Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 5, No. 8 (1931-05)

HOT JAZZ TONFILM HITS Minnie the Moocher M INNIE is a cousin of Willie the Weeper and her ad- ventureres parallel Willie’s to the insinuating accom- paniment of more interesting music, the antiphonal chorus of which is particularly effective. Cab Calloway, now at the Cotton Club, gives a good hot performance, but the chorus hardly realizes its opportunities. The coupling is an energetic Doin’ the Rumba (Brunswick 6074). King Carter’s performance of Minnie the Moocher for Columbia, some- what more effective, has not yet reached me for review. Ellington and Louis The Duke shows to small advantage in I’m So in Love With You (why must he be saddled with conventional choristers?) but Shout ’Em Aunt Tillie is more characteristic, although hardly noteworthy (Victor 23041). He is much better under the alias of the Harlem Footwarmers in an Okeh recording (8869) of his great performances of Old Man Blues and Rockin’ in Rhythm,—both marvellous tunes, as attested in the reviews of the earlier Victor and Brunswick versions. Louis Armstrong, now playing in Chicago, handles Just a Gigolo in his own inimitable style, but makes more of an im- pression with a fleet Shine in which his trumpeting and sing- ing are in the best Armstrong vein (Okeh 41486). Honors Hot honors for the month go easily to Blanche Calloway and her Joy Boys, appearing for the first time for Victor, and playing knock-out versions of Casey Jones (a marvellous high-speed performance, coupled with McKinney’s Cotton Pickers’ scarcely less fleet Talk to Me, on 22640), and There’s Rhythm in the River, done with magnificent gusto and breadth, and a gusty All I Need is Lovin’ (Victor 22641). The choruses are of equal merit with the brilliant orchestral play- ing. Your knowledge of contemporary music is incomplete unless you are a reader of THE CHESTERIAN “Infinite riches in a little room” is the apt quotation from Christopher Mar- lowe used by a subscriber to express his opinion of the magazine. To the modern musician THE CHESTER- IAN does indeed represent “infinite riches” by reason of its unique features. Every issue is a veritable mine of interesting in- formation. Eight numbers are published each year and will be forwarded, as issued, for the nominal subscription of FIVE SHILLINGS. A specimen number will be sent, post free, on application. J. & W. CHESTER, Ltd II Great Marlborough Street London W. I. England L American Versions T HE best recordings of European film hits are to be found in the “foreign” supplements. The domestic per- formances are few and for the most part sadly lacking in distinction. Johnny Hamp plays Falling in Love Again (“Blue Angel”) and Two Hearts in Waltz time in suave fashion (Victor 22638); the Brunswick Hour Orchestra couples Under a Roof in Paree (“Sous les Toits de Paris”) with a likewise bland River Ste. Marie (Brunswick 6066); and Harry Reser’s stolid reading of the Two Hearts waltz is coupled with Fred Rich’s vivacious Don’t Talk About Me (Okeh 41584). Zwei Herzen; Das Lied ist aus Besides the American versions of the popular “Zwei Her- zen” title song, it is available this month as played by the Saxophone Orchester Dobbri with a fine gusty swing, albeit somewhat coarse tone. The coupling is from the same film, the animated fox-trot Auch du wirst einmal betrugen, done here with splendid animation and spirit (Columbia G-5203- F). Robert Stolz’s success with the music for “Zwei Her- zen” led to a commission to write the score for “Das Lied ist aus,” and judging by the first excerpts to come to hand, he has rung the gong. Dajos Bela’s orchestra plays the title song, a waltz of course, and martial fox-trot, Ja wenn das Wortchen wenn night war. The waltz is an exceptionally haunting melody, done in Dajos Bela’s best songful style, while the fox-trot provides neat contrast in the dapper bright treatment of its catchy tune (Columbia G-5224-F, a disc to be starred). Leo Frank’s infectious singing of the vocal chorus is to be especially commended. Em Madel von der Reeperbahn Karl Zander and a chorus essay a sketch-scene, Seemans- Chor, with rather ineffective spoken and descriptive passages. (Columbia G-5217-F; Dajos Bela’s coupling, Auf Wiedersehen waltz, is more tuneful.) More representative are Dol Dau- ber’s performances of the title song, a graceful fox trot, and a spirited tango, Mach’ rotes Licht, wir wollen Tango tanzen, both played in bright, smoothly handled fashion (Victor V- 6116). Sous les Toits de Paris M. Galiardin, de l’Empire, sings the title waltz and C’est pas comme ga in vivacious fashion on Victor V-5524, but neither this disc nor the Brunsivick Hour Orchestra’s men- tioned above gives as effective an impression of the music as Marek Weber’s Victor disc mentioned on page 206 of the April P. M. R. Die Landwirtin vom Rhein Victor and Columbia each bring out two discs of hits from this recent success. For the former Kdthie Dorsch sings Zu jeder Liebe gehort ein Glaschen Wein, and—in duet with Marcel Wittrisch —Mein Herz hast dein Herz gegrusst (V- 6112). Hans Heinz Hollmann sings the same songs in Taub- erish vein on Columbia G-5226-F. Dorsch and Wittrisch sing the catchy title song on Victor V-6111, coupled with Marek Weber’s performance of Du bist mein Morgen und mein Nachtgebetchen, while Dajos Bela’s orchestra plays the same pieces on Columbia G-5225-F. Fraulein Kathie is easily the best singer of the lot, employing her piquant light voice to delightful effect in both her solo and duets. Weber plays in suave fashion, but Dajos Bela’s disc has an edge of super- iority by virtue of its greater zestfulness and more interest- ing orchestration. > Miscellaneous “Der Greifer” is represented by Im meinem Herz ist nur Platz fur Eine, an attractive dance piece played in an ef- fective arrangement by the Dobbri orchestra (Columbia G- 5218-F), and coupled with a less interesting waltz, Wenn zwei so recht verliebt, from “Walzer in Schlafcoupe.” The same orchestra also plays a first-rate dance version of Was bracht denn jede Frau leider unbedingt from “Der Korvetten Kapi- tan,” coupled with a rather dull Leb’ wohl Matrose from “Der Mongole und die Tanzerin” (Columbia G-5214-F). The brief piano solo passages are particularly effective. Finally, Willy Kollo sings Liebe fur eine Nacht from “Der Tirger” and an original Warum hast du so traurige Augen in smooth senti- mental fashion, to neat accompaniments, on Columbia G- 5216-F. Rufus