Variety (October 1954)

Wednesday; October 20, 1954 Reflecting on the music biz in the current issue of Look; Bing Crosby gives the disk jockeys the nod for making the hits, but spanks some of the jockeys for not .knowing what they’re talking about. He says: “Some of them bother me, I really believe that if a disk jockey is going to set himself tip as a judge, he should have some real knowledge of what he’s about. It’s apparent that many, who speak in the accents of authority are all accent and no authority. By playing and replaying a song , which has nothing but nuisance value, a large nuisanfce and a lot . of sales can be brought about. But in the v.long run,’that practice will give the industry a short haul and a bad shake.” Rating some of the current singers, Crosby says that Perry Como and Frank Sinatra are tops. Among the “new kids,” Crosby says Eddie Fisher is “strong on ballads but rhythm songs don’t seem to be his disk.” He credits Fisher’s astute, management in getting Harry Akst, the late Al Jolson’s accompanist, to work with the singer. Crosby says “good songs are getting around. Certainly we have good writers, but the public isn’t buying what they’re writing—pretty frustrating for some of the gifted people in ASCAP.” Even though sales on the Glenn Miller Limited Editions, volumes one and two, are spectacularly high for a $25 album, RCA Victor is putting a strict interpretation on the: phrase “limited edition.” The run on the first Miller Volume was limited only to the number of sets initially ordered; After that, there were no additional printings even though Victor execs believed they could have sold twice the 100,000 sets initially ordered; Same procedure has been followed on the second Miller volume and it’s understood that the initial orders exceeded the 160,000 marker, which at the $25 price tag, means a $4,000,000 gross on the retail leyel. "• ~ • The “St. Francis Peace Record Album” which Bing Crosby will narrate is a remarkable change of pace for Richard D. Aurandt, who originated the idea and is conducting the recording. Chorus, from the Santa Barbara Mission is due at the Decca Studios in Hollywood tomorrow (ThUrs.) to record the session with Aurandt conducting and. Crosby’s narration will be dubbed in later. What makes the package big switch for Aurandt is that his most recent credit is the film, “Gangbusters.” Incidentally, the peace,, album will include extensive sound effects, Simulating birds, etc. What may be' the first “then and now*' package in the history of the disk business is being considered as a possibility to tie in with the upcoming “Love Me Or Leave Me,” Metro’s . Ruth Etting biopic. Doris Day will portray Miss Etting. Soundtrack album will be a Columbia package since Miss Day is under Contract to that label. However, Columbia also owns the old Etting masters—and there’s a hint that the diskery may either reissue them or put some of the old Etting sides with the new Day sides for a comparison in singing styles. Joan Weber, new Columbia. Records’ thrush, will get a ty network showcasing for her preem platter on CBS-TV’s “Studio One” Nov. 15; Disk, tagged “Let Me Go Lover,” will be played on the stanza by one of the main characters in the play, who happens to be a disk jockey. Show’s title, incidentally, is the same as the tune’s. Song is published by Alamo Music. • • (r Dorothy Squires, joining the Andrews Sisters to take the place of Patty, returns to the States from London Dec. 10, and starts imme- (Continued on page 128) HETADL SHEET BEST SELLERS P'S-RIEff — Survey of retail styeef music best sellers based on reports obtained frdrri leading. stores in 11 cities and showing com- parative sales rating for this and - last week. ♦ ASCAP t BMI National Rating This Last wk. wk. o .« •*4. *FH • W til « £ < ■* Zi O ■ . « 'i i i lit t ° * a T s « *3 b i 3» 8 o < * . Title apd Publisher ♦Hey There (Frank) .. ♦If I Give My Heart to You (Miller). tThis.OIe House (Hamblen). ♦High and the Mighty (Witmark)i .,. ♦I Need You Noff (Miller). ♦Skokiaan (Shapiro-B)....... ... ♦Little Shoemaker (Bourne)..... ♦Hold My Hand (Raphael) .... ill & Range)..,...'.... ♦Papa Loves Mambo (Shapiro-B) ♦Count Your Blessings (Berlin)..... ♦Doing the Mambo (Morris)........;. ♦Chapel in the Moonlight (Shapiro-B) ♦Little Things iMean a Lot (Feist)... ♦Smile (BoUrne). . « « 3 I | .3 S 14 35 9 9 . 6 HARVEY NORMAN Sings LOVE TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING MGM 11842 K 11842 78 RPM 45 RPM MGM RECORDS T H 5 G E A ■ \ A r !• *• & a r \ i t * * ^ ’ V C I \ 1 " S t. i \ " '■" A \. f- N \r ',V ' O P Berli , Oct. 12. i Another big jazz concert* pre- senting; name U. S. musicians was given at the 7,000-seat Sportpalast last Wednesday evening (6). Labeled “Harold Davison’s Jazz Parade,” concert featured Sarah Vaughan and her trie, Illinois Jacquet and orch and Coleman Hawkins. As usual* the fans liked the noisy stuff best, mainly brought by jacquet, who turned out to be an outstanding showman* His “Fly- ing Home,’’ in the typical Lionel Hampton fashion, practically stole the show, Crix and those who prefer the traditional type of jazz, how- ever, went for Hawkins best. As to Miss Vaughan she gave out with mostly sweet songs for which, how- ever/the Sportpalast .is.'not the right place. Yet she didn’t dis- appoint her numerous local fans. Concert was given under the auspices of the Schibille agency, which has the majority of local jazz concerts on its roster. Nearly all big American jazz ensembles that come to Europe include Ber- lin. So far, there have been Louis Armstrong, Stan Kenton, Count Basie, “Jazz at the Philharmonic” (twice), Billie Holiday, Buddy De- Franco and Lionel Hampton who, incidentally, is due to come here again. A considerable number of other U. S. musicians have also come during recent years, such as Hazel Scott/Deep River Boys and Eddie Fisher, who, however, only appeared at local Gl clubs. Hans. I Hopped-Up Paris Paris, QCt. 19. Jazz fan reaction to the Harold Davison package of Sarah Vaughan, Coleman Hawkins and Illinois Jac- quet Orch, last Monday (lj) was symptomatic of the usual discrep- ancies of behavior towards visiting U. S. stars, Sheer mitt abandon alternated With hisses or boos which were usually, not for the art- ist but due to some distraction or some difference of opinion in the aud. This leads to rattling of per- formers who do not understand this vociferous young jam group, who are also backed in intensity by their hep elders. Salle Pleyel was jammed 1,900 strong for this con- cert,, and it Was a lesson in Gallic temperament. Firstly the young jazz crowd here are primarily derivatives of r J. S. past greats. They all have fine jazz collections and know, all about New Orleans and other earlier jump types of music and venerate the early biggies, This explains the Settling here of such oldtiiners as Sidney Bechet, Albert Nicholas and Peanuts Holland. They are up on new trends also, but the original is what they want and it has led to distorted attitudes towards modern jazz. They have hissed Duke El- lington, Benny Goodman and re- cently Woody Herman. There is also a sort of reverse racism which maintains that white bands cannot play real jazz. Hopped-up crowd also might start suddenly jeering at photogs who get in the way or at each other which can break up the. player who'-doesn’t know what iS happening. { ' This Concert Was successful. Jacquet got a solid hand to begin with and then they gave Coleman Hawkins, a known name, frenzied applause, and when Jacquet tried to join in with Hawkins they gave him the jeer treatment. Miss Vaughan gave out with her styliza- tion and was well received py the crowd, who then scattered to their various small disk clubs that have been mushrooming mainly in the Latin Quarter, but have, also branched into the Right * Bank. Here kids can dig records for a cheap drink tab and still keep within their own means and milieu. Jazz. Clubs are also spring- ing up apd the venerable Hot Club still exerts its authority and cre- ates tastes and trends here. Com- ing soon are Lionel Hampton and Louis Armstrong, who are sure, to repeat their boffo successes of last year. If the U. S. visitors take this Gallic attitude into consideration there will be less misunderstand- ing. The aud is hep and diversi- fied, as a rule, aind the noisy ones are usually a minority. They want ta be played to and those who have done that have gone over well N here. Any aloofness is immedi- ately sensed and then the booing is on, Mosk. 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