Variety (Dec 1937)

MUSIC VAJRJETY 47 C.LO. : Music, publishei^s were, advised: laist Week; bri-how they xaii' eliminiate the latest angle in .btche^tr'atip^ Chiseling.. This; cqncerris the, yoiihg jtellows Wh6 .miake the .rounds pf^ publiishing .firm counters claiming- that they are from iranscriptiojii/recordihg letter ; frorn thb I^usic PuWisheris' protectiye Asspciiattiqn these pubs were : xirged tp; refuse; ^ib'; iissue. siich free prchestrationis' unless the; caller: could' show cred*n.t|alSvfroni a stiidib. riecoghize .. It tfte recordihg putfl^^ namied by .the caller is net the MPPA's certifiied list, .the• publisher;is to, iask the calier to have his .emiplbyer^ write the MPPA ai\d the latter will deGide .w;hethe?;;thie/studia is eii- . .titled tp irte musib. Irtipressjon in p^^^ .not all, of these ballets; have no .connectiph; with tepiitable /recprdihg; studios but: that it's a iliew: twist tP getting music |lbr the illegitimate, outfits; that' seU.prchest'ratibnf;a^^^ smalltpwn!; . ..bands.;-..■; ■; :.>. '..':^' ■ ShipirP;^' I3;brnstfein &. Co. is; iol-^^ lowing up the verdict it got iri Ca^ ada agiaihst 2pth dehtury-Fpx ;last ; wieek by ' )ijrihglng xsuit .against - the; ■ producer " 'Great Brit^^ France and .Austria; eahadiahi' court .h^ .'that in . u$ing 'The ■ Man^ W ; the B£|hk .at Monte eart<5': as' a pic'-, tiire'title 20th Century had. np . violated 'the: rights held by the copy? right piwner of . the sOng of thfe sanrie name, but: was; guilty/bf un '■ petition, or what is knoiwh;in Canada as the 'doctrine of passinig off.' In ;,:aic(ditiPn;to damages of $350, the pub- lisher ; was awarded the .$1,046 that the film cleared through Canadian exhibitions. '.'{', ■■••: ',.'■■.;;■'■■■■ ■■ . , Caise served as a precedent, in that: no Teferenctf to the soh^ itself was/made in the picture. :&hapii:b- Bernsteiri, which holds the wOrld syhchfonizatioh rights. to the turie as agent for Fran.ci£!, Day: & Ifluhter, of . England, cbntehded that the titlie W .■. SO: distinctive and; so .closely ..associ-; ated-with the song in the publie's . mind that its: use in th^' picture withr : out permission was a, direct yw^^ . of thie .Canadian cbpyright law. Flnd- ing. of the Court compter this' line of arguTnenti: / : v In the IJhited States the song is in. ;the public domain. While thfi:'film Was in pirbductipn Shapiro-Bernstein . warned ;2()th Century that the -sPng and the title was prptected .biy regis- tered :c6pyright ::in\.c^^^ allied with the Berne Cbnventipn, and: any showing. of; the- picture uhdier :the . .Monte carlo' tag .putside the ,TI.",S^^^ would be met 1?y litigation.;'The sphi;; itself was tak<sn put Of the'Ganadiah ver;sion,: but the piublisher ; went through With the :threatened .suit. Faihous Players Canadian. Cprp., Ltd., which exhibited :thiei -filmr was / hamed/as a. cp-defehdant.:: ■; ■' ^ Tak(es LelFt 5^ M1lis\;MusiCi- I^^ 'has 'bPught- the ifights • to .Vthe - .score'. of /Piris and Needles,' revue^ which. thi Internar tibnai: liadies Garrhent.. Workers Union is bankrolling, at the^^^^^i^ Stage; Theatre, New ybrk. -TuheVi^^ clbde 'One' Big ' Union > for Two.' .'ttolril the Ri^actiohary,! /Sing. Me a Song . of'•; Social . Sighiflcance' and: •Four Little Angels of Peace Are They;'-; :;.-^ \V;:. 'vV Harold J. Rome, Yale grad, did the words-an.d music; ; ; ' . ; Events of Pi^t Week ih PhU^ i a ;Ybwed ; a a H a V- ihgf National. S^^^^ 7--^^<6.neral Deiiiali^^^ Cbihbinatioii of Facts; : ■ LOWER SCALE URGED TO RATIFY Copyright Treaty Slieuld Get Okay, ' CommUiee I)ieclar«s , ; ASCAP, MiJsic P.ublishecs Protec- tive ;..Assh.i-'. the • Song; Writ^ri '■ Prpi- tective; Assn.,; and piractically; every music publishing: hbuse in the city are named defendahts/in an- alleged infringement su.it. ihled l^ Feideral Coiurti N.;Y., by Ira;Arnsteih; who has been wagihg ^ ;pnva;te^^W yagainest; ASCAP for; several ' yearly even pieicettihg the o.ffices "Of the :as- sbclatibh recently/ . A^^^ claihls the; iiefendant's. have illiegaHy thefted .hisVitiusical compositions. in^m the. present-day hit tunes. He wants an- irtjuhcti ::accbunting and dam- ^ages...;'., ^ ' Besides thbse already imehtipned, other ;defendants:; in,, thie silit .are: Warner Bi-others Pitcures Corp., Na-: tional ' Broadcasting Go;, . Columbia ..;. By ■GOtpEN-.' '•.'';.; ■:.;■;.'"l^hiiadelphia., Nov.' ■ 36,.s ■; -; CIO ;has taken; a national}^^ cant bite, he're .ihtp jthe; AF. of L-con- trblled field of muisic, it was •suddenly , ^eyealed diirihig;,: the; past;v v^eek;; amdist a;$ituatioh filled with :cPuntei:*denials.:and picketing.' - John EMelm^o, chief of lo declares, a rump organizatibh calling itself , the;; Progreissiye •' .Musicians* Union; has iib cbririiectipn: With, the- jbhh ii. Lewis forces., Qri. the: oth^r .haiid; i officials .of;: the .:new uiilbri; jioaintaih it is defiriitely; a CIO hpdy. Aiid desijite denials by; GIO of the ti6-up, yAHiBTY liearned, ah iriiportant Cip prganizer has just been granted 90 days- leave,; During; that period he is tp Wbrk ipr the br ^ithbut khbwledge; pf the ClO^ At the ■- end. ,bf ■ .the i months^ it is rb'^ liably uhdet-stood, the hew union will haye a defi^nite cbnnectibn - with-the ihdugtrial tinionists, even if there's only a subrrOsa/.iinderstandihg now:^ ■:■ CIO; organizbr. Who started Satur- day ; (27) fpr..; Progressive is James ;Gilly whp vgpt the ;CIO's Hoter Restatirarit Workers..: Union ; under way ..here. Undet': the vertical union set-up, ■ it; ft :;berieyed:; that;;them siciahs will fall j.ritb a genPral classi-: ficatiPn with -hotel and ^reistaurant ;em'Rloyees.'.- '.; '.■•.. '{■'■/■■''\, ■•■.r.^; .•., ; Chief; :jbf ■ the he w;; mu.sicians' . br- ganizatioh' is iSamuel;' Brown: jHe is a; fbrmet hiember bif the AF of L local and: played, with Meye.r:;Davis ; units. ' Were for ,12 . yea^ ; He also batoneal: his own bands' at several ;hptieis..A';.•■'■.'^ :■■ ■...; ;'■: ■■■ V; Broi^n .has ;set up headiiuarteris; in ACpntiniied on page ,48)' ' Bpb :Sylye$ter;;has' been, rcleased^^^ by Harry:' Mpss!; Associated • R^d io. Arti sts, after: a brief associa tiori fol- lowinig. Mpss': .disassbciatioh With Cpnsplidated Radio Art ists . recently." ; Asspciatiori; with; Erma ^Pegram; pf Gharlotte, ,N. C:, Who. acted ais .southern rep Jfor Moss, has also been droppedi-;,.Mos.s: " . 'how.. nbgbtiat.irig.,. with Larry. Azarki .of;Dallia.sv ancl, Lpo; iSalkih. of Chicagb,- another alumnus of CRA,. tP aiH in their respective; territpries on; u$ual cbrhbp bpolting' deals/ '"-■•■';'■ ';.■. .:\;- ■': \ - ■ :. -'•■: m& ; -Discussibns. are on. betweeh Harry Fpx, een^: mgr: of thie;: Music; Pub- tishers. Prptectiye: vAssocjatipn,. arid, staff; cppyright cpuhsbl for motion picture prbdUcers'. about ptittjng.'the MPPA's mechanical"rrghls clearance l^iureau:. bri the prpducbrs'; pas^rplls; For. ai stipulated mbnthiy . ot; ,annual fe^ the .services of this: bureau ;wou be riiade ayailable;without limitation in checking dbmestic • and ^foreign rights, gettihg; price quptatrpns,vbr obtaining any . other jhf ormatibni rer gardirtg:'clearaiiees. Fox; would' prefer ;to; have a ;steady list ; of' clients: paying: much a mipnth orr year . sp .'th at: .;i f he. has 'to" expand ::his:;staff; he will be assured of a permanent incpme; 1p;:cpv'er :the; added personnel.; Clearaftce bureau's present sys.tehfi is to bill: for;'p lar services as rendered. ;; .,,.^,-v,^^^w,-«.^--^aghjngtP : : Arherican adherence;' to the Itonie . copyright; ? Icpnvehtioh, .ex'tehdihif automatic protection to fpreigh' a.u-> thors :and co.iitipbsers here on equal termi's ,\yith : pur creators, ..wa^ r^ : onimended tp the' Senate last; .week - by ; the Fpreigh; Relatiohs^^.^'C :;:tee. Declared thei;e vis no justiftcjir ; tiph: fijf : ppstponing ratifiication 6i. :■•. tlie. long-pending; :treaty.' ^'. : Peveloprtient of brpadcastihg; ;i» ;receht7 years ;:intehsifies;; ; the:' heed for./joining the .ephvehtiph;; the "' .- port: said,- since iAnvericah tunes .and ,scripti5 in sbripus danger pf iri- ;v fringemerit abirbadr Details' of: the ; /report Wilt be found in the film sec- : ■. tioh.- ..v ■' •::■ ■.;;■',■. .;■':.:: COlunibus, Nov. 30: If. old-home wieek for bands in loGal hight . spots. Billy .drah^^^^^ moved back into Virginia Hotel, where - he played all : last seaspri; Publishing ' Corp., M.; Witmark & Sons, Remick; Mu.sic Corp, T. B.^ ■Hariris. Music. eo.,':K B.. Marks Musib Publishing Cbi,: Leo ;Feist, Iiic,,..: Sani Fox: Mijsic; Co., Robbiiris Music Cprp;, :irying, Berlih, Ihc.V Nathaniel krit; ; Emory DeutcK;! Gehe ; Buick, George ;Pame,; i:, C:; Mills .and } Wil- iiam Gross. ■ ' '..■^; • ;■.:;■■; ' ; AthStein:.. alleiges . that . at yarioui .times- he submitted;;inusi^ scbres 'to the defiBhdarits • .who rejected ;them; Later; he.; '., the saine tune.s were used • iii hit songs, but cr.edited;. to 'tin pan. alley-'musicians.' ;/^ ' . ' :;• 'J' ( > In :the ..long-icbmpi'aiht, framed Ar;nstbiri ;;withbut the ;beneflt Of. an attorney, he charges, that' ASeAP as ;a - :coilec.tjyfi_;,agehcy.-f^ spng and lyric, writfers an4 P.Ublish* ers.-'.has '-a/^grossi./yearly;>inta^ nearly $i0.o6b,W)0 frbm radio, motiOh pictures, night clubs,; etc, aiid that uhder its. management'only a. ;few people;. ;vmb.st of;the retalties and that : these. ':f€.w dbcided v 'hoAy set indefinitely in the Neil HOuse, <\nd Bill Baer; return^-to the-Desh- ler Wallick, where he scored a three- ■ nionth.hit last.spritigi.- Ernie ..-M'cK?iy:: (continues - rt. - the : Grille .Restaurant: :■•'.■: v !.--z'; ■ : ■ . By Mari0n,sqijire;:. It's a far. Cry^or a .:long: croon—. froni President Roosevelt ;tp Bing Crpsby, Jbiit Ray: Kihhey;~ leading, ex- poiient . of Island. : music, jointly :credits these two gehtlerrien with the current. craie for Hawaiian tujie The Hawaiian cycle Was; started sPme: 18. years ago,:says Kinney^., hy the famious 'Bird of Paradisie.' Since Br^adea5ting~^Co>,:.^3i;badwa^y-rTMusi4M.then~^ -ISiankcFor-heauV^ -much--9$0-other-iT>ember^haiHr<-- ■:Tthe-mattei4va'3-b$eh-s*: :ceiye,', Arhste;i,h;chaf ges t^ has disCrirni.nated; ag^ him . arid has refused ' him membership,' a thpugh" he has • cbmpbsed' mbre than fifty , iohys. and instrumehiai nUm;^ •bei^s^-; ::-.;:'• ' \. until President RoPsevelt and . Bing; Crbsby ■ (hot^; together) : visited; the Islahdis. : The; • Preadent's; visit rev yived .iniere^t; in: the . Islands,: Ray Kinhejl' intrigued-Gr^ Leilani' ;(authPred by Harry Owens, maestro;; of ; the; • Royal- Hawaiian hbtel'i oi'chestra), and the. rage was: .on.;: Kinney also made; 64 H^ records :iri' 18;; mbhth.V.Jbr Decca that probably; helped matters.albn^^ ' Kinney nightly hplds forth at:the Lexington hotel's'Hawaiian. Rbom. ih^ .N; y.,; and: his' Iis.ian;d;'.b;rigin: is ; aur thehtic ih;spite of .his tag;: :/ ■ Kinney was botn bh the Islahd x)f a native mbther and an Irish -father^ the: latter a, proud; paj-cht at the. "age- of ;72..;; The; Iris h, infl ue nee ;i n /Hawaii is much 'as the .Gaeiic ' pblo-playi.rig Dons in'the/AyKcntine;.;;; ; - '■ ;: V;^ ; ;Lpndpnytoo,:has thib. Hawaiia^^ but;, and ; made pvbrtures tp' Kinney as eaifiy: as ;twb . years; ago. v Np one cpuld find his birth: certificate .so the Attempt to straighten out the knots in the hew uniform conlrjicl; wa-s being , made late ye st erday .pft-. ernboh ("Tuesday )^ at meelihg of. publishers .and {Officers Of the ^Songr ■ writers ;; Prptbctive^; 7 Assbciatibri,- Meanwhile the latter. brianizatibn;;^ ;ha6 caljed a special-meeting for its :. own JnTembers: at the Hbtel; Astor : next M^edhesday . ffl) tp change a cou- ple.; of the; assbciation-V by.-la,W;8.'' order/ th,jt' they will conform with ; ' •cortiEiiri ;pvo.visibns. -In /the" prbpbKed/^ ^ wi^iter-publisherfagreisment^ ; Co.uhsel fbr A'ariou!^ major publish-, ers urged their cllenis tb Insist pri: ^ ■a Complete; rbphrasing; of the agi'cef rrjcrtt.;. The/lawyers^^p . as /the; cpnti-act Is :hbW;.Wi'ittGij vthere.' ; nothing.; to;, prbveht.-: the . Writers'- " from; arbitrarily riuiikjhg; it^;as-hapr; ;pehed: in; the case.:of/the: pact wHiich ' wpht into effect-four years agb. Unr; /dei-- advice of these: lawyers; the pub- : Ushers ,; 'demanded at', /yesterday! meeting;; thai the iieyir; uniform con- ' traet be so .woirded as to leave no. doubt that all i-ights are automatic^ ally assighed. to the publisher during •■■ the: term of the agrcemcrit.,;; As thie . pact now stands:;the SPA meirely agriees tb suspend its :claim. to; such ; assignments. • A;hother point pressbdr ;: by the piibsi Vwas lhat the . contract': be. ko/ reyised as; tP make it absb*' -lutely binding on all SPA memberB in: order .to .avpid any possibility of / ; • the; latter vwalkirig .but later' and set- ting; ii p aiiother fOrm of;;coritrabt.; •, :':./ /.Evefy;.lawyer'Differch^ :; Several •publishers, ;whb are .aifixr . ;. ibus;;.to effect peace betweicn their ; ranks and the SPA./tbpk the; yiew«^ pbiiit: that ; sinc0; the : Writiers were- giveh all; the terms they asked there ■ was. hp.;risaspn. .why they :ShOiild oh- :, ject tb the, redrafting of the di :techri.icalities; ^\What; has. .rriade ;;the ■: doCumeht ' as . it stands ihpre^^^ died than ever for the publisher.s are v the; Ipppholes; and ;.sharies that, are conjure4 :up . every time a- differient :lawyer. analyzes..lt;/;' ;;■..■'■ ;• ; :At; the; scheduled/De 8 meeting;; ;the;SPA propbiseS to amend Articlci iX/ andi; Xli. ; Fprmei- Will be Wprded to limit' the; aissignmehts' to songs written by SPA rhemberii ' prior to p(;i, 31; 1062; while :the: iat- ■;, tbr .article Will be i-ephrascd to pro- vide that a member .of: the/SPA can ; re.sign prior;tb the; same date/ Prcs- ;ient wordinig pf, Af ticlo; XH: has : the v: ;rnbmber conimitted to remtiih Xrjr the"' life of the assoclatipn.; . ^ /.. Two ; publishers, Jbe Mbf ri.s;"arid Le.stei' .Sahtly,. disclaimed any voiced opppsitipn to; the.; new ■ agreemeht;: Either :pubiisher;declared, that: hie .has : yet to- see a copy of ih.e/agreernehti: ;adding that as iiooh as: the dpcuhient; is okay with ;other;.publiishers hb will. readily;signature it. .. .. ;/;,.; Julian T. Abeles,;- counsel for the: Robbiris m!LJ.sic cbmbihe, ;last weitk d istributed among put>lishers /a fbur.- j-waiian music hJi.s.^ been mbderhized for; dancing, - yet; kept ■ its .gen un ine: flavor. It .still has all,: the; old; .soft- ness fpr thpsiewhp dance with -their eyes closed^r just listen./.. And: it has: tom-tom beat underneath for the pile? who Waht to go to toWh.'.; And: that seems ;to take; in a lot of territory; :■/ ;^: • /;. :••.;' /;' ;-.;■-.'•/ ..;'.;/ //: Kinney's' fciifilish is, Strictly 'Arnbin- cah!,>:.-haA^iig;-';^(>ne.>^to>>.^ loosely phrased Lake he- :thpught . were ciaiikes in the Wri.ter.^' cohtra.ct. : This study had. iri.uc.h; to do: with: tearinij;' ;the wboie .situation • wldie open in i.shers ranks. ... / ; - - ;- City, : ;and that's /[Where hia career;istartbd.i. ;At;.an ;"initiat|pn;;he. Was ordered : to. slngi/ ;ahd obliged With the pnly sP,hg he kneWj-^^Alpha/ WHtten by; Hawaiia'!5^: j^ Liliupkalahi,.;;//..;;.-; ,:•:/.,:,,\; :/■;:! ■.;V./^.,'./ ; '■Much; to.^-his; surpri.se'; he was . a succesf: .;Sent..hprh.'<! fbr;m6re:mu.s.:c.,, sang his Way/through .5i.c^^^^ turned Hbrhic tp, becpme / popularly knp.wh. a» .'The : idpV of.the islandsV'- Now has: be twee h ;600, an d, :;7(}0 : Ha-:. •Waiian;. sbn'gs. - .in ; ■ his /:-reRbr;toire'/ ;Arhbng'■ them:: ' ■ 'The-- CocK-Eyed ^/thif; Week; with-tobteiw tiarning/down ' Mayor ..of KauriakakaiV' writleiV f^^^^^ j pmpp.'jai: offered byr hostelry ;props.^ War:hbri Baik.tcr.-rrnp reflection;:; -Mr; - Called o.ut tWo:rn6hth£i ago;.in:ari e^ Baxter's sobriety.; Baxter; .so the tale I fbrt to^e^^^^ ."-/':"V'/:.' Baitimbrie,' Nov. 30. ■, •; Attempt at Settlcmeht of rniisiciain;* ;. strike : against :10cal hotel.s .'fcH flat ?horts.:ahd a plug haty-thus inspiring j bbblkiBd' bsr hotel me^^^ fuhc^ the;:ditty;: : ;.'■;- : -;■ .,-/-;. ■' ;:i.tians, as-.:well:as 4heir;'rcguia^ Kinney is-Hawaii^sm inyappbarancb; ';ahd dance requirements; . v ; Plump^ mbdium height; soft eyeis^ B^ ■. :; Previous; iarrfihgehient .had union ybibe,/and .;ah :uniaBs^^^^ Whole things had to; .:be4i.a:lied nbW,. and in the hear ^fulure -Kihney; Will be shO\ying iBHtishers/ how ; tb swing it- in; HaWaiianv Kinney dpes not bclieve;;that.the craze Will -dib: as .it.^did-ijeforb;; :,.'^^ -n-- ■;:. ■..■ :'; '•;' ■: ; //"fh^bugh the:■ • ;its,';-he said, .;'Ila.r- pitality,^ ■.. ihterpreted; ;.l^ ' for affajrii. Meymp,. at the .Hawaiian;Rpipm.' He is. of the opinion and the fond, hope) that Hawaiian- music hasvgradujWed'/^^ 'W from the; fad. clas.s,; and ;a.ssu;med; a /on 'Gold. Is.;:W.here ;Ybu :F'.nd- it-;;io ' permanent place in/modci'rt lhu.si(:^ ^ .;: Slo:no'r.