins White Sails , ^ Feist If 1 Didn't Care , , Chappell Moon Love Famous LltUe Sir Echo .BVC God Bless America Berlin Three Little Fishies ' Santly *Lady's in Love With You ('Some Like It Hot')........Paramount If I Had My Way Paull Concert in the Park WItmark 'Strange Enchantment ('Man About Town'). .. .........Famous And the Angels Sing > BVC • Filmvsical. Qn the Upbeat MOW REAPyij Five Unforgettable Songs tyLY.Harburgani Harold Arien ^TheM-G-M MusicaUventoftteYearl "THE WIZARD OF OZ" # OVER THE RMNBOW THE MERRY OlD lAHO OF OZ OIHG-MHGl THE WTCH IS DEAD WE'RE OFF TO SEE THE WZARD IF I ONLY HAD A BRAIN Waller Into Sherman, Chi, As Morris Office Cracks Another MCA Exchsiye Diosa CosteUo closes with Raphael Font's orchestra at. the International Casino July 12 and pair go into La Conga, N. Y., following day. for eight weeks. I elght-wedc fun on July 26 and will' head out for a general tour of one- nighters and theatre dates. Jolumy 'Scat' Davis orchestra succeeds. • BiU Marshall a h.o. Willows, Pittsburgh. Indef at the Jimmy Dorsey plays week of Aug. 19 at Surf Beach Club, Virginia Beach, Va., set by Rockwell General Amusement Glenn Miller pointed for Hipp theatre, Baltimore, weak starting Sept. 1 and follows with dates at the Par, N. Y, and Shea's Buffalo. William Morris agency band book- ing department cracked another Music Corporation of America hold last week when it .booked Fats Waller's band Into the Sherman ho- tel, Chicago, for four to six weeks. Crew opens Aug. 10 or 11. Hotel's CoUege Inn has booked MCA talent exclusively for more than five years. Bunny Berlgan currently at the spot with Harry James booked. Count Basie preceded Berigan and Gene Krupa was in ahead of Basie. All are MCA outfits. LYHAN FIDSLES'S KEW CBEiW Dave Herman, former first vio- linist with Abe Lonman, who left Ly- man once before. Is again readying a band of his own. Herman's crew will shove off on a one-night cruise and ready Itself for a fall opening at the Benjamin Franklin hotel, Philly. Marvin Frederick handed a flve- yeap managerial contract by Rock- weU General Amustment Iiarry Clinton's orchestra stays until July 25 at the Park Central hotel, N. Y. Fonr Ink Spots, set for week of July 16 at Steel Pier, AtlanUc City, are due for a two-week engagement at the Paramount theatre, N. Y., about Sept 13 and go Into Shea's Buffalo, N. Y., week of Aug. 11. Beade's Casino, Asbury Park, N. J., has Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Hilliard for a one-nighter July 15 and have signed Joe Marsala's or- chestra' for two weeks starting July 16. Don Orlando orchestra into the Bon Air Country Club, Chicago, after a long sojourn at Chez Paree. Jack Teagardcn otrchestra leaves the Blackhawk, Chicago, after an Network Plugs. 8 AJW. to 1AJH. Following is a totalization of the' combined plugs of current tunes on NBC (WEAF and WJZ). and CBS iWABC) computed for the week from Monday through Sunday (July 3-0). Total represents accumulateo performances on the two major networks from 8 o.m. to 1 a.m. 'Symbol • denotes ytlm sono, f legit, all others are pop. TITLE PUBLISHEB. Stairway to the Stars..; Bobbins , White Sails Feist Moon Love • .Famous Blue Evening. Miller GRAND TOTAL. 50 50 34 32 Panebo's orch from Persian Room of the Plaza. New York, will follow current Jack Fulton into the Mural, Room of the Baker hotel, Dallas, July 17. ' Bob Crosby's band one-nites Sun- day (16) at Pleasure Beach, Bridge- port, Conn.' Eddy Dnohln's orch, out of Wal- dorf-Astoria,' N. Y., plays Roton Point Park. £»outh Norwalk,. Conn., Simday (16). Emerson Gill into Mission Inn, near Pittsburgh, for two weeks with options, following his run at West View- Park there. George Halt still ailing so Dolly Dawn will continue to baton his band for remainder of Its engage* ment at Kennywood Park, Pitts- burgh. Ken Brader's Saracens, featuring Frank McGInley, Three Singing Swlngsters,' an'd swing drummer Charlie Woerhle, booked indefinitely at Naomi Lake' Boathouse, Pocono Pines, Pa. . I Poured My Heart into a Song. ..'Second Fiddle..Berlin 32 This Is No Dream BVC SO Wishing...*Love Affair Crawford 30 Beer Barrel Polka .Shapiro 28 To You , Paramount 27 If I Didn't Care. Chappell 25 i In the Middle of a Dream. Spier 25 I And the Angels Sing BVC 24 1 Lady's in Love with You. ..'Some Like It Hot. ..Paramount 24 Strange Enchantment...'Man About Towm.....Famous 23 -Comes Love...tYokel Boy....: Chappell 22 Don't Worry 'Bout Me. >. tCotton Club Revue.... Mills 22 I Lamp Is Low . .Robbins 22 I South American Way. ..tStreets of Paris. Chappell 22 Sunrise Serenade Jewel 21 You Grow Sweeter as the Years Go By WItmark 20 My Heart Has Wings Red Star 19 Ain't Cha Comm'<5ut Chappell 18 All I Remember Is You Remick 18 Is It Possible.. .tStreets of Paris. Chappell 18 Our Love Chappell 18 Well All Right Leeds 18 Back to Back...'Second Fiddle .Berlin 17 Cinderella Stay in My Arms Shapiro 17 Especially for You Shfiro 16 Don't Look Now Chappell 15 Begin the Beguine Harms 14 Concert in the Park WItmark 14 Rendezvous Time in Paree.. .tStreets of Paris... Chappell 14 There's Only One in Love Roy u Jumpin' Jive Marks 12 Sing Song of Sunbeams.. .'East Side of Heaven.. Santly 12 Tinkle Song Feist 12 Whistling in the WUdwood Olman 12 Igloo Tenney ; li Let's- Disappear Words and Music 11 New Moon and an Old Serenade. Berlin ,. ii H I Had Way. PauU-Ploneer Man with the Man ~ ■ Sam the Vegetable Man Gem 10 Shabby Old Cabby. ; Shapiro.. 10' Yours for a Song... tBIlly Rose's \quacade Robbins 10 1 JESS STACEY LEAVES GOODMAN; OWN BAND San Francisco, July 11. Jess Stacey, pianist with Benny Goodman's orchestra for five years, left the Goodman band past Satur* day (8) to form his own orchestra. Stacey will take a short vacation before heading for New "Vork ta gather an eight-piece combination. He'll be managed by Harry Good- man, brother of Benny. Stacey is another in the line of Icstrumentallsts who have 'grad- uated' from the Goodman outfit to head their own setups. Most recent were Harry James and Teddy Wil- son. Stacey was replaced oh tha keys by Fletcher Henderson. Good- man bought the latter's bandleading contract recently to enable him (Henderson) to do full time arrang- ing for the Goodman band. It's not known whether he will remain at the keys or Is just filling In. Among other alumni of Goodman are Gene Krupa and Bud Freeman, latter with a small combination at Nick's Tavern, N. Y. Pee Wee Rus- sell, also ex-Goodman is with Free- man. Toniiny Dorset to Chi At the Pennsylvania hotel. New York, until late in September, Tom- my Dorsey's orchestra has been t>ooked Into the Palmer House, Chi- cago, from Oct. 12 and until after the first of the new year. Dorsey was originally scheduled to return to the New Yorker hotel, N. Y., where most of last season's cold spell was spent, but deal fell through. Would have meant the band filling a winter date two blocks away from where it spent the summer. Song Suggestions JIMMY McHUCH'S JKd^iA::::::::::;::::::::::::::!?^ iSl"Exactly like You'' Vegetable Man (Jem 10:1 •' ISHAPIRO, BERNSTEIN A CO!