Variety (Sep 1942)

WeJfleBday» September 16, 1942 ORCHESTRAS 41 Inside Stuff-Orchestras Orch batoned by 18-year-old Jimmy SpiUlny has been picked as the current staff band ot the week by WCAE, Pittsburgh. Young Spltalny's outfit will be the last ot three local orchestras to fill In as Hearst station's ctafler pending belated arrival of Baron Elliott, currently filling a dance engagement in Atlanta, Ga., and picked some time ago as WCAE's per- manent staff band. Union ruled station had to have a staff crew on Aug. 21 and since Elliott wasn't available until next week (21), three local bands were picked to work a week each. First was Howard Baum, second, Al Marsico, who playa regularly at Nixon Cafe. Spitalny ia son of Maurice Spitalny, former staff band leader at KDKA. Duke Daly, ex-bandleader husband of dancer' Paula Stone, Is still in training in the RCAF in Canada, but Is diie to go overseas in about six weeks. He has been fully trained as a bombardier and is now under- going flight instruction (compulsory for RCAF bombardiers, though they niay never touch plane controls). Daly, a Canadiain, enlisted in the RCAF about six months ago. He had been a civilian flyer. Joe Glaser will henceforth spend at least six months ot each year in California. During bis recent trip to the Coast the band manager bought a large home in Beverly Hills, formerly owned by a Carnegie Steel mag- nate, and intends to partly satisfy a desire to settle there. He has not yet decided on who is to operate his N. Y. headquarters in his absence. Glen Island Casino, New Rochelle, N. Y., will not fold for the winter. It has extended the contract of Hal Mclntyre's band until Nov. 22, whereas he was only booked originally until Oct. 4. Spot apparently hasn't been seriously bothered by gas rationing and rubber shortage.' Miller s Enlistment Leaves Penn Hotel Minus a Band; Agencies in Scramble Glenn MiUer'a cnllsfanent in the Army last week threw one of the most sought after location lobs on the open market and started a mad scramble by General Amusement Corp. (which has bad an exclusive on It) and Music Corp. of America to pull • replacement out of • hat sadly depleted of top bands by prior bookings. Miller was to open his annual stand at the Pennsylvania hotel, N. Y., Oct; 9 and, since vir- tually all of the bands powerful enough to rate that booking bave been already committed elsewhere, the situation Is dUTieuIt. GAG has submitted Bob Allen and Sonny Dunham for the Job, while Jan Savitt, Charlie Bamet, Shep Fields and Russ Morgan have been offered by MCA. Allen, who opened at the Rosdand Ballroom, N. Y., last week, is understood to have the in- side track. In Joining the Army, Miller repre- sents • loss in commissions to Gen- eral Amusement of aj^roximately $100,000 yearly. If he had continued in front of his band until the end of this year Miller's gross income would have been between $750,000 and $1,- 000,000. probably closer to the latter. His band breaks up after Sept. 24. Miller foes into the Army as a Captain Oct. 7 in Omaha, the Seventh Corps Area. His chores will be musical, though details on his exact duties aren't clear. He drops off the Chesterfield radio program SepL 24 (replaced by Harry James Sept 29) and is playing his last the- atre date this week at the RKO Boston. He had been contracted to play the Central theatre, Passaic, N. J., opening Sept 24, but cancelled. Theatre is squawking at the action, asserting that Miller won't be in the Army untU Oct. 7. It's understood the house will make an attempt to force Miller to abide by the contract. Void Pifitore Deri Hollywood, Sept. 18. Glenn Miller's sudden entry into the Army caused the cancellation of hU three-picture deal with 20th-Fox, calling* for one film annually over a three-year stretch. Company is dickering for another band for the first picture, 'Blind Date,' slated for autumn production. Heidt Is Tired Horace Heidt h been ordered to take things easy by his physician or suffer a nervous breakdown. Ac- cordingly, when the outfit goes into the Casa Manana, Culver City, Cal.. Dec. 1 for 12 weeks, Frankle Carle, pianist-co-leader, will take over while Heidt rests. Heidt recently gave Carle a new contract calling for percenUge of "le band's earnings end oo-blUing. Ted Stractcr orchestra goes into |ne Copacobana, N. Y, the first week in October. Cnrbello, Bergere Shift Fausto Curbello back into the Stork Club, N. Y., with Ted Steele dropping out through overwork. Maximilian Bergere, long at the Versailles, N. Y., succeeds Emil Coleman at La Martinique next week, latter heading to the Waldorf hoted, N. Y. OBERSTEINBUYS INTO MUSIC m Eli Oberstein has bought himself 'protection' against the complete fail- ure of the recording business. He has acquired a 50% interest in Fred Fisher Mnstc-Corand henceforth will divide his time between Classic Rec- ord Co., which he helped form and operate, and the music publishing outfit There's no secret about Oberstein's reasons for buying Into Fisher's cata- log. He states that the 'record busi- ness Is a precarious one' at the mo- ment, what with the American Fed- eration .of Musicians' ban against recording and material shortages. His company is currently releasing only one popular record'a week, as against the three and four and more it was issuing prior to the current diffi- cultie.s. However, Classic wil con- tinue along its present lines. Thi.s is not Oberstein's first ven- ture into music publishing. He has had an interest in several firms at one time or another. Lombardo m Boat Race Cincinnati, Sept. IS. Guy Lombardo will pilot his Tempo racing boat in the 24th an- nual regatta on the Ohio river here Sunday (13). The maestro, whose orch opens a 13-day engagement Sat- urday 112) at Beverly Hills, nearby Kentucky nitery, canceled his entry in last year's regatta at the 11th hour. This time he booked the Beverly Hills date far in advance to clinch his participation in the racing meet His 175 h.p. boat reached Cincy Mon- day (14). BOBBY FABKS STATS ON Bobby Parks will open the new fall show in the Glass Hat Room of the Hotel Belmont Plara, N. Y., Sept. 24. At the Hat for the past 10 wcek.s. Parks is now enlarging his orchestra, for the Belmont Plaza is cetting a wire for the fall show. Eddie Le Baron, who was sched- uled for this .show, has been reclassi- fied and Inducted to military service. Band Reviews TONI MOEEISON ORCHESTRA (6) Lake Tarleton Clab, Pike, N. H. Hibernating at this class New Hampshire inn all summer have been Toni Morrison and her band, who are slated to open at the Rainbow Room, N. Y., shortly. She's the daughter of Billy Kent, the come- dian, and Elsie (ex-Mrs. Charlie) Morrison, hence uses her erstwhile stepfather's tag for billing purposes. A personable gal, who makes with the maracas and things, she heals up the band co-owned by her hus- band, Charlie Golden, who's on string bass. Rest of the personnel: Jack Maisel, drums; Bill Honahan, trumpet (who met and married a gal at this resort a couple of weeks ago); Russ Carlson, piano; Rudy Herman, sax. The romance part of Honahan's midsummer dream wedding caused bonlface Walter Jacobs to bill Toni Morrison and Her Honeymooners, but under whichever tag it's a zingy sextet. Combo is versatile, with accent on the Latin rhythms, chiefly by de- mand here, rather than choice, since most of the Boston and New York crowd which comes to the Lake Tarleton Club seems partial to the one-two-three-kick tempos. At the Rainbow Room, Miss Morrison's combo will perforce specialize In Latin tempos, as the alternate or- chestra. But Yank or Latin, they're plenty OK for the hoof. V> S. to Hollywood ^oniface Charlie Morri- son; howdja like to book your step- daughter into the Mocambo? She's OK for sound and sight. v Abel. BOB ALLEN ORCH (14) Boseland Ballroom, N. T. Bob Allen's band has come along steadily since its Inception about a year ago and it's now a good, strong outfit though not in a class with some of its more bigger-name con- temporaries. Listening to this unit play, and watching its clean-cut leader handle it. however, impresses that the group is going a long way. Few of the original men with whom Allen started remain in the five-sax, three-trumpet, two-trom- bone, four-rhythm setup. Allen, like all other bands, has changed men often since conscription beean. and for the better each time. One of his most valuable acquisitions is Randy Brooks, trumoeter. who sup- pUes-an Invaluable lift to the entire band with his,driving style and ex- cellent solos. There are good solo men in the saxes, too and rhythm is soUd. Iii ensemble playing the ^roup Is clean throughout It has no out- standing* characteristics, but has the start of a style in a trick it has of - alternating ooen trumoets with sudden plunges into hat5. thus mut- ing them pleasantly. This a flexible combination, too, being able to shift from lump to ballad to latin tempo and handle them all equally well. Allen himself handles the vocals, and does a fine job thoueh he occa- sionally attempt* items that don't fit hLs style. Band's one fault is that It hasn't a girl vocalist, though that's in the process of correction. Allen directs and otherwise handles the front In a smooth, affable manner undoubtedly acquired riurlne his tenure as vocalist with Hoi Kemp. He does it in a way that nuHifles the fact he doesn't play an instrument. Wood. GLORIA PARKER ORCH (12) Araadl» Ballroom, N. T. Gloria Parker was once a vaude single, her forte being the playing of various musical instruments such as xylophone., vibes, fiddle, etc., and a set of musical elas.scs. At the head of this comparatively small orches- tra, which ispent all the past sum- mer at Luna Park. Coney Island. N. Y., the young lady proves that she's the band's best as.sct. Miss Parker is an Ina Ray Hutton type of leader in that .<Oic wiggles and batons in a manner calculated to catch the eye. but additionally she's apparently a good musician. She knows her band's arrangements and she plays very well herself: when caught ."he alternated between xylophone, which she hammers with unusual ability: marimba and fiddle She's a Wee ''^1 and a fair Igoker but neatly coiffeurcd (blonde) and gowned. The band behind her, composed of four sax. three trumpets, one trombone and three rhythm (no guitar), could be much better. It's a fair combination equipped with average arranccmcnt.'; and only one soloist who rated any .attention when caught (trombone). It plays lump and rhythm arrancements with a beat that dancers at this oublic ball- room seem to find to their liking, but it also .<iccm<! to p'ay ballads the .same way, a failing that needs cor- rection. Mis,<! Parker and two of the boys In the band handle vocals. A poor p.a. .system .situation made It im- possible to get a line on ability in that department. Outfit also does chorus arrangements which .sell nicely. Wood. Lymaa Not Whiteman or Osborne, Gets Date at Florentine Gardens Arena,. N. Hj^etnrning To Sun. Vande-Bands New Haven, Sept. 15. Arena, local 5,000-seat auditorium, resumes Sunday band-vaude ses- sions next week (20) with Gene Krupa. Spot has formerly conducted fall and spring series, but a possible change in hockey plans may make the house available for a full sea- son of Sabbaths. COLORED BANDS HIT BY DRAFT FOR 1ST TIME Negro musicians, who heretofore haven't been bothered too much by conscription for some unknown reason, are now t>eginning to k>e called into service in numbers that are alarming colored band man- agers. Since conscription began, few of the major Negro outfits had been confronted with the replacement situation that their white contem- poraries have had to face; latter are constantly breaking in new men. However, according to managers of Negro groups, the past four or six weeks has seen a sharp stepping up of induction orders among the personnel of their properties and the supply of good colored men isn't equal to the demand. As for ofay musicians, the situa- tion is rapidly getting serious, say leaders. A few weeks ago several band managers asserted there were plenty of men available. That's not so any longer. What makes things more difficult is the independent attitude taken by players who are not in Immediate danger of induc- tion. The predicted salary war, whereby the price of good men is steadily increasing as one leader raids another's outfit, is occurring. Men don't want to go on the road because of travel conditions; they stay in metropolitan centers and hook up if they can with any band that's booked for a location, leaving it when it again hits the road. WHITEMAN'S ALL-NAME BAND IDEA STYMIED Paul Whiteman had plans until last week of building the 'best t>and he's ever had,' composed of some of the most outstanding musicians available, but the Los Angeles local of the American Federation of Mu- sicians cancelled his idea. Whiteman made offers, according to one of the men he approached, to Rex Stewart, Georgie Auld, Davey Tough, Willie Smith, and other widely known mu- sicians of that calibre, to join him in California. It's said that he didn't care how much such an outfit would co.<it to operate, so long as he got to- gether a crack crew that would be long remembered. What stymied the plans was a withdrawal of'L.A. local 4rs promise to grant all the men the leader brought in membership cards in that union. Without a local 47 band the leader's radio sponsor (Lever Bros.) would have had to pay standbys, which It couldn't be asked to do. Though Whiteman would have paid big salaries to satisfy his plans, even the most liberal pocketbook couldn't withstand for long the addition of standbys. Ina Should Get 'Em Portland, Ore., Sept. 15. Ina Ray Hutton, who opened at the Mayfair, Portland, Monday (14), Is doing a real U. S. Navy recruit- ing job. &he is signed up as a vol- unteer recruiter, and plans to re- cruit 245 men by Dec. 7. Portland naval recruits wilt be sworn in on the stage of the May- fair every night this week. The contest between Will Osborne and Paul Whiteman as to who was going to get the booking at the Florentine Gardens, Los Angeles, opening Sept. 30 has been settled. Abe Lyman has been signed and opens on that date. Whiteman had been verbally okayed by the spot's operators for a return date, which he wanted to exercise after negotiations had been opened for Osborne; at the same time, Music Corp. of America was offering Jimmy Grier, and a couple of other outfits were in the back- ground. Lyman at the time was playhig the Palladium Ballroom. Hollywood, but he sneaked through on the rail and copped the nod while the others were arguing with ore another. Whiteman's Own Nitery on Coast Hollywood, Sept 15. Paul Whiteman is on several deals for his own night spot here and will know this week where his band wi 1 stay put for the next few months at lecst He wants to anchor here for more reasons than his radio program with Burns & Allen. Those one- nighters don't appeal to him much any more and, like other band- leaders, he likes the climate and other attractions that make perma- nency here desirable. Herman's Four Hops In 2 Nights Leave Lads Limp;.Split Up ^,600 Hollywood, Sept 15. Woody Herman may not be the b.o. champ of this sunstiine and citrus belt, but,there are few in the band biz who can match the endur- ance of his lads. Over the recent pre-Labor Day holiday stretch (Sat- urday and Sunday) the Herman out- fit played four dance dates in two nights in the beach towns of Oceaa Park and Long Beach. For their sustained labor, better than $5,600 passed into their coffers. Endurance run started at 9 o'clock Saturday night at the auditorium in Long Beach, running until 1 a.ni. One hour later the band was on the stand at Casino Gardens in Ocean Park, a few miles up the beach, playing for the swing shifters from the aircraft industry. It was 0 ajn. when the last note split the dawn. Lads plied Into bed for a well needed rest and were up again fondling their instruments at 9 pjn. back at Long Beach. That kept up again until 1 a.m. and an hotir later they were back at Ocean Park play- ing for another crop of swing shift- ers. Horns, .saxes and rhythm in- struments practically fell out of their hands when 6 a.m. rolled around On the Monday holiday they rested from their near-exhaustion. Harry Schooler, who put on the dances at the two spots, guaranteed Herman $4,800 for thie four dates. Total attendance was 16,804 and Herman's best cut was better than $2,000 on the second night at Ocean Park, when the paid attendance reached 5.500. The Long Beach total was ju.<it over 6300, Tariff at all hops was 85c, with servicemen admitted for SOc. THORNHIU^ McCOY HEADING FOR UNIES Claude Thornhlll r^Mrts to bis draft board in N. Y. Sept 22 for • physical examination. Leader bas been in a 1-A classification for some time. His band is currently playing theatres in the midwest Clyde McCoy is another leader due to be taken out of circulation .soon. He has notified the Circle theatre, Indianapolis, where he was to open Sept 18, that he is joining the Navy. He's also in the mid- west Joey Kearns Enlicto Philadelphia, Sept 15. Joey Kearns, leader of the WCAU house band, enlisted in the Army last Friday ill) and expects to be in uniform within the next 10 days. The band, one of the most popular ' dance outfits in this area, will prob- ' ably be batoned by Jack Warrington, I arranger of the outfit.