Variety (December 1943)

40 ORCHESTRAS Wednesday, December IS, 194.3 Springfield. Mass., Dec. 14. ♦ Testimony in a $50,000 libel suit by Abraham R. Goldman, of Baltimore, known in New England' dance band circles, as 'Bobby' Ndrris, ains.t the Daily News for publishing a story concerning his 'arrest the night of Aug- 21, 1942. for allcgcd/violation of the Selective Service Act, opened before Judge Francis. W. J. Ford in U. S. district court today U4). Gold- man said he came here; from Brook- lyn in May, 1942. to lead his orcli at the Wayside food shop. He insisted he notified his draft board of his address in West Spring- Intermission Washington. Adolfo'Ciiron. leader of one of the ir.nsi popular dance bands in Mexico City, hailed his program at a'. nilery. there 'recently ami a table at- which his ancec. her mother . ami a justice of.the peace were- scaled.' Few minutes.later lie scrolled .back to Ihe band and resinned cimduciinH—a married man. field over the Jul} 4 weekend. Taken .»» n* n ■ into custody by the FBI in August. I KlISS lll0fg<in tdllCelS Goldman bases his suit on Ihe story of ihe incident published the next day in Ihe Daily News. While liv- ing in West Springfield, the band leader declared, lie obtained employ- ment on a war job at the American Bosch Corp: Lyman's New Switch On Overseas Touring; Leaves After Essex, N.Y. Abe Lyman , n '■ says that he 'will ^ take his band-.overseas, for USO- Camp Shows. Inc.: following the completion of its current run at the Essex House. NV Y . in mid-Janu- ary. This is a second change of, stance on Ihe trip by Lyman; he was! originally due lb' go oftshore late I last month, but dropped the idea I after, he said, several' of his men > were denied permission to leave the jurisdiction of local draft boards. Lyman ii.av has okays for every man in-liU outfit with the exception of his drun mer. Booked Coast Date To Stay East with Family Russ Morgan has refused to sign a contract to open a new name band spot, the Cbroinoni hotel: crkcley: Calif , though he previously okayed' "le.job and !.is. appearance there was confirmed to Ihe hole! by MCA's Hollywood office. Morgan doesn't ■want' to go to the Coast, preferring Glaser-Stein, Inc. Albany, Dec. 14. Associated Booking Corp. has been .chartered to conduct an agency bu.-i- i ess in New York. Capital stock is 100 shares, ho par value. .-Directors arc : Joe Glaser. allornei. Bernard L. Miller and Morton Millei, all ot N. Y. This is the corporate .selup of the ■recent 50';. .buy-iii in:o Glaser's firm by Jules '. leiii. head of Music ; Corp. of America. Hartenstein Reopening Sunnybrook) Pa., Dancery New Year's Eve with Allen ; Sunnybrbok Ballroom, -Potlsiown:' Pa., wul reopcn New Year's Eve with Bob; Allen's orchestra , and will op- erate every Saturday thereafter. Oire of the largest.dance spots in the 'Wist and before the war perhaps the moVt important oiie-nighi stand. Sunnybrook is owned and ■ operated by Ray Hartenstein. He has no amis definitely' booked beyond "Dec 31 as yet. bill assures bookers he will continue. ' Sunnybrook. which has a capacity of approximately G.000, shuttered about year and a' halt ago due the first pleasure driving ban (it. is 12 miles Outside. Polls-, to wii v. Though Harlehslcin has made several moves to reopen, this is the first time he's carrying Inside Stuff—Orchestras After weeks of dickering to shift ageney-affilialion elsewhere, lue Barron's -'orchestra, - under Tommy .."'Ryan, signed a, new one-year contract wilh Music Corp of America recently. Barron, now in the Army, but in remote control of -his orchestra through his-sister Clarisse, business manager, was about to pay $4.G00 he owes MCA and sever connections. He resigned and 'still owes the cash, which represents $3,000 MCA advanced to'move Ihe band■ away...from Consolidated Radio Artists and $1,G00 in back commissions. - arrph wont into the Army a short lime ago, pj.itling.Tommy Ryan, siimer llien wilh Sammy Kaye; in his place. II is the first U'mca service- bound lcador.has been able to keep his band "'intact and working. Closed roadhouse owners around N. Y., who formerly used name and semi-name:-orchestras;.claim thai Ihe only \lhinfi'lhal is keeping the ma- jority from reopening is the lack of 'waiters andkitchen help.. Several 1 who shiiifcrcd almost a year ago, when transportation in the east became so-difficult, say that from the business being done by bars and small eat- ing st.'inds they've reopened, since the gas baii was lifted, the bigger opera- tions would have, no trouble; btit their hands arc lied by. Hie lack of help, Of the group of - roadhouses that formerly ringed N. V, and employed name .'orchestras, only Frank Dailey's Mcadowbrook is stirring.- Dailey assorts he intends to reopen his Cedar Grove. N. J., spot next spring. Impressed by the business being done by Count Basic's orchestra at lhe Lincoln hotel, which she operates along wilh live nearby Edison.;-Mrs. Maria Kramer stales she has decided to give. un her idea of buying promising bands cheaply tor the' former spot and 'henceforth' will employ only the best outfits available. This policy isagrces with her former-, stance against expensive music. She's currently paying Basic .$2,400- weekly, -phis broad- cast wire costs, probably the hwst cash she has ever spcnl on a band. Basic .has-been very successful at the Lincoln. He is said to have lo'pped all previous cover charge totals )ii the room, including those set tip by Harry James and Artie Shaw. Shcp Fields will have a second opening at the Park Central hotel, N .Y., tomorrow.' ''night (Thursday). He has.''been out' ill for Ihe two-week in- terval since tile band opened and his return wilt mark Ihe. repeat opening. | through. Pre-war. he al.-oraiv Salur-j -Field's-has been down with virus pneumonia. He is no of many'leaders' days nly. using 'only the top. bands: { and agents who have been out the paxi weeks, including Benny Goodman, Tommy -Dorsey, Tommy Rockwell, of CAC: Will.'ird -Alexander, of the' Morris agency. Bea Wain, at the Capitol theatre. -N-. Y., is another. She lias been o(V .(he.stage since Jasl Thursday uighl. Sonny Skylar, WOR- Mutual singer, has been substituting, ',"•■ HARRY JAMES DUE FOR ARMY TEST TODAY (15) Harry James is scheduled to take an induction physical in Hollywood today . (Wodnes unless last-, minute pitches by Metro for anothei deferment Tor hi are honored Leader was to have gone through the test some lime ago. but deferment requests by Ihe film outfit, for whom he's completing a third film since last summer, delayed it. James" draft board is in Beaumoiii. Tex., his home town; but the physical has been transferred to the Coast. to stay in i\\ Y. As a result; lie may follow Abe Lymiin' inlo the Essex I House., N'. Y. next month. ' ! Morgan was set at the CI;iromO|il for'lii week's at SIl.l.'iO- per. In ad- dition to rejecting the deal there, he has cancelled and refused ail dales he had and those .offered over the cqmins .holiday period. He rejected slightly over $15,000 worth of work i Les Brown's orchestra, '-lias , coin to"slay in- tii.e east wilh his family, j plelcd a deal wilh Brown and Joe j Giaser. hitter's manager, wlicreby he will be financed by both in the for- mation of a band of his own post-| TOUR BAND OVERSEAS °™ slx'monthslVior lo'lhal having _ ',• . ;, . ... i been, musical boss ot Bob Allen's Capt. Glenn Miller is still anxious | 01 . c .|, Pslli | RANDY BROOKS TO HAVE OWN BAND AFTER WAR ;indy Brooks, star trumpeter with NIX MILLER'S PLAN TO to lake his Army Air Forces band I Due to the arrangement wilh overseas to. enlertain troops, but | Brown and Glascr."none of the op- repealedly has been denied permis- { posi iion leaders have been able lo sion by Army brasihaU. Rejection j pil „ B,- 0 oks away from . that ' band. of -Miller's request..is 'based on the | "■■ " feeling that the weekly broadcast he _ . — . l\ > does on CBS wilh the band is more' Mnlen TriUllDetS UOn t valuable on the home front. r So far the only service band to go overseas is Artie Shaw's.Naval com- bination, which recently returned from a tour .through the South Pa- cific. -No civilian combinations; have been out of 'the." country. . though USO-sponsored lours are bein» lined up. I Ina Hutton Opening New Huh Band Spot New name band stand will open in Boslon Jan.. 15. with Ina Ray Hut- Ion's outtil set tor two weeks. Called the Riocasino spot was formerly the Southland Ballroom and in ad- dition lo the'band will have a floor show. Spot is to be : operated by Ben Ford, current owner of the Tic-Toe, wiiich uses a policy of colored bands and act^. USO Hunts Skin-Beaters USO-Camp Shows, Inc.. is on the prowl for'drummers to go overseas!. How the single musicians are going to be used is not being, disclosed. USO's uMial offshore scale for musi- cians applies. Good drummers aie scarce cur- '. renlly. There are few leaders com- pletely 'satisfied wilh what ihcy have. One-'maestro lust week answered a (juery about his hea'lli with the re- Fit Kid Tooter's Kisser Detroit. Dec. 14. ecause a n-ycar-old Detroit mil-, sician couldn't toot through the two special mouthpieces An a pair ot trumpets used in Huss Morgan's band. Ralph Hayes, the orch's cornet man. last week-got back $300 worth of hard-tOrgct horns. The two; .trumpets were stolen when Morgan was playing at' the Michigan here. The 17-ycar-old mu- sician, who plays with, a small, fry .band here. . told, police a -character sold them to him on the street for S20. The kid tried for days to play them. , but said 'the mouthpieces whipped, me.' He finally pawned the two cornet's under his own name. Probably al a loss for new nanio-bund.material lo market for ihe holi- day period. RCA-Viclor has released Iwo discs carrying Hie same limes on each side,' inlerproled by different bands: On one'record Glenn Miller's version of 'Jingle Bells' is coupled lo Alvino Roy's arrangement of 'Santa C.l.aus. Is Coming lo Town.' Second disc has..Benny. Goodman doing 'Bells'- and Tommy Dorsc'y. on: aula Clans.' ' Miller- ey recording is .comparatively ' same way ibacked 'up' last year. Go made years ago. .1.1 cost Eli bcrslein S380 to have a copy of IrVinss' erlin's 'My rilish Buddy' lelephotoed from London to New York, so.fh.it he Would have it in lime for it lo be arranged for an Abe Ly'man recordiiig date. Lyman made the waxing recently-and Obcrstcin already. has copies of it on the markcl.. Since the melody was restricted, however.until Kale Smith introduced- it on.her radio show about 10 days ago. neither Lymaii nor any of the disc jockeys could air it. Bob -Chester's orch signed by War- tort. '1110105 nothing wrong with nicj ners to appear in 'Hollywood Can- a good drummer won t fix.' lecn.' G.I Tooters Set for 1st Town Hall, N. Y., Concert Tlic first in a scries of Saturday afternoon cocktail hour jazz con- certs al Town Hall, N; Y., Sat (18) will feature Ihrce G. . musicians. Maxie Kaminsky, recently returned from Pacific outposts with the Artie Shaw Navy band, is down for some trumpet work, while Mel Powell, of the Glenn Miller Army outfit, and Scrgl. Joey ushicin. currently play ing wilh Sergt. Dave Rose's 'Winged Victory' orch. are skedded for piano duels. As in earlier series. Eddie Condon will direct, informally. Ad agency execs Ernie Anderson and Paul 'Smith are underwriting the con- eerts in conjunction with other'en- thusiastic devotees. Phil Moure's song; 'Shop Shoo Baby,' will be used in four films now shooting: . 'Three Cheers for the Boys.' Universal; 'Trocadero,' He- public: 'Meet the People,' Metro, and 'Beautiful But Broke/ Columbia. Wilh oncriiighlers by lop name bands Tew and far bet ween for any indi- vidual promoter in the cast, since the beginninu of the war. Ered Kirsch, operator at Turner's Arena and Vline Arena. Washington, had three too outfits within six days. Beginning last Wednesday (8) he ran dances with. 'Puke-Ellington. Cab Calloway (10) and Benny Goodman; Monday (13). ' Such a wealth of talent at one spot in less than a week is a rare occur-. rence these days, even on the Coast, where one-.nighlels arc far more plentiful. - — : Musicians' salaries have skyrocketed since the;'start of Ihe war due to ihe-competition among leaders for good men. A case in point of bidding up a looter's pay: ' ' Ina Ray Hullon recently hired a sax player from Henry . ■'.< band. Before he started work for Miss Hutton! at $120 weekly, he handed in (wo weeks' notice. Shep Fields had offered $125. Few weeks lalcV he went back lo Miss Hullon for $150. Jimmy Cook, vocalist, formerly wilh Tommy Dorsey: is slill under con- tract lo that-leader though : he's now singing'on WAAT, Jersey City. His eonneclion with the station is in Ihe nature of a farm-oul -proposition; Dorsey. thought he needed more-seasoning and experience and made ..a. deal for him there. Cook airs flvfi afternoons a week (Mon.-Fri.i 4:30-4.4fi. ' Dorsey now has Teddy Walters, who was a guitar player with Gene Krupa s now disbanded orchestra. Lionel -Hampton's', orch, which has appeared on Ihe last two Sunday prpgram..s of 'Soldiers of, Production.' ,-Bhic Network show sponsored by the V/ar Manpower Commission, is first Negro band on the show. Com- mission plans to keep-it on for several week.-. 1 BOB STRONG And His Orchestra Now at Rowland Ballroom, New York Williams' Record Chicago, Dee. 14. New . long-run record was estab- lished in the Empire Room of ,thc Palmer House last week when Grift Williams' orch chalked up 39 con- secutive weeks, beating the 38-weck record hung up by Veloz and Yo- landa in 1935'736. VVhen Williams departs on Jan. 12 to make way for ildegard arld'Baiv Wilde's orchestra, he will have com- plcicd a tolal of 90 weeks in three engagements, in the room in Ihe last three years. Le Baron Army-Bound Los Angeles, Dec. 14. Eddie'. Le Baron, band leader and operator of the Trocadero nitery, took a' blood test as his first step toward induction into the:Army and was absolved of a charge of evad- ing the draft. Under his original name, Eduardo Gastino, native of Venezuela, but an American citizen since 1940,. Le Baron was sought by his New York draft board, but protested that he had never received an Induction notice. BLUE TO AIR ESQUIRE AFFAIR AS COLA SHOW ...squire mag's all-star jazz band, selected in a nation-wide poll With ■ Trade publication' editors and others • in the music world' participating, will invade the hallowed Met Jan.18. wilh a two-hour coiiccrl. part of which vvill go coast-lo-c6ast on the Blue network. » Radio hookup on the concert will see portion of the program picked up by Blue mikes as Coca-Cola's spotlight band program. Esquire is" planning a literature campaign to accompany the promotion and will publish brochures explaining how se- lections were made, etc, and con- taining biogs of each musician and lists of records on which they can be heard. The all-star band is a promoli venture of Esquire, which lays claim to being the llrst slick to publish an article on jazz, back 10 or more years ago, Miniature statues, similar to . Hollywood's Oscars artd known as 'Eskies' will go to'the chosen musi-