Variety (November 1960)

%niETY Wednesday,, November 9, I960 and Disks I Album Reviews -By HERM SCHOEXFELD- Don Meehan Jay : “AN OPEN LETTER TO .MR. KHRUSHCHEV” !.•>-.* :•> an effective propaganda si !•> y. is?; a rcligio.-o anti-Comnui- rii>l Uric .v.ron'-iiy delivered jby D >r. Meehan with a brief intro ( . Yik'-or J.mnimets. the Soviet sailor v.h* rt\*.-:i?’v jumped ship to jre- !!:«•, m U ■> U S. “BEAUTIFiTL I.\nv r: WHITE” 'Joy* 'ji a gMo-.i reii.tb^o vocal side. ji The Innocents Indigo*: “PEEXSi: MR. SUN” i Weiss ]j & BMITA a bit of a few years a^o. ielurns in the peculiarly cool stjj-’e ot thi- nuking team. “GEE WHIZ” (Record)- L a teen-anglod Slide aU-> due tor wide play. j> Mickey & Sylvia'RCA VICTOR 1 . ••WHAT WOULD I DO” 'Aiaddin- Ren Gj.r/i- a good rocking item, is i»nen a stylish slice by this combo. now on the comeback trial. ‘ Frederick -) is a solid rhythm side, i The Harptons (Coedh “ANSWER ME, MY LOVE” (Bourne*) is a strong rocking ballad projected with potent commercial impact by • this combo. ‘'RAIN DOWN KISS¬ ES” (Winnelont* is another neat rhythm slice. June Yalii (Mercury 1 “WEEP FOR ME LOVER” (RegentO is a i potent rocking torch song sharply belted bv this fine songstress. , BORROWED KISSES” (Pren¬ tice*' L an okay ballad in a similar groove. , Champ . Butler fFive-Tenh “ROCK HUDSON ROCK” (Ma- , ma'leen •a cute jumping tune; gets “■a'slick ride by this singer. “LET’S .YOU AND ME” (MamaleenO is; a ‘ smooth ballad in a swinging for¬ mat. - I Lori Phillips (PRD: “FALLING Best Bets ELYl> PRESLEY.ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT (RCA Vidor).. . Jl., . . I Gotta Know E'ris Presley's “Are Vow j! Lonesome Tonight ” (Etourrie-Crom- Harks up another smash hit in this restrained workover of the oUii>\ “1 Gotta Know” < Alamo* > is a bright rhythm tune also' d»> tor lotsa spins. '[ MARV JOHNSON HAPPY DAYS (l nitcil Artists).j..Baby, Baby Marr Johnson's "Happy Days” Uobcte -) is a solid rocking ballad projected irith solid commercial impact by this young sin er. “Baby, ■ Baby’' iJobete- » is a Jamiliar rhythm, groove. RAY CHARLES..... RUBY (\BC-Paraniount) Hard-Hearlcd Hannali Ray Charles’ "Ruby” f Miller*- i is a standout workover of this film tun-- hit of a few years ago and should repeat the dick pattern; “Hard Hearted Hannah ” * Advanced* > i.\ a colorful slice of a potent nidi-' which should share the-plays. Gl V MITCHELL ..*|i. . . SUNSHINE GUITAR (Columbia) Kiiliir Around In The Rai Guy MitH-fR's “Sunshine Gni 1 r” • Jack-Do* / is nifty, shuffling rhythm ballad delivered in infectious stipe tor a big payoff. “ Ridin ’ Artr-'d in the Rain" •Joy *'' is uother highly pleasing slice . WAND V J VCKSON . . . MEAN, MEAN. MEAN (Capilol) Happy. Happy Birthday Wanda Jackson's “Mean, Mean, . lean” (Central * > is a hard-driv¬ ing rhythn- number belted ro the hilt in a lowdown groove aimed - for the juke set. “Happy, Happy Birthday ” i Arc-Donna • X is a good reprise (if this rocking standard. DEBBIE REYNOLDS ... SATISFIED—PART 2 (Dot) .J Rain In Cherry Blossom Time I Debbie Reynolds' “Satisfied—Part 2” tJ'eneva : : is another rol- bd i ng rhyihnt number projected in an-about style due to ntop up. tfifj ih-> teenagers, “h Looks Like. Rain in Cherry Blossom. Lane” i E. H. Morris' j is a neat, straight slice-of the oldie, DORSEY BU-RNETTE. . .THE RIVER «: THE MO l NT AIN (Era) ... . y......... .. This Hotel Dorsey Burnette's “The Mountain and the River ” (Sherman- DeVorzo-i is an excellent j ballad in a big vocal and instrumental setting th :'ll nab spins. "T^iis Hotel" f Bamboo’ w interesting jail-house piece of material. :: Christmas season in- the Nutty Squirrels’ “Please Don’t Take Our 'Tree For Christmas” (Jason*) ; a .-jilting, number With an occasional zany squirrel sound. Fli is. “Nutty Noel” (C-Hear-DougaU i is another cute-sounding side. On the same label, .Mitch Miller & His Gang have - a standout ' moppet-angled tune in “Must Be Santa” (HoIlistU a cumulative song done.With full chorus. Backihg is another excel¬ lent holiday entry; “Christmas Spirit” iKorw ih*.i done in. the same manner. Another pleasing straight- ■ forward'Xmas-'item is Ruth Lyons ”A11 Because of. Christ m ” \ Can- dee*', also. on,. Columbia.. On the Kapp label, the Pete King Chorale has come .dp; with a tasteful holiday entry ' “The Lit¬ tle Shepherd. Boy”. (Garland*! while Verve has Ella Fitzgerald swinging “Jingle Bells” (JataptUat the top of her form.; * ASGAP. ,t BMI. Orchestra of America Latches Onto Jazz Via Goodman, MJQ Dates Orchestra of America, which be¬ gins season number two at Cary negie Hall. N.Y.. on Nov. 16, is recognizing jazz. First concert will have Benny. Goodman; second the Modern-Jazz Quartet. Single ticket sale for the First two (of five) con¬ certs is better^ than the series ticket sale.. The hope of innovator- i mpresario Richard Korn, is that those attending the . jazz concerts may be tempted to try the others; Experience of first year has i dicated a prevailing- ignqrahce with the. pubiic that “American” music does, not necessarily . imply, modern dissonance. Korn’s . reper- j. (Continued on page- 53) Don Costa: “Echoing Voices and Trombones” (UA’s Ultra Audio), United Artists . Records is kicking off its new Ultra Audio line with striking impact on the “sound con-; scious” package market. Qne of five . LPs in tlie initial release. Don Costa has come up W ith a series of super-: latiye vocal ensemble and instru¬ mental arrangements with accent on massed trombone effects. The steveo effects are brilliant, but without intruding on the musical selections which include such fine oldies as ‘‘Day In, Day Out,” ‘‘The Breeze and I.” “Just In Time,” “I'm. Beginning To See The Light,”. “Thou Swell” and “Nice Work If Y’ou Can Get It.” “Frankie Avalon Facade”-“Fabian Facade” (Chancellor*. These are two teenrslanted LPs which lay set a whole hew fashion in pack¬ aging. Along with a conventional < disk, there’s, a three-dimensional •plaque of each performer attached' j to a velvet-type backing which the kids can frame: And the teeners lw ho go for the singing, talent- in | these LPs. will also probably be. ! sold on these ikons. Each of the 1 sets include a group of oldies With [•some new song material, tailored j for these young singers, I “The Alamo” (Columbia!: Dimitri Tiomkih is the big wheel ■ in this soundtrack set from John , Wayne’s big picture. “The Alamo.”' As composer-conductor, Tioihkin is , in complete charge of the musical work and it’s a work that he can . be proud of. He’s captured a num- j ber of stirring musical moods in addition to a lively cakewalk and a latiho-tempoed item. It stands up ■ as a potent soundtracker. As an ’ added plus there are vocals by The Brothers Four on “Green Leaves Of Summer” and Marty Robbins on “Ballad of The Alamo.”, both of which have become solid single entries. The lyrics are by Paul Francis Webster.- Mort Sahl; “The Next President” :iVerve-'. Mort Sahl has come up With his sharpest politico-comedy LP to date ..in this offering. Pegged to the Presidential campaign, which ended yesterday (Tues.U this set shouid carry over beyond the ■ elections because it highlights Some i of the enduring absurdities of the j.political and social scene along w ith the more ephemeral topical | comments. Once agar , Sahl his ! cut. this disk before an appreciative j audience.. . !. “2,000 -Years With Carl Reiner ;& 3IeI Brooks” (World Pacific). ; This set could launch a hew' disk ‘ care'er for Mel Brooks, scripter ! for Sid Caesar and Jerry Lewis; (among others. As writer aind : dia- lectian in. this LP. Brooks reveals a zany wit with frequent flashes as briilisht as any comic now: around. Brooks, witli a strong, as¬ sist from straight man Carl Reiner, Longplay Shorts “THIS IS MY STORY” • AladcfciU) is a less effective slow -ballad.;; June Christy-Jonah Jones 'Capi¬ tol-: “SOMETIMES I’M HAPPY” dlannv turns up in a swinging vocal with some nifty trumpet v.ork in the background. Solid lor a!i programming situations*. “TOM¬ MY* TOMMY” • SunbeamO from the “Tenderloin" score, also ;gets. a slick workover. i Kitty Kallcn ‘Columbia 1 :. “THE THING. YOU LEFT IN MY HEART” 'Lewis* 1 is a big bjallad which this >imgst.ress projectsl.with forceful impact. “I BELIEVE IN YOU” -Skidmore* is another iokay ballad side. Carl Dobbins Jr. 'Decca': “LOYELIGHT” (Sequence*- ;is a blight rocking ballad belted iin a pleasing countrified groove bv' this singer. “TAKE TIME OUT” 'Kave¬ lin Maverick'• is another rhvhtm ballad with chances. Mark Dinning <MGM-: ‘(SHE CRIED ON MY SHOULDERS” • Sigma* is a good teen-angled v.eening ballad handled in suitably se timental stvle. “THE WORLD IS GETTING SMALLER” ;-<Mi- lene*; has an interesting lyric; idea which could stir some noise. Lonnie Donegan (Atlantic': “LORELEI” :Tigera cleverj, rac¬ ing saga-type of folksong, gets a colorful workover bv this British Skittle artist. “JUNCO PARTNER” j IN LOVE WALTZ” (Marlen*!. a lilting .number,showcases. tis . songstress’ big voice and style with good warm effect. “ALL ALONE” (Berlin* 1 ; is a fine reprise of- the oldie. j The Challengers (TriodeX': I “LAZY TWIST” 'December-i is a pounding .instrumental in a highly ‘ commercial groove, “GOOFUS” !Feist*; is a more frantic-sounding slice. Ray Sharpe (Trey): “THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE” \ 1 Chappell* i the showtune 'hit, turns up in a pleasing rocking .ver¬ sion that should earn a new: round of spins, “JUSTINE” (Gregmark) is routine. Hollywood Argles (Lute': *'SO. FINE" (Eldorado- is a : solid straight rocking ballad in a man¬ ner which this combo has clicked with previously, HULLY GUL- , LY” 'Arvee’) is a. good workover of a basic rocking number done before by The Olympics. The Originals (Brunswick): “A KISS FROM YOUR LIPS’V (ARC!) smacks of familiar rocking ballad st\lings and will appeal to. those who like a repetition of that beat. “LET ME BE YOUR GIRL” (Mer¬ rimack « has all the rocking touches but they don’t add up to much. j CHRISTMAS SONGS Columbia. Records has come up I with the first novelty entry of the j United Artists.-pushing its new Ultra Audio line via special dealer and disk jockey cohtests after special p.reem at Barbizori-Plaza Theatre,; i N. Y„ for press. :UA Records v p.. and generalmanager; Art Talmadge j hitting the rpad for distrib meets, on the five initial Ultra Audio ! packages. „ . . Decca Records giving de luxe;w rapping to. “Spartacus’ ? ! souridtrack .with six-page photo insert of pic’s story \ . RCA Victor ; releasing “The World of Suzy Wong” soundtrack LP this month , Caedmon Records issuing. ne\v series of spoken word packages, for ; Christmas market: including Tnffrid Bergman in Jean Cocteau’s “The Human Voice;”: and . readings ; by Boris Karloff, and the late Albert ! t’amiis. Label has also, com up. with the -first stereo version of “A ; Christmas Carol,” with Ralph Richardson. . j For its “Lester Lanin Month’ 4 pitch. Epic Records Is offering radio 'stations a Tree copy of Labi ’ “Christmas Party” for every five LPs^ : thev buy at the special SI price , Adam Wade currently headlining *a.t N; Y.’s Roundtable, conics out with his ne\v Coed album, “Adam and Evening”, at the end of the month. Chris Connor’s next LP for Atlantic. “Portrait of Chris,” will, be her first with a slring accom- . pari ini e.nt. Theentire session was arranged by Jimmy Jones . .'.Roost Records has upped the . price oil its monaural LPs to $4.98 and . its . stereo product to $5:98 : Larry OIr. Custer) Verne, whose new. alburn "Mr. Larry Verne,” will be released by Era Nov. 15. has been booked for a series of one-niters at the end of the. month . .. “Sometime- Anytinie.” the third in a series‘of children’s records vvill be outsort-the Washington label this month. Words and music for the packagewere I written 'by. Evelyn D. Lqhoefer Capitol Records Distributing Corp. • is offering dealers .one free copy of its original Broadway cast album ; qf “Tenderloin” for every 10 purcliased , . Capitol Records, is going into the Sunday rotogravure sections of 240 newspapers with.full-color ; ads to promote 44 Of its albums for the Xmas sales season. The Cap ; pitch is. “Give The Gift Of Music;”.' An LP of Christmas songs by Bobby Dann on the Ateo label leads Atlantic Records’ release schedule this week. It’s called “The 25th Day of Decern ber”. . . Jimmy Nelson, hostof WNTA-TV’s “Studio 99 T i,’’ is using two Gtricket kiddie-albums: “Peter and the Wolf” and “Pinnochio” as prize giveaways on his show . . James Komack promoted his nevv Embers LP, “James Komabk. At the W'aldorf” with .sandwiches from the Waldorf Delicatessen delivered .to jockeys and press in Nevv York. i plays a 2,000-year old riian, an ex- I Nazi turned Peruvihii Indian, a psychiatrist, beatnik, etc., eacii [ done with needle-sharp point. James- Komack: “At The Wal¬ dorf” (Ember). James Komack. young Veteran of the nitery cir¬ cuit, has. cbnie up an amusing medley of songs and chatter, add¬ ing to the growing stream of come¬ dy packages. Komack has a siiarp script this time out in ranging over psychiatry, Japanese show biz, “Lady: Chatteriey’s Lover” (an off¬ color routine', prize-fighU announc¬ ing. the Beat Generation and “Th I Man .With The, Golden Arm.” Th j gab . is m ch better than the sing¬ ing.: ' Harry Jerome Orch: Brass Goes Hollywood” (Decca). Henry Jerome, who hit: paydirt with his initial “Brazert Brass” of¬ fering. has followed up with the same. kind of stereo-angled instru¬ mentals based on a tiines deriving from Hollywood films. Once again, the arrangements are tailored for sound . effects ;on numbers like “Around The; World.” “Moonglow” “Picnic/’. cha-cha Version of “Three Coins In The Fountain” and “Tammy,”; “Colonel Bogey March” and others. : Della Reese: “Della Della Cha Cha Cha” (RCA Victor). This is a fresh showcasing of this fine song¬ stress, She’s vbeen ; given a collect j tion of standards set to c|ra ch cha tempo vvhich; she swings vvitii a colorful variety of rhythmic ac¬ cents. Included are numbers tike [“Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best I Friend.” “Come. On-a My .House,” i "Whatever Lola Wants." “Tea For Tvvo” and “Love For Sale.” Shar ■ orch backing is under the: baton ' of O. B Masingill. j “A Date With The Everly Bros ’* |' Warner Bros.). This is . iftily j packaged collection of recent hit 3 ; and new entries by the click Ever¬ ily Bros. Along with the disk, there’s a folio, of photos aimed for th teenage market; As usual, this dii. delivers in its unique and listen- able rocking style, covering num¬ bers; like “Made To Loye;” “That’s i Jiist Too - Much.” “Sigh, Cry. Al- | most Die.” “Love Hurts.” “Lucille” j and.. “Cathy’s Clown, . . mong i others- He fin. ' Bill Randle Now Sticks To Deejay Trade After 3 Straight Impresario Flops Cleveland. Nov. 8. Bill Randle, the disk jockey;who . finds; it relatively easy to pick; hits, ■ found himself : $6,000 out of pocket i in a. brief fling at. the impresari | game/ In brief, he is no longer iV ‘ that field; The. loss me from ! three concerts here arranged by Randle. .. The appearances were those of Odetta, folk singer; Theodore BikeL and. most recently, clarinet¬ ist Pete Fountai In view of these losses. Randle is pul ling ^)ut : and has canceled th . last two concerts -in his Series, a repeat appearance by Odetta and the appearance of - Jonathan Winters./ .. ‘‘I’ve had said . Raridie,. “What’s the answer? I wish I knew/ Look at. Shelley Berman.. When he .first appeared here he.wasn’t yet . well know' He took a bath/ When he returned . recently lie filled Music. Hall:” .. This is not a, local phenomenon; Randle said. The trend toward con¬ cert performances losing money i national;- with the except ion of New York. Chicago, and maybe Lps Angeles, where p&piilatioii concen¬ tration is. greater. Television has a double impact on this problem. Charles Kehley has found, that he can fill the Packard Music Hall in Warrcn. O., by merely hiring: television per- sonalities to appear in summer stock stage performances. ‘.’This is Jack Paar land.” he has said in the past. “Half the popu¬ lation sitk uf> to watch, that .pro-, gram: And when \Ve bring ih.Gene- yieve, they all want to see .her!” On the other hand, when Randle or; some other importer of talent, brings a performer into Cleveland for a one-night stand, most of th population stays, home to watch TV.