Variety (September 1952)

S8 WiMlneMlay, Seplember 10, 1952 Concert Biz Seen Due for 15%^Uplieat; Tax Hike, Halls, Opera Groups Needed “Demand for good music is growing in America,”, says Marks Levine, “and nothing 'can kill it.” Prez of National Concert & Artists Corp., one of America’s two top concert bureaus, recently made an eight-week survey by auto of the national concert scene, and came back with a generally upbeat pic- ture, Levine says he’'s more bullish on the coming season's concert biz since his trip. There have been active bookings during the sum- mer, with more such activity due in early fall. Concert biz this sea- son will be up 15% from last year. Costs of operation are increasing, however, so that, though gross takes will be higher, the net will, stay the same as last year. “People are eager for more and better music,” Levine says, “but there are too many obstacles. In many cities there are no proper places to give concerts. Many towns have no suitable auditoriums. And they are some of the biggest In America, like Los Angeles, Se- attle, Portland, Atlanta and Bir- mingham.” Levine found five sore spots in the U. S. concert picture—lack of suitable halls, high costs of giving concerts, lack of cooperation among different sponsoring groups in one town, congestion of the calendar and lack of aggressive local man- agement. The concert biz needs heljp in the sense of better physical condi- tions, Says Levine. It's largely a local problem, but he’s got several ideas for improvements. He plans to present them to local concert managers when they meet in N. Y. in December. 1. Levine would like to see a permanent committee formed, of qualified reps of national manage- ments, local managers, artists, unions, critics and comnnsers, whose sole job would be to keep 'in constant touch with the musical activities of the country, to see where aid was needed, where a symphony orchestra or chamber ensemble was lacking, for instance, and help create it. Regional Bookings 2. NCAC prez would like to see regional bookings established, to give an artist more dates on a sin- gle trip to an area than heretofore. This would cut costs. . It would also create an entente among local man- agers, who would select certain artists and guarantee them more dates in one territory than before 3^. In this connection, Levine would also like to see the top estab- lished artists dropping their fees a little in certain areas, as a contri- bution to young talent, to enable the latter to get a few more book- ings. 4. Levine wants local managers to help the concert bureaus to build stars, against the day when the^ present ones give out. "Don’t wait for us,” he advises. "Each local manager should book at least one debut a season, so that some young promising talent can be as- sured 15 to 20 engagements. “The constant rise in the cost of •living concerts is our biggest problem,” says Levine. “We have got to raise the price of concert tickets. They haven’t gone up in 15 years, but how is a problem. At a $3 (excluding tax) top, average is $1.90. It should go up at least to a $3.50 top net, or $2.50 aver- . age.” Levine, who states that he’s a firm believer in the musical des- tiny of the U. S.. says the main thing missing is the creative im- pulse, the lack of great composers. "Our greatest deficiency, too, is our operatic life, or the lack of it. It‘s too costly. But it’s the shame of this country that cities like Chi- cago and Boston haven’t opera companies of their own. Opera is getting more popular daily, but local companies are needed, funds ai’e needed. Opera needs local ot Federal subsidy. As to this ques- tion of onera naying for itself, why should it? Museums, schools, li- braries don’t pay for themselves; v/hv^ should opera? Cultural ac- tivities don’t pay for themselves; thev cater to the spirit, not the flesh.” Good -music gives tone and stim- ulus to the entire entertainment business, X*evine says. “There would be no Gershwin without a Beethoven, no Victor Herbert with- out a Chopin,”* ■ Who Was Victor^s AlhTime Royalty Earner? ★ * * an InttratHn^ •ditarlat ftakur* Fn tht forthcoming ipociaf RCA VICTOR mMBER Ik P^SHETY OUT TfflS MONTH Dallas Indie Station Rides Folk Tune Boom With 4-Hour Marathof) Dallas, Sept. 9. Tying in with the booming folk music trend, WFAA, Dallas Morn- ing News station, will preem a four-hour “Saturday Night Shin- dig” this week (6), which will be aired weekly thereafter from 8 p.m. to midnight. Station manage- ment is operating the show in co- operation with the Texas State Fair,' where it will originate through the winter. Hillbilly marathon will operate the first four weeks from WFAA’s studios, moving to the Fair Park bandshell‘starting Oct. 4. On Oct. 25, the show moves into Fair Park auditorium and will continue from there until next May 1, at which time it will return to the band- shell for al"fresco airing through- out the summer. New show is an outgrowth of WFAA’s original “Shindig” show, which continues under sponsor- ship of Gladiola Flour as part of the four-hour program. “Shin- dig” will feature WFAA’s roster of hillbilly artists, topped by Bob- by Williamson, R(bA Victor singer; Slim Cox, and Pop Myres. Beaumont 1-Niters Beaumont, Sept. 9, Ray Anthony orch has been signed to appear here for a one- nighter 'at the Harvest Club at the Fairgrounds Sept. 15. Lund Switches to Coral Art Lund,*former Benny Good- man orch vocalist, who has been waxing under the M-G-M Records label for the past couple of years, has switched to Coral Records un- der a new deal, Coral’s initial release with Lund is “Cincinnati Ding Dong” and “The River Song,” with orchestral backing by Leroy Holmes, Holmes also was with M-G-M but has been freelancing recently. COLUMBIA ARTISTS MGT. SWITCH IN PRESS SETUP With switchover this season of Dorle Jarmel to handle publicity on the N. Y. -Philharmonic-Sym- phony exclusively, Columbia Ar- tists Mgt. is splitting press duties of its various divisions among its own sales or exec personnel. Hum- phrey poulens, exec in the Cop- picus, Schang & Brown division, will also do the promotion and publicity for that department, and* supervise the Kurt Weinhold and Andre Mertens departments .as well, on which Chase Adams will do press chores. George E. Judd, Jr., exec in the Judson, O’Neill & Judd branch, will take over promotion responsi- bilities there too, with Tate Irvine as his assistant. Judd’s duties will also include press work for the Horace Parmelee department. Frederick C. Schang, prez of Co- lumbia, will oversee the various press activities of the whole or- ganization. Best British Sheet Sellers (Week ending Aug. 30) London, Sept. 2. Homing Waltz Reine Auf Wiederseh’n Maurice Blue Tango Mills High Noon — Robbins I’m Yours.. Mellin Walkin’ My Baby Victoria Kiss of Fire Duchess Never F.D.&H. Day of Jubilo Connelly Time Say Goodbye.. Pickwick Trust in Me Wright Blacksmith Blues .. Chappell Second 12 Meet Mister Callaghan... Toff Pawnshop Corner. Cinephonic Somewhere Along Way.Magna Be Anything . Cinephonic Won’t Live in Castle Connelly Tell Me Why Morris When In Love Connelly Dellcado Lafleur Gandy Dancers Ball... Disney Ay-round The Corner.. Dash I'll Walk Alone Morris Sugar Bush Chappell Jocks, Jukes ana Disks By HERM SCHOENFELD. Dinah Shore: “Blues in Ad- vance”-“Bella Musica” (Victor). “Blues” is potent material for Dinah Shore and could be her big- gest slice of wax in several years. It's a Slow blues number, with a good lyric and gets an excellent production jvia the restrained use of an echo" chamber and a solid trumpet background. Solid for jocks and jukes. Reverse is an- other Italo item with fair chances. Henri Rene’s orch backs up in usual fine style. Frankie Laine: “The Ruby and the Pearl”-“The Mermaid” (Co- lumbia). “Ruby” is an unusual, firstrate ballad from the Para- mount pic, “Thunder in the East.” Number has a pseudo-Oriental veneer and a dramatic romantic quality tailor-made for Laine’s de- livery. “The Mermaid” is a bright sea-chanty novelty which Laine belts for maximum chances. Lyric may be a trifle too clever but Laine’s vivid handling and Paul Tony Bennett’s expansive rendi- tion, in front of Percy Faith’s orch and choral arrangement, attains the right atmosphere and could climb to mid-hit levels. “Stay Where You Are” has a strong pop potential and may break through as another Bennett click. Vaughn Monroe Orch: "You’ll Never Get Away”-“A Man’s Best Friend Is His Horse” (Victor). “Get Away” is a colorful novelty tune which is gamering a stack of wax sides. Vaughn Monroe's ver- sion could step away because of Ziggy Talent’s comic soprano pip- ing. The Holidays, a vocal group, also give this number a solid ride for King Records. On the Victor flip, Monroe delivers a so-so num- ber from the Republic pic, “The Toughest Man in Arizona.” Jeanne Gayle: “Takes Two to Tango” - “Butterflies” (Capitol). Jeanne Gayle has one of her best sides in “Tango,” a fine rhythm number. The vocal hits the right Best Bets DINAH SHORE BLUES IN ADVANCE (Victor) Bella Musica FRANKIE LAINE THE RUBY AND THE PEARL (Columbia) The Mermaid DORIS DAY-DONALD O’CONNOR NO TWO PEOPLE (Columbia) You Can’t Lose Me Weston’s colorful background should hold the mass impact. Doris Day-Donald O’Connor: “No Two People”-“You Can’t Lose Me” (Columbia). Frank Loesser’s number, “No Two People,” from the score of the Goldwyn, pic, “Hans Christian Andersen,” has hit' potential via this showcasing. Doris Day and Donald O’Connor blend Into a savvy wax side with plenty of pop appeal. “Lose Me” is a cute rhythm item with a Cole Porterish lyric. Ted Heath Orch-Lita Roza: “Early Autumn”-“Vanessa” (Lon- don). Lita Roza is a topflight Brit- ish songstress and Is due to click in the U, S. with the right mate- rial. “Early Autumn” could be it. She gives this lovely ballad a sensitive rendition which will give the rival slices a run for the money. On the flip, Ted Heath’s orch comes up with fancy version of “Vanessa,” which could attract attention despite its late start. Tony Bennett: “Anywhere I Wander”-“Stay Where You Are” (Columbia). “Wander,” another tune from “Hans Christian Ander- sen,” is a big production piece with a touching melody and Fyric. Ifl Best SeDers on Coin-Machines .6 1. WISH YOU WERE HERE (5) (Chappell) Eddie Fisher Z. YOU BELONG TO ME (2) (Ridgeway) Jo Stafford . ± 3. AUF WIEDERSEH’N (12) (Hill-R) 4. 5. 6 . I 8 . ♦ » » ♦♦♦♦-* Victor ....... Columbia i Vera Lynn London I Eddy Howard Mercury HALF AS MUCH (13) (Acuff-R) Rosemary Clooney .... Columbia BOTCH-A-ME (10)•(Hollis) Rosemary Clooney ... .Columbia VANESSA (3) (E. H. "^Morris) Hugo Winterhalter Victor hich noon ^ (Frankie Laine ..Columbia 4 HIGH noon (2) (Feist) 4. SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY (4) (United) | (King) Cole - Capitol ( Tony Bennett Columbia 9. MEET MR. CALLAGHAN (1) (Leeds) J Paiil-Mary Ford .. . .Capitol I Harry Grove Trio London 10. JAMBALAYA (1) (Acuff-R) Jo Stafford Columbia Second Group SUGARBUSH (6) (Schirmer) Frankie Laine-D. Day .Columbia LUNA ROSSA (BVC) Alan Dean MGM HK MAYBE (10) (Robbins) P. Como~E. Fisher Victor WALKIN’ MY BABY BACK HOME (15) (i>eSylva-B-H).,.. i...., | ^^Capfm HERE IN MY HEART (13) (Mellin) { Martino BBS 1 Tony Bennett Columbia - DELICADO (13) (Witmark) j Cohmbia I S. Kenton Capitol .. ROSANNE (ABC) Vic Damone Mercury *’ ZING A LITTLE ZONG (Burvan) Bing Croshy-J. Wyman ..Decca FOOL, FOOL, FOOL (Progressive) Kay Starr Capitol WALKIN’ TO MISSOURI (Hawthorne) Sammy Kaye '.Columbia y, SHOULD I (Robbins) Four Aces Decca SO MADLY IN LOVE (Shapiro-B) Georgia Gibbs Mcrvuiy I WENT TO YOUR WEDDING (St. Louis) Patti Page Mercury :: IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME (Marks) Les Paul-Mary Ford- ....Capitol ,, LOVER (5) (Famous) Peggy Lee-G. Jenkins ....Decca - BLUE TANGO (19) (Mills) j Anderson Decca ( Hugo Winterhalter Victor i Martin Victor , KISS OF FIRE (15) (Duchess) -{ G. Gilbs Mercury 1 . IB. Eckstine MGM 4 (Figures in parentheses indicate number of weeks song has been in the Top 10] ♦ ♦ U M t tempo and should be a good juke and jock Item. “Butterflies” is a i*outine item. The Paulette Sisters: “My-Na Shay-Na Ty-Ra”-“You’ll Never Get Away” (Columbia). “My-Na” is in the same groove as the oldie “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen” and gets the same type of treatment as the An- drews Sisters gave the latter num- ber back in the 1930’s. This should get some spins on the basis of its snappy rendition. “Get Away,” on the reverse, also gets an okay treatment, the Paulette Sisters and Peter Hanley handling the vocal, with Larry Clintons’ orch handling the'background in good style. Art Lund: “Cincinnati Ding Dong”-“The River” (Coral), Art Lund hits strongly on initial enfei’jr for Coral after switching fi’om the M-G-M label. CUcko side is “Cin- cinnati Ding Dong,” an Oriental flavored novelty number. Lund’a reading gets plenty of gaiety into the cut while LeRoy Holmes* chop suey orch backing should help it move up the hit list. Lund segues into an overly serious mood on the reverse but it's too heavy for com- mercial appeal. Billy William* Quartet: “That’s What I’m Here For”-“Some Folks Do- and Some Folks Don’t”^ (Mer- cury). This Billy Williams Quar- tet coupling is one of the best platters the combo has cut in some time, “That’s What I’m Here For,” a good ballad entry with mildhit potential, showcases Williams’ ten- der vocal qualities for standout re- sults. Combo changes paces on the Merc flip for a driving ren- dition of “Some Folks Do and Some Folks Don’t.” It’s bouncing beat make a juke natural. Platter Pointer* Stanley Black, conducting the British KIngsway Promenade Or- chestra, has cut a fine long-play set for London In his symphonic suite of “The Music of Jerome Kern.” It’s a rich medley, of great standards . . . Lee Wiley has two more albums for Columbia in which slie showcases her sunerlative song style. Pianists Stan Freeman and Cy Walter accomp her in “Lee. Wiley Sings Irving Berlin” and “Lee Wiley Sings Vincent You* mans” . , , Bernice Parks registers stron.gly in an unusual number, “Wild (drapes” (Seger) Georgia Carr has a good side In “The Sun Foreot to Shine” (Capitol) . . . Buddy Lucas has an okay instru- mental of “You Belong to Me” for Jubilee . . . Camarata sliced an im- pressive version of “Jambalaya” with Snooky Lanson voQfdling (Decca). Margaret Whiting’s warm read- ing of "Outside of Heaven” on the Capitol label should get it lots of spins . . . Trudy Richards has a hot slice in "Some Folks Do and Some Folks Don’t” (Decca) . .. . Sauter- Finegan orch’s workover of "Moon- light on. the Ganges” for Victor could take off . . . Hadda Breaks has a vStandout cut of “I Went to Your Wedding” (Okeh).. . . Johnny Mercer and the Billy May orch bring new life to “Memphis in June” (Capitol) . . . Joe Loco Trio has a good slice in “Lover” on the indie Tico label ... Hal Kipling impre.sses oh “Mother Nature’ (Jubilee) . . . Stan Kenton has a clic.kp slice qf “Stardust” (Capitol).