Variety (March 1955)

53 Wednesday, March 23, 1955 NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS Hotel St. Regis, N« Y. Jane Morgan, Milt Shaw Orch and Hay Bori Ensemble ; $2.50 con- vert; M minimum. Garbed in a simple black strap- less job, Jane Morgan walks out confidently on the floor of the St Regis' Maisonette/ approaches the mike and launches into her Open- ing welcome specialty. Rapport is set immediately, for this blonde chirper has poise and personality and voice to go with these assets. Her manner is, relaxed and her de- sire to please is obvious and there’s no doubt that the eastsidery’s clients are* with her from the start. Following the icebreaker, she \ caresses with Cole Porter’s “All of You,” from the current “Silk Stockings.” Sticking . with the Broadway wonder boys, Feuer & Martin, Miss Morgan clicks With "a “Can-Can” medley in English and French, with “I Love Paris” as the framework. Miss Morgan, an American chanteuse discovered in Paris, has dropped much of the Gallic influ- ence since her many engagements in the U.S. She toys with oc- casional French lyrics and “merci, beaucoup” patter, but relies largely on the native idiom. It's apparently becoming more and more common for nitery ring- siders to find themselves part of an act. Miss Morgan employs the gimmic this time out, strolling around the room with a hand mike to elicit different types of smiles from the customers in connection with her version „ of “Smiles.” Thrush’s friendliness overcomes the victims’ embarrassment, al- though it’s not the strongest num- ber in her repertoire. For a change of pace, she twangs the tale of the Kentucky hill gal who “learned” her way around Paris. It’s pleasing, slight- ly risque stuff, good or chuckles at the quatrain clincher. . It went over big on opening night. , Gal can sell a ballad with the best of ’em, Her next-to-doser and exit exposures — “Why” and “Loving”—are rendered slickly. Not the le^st of Miss Morgan’s assets are her good looks and grooming. Milt Shaw’s orch and Ernest Bragg, songstress’ accom- panist, back the performer to the hilt. Shaw’s aggregation and the Ray Bari Ensemble alternate for dancing. " Holl. > i Beverly Hills, Newport Newport, Ky., March 19. Ben Blue, Beachcombers (4), Dorothy Dorbeit Dancers (10), Dick Hyde, Gardner Benedict Orch (10); Jimmy Wilbur Trio; Larry Vincent; $3 minimum, $4 Saturday. This layout is a ball of harmo- ny and hoke comedy with a rich topping of line backing. Running time of 75 minutes, a quarter-hour over par, is without a dull mo- ment. It’s the third time at Greater Cincy’s top nitery * for both Ben Blue and the Beachcombers. Addi- tions of new rooters bid more re- turns for them. Blue Rnd his two stooges, Sid Fields and Sam Wolfe, plus Siri, a blonde-looker foil, cavort in a 35-minute farce capsule, coated extra blue. The deadpan comic never misses a lick for suggestive buildups. His props are a cane and giddap of the Charlie Chaplin hey- day. He fetches rollicking returns with a fumbled mindreading rou- tine and climaxes in the old bur- lesque bit of the reformed skidrow church drummer. Beachcombers, three tuxed lads and tiny and plumpish Hawaiian Natalie, register solidly with a half dozen vocals. Excellent arrange- ments and dramatic use of hands figure in the selling. Dorothy Dorben Dancers earn a Warm welcome as a line change after several months. They’re handpicked for'youth, beauty and grace along with talent for ballet and high stepping. Costuming and routines for three numbers are classy. Gardner Benedict’s combo con- tinues to merit bows from the changing acts, also from the chorus with singing support from Dick Hyde. Jimmy Wilbur’s trio fills in- termissions and Larry Vincent, singing pianist, presides in the lounge. Roll. Tropicana, Havana Havana, March 11. Darvas & Julia, D’Ruff Q, D’Aida Q., Solera de Espana Orch, Tropi- cana Ballet & Show Girls; A. Romeu & Senen Suarez Orqs (for dancing); Rodney, producer; $4.50 minimum at tables. 4 Possibly the biggest and most lavish nitery in the world, Tropi- cana stages big and lavish shows. Chorines dancing in trees, extrav- agant costumes and torchlight parades constitute Cuba’s versions of spectaculars. Tropicana was once a large. private estate, and foliage still standi in abundance around the nitery area. Pull use of this natural background is em- ployed by Rodney In his colorful voodoo shows. Voodoo has long been a favorite theme at the bigniteries here. This newest version, titled "Karabali,” is the most flashy yet—and covers more area than Cinemascope, with the girls terping on catwalks in the foliage. Mirrors set in the walls in the back of the nitery give an added dimension, With the overall effect being that the show is taking place all around the customers. The theme is the usual one: a gaudy, musical version of voodoo ritual. Climax is reached when a pretty victim is chased, caught, partially stripped and etc. (with Suitable screams) by the masked witch doctors. After this, everyone parades away carrying torches, chanting a dirge. Two quartets—D’Aida (all girls) and D’Ruff (two couples)—provide suitable Afro-Cuban accompani- ment to the ceremonies. Getting into the 3-D spirit of things, the D’Ruff group gets up into a hut set in the trees during the voo- dooism. The D’Aida girls are content to stay on stage. Tropicana bills Darvas & Julia as the “best dance couple in the world” (playing, of course, at the “most beautiful nightclub in the world”). ° Twisting herself like a pretzel, or being tossed 10 feet and landing in a perfect split, seem to have no effect on the girl’s bones — or maybe she has none. The rough , stuff- doesn’t even dim her smile. In one startling number, Julia wraps herself around Darvas' like a human sash, and Darvas whirls like a dervish. They’re great! The Solera de Espana Orch provides lively, topight Spanish music. It is as bright and charm- ing as Old Castille in the sunlight —and quite a contrast with the voodoo throwback music. The Solera exp'ects to make' its U. S. debut soon at Miami’s Fountain- bleau. Jay. Blinstrub?s, Boston Boston, March 16. Lu Ann Simms, Six Moroccans, Roly Rolls, Nickie Noel, Colleanos (4), Tommy Reilly, Michael Gay- lord’s Orch (10), Lou Weir; $2.50 minimum. Rapidly becoming recognized as the nitery incubator for Arthur Godfrey's tv talent, Blinstrub’s is currently showcasing Lu Ann Simms, the attractive thrush who won herself a spot on the Godfrey show a few years ago via the “Tal- ent Scout” program. Chirp fol- lows by about a month the record- smashing .debut of the McGuire Sisters, but whereas the sisters were (and are) riding the crest of several disclicks, Miss Simms at present is sans a record smash. At this mammoth bpite, where plat- ter personalities are the- rule rather than the exception, this re- flects at the b.o. However, the young singer, in this one-weeker, purveys a fairly competent job, although she’s not too strong on the showmanship angle at this time — a condition .that will undoubtedly be correct- ed when she gets the feel of the nitery circuit. Opening with “Don’t Take Your Love From Me,” she segues into a special material number, “Hello From the Arthur Godfrey Gang,” for fair response, following with the lively calypso flavored “Hold Him Joe.” For a change of pace, the thrush injects the barbershop fave, “By the Light of the Silvery Moon,” aided by the rhythmical handclapping ' of the aud while she essays a few self-conscious dance steps. Gal winds her song sesh with a dixie- land version of “Chicago Style,” parading around stage preceded by a dixieland group from the house band. All in all, it’s a pleasant sesh. Supporting layout is okay, the Colleanos, two femmes and two boys, whipping through a lively juggling sesh for nice mitt action. Nickie & Noel, a youthful terp duo, score nicely with effective Oriental and Latino routines plus some snappy ballroom stepping. Pair makes a nice appearance and the routines are topnotch, climax- ing with overhead lifts and fast spins. Roly Rolls, the ^Gallic entertain- er whose ‘routines are more suita- ble for a more intimate room, manages however to click okay with his zany piano antics. The Six Morocans, a typical Blinstrub. sight act, with the guys garbed In native costumes, dash through a series of hand-balancing tricks, double and triple cartwheels, pyra- mids and butterflies for strong ringsider response. Tommy Reilly, an Irish tenor added to the bill in deference to St.- Patrick’s Day, is okay in his spot, belting across a couple of 'Irish standards.' ' Elie: ‘i Sahara* Lais Vegan" Las Vegas, March 15. Edgar Bergen, Teresa Brewer, Four Hurricanes\ Saharem Uhncers (12), Cee Davidson Orch . (12); no cover or. minimum. Astute showman that he is, Ed- gar Bergen (an this three-weeker) must use all the ventrilo talents at his command and give full, play to his progeny—Charlie McCarthy, Mortimer Snerd, Effie Klinker and Codine—to follow Teresa Brewer, for the thrush can headline now in snug fashion in her own right. Not that Bergen is a lesser en- tity as an entertainer. He’S not. It’s just that Miss Brewer offers stiff competition for,top honors. Bergen still has the master’s touch when it comes to swaying an audi- ence and can evoke laughs from gags or situations with equal ap- lomb. Bergen and McCarthy in their familiar doctor-patient skit, with Charlie getting the psycho treatment is very funny. Snerd, pld maid Klinker and Bergen’s dancing partner Codine earn good chunks of laughter and Bergen’s live assistant, Darla Hood, is okay as the nurse and otherwise a conits herself vocally with a ing of “Sunny Side of the Street.” Miss Brewer is a-vocal enchant- ress with roving eyes. .With vi- brantly clear tonal qualities, she proves she’s come a long way since she played the Strip more than two years ago. Her faves, “Rico- chet Romance” and “Lonesomest Gal In Town,” garner heavy ap- plause, as does the moving “Let Me Go Lover.” Shrill and con- trasting low tones, bring good re- sults in “A Good Man Is Hard To Find.” The young warbler encores with a haunting version of “Teas- in’,” trills “Saloon” in interesting fashion, and winds with a rousing “Alexander’s. Ragtime Band,” for a stint that’s clicko all the way. The Four .Hurricanes-provide ex- citing fare as the lone femme is tossed great distances by her pow- erful male partners. She executes mid-air splits and spins in a man- ner that evokes gasps. George Moro presents his line of Saharem dancers in a novel fan number with the blacked-out stage making the multi-hued fans in- triguing to the eyes as they weave in many patterns. The nicely-cos- tumed dance finale finds the line performing a well-conceived tap routine that earns solid applause, with the Cee. Davidson orch back- ing the entire layout to merit bows. Bob. Crescendo, L. A. Los Angeles, March 18. Harry Jqmes Orch (19), Tommy Gumina, Corky Hale, Willy Smith, Juan Tizol, Bobby Mario; $1.50 cover. After a full life of playing every type of situation, Harry James finally gets around to the Sunset Strip. For the next three weeks he’ll hold forth with his 18 crew- men at the Crescendo, which has a particular penchant for band names, and it’s a cinch the James rep will draw briskly during his stay. .Going on at 10 p.m., and hourly for the next three hours, his band also furnishes dance tunes in between the 30-minute shows. Accent on brass makes for dinful music in the low-ceilinged boite, but the effect is there for jazz fans and other patrons who will .find his hot numbers right in the popu- lar groove. James allows his solo- ists plenty of room for expression, including Corky Hale, the lone femme member, who whips out a rhythmic “Jealousy” on the harp. Best received opening night, and calculated to remain the favorite during the stand, is the leader partnering with squeezeboxer Tommy Gumina for “Flight of the Bumble Bee,” Gumina, who had his own five-man combo at the Crescendo for the previous three weeks, also does & medley for rich fingering. Willy Smith on the alto sax and Juan Tizol, trombonizt, who solos his own composition, “Caravan,” do singles along with Buddy Hays on the bass, who goes vocal with “Down the River to New Orleans.” Among James' best numbers are such jazz favorites as “Trumpet Blues” and “Brave Bulks,” the leader right in there pitching with every show. “Sleepy Lagoon” is another hit, one of his Columbia recordings. Bobby Mario is his vocalist. Whit. Old New Orleans, B. C. Washington, March 16. Jeanne Bal, Margie Robinson, Les Williams, Frank Coviello Orch; $1.50 cover. The Sazarac Room, low-ceilinged cellar where • Nick Gaston stages the nitery portion of his Old New Orleans Restaurant operation, cur- rently ik launching Jfebiine Bal on her night club career. .. Femme, who played Nellie Forbush during most of the road tour of “South ; Pacific,” looks good and will look ; even better when she gets her act | into shape. Miss Bal is a rangy brunet, well- stacked, .good to look at. and, what's more, she can sing. As things shape -up ngjv, she’s a lot better than her material, which should undergo some revision her fore she moves into New York’s St. Regis next month. More than anything else, Miss Bal comes across to her audience as whole- some as well as pretty, but her present material fails to parlay this for the best returns. Only number which takes full advantage of her personality is the bouncy “Hi, Ho, Come to the Fair,” and this she slams home -for top applause. She does well, too, in her encore, “Sentimental Jour- ney.” Also definitely |on the plus side is a ditty about a girl growing up to be a lady Who loves to love. Some of her earlier numbers, how- ever, including a wordy torch song, fail to show her at her best. Miss Bal 'Is ‘’prettier and more impressive on a night club floor than playing Nellie Forbush at the National Theatre here last sum- mer, and has one thing that not many of her peers can boast.. She has Jthe voice to desert the floor mike' and stroll around the ring- side tables, singing her songs with- out any artificial volume assist. Tap dancer Margie Robinson has a nice, easy style in her work, cou- pled with a full complement of curves where they ought to be, and the looks to top them off. *The re- sult . is the kind of act which has given her holdover status for sev- eral Weeks at this class spot. Gal wears sequined tights and long black net stockings better than most other dancers can do. ■Opening number is Les Wil- iams, sepia singer, who has set a ongevity record for Washington. Viliams has been playing Old New )rleans-for the past 15 years with- ut any complaints from the cus- omers. His numbers range from be double entendre and very road to such standards as. Black lagic” and “Ol’ Man River. He j equally at home with the slotf nd easy and with fast swing num- iprs His is a fine act for this Band Box, L. A. Los Angeles, March 15. Billy Snyder, Charlie Carlisle, Phyllis. Inez, Sheets Minton, Larry Green Trio; minimum $3. No better tribute to Billy Sny- der's return to the Band Box. he owned and opened 18 years ago could be paid any performer than the acclaim that greeted his en- trance from a packed room t>n Monday night (14). Save for a stopgap billing when Billy Gray was ailing, he hadn’t been on view in this Fairfax fun factory for 13' years. He seemed as glad to be back as his old admirers were to have him and gave .them the full treatment that rah close to 45 minutes. The entire layout was a two-hour affair, much too long despite the high entertainment quotient. He’s still topflight in his imper- sonations and can belt a song with all the vigor and drive of Johnnie Ray. To his? credit, his- jokes are never blue and not racially dis- tasteful, a claim that can’t be made by Charlie Carlisle, who should have been told that Miami gags don’t sit too well with the mixed trade in the Hollywood taverns. Name any great singing or danc- ing star since the reign of Eddie Foy and chances are Snyder will toss off a fairly close, replica of the original. He knocks himself out vocally and the pipes are still powerful enough to conjure up visions of Jolsori and Richman. He also took a turn at softshoeing - a la Pat Rooney and the dialectic Harry Lauder. He’s a one-man show and could carry the bill by himself. Carlisle, a cigar-smoking comic, got off on the wrong foot when he asided, “the smart lines die in this room.” His material is sharp and he has all the knowhow of the standup technique but he should avoid the racial gags that are rousers in Florida but die here (like his smart lines). His Detroit routines would be better suited to this crowd. He has a fast delivery and an amiable approach that get all the laughs he needs without the offending insinuations. Rounding out the layout are Phylfls Inez, a quaint stylist with a freewheeling manner of halt- talking a song with special ma- terial tinged, with humor, and Skeets Minton, a ventriloquist who socks over a song without any movement of the lips, a skilled technicism. Larry Green trio tends to the Instrumentals wich work- manlike toil. Helm. ' Mocambo, Hollywood Hollywood, March 15. Ella Fitzgerald, Don Abney, Paul Hebert (6) & Joe Castro (3) Orchs; $2 cover. Easy does ft with Ella Fitzgerald. She comes on singing “Like Being in Love” and with her it’s like falling off a log. Even with less effort. Her styling is perhaps the most relaxed of any thrush making the nitery rounds and her enter- tainment technique of studied skill. (Show is in two weeks). Let the others tear their larynx and rock with rhythm, Not she. Not even the lyrics make much sense to her. She improvises her own and the effect is unique and exhiliarating. She can make like Rose (chi chi) Murphy or level like Pearl Bailey. Either way it’s sheer enjoyment, because there is no strain on the listener, who takes the jumps with her up and down the rolling scale. To hear Miss Fitzgerald sing “Can’t Give You Anything But Love” or her trademarked “Tisket a Tasket” is a rich experience in a Strip hitery. It is more generally considered the better part of showmanship to let go like a der- vish with all stops out. What makes her act more attractively appealing is the small, at times childish voice issuing from such a spacious diaphragm. Few singers can boa„st better control and her . easy glides up and 1 down the scale in one breath is pure artistry. Whatever the song calls for she is accommodating; this is, if it re- quires little or no effort. She is also smart enough to know when to get off. 4 What she has made a life work of, others would call “toying.” It’s hard to describe, but easy to feel .its soothing effect. Don Abney keeps up with all her v.ocal tricks at the keyboard, no sinecure. Paul Hebert and Joe: Castro keep the music coming from the Stand. Helm. r 1 Downbeat, Montreal Montreal,'March 18., Allen^& De Wood, Verju Bros. (2), Gerick Twins, Kim Irwin,- Dino Vale, Boots McKenna Line (6), Nick Martin, Orch (7), Michel Sauro quartet; no cover or mini- mum. .With a rowdy show policy usually featuring a brace of co- medians with materal on the Mar- tin-Lewis line, a fancy, well-en- dowed chirper and a flash novelty act, the management of the Down- beat has stayed above water dur- ing all entertainment setbacks in- cluding Leiit. Current two-week layout is no exception and for better than 60 minutes, the racy, often blue, comedies of Marty Aden and Mitch De Wood, backed by the harmonica variations of the Verju Bros, and the twin aero feats of the Gerick sisters, keep this up- stairs saloon rocking. Allen and De Wood are repeaters and appar- ent faves as they work at top speed through their impresh ses- sions, some good and some off-the- cob. Boys have an adaptable style; know their customers, and al- though in “the headline slot know when to get off. Baritone Kim Irwin, a local lad doing his first pro stand following several minor U. S. engagements, has possibilities, but similar ges- tures with most songs offered and routine arrangements take edge off production. The Gerick duo starts with a mirror bit, segueing to straight tumbling for just a fair reception. Low ceiling limits team but other than their enthusiasm, act is a standard. The Verju Bros, pick up hefty mitting for their harmonica varieties but overstay. Duo hit the top with their har- monica impressions but the second encore set kills overall effective- ness. The Boots McKenna line sparks throughout and the Nick Martin orch plays a solid show. The Michel Sauro combo pleases for client hoofing. Dino Vale as the house emcee does vocals with the Sauro group and, keeps show mov- ing. Newt. Arena Mgrs. Admit Rock, Winston-Salem Houses The Arena Managers Assn, has admitted two more houses to mem- bership in the organization. The Community War Memorial, Roches- ter, and the War Memorial Coli- seum, Winston-Salem, were voted in at the AMA membership meet- ing recently in Buffalo. Frank Kingman, who formerly headed the Brockton (Mass.) Fair, is managing the Winston-Salem spot, which will get the Interna- tional edition of “Ice Capades” in September. Harold Rand is man- aging the Rochester spot.