Variety (Nov 1942)

Wednesday, November 18, 1942 NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS 4S ^ Village Inn Savitt himself does very little solo Greenwich Village inn u^,^^^ p,^^^ with the (NEW YORK) strings virtually every time he aoes . on active duty. He should do more n*iim/ Fields, Joey Dean, George not only because of ability, but to £lleii Broderick, Sherman Arnold help dispel a slight stillness he dis- Dinornh Rhumba Band plays just leading & Elle fs^''Enoch lioht Orch (8), „i,;iniMn. siipper; $1.50 dinner. $2.50 I When caught the band had no girl vocalist; she was ill. Buddy Wel- come, rotund sax man, does novel- Benny Fields has really put the ties neatly and Joe Martin, from the Greenwich Village spot on the map violins, handles ballads, displaying and is drawing "em from all oyer, just a fair voice. Faults registered Always a landmark, and ideally situ- above shouldn't .stop this band, oted in Sheridan Square, the G. V. however.. It's a fine outfit, ideal Inn harks back to those memorable for theatre and hotel work. Wood, PoV Halliday-Bobby Edwards-Bar- I „ey Gallant. days which the^jenti- Tea for Two' went over big in her nterprefation. The Mc.'Vrthurs open the show with some neat ballroom terping and the Turner orch handles very deftly their assignment. But it is as a one- woman show that the current ofter- ng here i.^ a click from the start. Biz good. Lniie. La Vie Parisienne, N. Y. nfentalists like to recall as being a Sd -when the Village was the Villaee' in other words the Amerl- I Sn road company of,the Left Bank. GLASS HAT, N. Y. (HOTEL BELMONT-PLAZA) Libby Holman tutth Josh Wliite, Rasha & Mirko, Gubrielle, Joliii Sebastian; Irvine Orton and Lou Springer at pianos; $2.50 and $3 minimum. T?iday it's a nice family-style cabaret Bill Johnson, Caataine & Barry, with a $1.50-$2.50 table de'hpte din- Jack Marshall, Hal Saunders Band ner and a $2.50 supper mlnlnium, (U) with Jane Tho7nas; $1.50 mini- nresided over by Lou Taylor, him- mum. Sell a reformed actor, known as 'S-^'^l^n*. instead o?8rVetiSf'°a?'l^^ Nothing pretentious about this emceeing instead or greeiing, as ne ^^^^ ^.^^^ spotlight focused Is now. ' Fiefds is the bulwark of the show, mainly on the debut here of Hal nit the revuette which Mildred Ray Saunders band, a 'society' type of has dished up Is a bright little show, instrumentation that has acquired ina staging manifests imagination considerable favor among the Stork ind she does all right with the 10 Club—St. Regis clientele. There was Sherman Arnold girls who flash' a good crowd from that set among «ome neat costume changes. the opening-night audience, with 'The staging Is such as to make the many out to witness the professional «how look more munificent than it bow of one of their own, Jane actually is, with Joey Dean and Thomas, who's handling the harp George Sc Ellen Broderick (New Acts) the lone interrupters. Other wise the girls break things up in- cluding standout specialties from within the line, with the orch in addition to some of the vocals, Rest of the show has been held down, with Bill Johnson and Jack A ;Sf hi/nnneh I, Fields with Marshall, both of whom have been _^fol^ngl^^^Ln c^&^L^ihe I at the spot for some time, handling theory that t^crooning who^again calls^up the - Sonwr who reaps all the fruits of handsome CasUine & Barry ball tls pioneering labors; usually some room team round out the show, other guy comes along, improves on Saunders' outfit, of course, with the technique, which the originator the maestro fronting with his violin has labored long and hard to impress maintains a neat melodic pace on a public perhaps inured to some- throughout, the leader's and the thing else. The Bing Crosby refine- band's other two fiddles marking the ments, of course, are without dispute, rhythmic, subdued style. With lour but the Fleldses paved the-way while [other rhythm instruments, plus nhe Groaner' was still in diapers, [trumpet and three sax rounding It Anyway, Fields is a cafe star In his out, the setup remains sock for the own right and proves it anew with customer hoofing. In addition the a compelling, easy, self-assured, outfit plays a neat show, SBlghborly manner of songmanshlp Particularly unique about the orch lafs undeniable. He s clubby with j^e Inclusion of a harpist, Miss the customers without being corny; Thomas, and It only adds to the Professional without being preten. U^^^^.g j^^^y approach to woo the ^'^'JS'xt • 11 I T«»., more conservative element. And Of the speciallsU in support Joey ^ . indication that the f«f ".1^ f"M?^^ ?ll Saunders success at the Glass Hat yUl^ band has since be^^ approximate the high bt'^I^v cl?roU It wL p?SbaW^^ " achieved when it played at L'^m^ch lK's faulWaco^^^^^^^ St. Regis and other smart Sat the music was too forte and al- east side sptts. However, what mort bllsSS'oneTut o? the jl? This Saunders needs bad,y is some good should be watched by the manage-1 vocalizing; a couple of the bandsmen ment. Biz excellent on a stormy Tuesday. Abel, ASTOR ROOF, N. Y. Jan Sauitt Orch (19) tuith . Martin, Buddy Welcome; no mint mum, cower 75c-$l. double into some of the warbling, but rather Inconspicuously, while Miss Thomas* singing attempt shows all too clearly her lack of experience and apparently untrained voice. Johnson, the good-looking emcee, Is still Inclined to verbosity in his toith Joe I announcements and in the small talk accompanying his own singing turn, but he got over rather well with this audience. His takeoff on Jan Savitt's rebuilt band is im- 'Pagliacci' suggests his best idea, but pressive, a combination that should when he interrupts it with some of quickly regain for its leader the his extraneous chatter, the number popularity he enjoyed two years ago is a complete missout. His straight after a long stay at the Lincoln singing Is clicko. hotel, N. Y. Playing his first date Marshall, vet comedian, is back at jn N. Y. in more than a year, Savitt the Glass Hat on a quick repeat, af- 18 leading a group, put together re- ter a several weeks' hiatus, and he's cenUy on the Coast, that has very ^ moderately amusing funster with n..t Vi j- - • . . .V v J • his varied personality caricatures. Outstandina Fomt of this band is However, he's a belter comedian Its string section composed of five S.- >,!» motorioi would indicate fiddles and 'cello, ihclGding Savitt's *?" xu'' "«ihW Vhe sock 2ne violin. It's probably the only name °'*™ .n^' ?ho r^Uine & Bar?^ outfit with strings (hat derives real h' ^^V^ ^^^l^ JL^ h«i^Id service from them. They're an in- duo. he f .fo^-looking, sleek-haired tegral part of the whole group, not chap In tails, and she a beaut blonde a separate unit as Is the case with In nifty white gown ribboned with many contemporaries. That's not black. Their routines are excellent, strange, however, when It's remem- with the guy's lift, smooth and ap- bered that Savitt was once lead fid- parently effortless. The gal is ttie dler with the Philadelphia Orches- epitome of grace, and though their tra, under Leopold Stokowskl. stuff Is out of the top drawer, the And he does all the scoring for the i team's ace audience values lie *n section himself. their excellent looks and personality. Impact of the strings is fully felt Kahn. Jn the exceptionally Bea"y book of sUndards the band boasts. Savitt and his arrangers have selected al- Nnrmnndie Roof. Mont 1 inost every outstanding ballad and '^«»«"» mum i pow tune available, and they're all jeautlfuUy arranged. That goes, too, Montreal, Nov. 12. £L'"'Ti,"i 5°Pi, ^V^y Jane Pickens. The McArthur* (2), jpas. The fiddles are woven Into _,J; aI.i, on)- *2 50 couer frem with such understanding ^^atl^oj" '"""^ ^e interpretation gives then? new Saturdays; $1.5 0 week iays. ^^^Tie strings, of course, don't carry .An ideal combination-a beautiful the load alone. They're accompany- "'te/y and Jane P'":'!*"'-,^„„„, tag a sax section of five thaVhas . Miss Pickens 'f,„"°„/''u *a food tone and exceptionally good Montreal. Last summer she had a Wend. There are only three trum- highly successful stanza here and It pets and two trombones, though the took a topnotcher like H Idegarde Jection sounds much larger. Arranc- to follow her and do I'^ewise The tag for this group frequently makis songstress brings a jweet breath o use of mutes and-hats in such a way the south and creates an aura °\ a» to produce a tonal effect that warmth and 8'a« that account for makes one look for French horns. her immediate .^""ess^ "f ^ voice. Only three rhythm, drums, bass of course, is /iilo^aPso and piano, keep the beat, which, is and her gowns and na ural looks also good n the slower tempo but erratic enhance Tier personality at drive speed, That's one of this Her repertory is on the same gen band's faults. It seems to have spent erous scale as <>" ."^f "f/'f d^zen 80 much time perfecting the ballad here. She dishes out about a dozen stuff that it goes nowhire when it songs from Gershw n. Cole Porter gets above a medium, rhythmic Jerome Kern, each In her own spe fcmpo. In the latter It rides easily, cial manner of. presentalion. Her ^Ith a solid, smooth beat that danc- rendition of sp.ritua s hit a very ers .seemed to enjoy hugely when high level, and here, too that the caught. But whep something faster Don Turner orch gives her very fonies up^the outfit Is not so sure of effective chorus s"PP°ri„.i"eSt of Itself that, however, can be cor- tlon there's a "J^vel arrangement or reeled. 'Jingle, Jangle,' B smash with Another fault of the band Is that' the Ammunition,' and even the agea Arthur Lesser, who operates La Vie Parisienne, one of the quick click Franco-American boites of this sea- son, has long wanted to bolster nis supper business with wholly Ameri- can patronage. The dinner sessions are all right for the repatriated Francophiles and the sizeable con- tingent of moneyed Frenchmen now in America, with their exacting de- mands and a bit burdensome insist- ence on a quality which they nos- talgically seek to recapture in Amer- ica; but it's no secret that the Frenchman will never par the Yank for largesse. At supper, espccialiy, it was difficult to get the $2 mini- mum which this cozy room (around 75 capacity) needs to pay off, but as soon as Lesser brought Libby Hol- man he not only has been turning them away but the minimum is now $2.50 and $3 (Sat.), with plenty of takers. All of which is an anomaly for the type act that Miss Holman gives out. She's essaying something new and different with her program of 'Early American Blues,' but after a while it becomes a monotone. Some six or seven reprises of what are seemingly traditional blues, not of the "popu- lar' order, are too muih and iiot even the encoring 'Moanin' Low' can save it. The titles are 'Good Mornin', Blues!,' 'In the Evenin', "Old Smoky,' 'Han'some, Winsome Johnny,' 'The House of the Rising Sun,' 'Baby, Baby,' 'Hard Trav'lin's' and 'Fare Thee Well' plus an unprogrammed 'I've Been 'Buked and I've Been Scorned.' Some of the letter's lyri- cal content sounds a bit autobio- graphical as, for that matter, does some of the other wordage. Colored guitarist Josh White ac- comps and he could stand a solo spot to break It up, as for that matter so could Miss Holman for a personal change of pace. She could also achieve that vocally by harking back to some other of her yesteryear 'Lit tie Show' music or other torch bal- lads, instead of staying In the same groove with these blues. Doing but one show, coming on at around 1 a.m., it's a lot of LIbby, and while the business Is seemingly good—and the fancy minimum check a tribute to her personal following—she's ap- parently intent upon a professional comeback which she could achieve easier with judicious songaloging. White is quite an authority on these Negro folk blues; in fact the U. S. government once underwrote his trek through the land to unearth more data therein. He capitalized it in tutoring Miss Holman her style also when both made that Decca rec- ord album. But It stUl goes, he should do more on his own, as a specialty on his guitar. Show otherwise comprises John Sebastian (New Acta), harmonica soloist who comes from radio; Gabri elle, chanteuse, and Rasha and Mirko Serb guitarists, latter two acts both previously reviewed. Abel, with Ed Wynn In his more recent varieties, as well as on the radio with Fred Allen. On his own, Tannen manifests a fair sense of comedy values, and then retards himself by poor pacing or completely poor taste. The latter is not often but, as with all faux pas of this nature, when it does occur it's flagrant. In other words, it's all right for Tannen to do George Arliss, but the idea of Arliss addressing Parliament, with that corny dissertation on the Axis, Pearl Harbor and a 'God Bless America' finale, is both ridiculous and un- funny. He has a good voice, but if he did the Russian hokum, first in straightforward manner and then changed pace, the values would be heightened. This same misapplication of values evidences that maitre Oscar of the Cafe Life needs a stager. Thus, that long, albeit intricate, sax solo by the colored specialist could be chopped, as musicianly and intricate as it may be. Likewise Miss Carlisle could do a belter assortment of songs (More anon under New Acts.) Abel. Helsing's Lounge, Chi Chicago. Nov. 13. Betty Reilly, Du/ficid Sislers (4), Wino JWilo, Professor Bucku-iirds. The New Yorkers (4), Chet Rcbic; no minimum. LYNCH'S, PHILLY (WALTON HOTEL) Philadelphia, Nov. 11. Jerry Bergen & Co., Ruth Clayton, GerardOi, Frokson, Glamour Girls (16), Eddie DeLuca Orch, Coney Rhumba Orch (8), Rose Gallo, Bub- bles Shelby; no cover, $2 minimum, dinners $1.50 up. CAFE LIFE, N. Y. Don Tonnen. Leonard Ware Trio, Una Mae Carlisle, Cafe Band (6) $2.S0-$3 minimum. Lots of comedy, plenty of good music, Ewell-looKing gals, a lady with an elegant voice and a be- wildering, but entertaining magician —that's what Jack Lynch is cur- rently purveying in his class spot atop the Hotel Walton here. The comedy Is provided by Jerry Bergen, pint-size laugh-getter with an unbilled femme. Comedian is in excellent form with his standard act, including take off on duo doing arias from 'Carmen,' his bell-ringer stunt, the xylophone act, etc. Bergen's timing is the secret of his netting the guffaws. Ruth Clayton Is also plenty big- league. A looker and despite her youth knows all the tricks of selling a song. Miss Clayton steps out midway In the show for a long stay in f^ont of the mike during which she gives out with 'I Want My Mamma,' This Is Worth Fighting For,' 'Lolita OToole' and 'Strip Polka.' The customers kept pounding (or more. Frakson, making a return appear- ance here, is no less entertaining as in his previous stand. Standout Is his smoke manIpulatIoi\ making a standard-sized radio vanish In thin air, and, most lauflh-provoking of all, snaring silver dollars from the ears, noses, and open-mouths of the paying guesta. The terps department is ably taken care of by the Oarardos. Male end of this team Is well-known In these parts, having once operated a danc ing school for PhlUy socialites. His partner (and wife) U an able and attractive dancer. The Oerardos feature the south - of - the - border brand of terpslcnoro, sBeclalizlng- In rhumbas, samoaa and tne like. They also teach these steps to the pew holders. The show's finale Is plenty socko, with the line m patriotic costumes and Miss Clayton nandling the vocal' izing In a superb flag-waving finish. Music chores ably taken care of by Eddie De^uca, expert pianist and leader of the band. Caney's rhumba crew takes care of the lulls. Miss Gallo and Bubble^ Shelby alternate at the mltiiatur* piano and mike in the cocktail bar. Tapes were up when oaught. Shal. An entertaining show is on lap at Ibis northside brignt spot, perhaps the city's finest theatre-bar. Paced by Nino Milo, humorous m.e.. and backed by the musical elTorls of The New Yorkers (accordion, bass, guitar and trumpet) and Chet Roble's piano, show moves in snappy fashion. The Three Dufficid Sisters open the show by harmonizing 'Strip Polka' and 'Let's Keep Smiling.' fol- lowed by Roble's rendition of Greig's 'Concerto.' Roble has been here since spot opened a year ago and is a master o^ the ivories. Milo deuces with his comedy im- pression, including a Russian oper- atic tenor, a Cossack and a nance doing 'Da rk E yes,' his idea of the Good Will^Hadio Hour' and a cari- cature of Carmen Miranda. Milo is at his best with these and his singing. The jokes he uses have been kicked around plenty and could be changed to advantage. Professor Backwards proves a good novelty act Prefacing his black- board work with a bright line of comedy chatter, he calls for big words, writing and pronouncing them backwards. Got a nice hand. Betty Reilly. who headlines. Is next. A blonde Irish colleen, who has spent much of her life in Mexico City, she renders several Latin songs in authentic manner, accompanying herself on the guitar and using th« maracas in one number. All of her songs are done in Spanish with th* exception of 'It's a Great Day for the Irish.' Got plenty applause. Loop. AQUARIUM, N. Y. Al Shayne, Ed Farley Orch (6)} no minimum or cover. Gate Life is of the Cafe Society idiom; in fact, Oscar Schimerman, the new operator, was formerly with Barney Josephson's Cafe Societys Uptown and Downtown. New East 55th street location Is on tVie site of the old Kit Kat Club, shuttered for after-hour selling several seasons ago. It's been completely done over Into an attractive interior, spacious, airy and quite chi-chi In its general at- mosphere. Including a spacious bar up front for the quick turnover coin. Joseph Firestone designed it. Now all (Safe Life needs is a good show. It doesn't jell as Is. Paradox is that some of the components are gold, but in toto it adds up to mediocre returns. , ^ The band is anonymously billed as the Cafe Life All-Star Orch, a good sextet of colored and ofay musicians. Don Tannen emcees and two colored acts, Una Mae Carlisle and Leonard Ware Trio, are in support. They're the show's outstanders. Mixed talent policy keynotes these 'advanced' rooms, but when the man- agement undertakes the Idea of mix- ing up Harlem and paleface talent there's usually a sock rea.'^on, as when Zero Mostel and Hazel Scott headline the Cafe Society spots. Here. Miss Carlisle has possibilities, ditto Ware, and for that matter like- wise Tannen, but It doesn't quite come off. . , Tannen, with proper material, may yet find himself. He's been a stooge for Lou Holtz as 'Popokoff,' and With Ed Farley's comedy band and Al Shayne making up the present en- tertainment at this Broadway spot, customers have a nicely balanced layout for after 10 p.m. fare. Food at the restaurant has enabled It to catch on but the Aquarium manage* ment. Is attempting to plug the void after 10 p.m. with popular fare and dancing on Uie small floor. Shayne, a vet of stage and radio, is still a master song-seller. He 3 using current pops, plus his familiar radio theme song, 'My Wonderful One.' Puta across 'White Christmas' best. 'Strip Polka,' 'Der Fuehrer's Face,* Anchors Aweigh,' and 'Over There' also make up repertoire, all put over with nice showmanship. Farley, who co-authored 'Muslo Goes Round,' has one of those typi- cal zany crews. Outfit really can also play smooth dance music when it tries to, but leans overboard on the clowning. Wear.** II HWd's Africa Aid] l^^s ComUnncd from page 1 adjacent territories. Army authori- ties have acknowledged the value of these old films as a preparation for the swift African campaign. PAN-AMERICAN ROOM (ROGEBS OOSNEB, N. T.) Jforn KoW)l<ir$ Orch (6), no cover, minimum $liO after 10 p.m. The Korny itpm Kobblers are dishing out kernels \n neaping por- tions at this neatly decorated room, and the customers are lapping It up. The home-made Instrumenta this group uses to project its particularly whacky type 6t comedy Is certainly unique. 'There ar« cowbells, iron pipes, auto horns, and many other gadgeta, all of which would do credit to a modern jutuiyard. This is in addition to the trombone, trumpet, sax, bass, drums and piano setup the sextet uses. Kobblers have been a standard act for some time, having set up a rou- tine of comedy and gags that are surefire. Detailing what they do would "become top (pvolved; It all happens so fast. Si)fllce to say they land on one like a ton of korn. Rogers Corner Is the original Dempsey's Restaurant on 8th avenue —or Is it Rogers KORN-er? Wood. Palm Beaeh's Ontlook Palm Beach, Nov. 17. Palm Beach expecta to benefit from the Miami ^rmy Influx, with much of the tourist traffic veering here. El Patio reopening a bit earlier, on Deo. \, with Val Ernie's music, instead of the usual Dec. 15. •Strategle Areas' The Pictorial Service Branch of the Office of Strategic Services has all the major studio shorts depart- menta and newsreels companies pull- ing out their travelogue clips for screenings with an eye toward pro- viding the Army and Navy with photos of 'strategic areas.' Same outfit has been culling stills and 16 ■ mm. film from Yank tourists aver since the war started and went through all the stock shota In the studio vaulta on the Coast Now they are preparing to give travelogs and foreign newsreel clips the 0.0. Col. L. E. Norfis heads a staff ol 200 researchers and analysta quar- tered at 1,600 Broadway, N. Y. Researchers are experienced in stills, shorts and newsreels while the analysts provide the geography savvy required to select printa and stills that wlU aid our fighting men. Need for these photos stems from the lack of Yanks traveling the world with candid cameras, as the Nips and Nazis have been doing these past many years. In preparing for of- fensive landings in various areas, the Army and Navy chiefs require pho- tos which they often do not want to obtain via reconnaisance planes for fear of tipping their mitt to the enemy. Therefor the pix snapped by tourists and the travelog films come in handy. To facilitate mailing of prints and photos from out-of-towners the OSS will next week start plugging a simplified address, 'Strategic Photoi New York City.'