Variety (Mar 1948)

S8 orcukstras^mijsic Vedneaday, Mardi 3, 1948 Jocks, Ji/kes ancf Disks By Ben Bodee Jan Gai-lter .Orch. —^ "Serenaclei"' "My Extraordinary Gal" tCapitoI), In a business where hits come from the least expected sources the debut of Garber on Capitol could harbor a surprising repercussion. His treat- ment of "Extraordinary Gal" has a freshness and insinuating catcbiness which could lift this Terry Shand oldie into a lather of revival. Num- ber was quite a favorite ol Isham Jones. "Serenade" gets some pleas- My Favorite Five JBiH £vMns WGN.Chicago "Sonsr of India" (Tommy Dor- sey) "Je«lj»U!il«*^ (Alfred Newman,) «WhlV«'OI>r*»tn»«»" (Bing Crosby) "TumbllUfi;' TUmbleweeds" (Jo- Stafford) "My Ideal" (Fred Waring) ant tenorizing from Ernie Mathias. Frank Sinatra-^"But None Like You," "We Just Couldn't Say Good- bye'' (Columbia). Sinatra's tprisils sound tired op either side and'there isn't, much iire in either of these ditties. For rating purposes, "Good- bye" is the- more appealing item-. Ja '$ta«ora-^"It Was Written in the Stars." "It's Monday Every Day" (Capitol). Not much else in "Stars" than a nice vocal exercise jn the knack of changing keys, whereas La Stafford in "Monday" is as engaging ' as she can be in juggling an easy- . going blues composition. Adele Clark-'"None Like You," •'You've Changed'^ (Decca). Promis- ing bow for this talent who has been seeking her stylistic groove since she. exited from the WACS.- This may be it. ller subdued manner, simple but adroitly sensitive phrasing and her rfelaked approach makft this platter worthy of jock attention. Though the heart's there, she still needs a little warmth. teuls Prima—"Tutti Tulti Pizzi- catfo," "The Bee Song'' (Victor). . Zaniest brace the'fog-voiced band- man Aas contrived in some time. • While the buzzinis ■ routine that at- tends the "Bee" recital will amply tickle tiie cUehtete with k leaning for the \yhacky, the chances are that the other side's broad spoofing of music instruction will turn -out the more clicksome. NoTo Morales Orch.—"Hora Stac- ■ cato," "Chen Chen .Co" (M-G-M). . Esy Morales, ' whose flute springs boiardtsd • "Jungle Fantasy" into a best seller-for Rainbow, may repeat that feat for his brother, Noro's, fast rumba, "Hora Staccato." .Esy's solo- ing will, in any event, make the platter a "must'' for the disk seg- ments of Latin-American persuasion. The reverse surface, is ope of those shouting tests; but still solid Afro- Cuban fare. • Tex Beneke Orch.—"Cherokee Canyon," "St. Louis Blues March"; "Beyond' iiife Sea,". "Strange and . Sweet" (Victor). Beneke has Anally got his "March" standby on wax for the 'trade and it's a whopper; Jack Sperling goes to town on the drums and the airrangement's marching tempo Is' so deftly dovetailed with . the blues theme as to give the W. C. , Handy classic a' new polish. The bandmans' sax and vocalizing in "Cherokee" make ■ it an appetizing mate; "Sea" smacks of bestseller stuff. Concert treatment of this Eu- ropean import, with the strings dominating the melody, ranks as one of the band's finer productions. Larry Stevens adds a notch of his own with the lyrie. Hoaffy Carm"chael-^"Ok'l Baby Dok'l," "For Every Man There's a ^ Woman" (DeccaJ. Bounces the hov«. elty into one of the, better versions, with the Chickadees furnishing a snappy afifist, but his draggy, off- key rendition of the ballad' tends to distort its original rhythmic appeal. Platter Points Phil Harris (Victor) ticks off a couple of sliarp lyric recitals on the themes of "I'm My Own Grandpa" and "Never Trust a Woman." A natural for his following... Martha David, Decca's throaty ch?»nter of the blues, tries ftai^d 'oh "Hohey, Honey, Honey" but really goes 'to town with "Cincinnati," es- pecially that riding of the ivories.,.. Hi, Lo, Jack and the Dame (Bullet) fare well with "Corabelle" but make a risible and bright novelty of "Cut the Knot, Turn Me Loose.".. Johnny Mwrl» (Orpheusj whips up "John's Other Wife" into quite a zaney event, but there's one line in it, the reference to the hotel clerk and the registered ' "Mr. Smith" that may make it skiddish for radio.... Snooky Lanson, Ray Noble's ex-vocalist, has a distinctive rendition of "Beg Your Pardon" on Mercury.;,,'Another quality job on the same label is John Laiirenz's "Serenade." His "Just About. This Time Tonight" is not . so forte. ..V Alan Dale (Signature) makes listening a refreshing oc- casion with both "I'll Hold You in My Heart" and "Papa, Won't You Dance with Me." In Frankie Carle's latest twin for Columbia the high- light of "Some One Cares" is his flavorsome piano, while Gregg Law- rence's manful job on "Laroo Laroo Lilli'Bolero" merits him an extra gold star... .Paul Gayten .(DeLuxe) imparts some of his pungent New Orlfiians boogie woogie to the 48ing Of "rLove YOU, Yes I Do."...Billy 'EelcBtine doffs the old intimate touch and goes cbncerty on "I'm Out to Forget Tonight" and "Intrigue" (M-G-M), with Hugo'Winterhalter- ing piloting the symphonic unit be- hind the crooner. Nevertheless, that beguine rhythm on "Intrigue"' makes it an appealing side.;. Hadda Brooks Trio (Modern) dishes a nifty barrelhouse piano via "Hollywood House Party Boogie," with the lead- er'shaping up as.a restrained ;Nellie Lutcher in her (Jiiss Brook's) treat- ment of "Honey, Honey, Honey.".. . Charleii Lelghton ((Harmonica Rec- ords)' turns in snazzy mouthorgan versions of "I Don't Stand a Ghost' of a Chance" and Can't Give You Anything But Love.".. .Eddie Hey- wood Trio (Victor) has a pair of dillies in "Heywood's Boogie" and "The Continental." First item is a sizzling mixture of beats centered around the Heywood piano and on the reverse side the tempo eases' but the blend of riffs and melodies in- 'gratiate... .Les Paul unveils a batch of intriguing sound effects in his guitar strumming with, the Trio in "Lover" and" "Brazil" (Capitol). In- strumentalists, especially, will get a kick out of this coordinating of a i-ecording into a re-tecording... .The Three Dynamites (Columbia) tout a brand of uninhibited backroom jive to pieces- catpioned "Jumpin' to the Boogie" and "Dig These Dynamites." ...Freddy Slack (Capitol) trims a not too intricate set of jazz notes in 'Two Left Hands," with Charlotte- Blackburn caroling, pleasantly, but spirals off into the esoteric via an instrumental tagged "StroUin'." :: Disk Jockey Reviews :; JACK GREGSON EEVXIE With Jack G^egson 180 MIns.; ,10 to 11 a.m.i % to % p.M< Participating KSFO, San Francisco . Highlighting a big personal pitch in his commercials, which gives them a breezy appeal, Gregson has an affable-unaffected style which is easy On the ears aiid nerves. Slant- ing his chatter so that it delmeates the personality and background of his sponsors, most of which are radio shops, auto repair spots, and similar service salons, Gregson courses along in a completely re- laxed manner, talking about "Brown's" experiences in the air- corps and "wouldn't he therefore be just the person to fix your auto," etc. Gregson is an old hand with air palaver having been in radio since the age of 12 in Seattle. Approach is completely personal and infec- tious. Commercials are kept to 15- minute intervals. Music spinning is mostly in the popular field with top tunes of the day getting best break. Ted. . M-G-M Goes West For Pressings M-G-M label will have record- ings pressed on the Coast, starting within the next week or so. Com-- pany has made a deal with the Su- perior pressing plant, Los Angeles, under wjhich ft Will begin turning out M-G-M disks ior Coast market con'sumption as' soon /as ' stampers shipped from the east arrive. Agree- ment was icompleted only late last week and so the first disks under the deal aren't expected to be available for 10 days or more, ■ Up until the Coast arrangement 'was made, M-G-M's production was confined to its Bloomfield, N. J., plant, which was built up from scratch after'the building was taken over from .the Government. All equipment is new, including be- tween 85 and 90 automatic pressing machines now turning out approxi- mately ' 65,000 disks idaily on an eight-hour shift; five day.s a week. That's 325,000' weekly, and the ma- jority of the output is being taken up by Art Mooney's "Four-Leaf Clover" disking. PetriDos Disk Pot Won t Boil After July 1; Companies To Drop Royalties Hendler Rejoins RCA Herb Hendler joined RCA-Victor again Monday (1) at the company's Camden N. J., headquarters. He's with the advertising and promotion department under Dave Finn. Hendlep quit a record promotion post with Dinah Shore for Victor. Frankie Carle Cancels Tour to Plane to 111 Daughter on. Coast Frankie Carle 'cancelled a string of one-night dates through the south last Thursday . (26) afternoon" to fly to California to the bedside of his daughter Marjorie, who sang with his band under the name Marjorie Hughes until .last fall. Carle abruptly dropped his tour the after- noon he was to have worked, the Aud., Columbia, S. C. and rushed tv Dallas, to board a plane for the Coast. In all, the leader has so far can- celled five bookings: others are being held yntil it's determined whether he will play them. He's on the . one-night, run until March 20, ending it in New England. His daughter, who's married to Hugh .Backenstoe, former assistant to Carle, is gravely ill and Carle didrt't wait for anything to head west. V Eli Spivack, gypsy singer-guitar- ist at the Club Skazka, N.Y., pub- lishing • his self-composed tune, "Beautiful Stranger," under his own imprint, Exclusive Music Co., Henry Berman authored the lyrics. . AL BORDE-INGALLS TO SET JOCKS FOR YAUDE • Chicago, March 2. . Al Borde, who packaged and booked the disk jockey revue open- ing at the State-Lake theatre here, March 12, and Miles Ingalls, New York agent, have joined- forces aimed to produce a series of similar revues throughout the country. First j eastern show, using local jocks,' i opens in Boston, March 18. Other shows are set to open within a month in Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton and Milwaukee. Mel Torme, EUa Fitzgerald, Her- bie Fields orch and Lee Monty's Tu-Tones will be featured with local deejays, Dave Garroway, WMAQ; Ernie Simon, WJJD; Eddie Hub- bard, WIND; and free-lancer Linn Burton. .^^^^^10 Best SeDers on Coin-MacWnes ^ 2» .. 1. NOW IS THE HOUR (S) (Leeds) %.. FOVB LEAF CLOVEB (6) (Beihlck).. 4. GOLDEN EARRINGS (10) (Paramount) ... 5. SERENADE OF THE BELLS (8) (Morris) : \, ' : ; ( Gracie Fie(d.-i Vondon ■ ■ • • • • • • • •' ■ r • \ Bing CrosJfy ........... .Dbcco ^AriMooney. .IW-G-Jtf '""\Uptown String Band Mercury MANANA (4) (Barbour-Lee) Peggy Lee. ,.......Copitol [Peggy Lee.. ...Capitol ' ■"■■■"(Dina/i Shore......Columbia i Jo Stafford................Capitol " " ISammy Kaye. ..... ... .Viclor [Francis Craig.. Bullet • ■" • ■ ■ ■ ■ • • • ■ ■ {Frankie Carle'. Columbia 6. BEG YOUR PARDON (2) (Rohbills) 7. BALLERINA (15) (Jeffefson) ........... .. .... , l Vaughn Monroe., ... Victor ,:. (Jiwimy Dorsei/........ .M-G-JW 8. I'LL DANCE AT WEDDING (?) (Slmoti) 9. HOW SOON (14) (Supreme) 10. SABRE DANCE (1) (Leeds) ............ BUT BEAUTIFUL (Burke-VH) .. IN LITTLE BOOK SHOP (BVC) SHINE (Shapiro-B) MY OLD FLAME (Famous)' TERESA (Duchess) Coming Up ( Clark-Noble ...... .,.... Columbia X Tony Martin .... Victor (Bing Crosby Decca '[Jack Owens .......Tower ( Macklin Marrow:. .M-G-M ' I Freddy Martin ......,.. Vietor ■ • • • • • • - ^'• • • - I' • • • B'ti? CrosljH-.......Decca ......i... . , . j Vaughn Morifde.y Victor . . ................... . . Igjjy j^ojpjjii^^y ' Decca . . ..... .. . . . , ,.,,. , Frai)kie.^Laine,....... ,,,, .Mercury .V ..,.(•, ,.,... . Spike Jones. ...Victor • ( Andreios Sis-Haymes.......DecCa .....................,. Damone. ,. .Mercury \ Jo Stafford.....;. Capitol "' I Dinah Shore............ Columbia LITTLE WHITE LIES (BVC) Dick Haymes Decca ...,; ( Tony Pastor. Coiimbio /''" • • \ Benny Goodman. Capitol \Perry Coino.......... ..Victor RECAVSE (Chappell) . Perry Como.. ......,,..... .Victor MADE FOR EACip OTHER (Southern) .BEST THINGS IN LIFE (Crawford) LITTLE WHITE LIES (BVC) . GONNA GET A GIRL (Miller) PIANISSIMO (^antly-Joy) .... Clark-Cugat ., . •........ Colutrebia J ^ \ Vaxighn Monroe. ,..........Viet&r • ^ Franfc Sinatro...........Cohwibia ' _ . i jf^o"'* P"'"io-• • ■ ■ Victor " " "*'I Johnny Mercer. Capitol +' MATINEE (Morris) Vaughn Monroe .Victor t IFigures in parentheses indicate, number of weeks song has been in the Top 10.] STARS WILL REMEMBER (Harms) ... THOUSANi) ISLANDS SONG (Morris) + American Federation of Musicians wiH be paid royalties on every re- cording sold by the major disk man- ufacturers for th« ilrst half of this year, according to terms of the now- expired agreement between the two tsarties, but after July l such pay- merits 'will cease. Whether James C. Petrillo, AFM head, still believes the AFM will con- tinue to reoeive royalty payments on. pressings sold from masters made during the. term of the expired con- tract is undisclosed. But the diskers say they will stop such payments after July 1. They will continue them until that date because the Taft-Hartley law prohibits such pay- ments to unions after the expiration of such a contract' or iollowing July 1, whichever comes first. In this case it would seem that the contract expiration arrived first (last Jan. 1), but the companies will pay on the first six months of this year regards less. y ■ Petrillo had stated last December, before the AFM contract with the diskers ran out, that the AFM would ))enefit from it for at least 10 years. Me asserted that the royalty arrange- ment would apply to' all pressings made from masters cut between Nov. 11, 1844^ when the contract was made, and Jan. 1 last, when it ex- pired. Since many such disks re- main in vogue for years he felt that the AFM would continue to benefit. Disk company attorney.s»felt dift'er- ently but weren't inclined to argue at that time. Two who feel that they represent the four majoi: com- pdnies — RCA - Victor, Columbia, Deccai Capitol—assert the payment$: will stop as of July 1; CBS Mulls Recording 'CBS Is There B'cast For Disk'^bsid Sale Columbia Records may put out album versions of'the CBS docu- mentary series, "CBS Is There." Idea under considej^ation is to press 12-inch platters of selected shows along the lines of Decca's "Sorry, Wrong Number," a much repeated dramatic program which CBS orig- inated. Networks has repeived hundreds of requests from schools for re- corded copies of "CBS Is There" broadcasts and it was this surge of interest that indticed to bring its recording subsid into the picture. If the plan goes through it will be the first radio program given the status of a production series by a phonograph record company. SIGNATURE CREDITORS AGREE TO EXTENSION Signature Record executives met Monday (1) with a committee of its creditors before Referee Olney in N. Y. federal court and secured an extension time to proceed with re- organization plans (Signature filed under Chapter 11 of the Chandler act last Dec. 13). Referee allowed the requested additional time to re- shape its affairs and set March 10 as the date for another confab. Meanwhile, Signature is proceed- ing with the establishment of a new string of distributors. It's old agree- ment with General Electric was can- celled some time ago. C.C. Camarata London's Eastern Disk Sales Head Carleton C. Camarata has been named eastern division sales man- ager of London Records, which makes him at the. same time as- sistant to national sales mgrr James P. Bray. He's brother of London's maestro Tuttie Camarata. Revised .setup of the company puts Joseph C, Martin in charge of ad- vertising and promotion, but Ascher Associates'continues to handle pub- licity. London has so far shipped into this country close to l&OflOO copies of Gracie Fields' "Now la the Hour," giving the American: branch . of the London Gramaphone Go. its first major break in this new market. Capitol Records ha.t declared reg- ular quarterly dividend of 6Sc a sha*e on $2.80 cumulative conver- tible preferred stock payable April t shareholders of record \March 15.