Variety (Dec 1940)

WedneBday, December 4» 1940 BEAGHCbMBER, N. Y. Ernie Hoist Otch (8) .' Frjed^ oncI Elaine Barry, Annette, Gloria BI(jke; rio minimum, n^^^^ v,- ^ ' ^ • Evisrythihg : about the Beach- co%iber the past week or so is keyr riotedi 'We're -leaving for Miami Bea<:h in two weeks/ iand maybe that's where business has gohe to as well; Monte Proser, who started a cycle of Sou^h Seas atmospheric joints in New York with the' qiiick click of his zombie pairlor abovfe the ■ Winter Garden dh Broadway, has been expanding in other key cities, where *pparehtly he's ■. doing well,< as he is also •with bis: new Copaca- baha, class East 60th street spot with a Braziliiah;fllllp.; • ; fiut the home-plate cafe, sieems to be slipping for no apparent reason unless it's because ■ of, too rhuch. self- same competition from the ■ nearby Hurricarie; Beachcomber still does all right supper, biz; but, where for a tinie, it was a smart chowmeihery for dinner, it's now quite static be-r fore theatre time. Or maybe, hav- ing too many partners here, Prbser would just Bs lief cphcehtrate where there's: a better .division of the profits for him. This room, dominahtly partnered by him arid his associates, Walter Batchelor and Jack Goddard, his attdrney, is said \ to' have almost a score of shareholders, including' the Shuberts '^^hb, however, got. their $20,000: maximum annual rental, aroiihd May of this year. That was the 'ceilingV on Prpser's deal for the room. ■ . ■•\'-.^-.-v;r'. . . All of which is prelude to the fiact that The Beachcomber, is still worthy- of boxo'ffice* if given some . extra values to pull 'em. The Hurricanie, besides the hoopla that George Raft Is chief angel and makes: it his N. Yv hieadquarters, spreads' itself ;bn a show. The' Beachcomber, while not . exactly cheating, has befen content to get by with Chavez's . crack , conga-: rhiumba band and one other, dance cpmbinatioh, and very little, else; Now all .Prbser has is Ernie Hoist, who . knows his , cafe 'dansapation rhythms all the. way ,from El Md- . rocco i (N/Y.): td the I^mp Rppm of the .IJotel Ambassador, Chicago. Ke's * been hsre the past-eight itidnths.. But. he goes to Miami Beachcomber soon* ,as do Joe Gardner, the'greeter. at the doof, .Chavez: and others.,; .r V • The acts are pleasant hors d'ouvres but noth?ng strong beydnil that; Fred ;ahd Elaine Bar):y are a personable dapce . pair , with ■ a walti and fast Spanish one-step routine. Annette reminds of Yvette, the songstress, :ih more than: her solo-name billing. She .sings *P(etfidia' and 'Negri Con- sentina* in okay manner, and it's in: the somewhat exaggerated gfaceful usage df . her hands that she brings . up the Yvette comparison. Third act is Gloria; Blakie, comely and very, youthful soprand ■■ .who. bespeaks^: of much 'promise: She does 'Bhle Danr- ube Waltz' and an Italian ballad " in fine voice. : But they're ho nitiery puller'^inrters. However, new show slated for next week will see Armida; the M.6xican dancer, heading her ,own band; also Carol Gould, songstress, batoriirig the 'society' combo. The Barrys. and Gloria Blake hold dver. A line of six Beachcomber ^Belles will be added.: ^ ' . Abel, WALNUT ROOM, CHI ' (BISMARCk HOTEL) ChicaEfo, Nov. 29. Art Kdsscl. Orch (12) ,-, Marion Holmes, Harvey CrdvofoTdy Collette and Barry, Martin Barnett, Jane Hadley Dancers (5). A clfean^cut magic workter,: he han- dles cards arid, cigarets. with skill and is a distinct class .asset here. , Dance team is Cdllette and; Barry, perfect for this type of room. Grace- ful in their work and precise in apr 'pearante, they scored, helatlyv w thl^ audience. It's the type of ball- ro.bm turn that must^ satisfy aliridst any; audience becau'se df thiB fine apbeararice and likeable style; : ; . ■ Jive., jane Hadley . dancers ; niake up in their cblprful' work. for, the; lack of volume: Dante numbers aire cheerful and in good taste.. ' Gold. . BLUE RObM, N. O, (HOTEL ^ROOSEVELT)- New Orleans, Nov. SO.. Bohby Byrne Of eh, Harry. Steveris, Estelle and Letoy, Vera Fern) Three iNpncWoiiont?/ Dorothi/leiairc. ' > • Accent is youth in both band and acts iii- hew. show at this swank, spot, which continues'to play to .nice biz. The yoiithful Bobby Byrne and his band in'ore than live up to .their advancii billihg. Crew plays with skill sdme musicians never achieve until they, are ready fdr their old-age pehsidns.'. Band ranks, with the: best that hiave played spot, their music being a: blend of sweet and iswihg. Byrnes prdves himself to- bei inore than just a batori-wielder:by pacing ia difficult floor show thrdiigh a lengthy session with a smoothness that belied the feW hours rehearsal the units had together. : The personnel of the Byrnes, putr fit is on a par With thie leader in both age and ability, and If thiey show a triflie too niiich enthusiasm fdr; the brass; instruments at times, this failr ihg ; can; . be' excused by. laick . of faimiliarity. with the acoustics of the Blue Rdoiii) and by thti fact that all other bands have erred in the same direction until they, became ac- Gustorried to thfe. sppt^. Byrnes him- sielf does nicely: by a, trpmbpnfe which he keeps.;muted while fronting the band. '- • ^ ., ■' ' As refreshing as the yputhfulness df the band is. the sparkle :bf the floor show.: Besides its swell dansapaition, Byrnes' crew can. boast, of another outstahdihg attractipri; a blpnde singer, Dorothy Claire,; who is easy on: the eyes with. a soft, rich .voice. She. prdbably. .would do; njubh; better if she elimihiaited the :bopgie-wpogie type of songs. The fact that she can sing is purely cpincidental; she. does a: sock job of decorating; a bandstand; . A light and Cumbrous velehient, is supplied by the Three Nonchalants, a., trio ' of; acrbbats who burlesque their, routine,' mixing a liiie of: fast patter .with th^ir gyrations. They wowed first high-ters. . •: .' . Estelle and Leroy/ dance team, fun the gamut, of dance, routines, irom the wialtis to the Xatin, Pair's wdrk is smooth and clever. " Gal is looker virith nifty chassis,. Act drew plenty of palm pounding. ■. ■ ' • To complemeht the ballroom duo, show^has single turn in Vera Fern, neat-looking blonde who makes the rriost difficult' acrobatics; looIt,;6asy. Her spins and turns get nice; re- sponse. ■ ~ : :■,■.- .. ■ Hai:ry Stevens, banjo strumming, hajppy-go-lticky lad, emcees and does an okay job; He has a fine knack of getting the. customers into a com- munity 'sing. , First-night ' audience refused to let him'gOi .While the show is well: paced and highly entertaining^ the important thing is that pireceding and fdllowing it, and wrapped all around it, is the music of Byrnes. V' His dance music kept the tables enipty :>during this dinner show. : : ■ : ; Liitzza. ' For years now ;this room has relied on a trio of bands—Art kassel, Phil Levant and Leonard Keller—rotating them .pretty regularly throughout the year. This is a. simple dining-arid ■supper room, with ho pretense of a l^hiartmoth show dr Brbadvray atttios- phere,. resetved v.aimost exclusively fdr the family trade, and as such goes along iyeaf after year v/ith a loyal enough following in a niedium- sized :robm, The food is exce.Uent the: ser.vice ^nd surrounclings: restful, and the nip is down "within reach of the: average wallel;, ^. : ; " -^ Shows^ generally afe held down td /a^_plfas^t; little dance team and;.a ;: Much of the ehteftainment btirdeh falls on the shoulder.s :6f ;the band Itself, Kassel is; current; .He Tias been a 'standby here for .years and In: his time has built a personal iol- , lowing/ Orchestra must please any .^udience, being vi^ithoUt presurhption, "Kassel himself has a .warm persoh- ility that fits into this, room. He handles himself, orchestra arid show with i^enuine skill. They turn in a fine dansapatioh job and work the show , excellently, "^t-* Femme. warbler with the. band is Marion Holmes, with Kass6l for some tini6. : She has a rich voice . and sells , pop tunes nicely. Stepping down from the (drums is Harvey Crawford, who unwrapis a good baritdiie, ' Martin Bamett heads the floor show .: With his tophOtch. prestidigitation. sooner do they wind up burlesquing Carmen Miranda's 'Down: Argentine Way^ goings-on, than they veer off into an assortment of prattfaUs, and so the romp is on. From then on it's just a question Of the tyt)e of hodfology preferred. Iri the acrbbatic division it's a toss- up between the Gdlderi Pair and Gehee. Latter is a .fugitive frprh Ripley's whose ability to tie herself into knots is little short of amazing. The Golden Pair, so. tabbed because both: are bldndes ; and decked in gold trappings, accomiilish number of breathtaking holds and ' lifts w>th consummate ease. ' : Wirtda and Collins are pair: Of slick ballrobmoldgists, offering ; sev- eral hdvel rdutiries; one Of-which, an impression : of; dances : favored; lii huinber of Manhattan clubs, is socko. Oh ia bill like this, alinost any singer could score, and Mike Peyton takes full advantage of the bpenihg. Has a well-choseh collection of . jpast and present pops ; which : he delivers pleasantly in a lusty baritone; He's wiell liked here and respphse :wpUld indicate long stay. •' .. Snappy-costUmed h b u s e. line trained 6/: lone CarrPll is well drilled group of lookers whose nifty routines are; invariably clicky;: Gals display plenty of. talent in steps, to arrangements of 'In a Persian kef and 'Indian Love Call.', • Buddy Sawyer's .combo dishes out brisk brand of dahsapatipn, ;and han- dles show in fine stylci ; Les. \ i^re^eniei hcrcibith,. ^^tti ioecfclj/ fiiibulnttdn, tar the (estimated coucf charge btwineaa beina don? bu warnc }Mndi in wartous Neia Vorfc Moi^Xs. Dinner business Y7rl0 P.MJ libi rated, ti^iirt^i (iiter nome 0/ hotel plvc room capacity and cower chgrgir;: Lareer amotimt destgnotcs toceJccnd and holiditi/ price.) r .^oTera ^ ..Bnnd;-';- ;; ^Hptel: ;';'rihyed...'W«ek; Will Briadley; iBiltmdrie (300* $i-$1.50).., .v....:.3 . ;925 Eddy Duchin*. .. .Waldorf;(500; $I-$1.50) .;. . v. ....>. 12 775 Sammy Kaye*.;. >Commodore (650; 75c,-$1.50). i-. ..... .j. 6, , ii2,06 Ray KIriney*. .;. . ^ ^Lexington (300; 75c-$1.5()):.;;. i.;.29 Guy: Lbmbardo... Roosevelt (500; $l-$li50) .,. Abe Lymahf,..:. Newii^-Yorker (400; 75c-$i.50) .■ . .;. Glenn Miller.....Pennsyivaiiia (500; 75c-i$L50)v Tony Pastor... .. .Liiicoln, (225; 75c-$l;50). I ft f • • • « « I 8 7 8 9 1,425 1,225 1,400 2;525 : 350 Cover* . On nute 2.525 12,125 9,850 37,975 : 9,475 il;325 .15,400 3,775 * Asterisks indiciiite: o iupportirta floor choto, although the bond is the mdjdr'dratu.-.;■•..' ■■:::;-^.:;'n. ; ■;..■:■'■ .-^ ■i'.'-]'-. ♦ » ♦ ♦ ^^ i ♦ ♦ ♦ :»" ♦ • ♦ >• ♦ >>• » ♦ . ♦ . » >.f » . » ♦ > ♦»> M f (> . > . t >|V>> JIMMIE'S; MIAMI . ■• . ..Miami, JWou. 29. The Golden Pair, Mike Peyton, Bdrreit, and: iSmith^. :G,enee, Wanda and- Collins, : lone Garroll: Dancers Buddy Sawyer Orch; $1 rnini- mv/rii,.'. ; jimmie's occupies unique niche In local riite life: in •that it's only nitery patronized, td: >any extent by year .rdund residents. :Of course; it drav^s share of . tourists during the season, biit essentially it's Miami's pwn, 'the spot where the; Ipcals iip:and; sup. So >far,; divertlsemerit policy has sheared; off top-bracket hames;.rotat- irig bills usually offering fine:stand- ard :vaiide ■-turn's - and: house line. Coupled with this is okay cuisine and a pleasant informal atnibsphere that keeps spot in black summer, or season. Evidently, it's formula . for successful . year-rpund operatidn here, for . this Week ; marks owner Jimrnie Cornick.'$ sixth anniversary as a boniface, and gauged by way spots open and shutter in these parts, that's sdmethihg of d record. - In packaging this revUe. booker got off oh a tangent, with result lay-» out is heavy oh the hoof, all acts with exception of Mike Peyton go- ing in for considerable footwork. Barrett and Smith are introduced as singii)^. comics, but evidently the dancing mood is contagious for no GttiA Keller celebrated the first anniversary of the Algonquin Hotel Supper Club (N.Y.) last week,; havr ing put it over when .first dperied much to boniface .Frank Case's siir-: prise ■ with .a 'Continental' pdlicy Of intime. divertisSeihent. • Oh a 75c:-per-. drink basis (whether champagne; cocktail or milk), she has made what is the daytime grillrobni: a very suc- cessful boite. The Viennese chan^ teusBj whose rep preceded her to America via disks and. radio, until the. Hitler-offensive brought.: her td these shores, .has ah excellent' gypsy violinist assistant in Bela: Bizonyj. a rather shy; guitar virtuosd» Renatd Giuseppini, whose chief personal chiarm is his seeming reticence, al- thdiigh .■ there's' .ndthing backward about his skillful tune-plucking; arid pianists , -Oscar .. Andree and.- Cy Walter; concert , and swipgo . pair. But mostly . it's Miss Keller, it was- here last seasdh she successfully:; launched John BuckmaSter into. big. league cafe; attention with his mimi-.: cry>. On the night caught Miss Keller was handicapped " by an uri-: fdrtuhate -If You Leave Paris' re- quest by: one of her fanij^a Holly- woodlanV no less,, who should have shownianly realized: the awkward- ness df that theme, at this moment, On the other hand, despite Miss Kel- ler's hark-back to, yesteryear Tyro- lean genvuetlichkeit, anything sung in. Gernian dpcsh't rest well theise days, particularly in a gay cafe. Hildegarde discovered that months ago, .even dispensing the French chansons for the same cockeyed- world-affairs' reason. [A- sudden South .AmeriGan: bbokini^ for Miss Keller , switched Olga Baclanova in here eai-ly this week].;' ; Dick Kuhn's sprightly sextet at the Hotel Astor (N.Yv): • has. :made; .the Broadway Cocktail Lounge a click spot with a smooth style of dansapa- tion :plus a,. ReqUesto Tune Table idea, whereby patirons cue their de^ ;sired selections from a printed Sched- ule of turies, old and new, alpha- betically arranged. The Tune Table also indicates the original year of song publication, many being sur- prised thai some of the 1940 dance faves: are as itiuch as 30 years did. Kuhn ailsd knows how to gauge his dansapatioh for the; crowd, particii- larly. for so cosmppplitan a meeting place as the midtdwh. Astbri ;where odnv.ehtipns mijght bring in whoopee tniddle-agers and on: the other nights it might run ;the extreme of being exceptiohally youthful. ^ Hei has a neat vocalist in . a gal sTrhply 'billed as ■ Roberta, ^ ■ Hazel vPrahkliii, extraordinary: 16- year-old ice skater, who looks 12; oh the floor,: is a new and attractive ^ad- dition to the Gustave. Lussi revue at ;the Hotel St.; Regis' Iridium; Room (N. Y,), ; An expert ballierina arid trick dancer on the -runh6rs, she's.: a heat: blend with the compact 20- minute ice revuette wherein, the pho- togenic ■Dorothy Lewis .is still: the put^tahder.-; - Latter is a symphony dn'icc, and,; with a,strong personality front, it's' long been a question vvhy* if; the ice vogue; continue."?;, on. stage, screen and in: arenas.as big b.o., she hasn't been snared (, for important cbmpany.; The Heasley Twins-r-'Jack and: Bdb-^alsd very personable juve- niles dh skates, ' likewise '. suggest themselves strongly; for Hdllywdod pptentialitiies. Other than that, Hal Saunders, with his smooth dahsapa- tlori, continues , clicky both f or ..the customers and show accomp. . . .'Viiidinmr Salinsky signed -for nevy iet of Muzak transcriptions to be ctit with 12-piece band.: Leader just cbmpleted album of serenade melo- dies for Columbia Recordi.; ' 4 < f < f ♦♦ ; ♦ ♦ ♦♦# ♦♦ > »» ♦> ♦♦ , ♦♦♦ ; ♦♦♦ > ♦ M ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ > < »fM Jimimy Dorsey TaUlnf LeavesWiia,ndfur of StarsV (D^ ; : Dorsey turns. In a bright job oh 'LeaveV: under and; ejitremcfly ,weil. tailored iarrahgetnent. It shines aU the way through the band doinjt sock Work behind a strong early clarinet break and Bob Eberle's top vpcaling. Reverse shows ut> weU, too; a tasty; sax break kicking it offi Ebeirle's lyricihft however, seem^ restricted by the jtuhe. Both are at average tempb. '-;-;; ' -' \ .>■ • ■.■'.;■ ■ '''•;■•- ■'■ ■ . '■ j': '-' Larry Clintoii /Danoe of Reed Ftute!i'--^'Arab Dance' (Bluebird 10927) ; Clinton arrangements of melodies fr^oiti Tschaikowsky's ' 'Nutcracker iSuite/ both these sides rate strong hods. Both are tough traekis to follow musicallyi First gets light and well played; treatment from a gOod; band. : It's sock stuff all through ensemble and sax and .clarinet breaks. 'Arab- coupling is in sanie groove, a clicko piece Inuhensely satisfying. Band deserves a fistful of credit for both. ypuke' Ellington TUmins: SwordWWa : Ellington steps Out Of the; 'commercial swing groove' he's been in On most' recent issues on the first side. It's, a fast, wild thing that cah rouse littl^ reaction in thies average listener. An Ellington original, it stacks up as confused Swing;attractive only to the deeper students of that style. 'Valley igoes to the other ■extreme in pace;, It ; tends tb lag, but the breaks/ par- ticularly one on sax and; excellence of the, ;a^^^ offsets that itn- pressidn..-; -:;;•-^ ■■.- .■."' ''.?•■■.'.:.■ ' . Andrews. Sisters 'Mean to M^'-:4'SWcet Molly Malone' (Decca 3440) ; 56th sides are ifjar off .the Andrews "Trio^^s beaten track and stack up as ^ood stuff; At slow tempdes they're in wide; contrast to the usual jive arrangerhents of the team. 'Mean* is easily handled and stamped with An- drewis;vocal twists, but in a blues style/ Accompaniment is strong. 'Molly Malone't is along same- lines and also a click. It'is almost all solp by one the other two: coming in late. . Dlh»h Shore. 'Yes, Darling Da,ughter'7-.'Argentine Wiy* (Bluebird 10930) 'Paughter^ ranks with the best of cohsistently good sides by this warrh- voiced. smooth-wOrking singer. Her interpretatibh of the .first unfamiliar novelty: is a crack job.: Reverse filmytuhe, in iLatin tempo; maintains the strong t)ace. It's delivered without apparent ieffort, seeming to flow: Over range hurdles and taking inomentary tempo shifts with ease.^v^^ . : Bob Crosby 'Just Like Love'—'Dp You Know Why* (Decca 3445) : Bobv Crosby's vocal of . the first side rips an Otherwise okay melody wide open for nasty, cracks. It.would have been better done as.■ straight in- strumental, but even then would not; have amounted to much. Little effort was expended on the arrangement, rts only points are several good solos. Coupling rates no more attention. Bonnie King vocals the .second. . Eddie: Howard '^tardust^-TOId Fashioned Loye' (C6Iumbii 35771) ^ Jf'li^^"'^^ better than anything Howard has recently His work Oh . the Hdagy Carmichael ^standa^d :put3 it ;, in V stock Sn°,T * arrangement fits his style like a glove and he handles the.lyric for all it's worth.' Reverse is different It's a rhvth^v SstS^nir"^ <emiK..VAccompaniment by UceS'acS he"p plent^^^^^ both sides with, breaks and backgrdund wbrk . that ; J mmie Lunceford /You Ain't Nowhere'-'Red Wagon' (Columbia 35782) Lunceford's, band and the. Dandridge .Sisters^ give the firS rhXnic OTiginal j^cra*. treatnjent. It's. Satisfying Side.stamped ^ith.© enShbJo -w^.^^ the^band.: Arrange,ner^ is neatly wbrked out Sds °- y^?^^'^ i^: ^^?"'^^^ tempo. : Sax section. Avork Xavier Qugat 'Mam» Inez'-'Peanut Vendor' (Columbia 35799) fv,f^^^ '^^^^^^ u * °' cut by; Giigat Since shifting to C^i)lumbia, ^f^L^- U^^ ^^?^"' approaches to established* material. In £S2 the first is^brisk job which puts the bantl'in a strong light. ^TI^^ ^^^'^^IP^ ^"^ a smart arrangement. Blending of striftgs, flutesi etc., niakes.it:shine. ; 3andmen chorus lyrics oa bbth. sides.., ; :; T, ^^iirBradley 'Or Have^l^^BIne September' (Columbia 35800) ri^'' fT-''®l'* f^^^^ the record buying trade with boogie wpogie stuff. Now the^ W is;, to cbnsplidate.. those^ gains and try' to hit Wth a pop. ; or^ave r wiircari^;.him far^ t^^^ never sounded better on syreet stuff. Slow, .started away by a solid trom- ^'^^^^ «asy tempoed and smooth play- ing,, studded with a- strong Jimmy :Valentin a short; sax :solo- Reverse is not, as strong a tune. It's adequately: done, however; Valentine ■again vocals. . ■ • • -■.:..;■ ■,:■■• . ■:. Waiter Gross 'Iinprovlsatlon in Ke^^ (Bluebird 10937) ■ ; Cross; is rated a top man on the keys. He's wasting his time oh such sides : as these two. ^No fault can be. found with the execution; but the.matenar ,wasnt..worth his attention.. Except for occasional bursts it's dry as a bbhe and extremely monotonous, except niaybe to students. Though they're two: different tunes the flipoyer; sounds like i .continuation ;pf the; first.: v ; Pa«tb' 'Let> Dream This One'-'Love "If Life' (Bluebird 16938) ; .Pastor has been moyihg; along .steadily, At good tempo the first side; a _bAllad, , is among his best to date. It rolls, smoothly, picking iip appeal with each spin. Dorsey Anderson's vocal and leader's: sax stand but. Reverse Is In same groove, vocalled by Kay Little. Band Sounds good, but needs a distinguishing mark. : . ■ Glenn Miller'Isn't That tove'-'Do Y^^^ Miller's arrangement of this rhythm tempoed ballad is a lie.at job, but he deserves a boot for building such a likable writing then allowing an ex- tremely unattractive Jack Lathrbp : Vocal to ruin it.: It's like painting a colorful landscape with an ugly soar of some kind. Reverse is typically fljliller ballad, well done and studded with a smooth Ray Ebetle '