Variety (Jan 1940)

Wednesday, January 3, 1940 Thiriy.fourth VARIETY Anniversary MUSIC 125 THE DANCE BAND PARADE Probably the most Important phs^ife of the dance band busi'- ness in the past year is the biillyh activity in the formation' of new orchestras. The business has been eyeing the'scram- ble of every oulstaiiding lyAi'sician—and some who are not, or only j"st getting the Iftist bit known to the dance public through being featurerj^ith an established outfit—to push out and baton a baiui of his own. Forming of new bands has become such a Stock matter, with announcements com- ing through almost every week last summer, that gags be- gan to circulate that Joe Maestro's chauffeur and the coai- roorii. alte'i'Innt at the 52nd St. jazzery were forming their own orchestra. . Booking executives and others in the trade observed that 'they rinist be insane to think so many now bands can .sur- vive.' Agency men termed it 'ridiculous,' yet the very ones who decried the situation added names to .the growing list. So many additions, among which are many excellent outfits, undoubtcdl.v' will boomerang against the very purposes of newly-formed crews. That purpose, naturally, is to grab some ol the gravy of the band biz boom. Every new band that's formed, whether making money or not at the start, tends to bring down prices. Maybe not now, but eventually. It's elementary logic that when the mar- ket is druigfied the values .skid. Sooner or later, if the present .'acc is maintained, that's ju.st what will happen to the band bu.siness. Some may say that bands drop out as others are added, but the number of the latter far exceeds the former, and even old bandleaders, long off the lists, have showed a tendency to return to lap up some of the leavings. Reasons why the band biz must suffer from so many new combos arc simple, 'The public is continually open to new favorites. Along.comes a new band and talk starts, if the band has something to talk about. When it's offered to some spot at little more than scale, owners would be crazy not to take it, as compared to the big name groups. Dance spots (cafes, hotels, nitery, roadhouses, etc.) are only interested in how much is in the till at the end of the week', and the difference between a highpriced crew and a new one, in which some fresh interest' has been shown, is compensated for by the difference in price—a very important factor. Ball tor Band Berths Too, the new crews of late have been adding bait to get themselves jobs in some spots. They underwrite such ex- penses as network wires and the musician's union tax for remote- pickups. Formerly it was the spot owner who stood that tap. Some of the bands can afford it because the leader doesn't pay it himself. It's usually the band's manager, or an 'angel' who put up the dough to get 'em started, or per- haps even some music publisher as was suspected for a long time. It's simply added to the red. side of the ledger as an item necessary to getting xmderway. Undoubtedly the rash of band building has produced some embryo outfits capable of shooting up to a plane even with the current top crews. That's the thought of those who have helped form new bands. It doesn't take much reasoning to figure that the rhore shots taken at an object, the better are the chances of making a hit. Law of averages guarantees that. The More Important New Combos Bands formed in the past year which can be rated im- portant additions are: Harry James, Jack Teagarden, Bob Ztirke, Will Bradley (and Ray McKinley), Bobby Byrne, Bob Chester, Lcnnie Hay ton (reorganized), Spud Murphy, Jimmy Mundy, Jack Jenney, Teddy Powell, Johnny McGee, Eddie McDonald and Teddy Wilson. Joe Sullivan formed a small white unit which he subsequently reformed into a mixed group, still at Cafe Society, New York. Bud Freeman and a bunch of stars on various, instruments have a small co- operative unit called the Summa Cum Laudes which spent a long period at Nick's in Greenwich Village. Coleman Hawkins, famed colored tenor sax, returned from England to lead a Harlem group which opened at Kelly's Stables, .N, Y. Raymond Scott upped his quintet to full size at CBS' New York studios. Tony Raster left Artie Shaw's bunch to form a band that just started one-nighters in New England on its break-in lap. Shaw's original combo is now being batoned by Georgie Auld, tenor sax. Others still to debut are Johnny Williams, Claude Thornhill, Saxie Dowell, now in the works. Bob Chester's Spurt Probably the most talked about at this stage is Bob Chest- er's outfit, styled as a cross between Tommy- Dorsey and Glenn Miller. He came to attention after a radio shot on the Fitch Bandwagon and a flock of one-night stands at the New Yorker Hotel, N. Y. Barely out of rehearsal he was signed for Bluebird records and a 16-week swing through Hitz Hotels opening at the Van Cleve, Dayton, shifting to the Adolphus, Dallas, then to the Nicollet. Minneapolis. He's set to go into the Paramount, N. Y., soon and almost cut into General Amusement's exclusive hold on Glen Island Casino, choice Westchester, .N. Y., roadhouse showcase, for next summer's stand. Bob Zurke pulled out of Bob Crosby's piano chair in a not too happy parting and drew favorable reaction with a band that's now in the south. Will Bradley (Wilbur Sehwictenberg), a radio band trom- bonist, combined with Ray McKinley, who pulled out of the Mummer spot with Jimmy Dorsey, to form an outfit that's been working steadily and is now in the south also. This fine crew went the usual practice of building a band around a •ingle instrumentalist one better by using two such. men. Bobby Byrne, young trombonist who never played with any other band than Jimmy Dorsey, pulled up stakes and rormed a combo that's currently getting in stride at the Brooklyn Roseland Ballroom. Songwriter Tedoy Powell got bit by the band bug and put together a group that opened at the Famous Door (N. Y.), to a fauly good reception. He's probably the only embryo leader who's not an instrumenUlist of note. Band is cur- ^ at the Southland Cafe, Boston. Van Alexander is an- other songsmlth turned maestro a season back. Jersey Showcasing . ^°hnny Magee surrounded his trumpet with a group ol local Paterson, N. J., musicians, one of the better of the new » u though partly limited due to inability to find . "le best of men in that Jersey territory. He started at Dono- jjues, Mountain View, N. J., several months ago and has o«en held over since. Lennie Hayton started an outfit last summer, was set to set going on an opening date but had to be. rushed to the Hospital for an emergency appendectomy. It broke up thai |roup and he later collected another which replaced Artie Jinaw on the Old Gold radio commercial for a few week.*. « completed a date last week at Leon & Eddie's, N. Y., and ranks with the best of the new outfits. Harry James has been plugging along steadily at the hcaii By Bernie Woods of a powerful, solid group he formed soon after the first of the year, leaving a trumpet berth with Benny Goodman. Spud Muiphy made two tries and is now at the Blue Gar- dens, Armonk, N..Y., with the second. His fir.st opened at a Greenwich Village nitery and then dropped out. Second has been improving steadily and his first records were re- leased recently. Jack Jenney, another radio .studio trombonist, gathered a bunch that, at first, weren't up to the standard of his ability, but impresses as improving with time. Jules Alberti came along with a new idea he calls 'Tap- a-Rhythm' weaving taps of two. girls into arrangements-as part of the rhytht'ii section. . Jimmy Mundy, former arranger for Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa, among other.?, got around to forming another bunch of Harlem swing.slers that recently opened and closed at the Onyx Club, when that N. Y. spot unshuttered after the summer. He subsequently ran into trouble on New York one-night dates, the union ordering him out because his band wasn't composed of Local 802 men. Teddy Wilson left Benny Goodman and preemed his own group at the Famous Door, N. Y. It got only lukewarm re- ception but has been improving steadily and now is on a long stand at Harlem's new Golden Gate ballroom. Jack Teagarden started his new band last winter after leaving Paul Whiteman and has had tough sledding. His band was recently partly reorganized. Johnny Williams pulled out of the Raymond Scott quintet to build a combo around his drums. It should start pick- ing up dates soon. Scott enlarged the quintet to full size and was using it for some time on CBS programs, experimenting, making changes, etc., before anybody caught wise. However, it's composed of high-priced CBS house musicians and to take it out for one-nighters, etc., would mean replacing them with less ex- pensive men which probably would go far toward nullify- ing the solid impression the band makes on the air. Using the current men for records, however. Claude Thomhill, w.k. arranger who spent the past year or more on the Coast, is currently in New York setting up a book of arrangements of click standards before gathering his men. He's been working on the writings for several months and will soon begin building the man power. He first came to attention as arranger-mentor for the dusky Maxine Sulli- van. Woody Herman drew heavy attention with a date at the Famous Door, N. Y. It's one of the better of the current sands though not yet a 'name' in the strict sense of the word. Not a new band but also coming into prominence with a change in style and a date at the Famous Door; N. Y., was Charlie Barnet. Buddy Rogers also shifted to a show band that's now in the midwest. Bobby Hackett formed a full-size crew, but later gave it up and joined Horace Heidt's trumpet section. Joe Marsala enlarged then dropped back to his small combo and is now on a long stand at the new Fiesta Dance- teria, on Broadway. Headaches of Starting a New Band Getting a new band rolling entails a flock of headaches. There are many who can't afford to pay for their own wires as listed previously and to get into a spot assuring 'em air time is tough. Too often it's a man-sized job to get one- night or theatre dates. Inasmuch as most leaders are grad- uates of other bands, bookers try to line up dates in terri- tories through which the leaders played as featured men in the bands frorn which they sprung. In those spots ballroom operators, etc., can be sold because they get the bands cheap and they take 'em because they remember the men them- selves and figure their customers will. In one or two in- stances bands have been known to follow almost on the heels of outfits of which their leaders were once members. Prime requisite of launching a new band is getting it on the wax. That's another quarter in which they run into trouble. Few new bands can get current pops to interpret on records. Publishers don't want to trust what they con- sider a tune of hit calibre io a new band with untried wax audience. The recording companies themselves also favor their more established bands that way. Result is embryo outfits have to cut new arrangements of swingopated stand- ards or originals. Recently formed bands are not the only ones to have head- aches. The older, solidly established crews are having their quota. But in this instance they're self-made. To handle some of the intricate arrangements turned out by arranger:; for some of the bigger outfits, in their everlasting quest for .something different to distinguish 'em from the rest, de- mands good men. It has tieen a practice of established band- leaders to raid the opposition; hire ace men away by any means possible. Suicidal Price-Boosting ^ If one leader wants a trumpeter another'has, for in.stance. i'l's a natural assum'ption that in order to get him he has tu be paid a higher salary. If that happens several times, the man's salary is upped each time. The practice is drawing a knife across the throats of the big b.o. leaders because sooner or later they find, themselves with so topheavy a pay- roll the band can't gross enough profit if bookings aren't right. Such a situation is said to have contributed to Artie Shaw-s retirement from leading a big band, according to those dose to him. After opening at the Pennsylvania Hotel, N. Y., the outfit was said to be dropping $500 weekly since he went off Uld Gold. Shaw took the stance that he wasn't getting any- . where financially, that he was better off when the band ■.vasn't the biggest thing in the country and didn't co.st .so .nuch to operate. There are others currently losing more .hnn that. 'Why Radio Commercials Are Necessary With such a nut it's imperative that the band, in that category be supplied with a radio commercial. And it ha." !o be one that allows the outfit enough freedom to pick up one-nighters and circulate to other parts of the country. Several bands, Jimmy Dorsey for one, recently nixed a radio offer'because, to accept, would have confined the band's ac ceptance of other engagements. Having a radio commercial makes it possible for a band composed of high salaried men to take a long stand where the payoff barely or doesn't cover the cost of operation. The commercial makes up loss plus profits, Yet they have to accept those stands bccau.se of air time, so necessary to keep- ing themselves alive. Though it's the bandleader who suf- fers when his high-priced outfit is losing money—not hi." men or h^s booking office, they get theirs regardles.s—he ha> only him.self to blame for helping to up the price of men l>y indulging in the practice of raiding. Bugabd'6 of high salaried players has reared itself in sev eral new bands too. Those are outfits usually angeled by heavy money. They start out with big groups and good men and before they know what it's all about find themselves in a hole from which they'll probably never recover. One such is currently in the red so far it'll take years to climb out, and never will at the present pace. Too, there arc some who claim that the continual shifting of men from one band to another, with accompanying in- creases in salary, is partly responsible for the rash of new bands. As a man progresses from one group to another he exhausts all possible jobs and won't return to a former af- filiate at a lower salary. Just about this time he becomes convinced that the best thing to do is form his own band and further increase earning power. Those Lawyer-Managers Quite a few of .the new bands and a flock ofold ones have lawyers behind (hem putting up the dough. In the case of embryo groups they help 'em get started; simply steering the destinies of older ones. It's no secret that the band booking agencies and the trade's personal managers harbor no love for lawyer-managers. Latter can be heard contin- ually asking what a lawyer-manager can do for a band. They explain that a personal manager should know every- thing, from being acquainted with one-hight stands through- out the country; how to handle transportation; oversee book- ing.s, per.sonnel; and a dozen and one other things es.sential to properly service an outfit, to Uke such details off the mind of a leader, allowing him all his time to bettering his band. Booking agencies scream against the lawyers, saying they're continually harassed by them. One one-night booker al- most goes out of his mind when they are mentioned in his presence. Says that before such 'managers' entered the biz all that was needed to close a one-night booking was a tele- phone conversation or a wire, and a letter of confirmation. Today, with, a lawyer-manager in attendance, a single date is closed with a IS-page contract with terms requiring a. legal , mind to- wade through and umpty clauses, covering everything, including how the doorman of the joint into which the band is booked should part his hair. From the- Lawyer's Viewpoint There is something to be said for both sides. Some leaders feel that having a lawyer as personal representative is bet- ter protection; that in a business that grosses a $100,000,000 a year a legal mind is necessary to handle all the angles such as contracts, taxes, suits, etc,, and to have such a-per- son is killing two birds with one stone. One of the oldest talent lawyer-managers in the business is Hymie Bushel who has been associated with Rudy Vallee for years. John Gluskin handles Jack Teagarden, Jimmie Mundi, Mitchell Ayres, partly handles Gene Krupa, and up to Jan. 1, steered' Tommy Dorsey, among others. Andre\y Weinberger handles Artie Shaw's interests, and also man- ages Richard Himber and Jack Jenney. Mike Vallon and Chubby Goldfarb have Woody Herman, Teddy Powell and Johnny McGec; John Berksoh handles Larry Clinton and Les Brown. Glenn Miller's Upsurge Band ratings were considerably changed in the past year. Mo.st notable of course is the sharp upsurge of the Glenn Miller outfit. Miller isn't a new band, having been around for .some tirhe, but records of numbers like 'Little Brown Jug,' his own arrangement, shot Miller into the best seller platter class and into heavy popularity after a summer long stay at the Glen Island Casino, N, Y,, with a flock of weekly network wires. Click of Miller brought many bands around to employing the same style he uses in sweet numbers. It's obtained by using clarinet lead with four saxes. So many bands used the same arrangement after Miller started his climb that no matter what band a listener turned to on the air or in th« spots, the lead clarinet could be heard in many arrange- ments. The style is nothing new, according to bandmen. It's been used off and on by different bands and some arrangers claim to have used it years ago. Closest of the new bands to that particular method is Bob Chester. BoOx are on Bluebird (RCA) records and the comment on Chester's band has led Miller to squawk to RCA Vict«r. At one point there was a possibility that Chester would switch to another recorder because of it. Artie Shaw's sudden exit from the business several weeks ago amazed trade and public alike. He'd been threatening to do ju.st that for some time, Shaw had been heavily cen- sored .shortly before for an interview in a New York daily anent the kids who support bands such as his. He called jitterl^ugs 'morons' and other of his opinions weren't exact- ly in the best of taste. It resulted.in his radio sponsor, Old Gold, being deluged with letters of protest, threatening all :!.orts of things if he remained on the air. Shaw quit..the commercial and shortly thereafter quit his band. It's be- come a cooperative organization under the leadership of tenor sax Georgie Auld. Tony Pastor would have taken over its leadership but a week or so before had turned in his notice to form his own band. When Shaw suddenly stepped out Pastor h^d already signed a leadership contract with the Charles Shribman office. He's soon to start working one-nighters in New England. Shaw left his entire library to the band he dropped. During the year the band business lost Chick Webb. The drum ace had been ailing for some time and died suddenly at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, where he had often gone for general checkups. His death came just after plans had been made for him to step out of his orchestra, due to his poor health, and confine himself to directing its activities from behind a desk, sitting in with the band on record dates only. Ella Fitzgerald took over leadership of the outfit which was at first billed as 'Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb's Or- chestra.' The billing was discarded when it was decided that such a tag perhaps inspired depressing psychological .'cactions due to advertising a band under the leadership of a dead man. From the executive end the most important happening - was the sudden exit of Willard Alexander from Music Corp. ot America to hook up with the William Morris agency in a creative capacity, in charge of bands. His first such ef- fort is the Will Bradley outfit. There were quite a few other changes, chiefly minor, but among the major happenings was formation Of the U. S. Rec- ord Corp. and its threat to garner some of the bigger bands of the biz. Which forced others to hypo prices in order to keep their artists. Important, too, was the shift of Bennv Joodmaii from Victor to the new 50c Columbia label.