Variety (Oct 1947)

48 ORCHESTRAS-MUSIC Wednesday, October 29, 1947 Band Reviews JAZS! AT THE PHILHARMONIC' Norman Gram, *t.c, with Coleman Hawkins. BUI Harris, Flip Phlll.ps Hank Jones, Ray Brown, Howard MvGee, J. C. Heard and Helen Humes. Orchestra Hall, Chicago "Jazz at the Philharmonic" session here (14) left many 1 in well-filled Orchestra. Hall wondering how cas, ual can a jazz concert get. Cole- man Hawkins. With top billing, sidled offstage twice aiirirtgs'his set and failed to appear for the ensemble closer. Norman GraiW'dashed after departing soloists to bring them back for encores, but each time V, was no soap and he returned look- ing like a man put down. Entire affair was marked by scant regard for showmanship. Flip Phillips, as in other recent sessions, is the standout, tending to overshadow Hawkins. Latter isnt at his best in a be-bop set, although his sax blends well with Howard McGee's deft trumpet. Ray Brown, bass, and Hank Jones, piano, displayed nimble, craftsmanship throughout. J. C. Heard overdid the drumming at several points, pound- ing out what amounted to a con- tinuous solo upfront on his side of the stage. Bill Harris worked with clinical perfection. ".' Helen Humes' winspme styling paid off in encores. Her choice of slightly purple material might po$e a prob- lem in musical integrity as related to this group. Her pop interlude in an otherwise non-commercial ses- sion got. the top hand. . 'IHow High the Moon", came out. as a synthetic finale, With Heard heavy on stick waving and the other musicians in a hurry to kiss off •the evening as one of those things. Audience nevertheless was. enthusi- astic from the first to. last note. So much so that the applause smothered some of the better passages. • '• ;•:. .;;>■ x. ~ Baxt. VAUGHN MONROE ORCH (20) With Madeline Russell, Moon Maid* (4) .^.i • .\ J . ' Commodore Hotel, New York Coincident; with the reopening of its Century: Boom with Vaughn Monroe (his 12th run at -the spot), the Commodore hotel made a great improvement in the physical setup of the spot. It shifted the bandstand, wihch had been badly placed at the middle of the long, narrow room, to one end. This is where it had been years .ago. ■ V> e . ' .-jv. Century Boom is' tiered. As the 1 TRULY A STANDARD! ■y WALTER. 6. SAMUELS and LEONARD WHITCOP SANTLY-JOY, INC. HI* Iroadway. Now York TOMMY VALANDO. Gen. fro. Mgr. bandstand is situated now, it occu- pies a position to the right Oi the entrance, and that simply replaces the first level. A second tier runs up and around, behind the stand. Looking at it from every angle the move is a great improvement. For one thing it allows a band to sound better since there's almost the entire length of the room in front for the sound to spread out. . : • , ' However, there's one drawback to the arrangement. Speaker, which handles vocals' by Monroe and his f'emmes, is set above and slightly forward of the bandstand^ (and, for a change, it's an unusually good system) and it pushes the Sound only outward. People behind that speaker on both sides of the bandstand and behind it get. only a mumble of sound. It should be rearranged, which should prove a problem, for if the speakers were moved to the back wall, behind the bandstand there would be a feedback on the mikes. Be that as it may, Monroe's com- bination isn't much different than when last reviewed. It smartly»per- forms under almost a business mans bounce beat for dinner, and blows out, albeit a bit too loudly,, forvsup- per patrons. But Monroe is still the coverup for all that goes on. behind him. His vocals sell like hotcakes and the arrangements worked out to combine the Moon Maids with, his work are like money in the bank. That they- are is attested to by the biz being- dime at the Comrtiodore, with most'N.,:*. rooms off. Last week, the band played to over 1100 covers Friday and Saturday (10-11) Which is great biz at any tune. Morfroe hasr a" riew girl soloist, Madeline Russell. She's excellent A warm, well controlled voice, good phrasing and clear diction makeber stand out. •-• .■: Wood, v/-':-.-'"' ~ - , ,•' BUDDY CLARKE ORCH (U) With Norma, Button El Morocco, Montreal From the swank Normandie Roof of the Mount Royal hotel, where ne became a victim of the booking rivalry of Mae Johnson, former Music Corp. of America contact for that hotel, but now in biz for her- self, and MCA, Buddy Clarke has gone over to this new nightclub within two days 6t ending his Mount Royal run. Keeping the same excel- lent musical arrangements he has been featuring, Clarke's group gives out the same danceable and versatile rhythms. .Clarke has slightly changed his combination, based on four saxes, three trumpets and three rhythm, plus himself on violin and/or vocals, His four saxes can break into one violin, one flute and two clarinets for color while the three trumpets can add two more violins. With this very adept 5 combo, Clarke plays Montreal's-'best .dance music and provides experienced backing for the twice nightly shows. Clarke's musip has one quality its sound is unusually full-for 11 pieces and he constantly varies tempo, to the satisfaction of every type of dancer. Over a year ago, Clarke was featuring with his band, then at the Normandie Roof, vocalist Norma-Hutton. He released her so she could lead a band of her own at the El Morocco, ...where Clarke is now." When he moved In here, dis- placing Miss Hutton's band, the singer stayed oft with him, though .this arrangement is only for two weeks. Results are happy. Miss Hutton is a solid performer and she's singing at her best with a band she knows well. She also duets With Clarke and they're aj treat. Clarke sings in a smooth tenor voice. Marc. JIMMY JOY ORCH (12) With Ellen White . Muehlebach Hotel, Kansas City Jimmy -Joy is a vet in this area and • has an established following. This time'he's out with a compara- tively new band, however, 'which was put together in Chi last spring. Crew had a swing through the mid- central states, and now is making- some of Joy's regular stands in the mid-west. A distinctive reed man himself, Joy's music pretty much follows the reed lead idea with Ave sax-clarinets heading the instrumentation. Band is rounded out with four brass, piano,, string bass and drums. This co- incides with the pattern Joy has set over the past 10 years here, and the mu9ic put out by the new assem- blage is of a solid beat tinged with sweet nature that patrons have come to expect of him. While the forte of the band is sweet with beat, Joy's large library is plentifully equipped to now, and then touch the novelty side. Such as the leader's trick of tooting* two clarinets at the same time, or hi* warbling a novelty tuner-more than likely an old standard. These come in. for major attention in this stand where the memory. tunes aire su> ways welcome. On vocals Ellen White is featured. She's a K.C. gal and is getting extra notice in this hometown stand. She works out quite often, mostly on the sweeter tunes, and rates a good hand for her moderate soprano range. Earl Henry and Jimmy "Morgan, of the orchestra, are in for frequent vocals, Henry on ballads and: ; Mor- gan On novelty; tunes. Most of the arrangements for the" crew are penned by Ray Thomas, trombonist. • Quin. B an d s at Hotel B.O.'s .'■ * . ■-v ' '■' >W«ekH fond '; Hot*'-'' ./' •'-•"•• WaMfl Nat Brandwynne* .Waldorf (400; $2)....,:.., m . *.. ? Johnny Long.,.., .Pennsylvania (500; $1-$1.50),. 1 Ray McKinley*. ..New Yorker (400; $1-$1.50) 5 Johnny Pineapple .Lexington (300; $1-$1.50)..., 50 GuyLombardo.,.;Hoosevelt (400; $1-$1.50)..........., .2 Vaughn Monroe.. .Commodore (400; $1-$1.50),........ 3 . Cover* Total '»»»* Cover. W*elt On IMs 2,200. T,925 L475 1,250 900 2,400 2,150 1,475! 8,425 46,225 16,150 « 7,900 * Jtun Sublon at Waldorf, Ice Show at Nety Yorker, ' Chicago i-C' Ray Heatherton (Marine Room, Edgewater Beach, 700; $i.5Q-$2,50 min.). Off a bit, but still hefty, 4,20ft, ., ' •"■'■-'" ■ Jose MelW (College Inn, Sherman, 700; $2-$3.50 min:). Several thousand off. Poor 3,000. * ; : • Ray Morton (Mayfair Room, Blackstone; 306; $3.50 min.-$l cover). Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy pulling best grosses "spot has seen in years. Sock 2,754. • : . Orrln Tucker (Boulevard Room, Stevens, 650; $3.50 min.-$l cover). Con- vention and football crowds total up to fancy 4,100. Griff Williams (Empire Room, Palmer; 550; $3.50 min.-$l cover). Pleas- ing 3,500. ■ •' ' \ Los Angeles Freddy Martin (Ambassador; 900; $1.50-$2). Good 2,600 tabs. Jan Garber (Biltmore; 900; $1-$1.50). Strong 2,500 covers. Location Jobs, Not in Hotels *■' '■". " • (Chicago) Marty Gould (Chez Parpe; 550; $3.50 min.). Mitzi Green & Jackie Miles brisk at 4,800. '.. .'-' ' Sherman Hayes (Blacknawk; 500; $2.50 min.). Week-end grosses up. Trim 3,300.; % . „*' Buddy Moreno (Aragon; . $1-$1.25 adm.). Lush 17,500 for final week. Eddy Howard Monday (27). • ■'■. Lelghton Noble (Trianon; $1-$1.25. adm.). Noble did well in his first stand in the midwest; sliek 18,000 for first Week. Trianon holds 25th anni- versary fete Nov. 11 for six days, bringing in two bands (Tex Beneke one- nighter oV the 16th). Buddy Shaw (Latin Quarter; 700; $2.50 min.). Biz falling by the way- side; very light 2,700. ■ ! ' .; .• . ' MeCONKEY MUSIC CORPORATION is proud to announce the appointment of MissHattie Althotf as General Manager of their New York office and Mr. Larry Funk In charge of the band and cocktail department MeCONKEY MUSIC CORPORATION 853 7th Avenue. New York 1» CO. 5-7720 Bandleaders on Boats Get 2d Best Coin (Capt. Is Tops); Ask fay Cut Eastern Steamship Lines, which conducts coastwise ocean trips out of New York, recently appealed to N. Y. Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians to reduce its recently . established scale for ship-musicians. Appeal was based on the line's claim that the scale, at least, in so far, as its bc>ajs were concerned, made the leader of ship- board musicians the second highest- paid' man 'aboard. Only the captain got more coin—and he was respon- sible for a $3,000,000 ship, its cargo and passengers whereas the band- leader was responsible for only five hours of music a day. . Local 802's new scale for ship jobs is so attractive that many mu- sicians are fighting to get into the field—^and : all want to be leaders^ Scale runs $110.25 weekly for leader, plus flrstclass accommodations. For sidemen, it runs to a flat $9 a day plus similar accommodations, room included. Before the' war, scales varied according to trip, weekly or monthly basis. For sidemen, it was $3 a day, plus lower-class accommo- dations. Some leaders drew only $90 a month. All ship scales, incidentally, are now governed by the local which has jurisdiction over a ship'3 home port. I Formerly, they were uniform. Thornton Named To Hypo London Co. in U.S. London. Records, label recently established in the U. S. by the Eng- lish Decca company, intends spread- ing its activity in this country as widely as possible. L as t. week it named J. Gordon Thornton as sales promotion head, a post he held with the American Decca distributing outfit, which formerly was affiliated with the British organisation. London Records will distribute In this country recordings of melodies made by English, disk artists, plus material recorded with English musicians by-Tuttie Camarata, U. S. arranger and writer. They will be pressed in England by Decca, Ltd.. and are slated to sell in the U. S. for' 85c. Among London's initial releases, in this country, due Nov. 15, is, in- cidentally, a disking by Beryl Davis, now with RCA-Victor. Shf's•F , .--"- v > and has been here about a year. Others included in the release include Gracie Fields, Anee Shelton, Denny Dennis, wim of the background music conduetr by Camarata. Tunes are a mixture oi 1 English hits and U. S. current p6ps mid standards. • > . (Lot Angeles) : - Harry Owens (Aragon, B, Ocean Park* 4th wk.). Wound stand with satisfactory 5,400 admishes. ■>'■".-• Alylno Bey (Meadowbrook, B, Culver City, 3d. wk.). Ended stay with weak 1,800 stub-buyers. Lionel Hampton, in. this frame on five-week ticket. . 'I .'.-•••',';',.'v "' '•':/" v : '"-,.':' Harry James. (Palladium,*B, Hollywood, 3d wk.),' Hovered around 13,000 admishes, good'enough! \ . . • Ed Fishman's AFM Permit . Restored After 26 Mos. ", " Hollywood, October 28., Ed Fishman had his American Federation of Musicians booking franchise restored last weeic after being blackballed by the union for the past 26 - months. Rep. Carroll Kearns (R., Pa.) Interceded person- ally for • Fishman by calling James C. Petrillo's Wisconsin home and eliciting a promise of full restora- tion that would permit Fishman's doing business with AFM musicians again. Fishman'and AFM's Local 47 had previously ' cleared up misunder- standing that originally caused the franchise .to be revoked, but the international body still refused to re-license. Fishman until Kearns' In- terest was aroused during hearings held. here. Fishman will be back' in business for himself or with an agency affiliation within the month. end. . JBert Reisfeld set to pen title song for Columbia's "Song of Idaho." June AUyson, Peter Lawford, Joan McCracken and Pat Marshall are waxing a "Good News" album for M-G-M label, ..Dr. Edward Kilenyi set to ink musical score for Alson Productions' "The Tender Years," starring Joe E. Brown. Music Notes Mickey. Rooney organizing musi- cal combo consisting of Jimmy Cook, sax, Herb Jeffries handling vocals and Rooney on the ivories.. .Dick Bradley; Tower Records chief, will open offices here shortly, aiming ulti mately at Coast headquarters.. Dave Bernie joined Famous as West coast rep...Andre Previn pacted by RCA-Victor ,and is in the midst of an eight sided album for firm.. .Bill Coty new Coast rep for Beverly Music.Starlighters pacted for Co lumbia's musical "Song of Idaho.".. Frankie Laine set for Nov. 5 open- ing at Paramount, San Francisco Sidney Miller and Inez James ink- ing eight originals for Donald O'Con- nor,. Olga San Juan, U-I starrer, "Are You With It?"...Dave Frank- lin opening Amusement Music pub company featuring comedy songs and material.. .Gina Janss set for Ciro's, Mexico City, at November's Another"PEG" by Jerry Aland's HARMON/CATS Everyone Is Waiting to Hear WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEW YEAR'S EVE