Variety (October 1955)

PSmEfy 67 Wednesday, .October \% 1955 NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS Hotel Plaza, N. Y. Los Chavales de Espana (11) mith Trini Reyes; Ted Straeter and Hark Monte bands; $2.50 and $3 couvert. __ -The Persian Room attaches' aver Hint they’re still trying to recover om the poor biz Gilbert Becaud, French songwriter-singer, pulled, and that may account for the dis¬ appointing pull of the tiptop Kids from Spain, yclept Los Chavales de Espana. Dinner preem was turnaway, and apparently the extended generous encores mil¬ itated against a quicker turnover, according to maitre d* Jules and his aides, but it is patent that this fine musical group will do busi¬ ness. They deserve to. Still confined to an “act,” by AFM tabus on danspation, they sing and play their romantic Latin, Spanish, Italian and English in a thoroughly appealing manner. They are canny performers and their change of pace builds to a series of encores. The exits, as they deploy off the Ted Straeter bandstand, which scrveg as their podium, make for a little awkward¬ ness, but that’s the best they can do on this cafe floor. Trini Reyes, a fiery little Latin from Manhattan, but altogether authentic in ’her flamenco styliza¬ tions, is featured with the group, doing her own little specialties as when they opened at the Waldorf- Astoria. The more intimate en¬ virons of the Persian Room of the Hotel Plaza which, like the Wal¬ dorf, is also a Hilton operation, give Los Chavales and Senorita Reyes an even better setting. The versatile 11-man team, a unique cooperative musical aggre¬ gation, with alternating maestros officiating, whether from the piano or whatever may be the instru¬ mental position, works with, showmanship and finish that is tribute to t’he collective espfit. In actuality there is no formal baton- eer. They work with ease, seem¬ ingly in informal manner yet on proper cue, most 'of it from the Steinway. Whether it’s “Lisboa,” “Gra¬ nada,” “Under Paris Skies,” “Viva Matador” or whatever the selec¬ tion, they’re an arresting and very listenable musical treat. Their staff is svelte and slick and pol¬ ished all the way, and despite a generous helping of romantic vo¬ cal and instrumental interludes they apparently leave the posh Persian Room patronage hungry for more. Incidentally, and by co¬ incidence, among their biggest fans at the premiere was bossman Conrad N. Hilton, just arrived east from his BevHills headquarters. The Persian Room, of course, continues socko with two sturdy musical standbys, the Ted Straeter dansapators alternating with Mark Monte’s Continentals. Room should pick up in business on the strength of this new lineup. Abel. Shamrock, Houston Houston, Oct. 13. Dick Shawn, Birk Twins, Paul Neighbors Orch; $l-$2.50 cover, no minimum. Dick Shawn hits the Shamrock Room crowds with everything from “Pagliaeci” to gorilla growls. Total effect of the barrage puts the headliner way in the black on the yock ledger. He’s a tireless, glib and highly talented per¬ former who only needs to edit, and to find his range, for overall smash results. His current act goes into too many directions for full con¬ trol of the laughometer. He jokes, mimics, sings, emotes and panto¬ mimes. He changes characters so fast he doesn’t allow time for rapport to set in. And while the comic has excel¬ lent fluent, unaffected delivery of gags, using a somewhat clipped British enunciation, there’s occa¬ sionally a gap between one bright fine and the next one. On the other hand, yocks and mitts are thunderous when he catches fire m his Billy Daniels carbon, and dances around the mike, fanning ms coattails. Or sings his weird Eskimo song. Or pantomimes a Southerner awaiting the return of a lost relative -in a Civil War Sketch. A big segment of his offering revolves around a “Sehizophrenee” number where in wailing, eerie voice he explores his Dr. Jekyll- Mr. Hyde personality. This turns mto a skitsophrenic bash as he Puts a variety of types on parade, lighter and his scrubwoman mother sketch get top returns. A middling carbon of Dean Martin as he would do “Vesti La Liuba” from “Pagliaeci” is also on the menu. Comic "drops the clown¬ ing momentarily to tackle a straight chorus of same. He dem¬ onstrates strong, flexible pipes, but they don’t sound ready for this. He sings to smash effect on “Them d it Bones,” however.* Opening show.'are the young Birk .twins, crewcut duo that cuts tandem shadow capers mixed with tumbling. Some of the gymnastic sallies score—particularly the cap¬ per, which has one twin plum¬ meting to floor from shoulders of other, and pulling out of it in neat tumble. But pairs’ attempts at song and funny business fall a lit¬ tle flat. Bode. Fontainebleau, M. ITcIi Miami Beach, Oct. 14. Sarah Vaughan, Paul Gray, Ku- lani Dancers (2), Sacasas Orch; $2.50-$3.50 bev. minimum. This is first Miami Beach en¬ gagement for Sarah Vaughan—she played the Club Calvert in Miami several months ago. Going on the reception Miss Vaughan earned in the La Ronde Club of this swank- ery, she’ll be coming back regular¬ ly. Going on first-night business attracted it’s a cinch there’ll be other cafes in the area bidding for her services. Handsomely gowned, Miss Vaughan spells out her song styl¬ ings to high-key attention from the tablers, her mixture an adroit¬ ly balanced blend that offers the change of pace necessary to keep the build and interest mounting. Backed by her own trio, with an able assist by Sacasas’ group, Miss Vaughan sets up her artfully phrased songalog in easy, assured manner, ingenious lighting adding to the mouting mitts. She -includes her standard Mercury record clicks with “Make Yourself Comfortable” a standout. . Paul Gray, tall, bland, balding raconteur, takes to the big stage here and gets them fast with his assemblage of weird one-liners, off-trail stories and screwy song impreshes to keep the laughs com¬ ing strongly. Gray’s urbane ap¬ proach to his comedy compote is perfectly keyed to his dapper dress and manner. At times he reminds of Robert Benchley in thd unwind¬ ing of a yarn. Demeanor, delivery and material are the assets that could well make him a tv dis¬ covery. The Kalanis serve up native Tahitian dances with accent on the sword tossing, a gasp-raising se¬ quence, and for the wrapper-upper a flame-tossing concept that winds their brief (eight minutes) turn to solid reception. Lary. Old New Orleans, Wash. Washington, Oct. 14. Benny Fields & Blossom Seeley (with Eddie Johnston), Margie Robinson, Frank Coviello . Orch; cover $2. The ingredient so generally missing from present-day show business is put on display in the large, economy size package this week, in Washington. It’s “heart” Benny Fields and Blossom Seeley are giving out with enough of it in the basement Saza- rac Room of the old New Orleans to season several supper club bills, and a couple of tv shows besides. This veteran team, which has head¬ lined for nearly two generations, isn’t ashamed of old-fashioned sen¬ timentalism and knows just how big the portions should be. The result is the loudest and most sus¬ tained applause this reviewer has ever .heard in the Sazarac Room. It’s proof that there’s still a sub¬ stantial market for the kind of en¬ tertainment wares Fields & Seeley purvey. Act has Fields coming on solo with a singing intro to build up La Blossom’s entrance. Emphasis is.on the “I gotta have you” angle. Team gets rolling with a blues medley—“Rhapsody in Blue,” “St. Louis Blues,” “Birth of the Blues,” etc. Fields, in his minstrel man role, tells stories, reminisces about the old days of vaude and the song and dance man acts. This brings back Miss Seeley to take the spotlight while Fields accompanies on the piano. She talks and sings a mono- log about her career from Frisco (where she launched “Teasing Rag”) to Broadway and headlines. For the punch, she sings "Some¬ body Loves Me” and “California, Here I Come,” to strong returns from both oldsters and youngsters at the tables. Fields comments amiably about the missing intimacy and warmth in show biz, and they swing into “No Business Like Show Business” with special lyrics. On opening night, Fields introduced Arthur Tracey, radio’s old time “Street Singer,” who was in the audience, and built up the act vocalizing “Melancholy Baby.” Smash walk- off has Fields and Miss Seeley leading the audience in “For Me and My Gal.” Margie Robinson is a well- stacked tap dancer who has clicked out lots of mileage on the little Sazarac Room floor in her many engagements there. Lowe. Blue Angel, N. Y. Lucienne Delyle, Teddi King, Martha Davis & Spouse, Mort Sahl, Bart Howard, Jimmy Lyons Trio; $5 minimum. A recent Variety promotion let-' ter captioned "Never Rewrite A Hit,” which seemingly struck a nerve with showmen the world over probably as much because it was a refresher course for the pat¬ tern of show business as anything else, might find its counterpart in the Herbert Jacoby-Max Gordon operation at The Blue Angel. They’ve adhered to a slick policy that, amidst the pendulum-swing¬ ing that is occupational hazard with almost any show biz venture, and by not rewriting a hit—just seeing to it that the standard of the basic pattern maintains parity, and improves with the march of time— they’ve been a solid item on the Gotham scene. So much so that even when they bring in something that smacks of being a “nervous’ hit” there is enough .excitement to the basic showmanship flair. Specifically, Lucienne Delyle’s New York debut seemed fraught with as much Gal¬ lic excitement as Edith’s Piaf’s re¬ turn to the nearby Versailles a few weeks ago. Preem night sounded more Parisian than the lobby of the Hotel George V in the height of the tourist season—meaning, more French was heard. Variety’s Mosk, a savvy Amer¬ ican covering the Parisian show biz front, caught Mile. Delyle at th Olympia, prime vauder in the French capital, and his Feb. 24, 1954, review concluded “she might be worth a U.S. chance since French songstresses seem in de¬ mand stateside.” That’s about the size of it; Miss Delyle at the mo¬ ment is still chancey. She allegedly has a disk rep on the native Pathe label but if the appeal is limited it’s unfortunate. It reminds of George Jessel who, whether for reasons of personal tact or veteran globetrotting, seemed a big personal hit in the lobbies of the grand hotels on the traditional “grand tour” from Lon¬ don to Paris to Rome. He met a toprated U.S. tv comic who seemed frustrated that only his aide and the European rep of his American agent gave him any respect or rec¬ ognition; he just couldn’t conceive that the British, French or Italians never heard of his Trend or Niel¬ sen. That’s about the size of it with Miss Delyle. It was true also of Gilbert Becaud at the Plaza’s Per¬ sian Room recently; both likely get beaucoup boffolas with the Gallic show biz set back home, and undoubtedly their disk impact is all they say it is as regards the French bobbysox garcons et filles. That “international” hit is what they lack and which Edith Piaf, Jean Sablon, Lucienne Boyer and, of course, the one and only Mau¬ rice Chevalier, do have. Her repertoire is commercial enough but somehow the impact is lacking. Could be that there’s such thing as too “intimate” a closeup on a songstress as she runs the gamut of ‘Embrasse Moi,” “C’est . Magnifique”, “Un Ange Comma Ca”, “Bistro Bounce”, “I Like It”, “Judas’, “I Love Paris” and “Just A Gigolo”. Not all are heard in the one same show. In a quieter manner Teddi King, ex-r&b chirp with the George Shearing set at Birdland, does as well, although that “I’m In The Market For You” reminds of one of those Abe Burrows satires on “the typical topical tune.” This is of that genre—“I’d like to have 1,000 shares of your heart” etc. “Change My Plan” (the Blue Pa¬ jama”, song), “Turn The Tables,” “Moonlight In Vermont” and “Lover” round it out. Mort Sahl is back with his cere¬ bral comedy, good in.the main but a little overlong now. He’d do bet¬ ter if axing a minute or three. Martha Davis & Spouse (hubby’s square handle is Calvin Ponder, and he’s no square on the bull- fiddle) are a rousing interlude, their third or fourth return here. Miss Davis is a heavyweight Rose Murphy, with an attractive phiz and a warm arresting manner, not to mention a murderous keyboard style. She tickles the ivories in the grand manner and blends and medleys and scats and interlards snatches of “Blue Skies,” “Birth of the Blues,” “Tea For Two,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “Love In Bloom,” “Likes of You,” "After You’ve Gone” and “Something’s Gotta Give” to delight any lammister from tile Brill Bldg.—and Local 802. It’s surefire soothing piano- logy. Their "Heart of Stone,” medleyed with “Dance With Me Henry,” give ’em a solid sendoff. They double the lounge during the cocktail session with the Jimmy Lyons Trio, another perennial here, backing up the entire show in tip¬ top manner , and emcee Bart How¬ ard fronting it. Alex Fogarty is also a lounge performer as Jacoby & Gordon are pitching to build that early business. The foursome joined the show later this week. Abel. Bcvliilton, llcv’Iy Hills Beverly Hills, Oct. 7. Jose Greco troupe with Lola De Ronda, Paul Haakon, Anita Ramos, Mario Escudero, Pepita . Sexnlla, Gitanillo Heredia; Bernard Hilda Orch (12), Mischy Novy Orch (5); cover $2, $2.50. The town’s newest hostelry has had little or no luck with the saloon set on the basis of its first two shows, but if the Bali Room doesn’t make the grade with this layout, it may not make it at all. There has .rarely been a better bistro buy, entertainment-wise. The new Jose Greco show combines all the necessary ingredients: excel¬ lent dancing, comedy, color, excite¬ ment and constant impact. The Greco troupe is presenting an hour-long show that moves with a pace that leaves ringsiders con¬ stantly enthralled. Minor routin¬ ing changes since its recent Las Vegas engagement have removed a few slow spots and Greco has cannily mounted a show that is, in effect, a complete dance con¬ cert. As a result, the show can (and will) alternate between nitery and theatre locations and concert one-nighters and with excellent results everywhere. The accent, of course, is on the flamencan and the troupe dis¬ penses 10 dance routines, breaking the show in the middle for an ex¬ cellent flamenco guitar solo by Mario Escudero. It’s a masterpiece of style and technique and meshes perfectly with the footwork. This time around, Greco is sur¬ rounded by a troupe of dancers who are standouts and they deliver peak performances both as soloists and as members of the gay and eye¬ filling ensembles. Of particular note is the team of Pepita Sevilla and Gitanillo Heredia, young fla¬ menco experts making their Ameri¬ can debut. They win plaudits in three specialties which showcase not only their flawless technique but their arresting personalities. Miss Sevilla particularly makes a strong impression in this depart¬ ment. Many of the routines involve traditional Spanish dance patterns and Greco’s choreography takes special advantage of the musical possibilities of Ravel’s “Bolero,” in which he features himself with Lola De Ronda, and an Albeniz sonata which is Miss De Ronda’s solo. Other highspots are the quaint and comedic Castellana, danced by Greco, Miss De Ronda and Anita Ramos; the smash Dance of the Horsemen, which has become a Greco perennial; Paul Haakon’s fine ballet work to a classical Spanish bolero, and the rousing Fantasia Valencia which gives the troupe a fiesta finish. Vocals are by Norina. Greco improves with each ap¬ pearance. He has developed with ease the grace and fire of the true flamefico dancer and his own choreographic innovations permit full display of the combination of footwork and body movement that characterize the style. It’s a talent that is far beyond the normal nightclub scope. Despite the handicaps of the. bad physical layout in terms of en¬ trances and exits, the troupe works without a letup and benefits con¬ siderably from the musical backing of the Bernard Hilda orchestra. Both show-wise and for dancing, this is an organization that is far above the usual hotel band. A book of deft arrangements provides a danceable beat that covers all styles and there are fine vocals during the evening by Paula Dcs- jardines. Billy Regis and Charlita. Mischa Novy combo alternates and also provides music a cut above the expected. Kap. < Iul> rros<*enilo. Houston Houston. Oct. 12. Bob Manning, Jose Ortiz Orch; $3 minimum, no cover, members only. Bob Manning, working hard in both niteries and recording studios right now, is a click in this mem- bers-only spot with his mellow swoon-type crooning that goes over well with the ladies. A gangling, relaxed lad who uses a scooping, tenor-sax style of vocalizing, he runs through a brace of tried-and 1 true oldies in the “That Old Feel¬ ing” and “These Foolish Things” vein. He also trots out “Try A Little Tenderness,” “Birth of the Blues” and “Walking My Baby Back Home." Songster gets good results with his method of delay¬ ing a second before pouncing on a note; also can sing with a strong beat to good effect. .This is demonstrated on his “Learnin’ The Blues.” His “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Bode. Ambassador Hotel, L. A« Los Angeles, Oct. 13. Tony Martin, Interludes (5), Freddy Martin Orch (18), Hal Borne; minimum $2. At the witching hour of mid¬ night, opening night, a happy but exhausted Tony Martin lifted him¬ self wearily to the bandstand at Cocoanut Grove and beckoned a roomful of just as happy cele¬ brants to dance to the music of another Martin, Freddy. In that split minute he became a band singer once again, but there was a glow of pride that gleamed through his perspired visage. And well he may have gloried in the evening’s labors, the room he always wanted to play and his pals cheering him at ringside. Not that he needed a friendly gathering, as the ensuing four weeks will testify, but singers like a pro audience, the toughest there is, and the heart-warming thought, “they won’t let me off.” After a full hour of running through his repertoire in rich romantic voice, practically solo save a grouping with his tv backstoppers. The In¬ terludes, for the finale of “See You In My Dreams,” Martin bowed off after the stand stint to a dressy crowd that was reminiscent of the days when the Grove was port of call for Hollywood’s gay blades. As an added fillip, he paired off on the clarinet with Freddy Martin’s sax for a jamboree of their own and called Jimmy McHugh from ringside to accomp him on the piano in a brace of McHugh stand¬ ards. Martin has acquired so many showmanly effects over the years that he becomes more the enter¬ tainer than a straight romantic singer and needing to acknowledge no peer. Whether it’s the ballady “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing” or the novelty-humored “Security,” or the Latin beat of “I Get Ideas,” the Martin treat¬ ment accentuates his broad ver¬ satility with all the touches that stamp him the class performer. With straw skimmer and walking stick he sways and finger-snaps, the song becoming secondary to these artistic flourishes. When ha bears down on such as "There’s No Tomorrow,” the tricks are foregone and it becomes a rendi- ! tion of as fine baritoning as ia around. For his four-weeker, Martin haj musical assistance par excellence which he acknowledges With high praise for Hal Borne at the piano, “Corky" Hale, a comely blonde, on the harp, and Freddy Martin’s aug¬ mented crew of 18 (with five fid¬ dles added). The interludes score with their latest recorded "Wake the Town and Tell the People.!’ and Borne is cut in for a comedy bit that delights the sitters and breaks the straight run of music. Martin, Tony that is, drew a big laugh when a waiter let drop a tray. That was pre-arranged, he said, to cover the high or low notes “that don’t come.” Martin shares the room record with one or two others but the tabs will be higher. He draws the spending trade. Helm. Beverly Hills, Newport Newport, Ky., Oct. 15. Mills Bros., Ramses (4), Doro¬ thy “Dorben Dancers flO), Dick Hyde, Gardner Benedict Orch HO). Jimmy Wilber Trio, Larry Vincent; $3 minimum, $4 Satur¬ days. Back at their home base, the Mills Bros, are home free in a'less- than-a-year repeat at Greater Cin- cy’s ace nitery. With them are the 4 Ramses, also in for second time and adding boosters. On this visit Harry, Donald and- Herbert Mills are not accompanied by their dad, who filled out the vocal quartet some years ago after the death of his son, John Jr. Re¬ placing the parent, but only as guitarist, is Norman Brown. . The lather has been sidelined for about eight months. His absence is notice¬ able, yet the brothers maintain the tradition of unmatchable, smooth Mills harmony.- Easing off stage after a half hour, the three brothers imprint their mark with favorites from the Mills album of click recordings, in¬ cluding “Paper Doll,” “You Always Hurt the One You Love” and “Lazy River.” The boys used Cincy’s WLW as a springboard 25 years ago. The Ramses, Egyptian aprobats, get the 60-minute floor show olf to a fast start. The lone femme, sur¬ prisingly the understander, keys eight minutes of head-to-head and hand-to-hand balancing. Eye-filling line of Dorben Danc¬ ers. in three numbers, with Dick Hyde as singing emcee, and the Gardner Benedict band, hold up their shares of the program. Koll.