Variety (May 1926)

-VARIETY ..Weducsday^ May 26, 192G CABARET REVIEWS VENETIAN ROOM SOUTHMOOR HOTEL (CHICAGO) Chicago, May 22. The paucity of cabarets on the south side may be attributed to the numerous chop suey houses which flood the district These Chinese places offer, as an inducement fur attendance, everything that a caba- ret has with the exception of a door show. As the younger element Is not noted for if wealth It naturally drifts to the inexpensive Chinese houses, while scores of empty tables in the cabarets grow dusty. Last summer the Venetian Room was opened, apparently with ecant consideration of the strength, of its opposition, and it flopped with a thud thaf could be heard throughout the south side. A mediocre orches- tra was its only questionable attrac- tion, so the collapse was inevitable. More forethought was evidenced at Its reopening a few weeks ago. The interior was refurnished to produce a class atmosphere, a floor show was added, and a hangup orches- tra was booked to produce the kind of music that crowds like. Also, prices were fixed to conform to the south side's pocketbook. All these assets were made known to the city through an extensive advertis- ing campaign and the people began to take notice. The wholesale chop suey competi- tion keeps some of the rosiness out of the Venetian Room's future, but it has been doing nice business since its recent opening. The south side has a real ni»?ht place here and .«ho lid give it hearty support. Located in the Southmpor hotel on the main floor with a private en- trance from the street, the Vene- tian Room is provided with ample opportunities for attractive furnish- ings. Although exceptionally roomy it doesn't have the ballroom atmos- phere associated with some of the bigger places, managing to convey a sufficient degree of that intimacy and coziness necessary for a xaba- ret. Tall pillars, window balco- nies, and variously tJ^M drapes and moldings provide a Venetian appearance enhanced by subdued lighting effects. Lou Bolton produced the floor show. It is featured by Flo Lewis and her Six Redheads. Miss Lewis was among those stranded in this city by Al Jolson's sudden decision to discontinue the Chicago engage- ment of "Big Boy," and haa been doing cafe work. She and her girls do separate numbers and are worked into other bits with the rest of the cast. You don't realize how much "kid" there is in the average citizen until you see Flo Lewis handing; out lollipops In one of her numbers. The customers took them, gazed at them for a moment, looked guiltily about, and then went at the candy like a bunch of eight-year-olds. And be LEADING ORCHESTRAS JO ASTORIA and his HOTEL ANTILLIA ORCHE8TRA Coraf Gablea, Fla. ACE BRIGODE and His 14 Virginians Hotel Congress, Chicago Personal Management: Joe Fried I CHARLES DORNBERGER and HI8 ORCHESTRA Exclusive Victor Artists Opening- Jane 8 ut Magnificent Signal Ml. lam, Lookout Mt., Chattanooga* Tena. Featuring 'WHEN YOU'RE AWAY' DON BESTOR And His Orchestra Victor Record* Management: Music Corp. of America Chicago, III, In the Sooth. Ife FRANCIS CRAIG and HIS ORCHE8TBA Columbia Eeoorde Nashville, T« DETROIT Katz & His Kittens Are Too Rendy Kittens T "Mwi-o-ew'M!! T«t'a Go VICTOR RECORDS VINCENT LOPEZ And His Casa Lopez Orchestra MARK STRAND, NEW YORK Direction WM. MORRIS NAT MARTIN AND HIS ENTERTAINERS "Versatility Plus" Appearing Indefinitely at THE KURSAAL City Island, New York JEAN GOLDKETTE Orchestras VICTOR RECORDS MAL HALLETT America's Greatest Modern Daaee Lead* AND HIS ORCHESTRA Featured for 5 Consecutive Seasons on Broad wax PERMANENT ADDRESS: 1a Mans. Mrt.: CHARLES SHRIBMAIf EARL J. CARPENTER'S MELODY SEXTET Club Deauville, New York Personal Representative "TAP8," 1607 Broadway, New York « SAMSMOLIN'S ! md HIS RADIO ORCHESTRA EAST MARKET GARDENS AKRON, O. iiic.<;i:st hit in town CHARLEY STRAIGHT AND HIS Rendezvous Orchestra Kn roTil««—Orplirum Clrcnlt 6 Wcvkii Muleb:ifli Hotel KuiihHH City. Mo. June 7 to July 18, Inclusive Using; Conn Instruments Exclusively MR. AL TUCKER •nil hit SOCIETY ORCHESTRA Keith-Orpheum Circuits Direction Bernard Burke AL SCHEMBECK and His 80CIETY NOVELTY ORCHESTRA CLUB MIRADOR, NEW YORK Spanlnh and Americnn Dance Musis THE SEVEN ACES "All Ten of 'Em" Columbia Recording Artists 31st Week itt HOTEL PEABODY The South's Finest MEMPHIS. TENN. JOE THOMAS And His SAX.O-TETTE with ARCHIE NICHOLSON Now on Tour with the DUNCAN 8ISTERS in "TOPSY AND EVA" Columbia, San Francisco Until June 5 PAUL WHITEMAN Kit-Cat Club London Direction! WILLIAM MORRIS It recorded that there Is nothing like a lollipop to establish fellow- ship among a bunch of strangers. Neither Miss Liewla nor her six red-wigged companiona take them- selves seriously. When the occasion demands they don the most out- rageous of burlesque costumes and do a "nut" number with ease and spontanity. As Flo is essentially a comedienni, the six glrla hit the humor for'a majority. A number particularly appealing waa a com- edy song, sung first by Flo I^ewis und then burlesqued by each of the girls in turn. Her flapper number Is, of course, worked In, and a coun- try girl affair with the redheads wishing they were still In 'Kenosha"' This bunch produces some real en- tertainment and ratea high aa a cabaret avtraction- Alfredo a.nd Gladys, reviewed re- cently at the Montmartre, are for- tunate additions to the show. They are adagio artists of real skill and present a classy routine that hits the spot for eafe orowds. Parsons and McElroy, two local attractions, harmonize iulte frequently through- out the show with plenty of qual- ity. Their voices blend excellently. Lew Jenkins, Juvenile songstar. completes the cast Ben Pollack and his Callfornlans (10 men) make up an unusual or- chestra. There are several forms of Jazz music; Paul Whiteman. for in- stance, plays cultured Jaxs; Ben Pollack and his men play instinc- tive Jazz. The musicians under- stand their music thoroughly and' rearrange it to fit their special rhythms. The rearrangement gives unique angles to numbess. An en- tire chorus was several times car- ried by Ben at the drums with his "fly swatters"; at other times he took the lead with eerie vocal mega- phoning. To tone down blood pres- sure the boys inserted a few "sweet" arrangements .with soft singing choruses, smoothly executed. Personnel of this neat aggrega- tion is as follows: Oil Rodin, sax, arranger; Lou Cohen, sax; Reggie Byleth, sax, violin; Wayne Allen, piano, arranger; Al Harris, trum- pet; Harry Green, trumpet; Glen Miller, trombone, arrainger; John Kirtzenknabe, banjo, guitar; Harry Goodman, bass, and Ben Pollack, leader, drums. Prices are very reasonable in the Venetian Room. There is? no cou- vert for the supper show, and a complete supper is served for Si. After 8 p. m. an admission charge of 55 cents is taken on week nights, or SI on holidays. Food is excellent for the price, and service is as efficient as could be desired. The Venetian Room is Just what the south side has been needing. Its success depends on whether it can survive the opening rounds of Oriental competition long enough to get a firm foothold In its territory. It has already acquired quite a fol- lowing. ^ JIal. SMALL'S PARADISE (HARLEM, NEW YORK) New York. May 22. This Harlem night club on Seventh avenue and 135th street New York, continues aa "the hot- tost place In town." If the former band aggregation waa considered torrid, the new Willie Gant double quintet of sizzling Jazzists are downright scorching. Their music is irresistible and defies Immobility when those col- ored musicians under the affable Gant's direction "sock out" that low-down syncopation. Word-of-mouth plrjgtng has made Smalls an all-season play- ground. To see the "high hats" mingle with the native steppers is nothing unusual. Where formerly the dance floor was cither all white, or all black, the races mix and the atmosphere permits for no class distinction. The succession of colored "blues" specialists that come out from time to time makes little difference to the proceedings. The atmosphere and the band are the attractions. The girls merely plug the waits to give the Jazzists a chance to ease up, and at that, the boys are going great guns in the indigo accom- paniment. ■•,-< What's more, the "take" is very reasonable and a good time is to bo had at a nominal sum. Abel. HOLLYWOOD BARN (CHICAGO) Chicago, May IS. A alnk-or-swlm method of stop- ping those inevitable stag brawls was witnessed at the Hollywood Barn. Six men, all at one table and all feeling good, had progressed from a heated argument to pushing tables, chairs and each other around, An alert waiter immediately sig- naled the electrician. That obliging gentleman flashed a strong "spot" directly upon the wild group. The rioters stopped dead in their tracks, looked dazedly about and then •meekly sat down, Although this, directed the attention ot the other patrons to the unpleasant commo- tion, it probably saved them from witnessing something worse. The Hollywood Barn is a recent addition to Chicago's night haunts. Opened April. 1, it has already at- tracted a sizeable group of devotees. This building was formerly occu- pied by the Tent Ballroom. Con- version to a cabaret has naturally made It quite a large place as caba- rets go. It is one of those bizarre places, comparable to Bert Kelley's Stables, which is in the central por- tion of the city. The Interior is decorated to repre- sent a heavily mildewed barn. Large splotches and streaks of green and brown paint are slapped on the rough boards and rafters xo promote the antique Idea. Rakes, harness, picture frames, pitchforks and even an old sewing machine are draped about haphazardly to carry on the atmosphere. Lining the walls are a series of "stalls." each bearing the name of the horse or cow supposed to have occupied it Tables are cov- ered with those rural red-and-whlte checked tablecloths, but the man- agement has concealed the tops with the customary whits linen. Lights covered with orange mate- rial and decorated with barnyard animals hang from the rafters. They have even perched an owl with flickering green eyes above one of the stalls. All waiters are in overalls and wear bandanas around their necks. Some go so far as to attempt the rural dialect, but with little success. An inquiry concerning the where- abouts of the manager brought out the subtle witticism that he waa probably back of the barn pitching horseshoes. • Harry Hosford and his Barn- stormers (10 pieces), also in over- alls and Jumpers, supply the music Harry will be remembered as tha husky pianist in the DeVoe and Hosford vaudeville combination, Here in the cabaret he not only directs his orchestra, but also pro- duces the floor shows. The night the reviewer waa present Hosford and his boys were playing restrained music by request, as the dance floor was mainly occupied by■"Bulky wom- en who preferred non-exertion At Intervals, however, they broke forth to show that they had the hot stuff In stock. The floor show Is composed of fly* ensemble numbers, with intermis- sion specialties. Among the princi- pals are Florence Shubert, Johnny Ryan. Marlon Kane. Brundage and Cramer, DeCarlos and Louise, and Reed Sisters. As a comedian Johnny Ryan is rather hard to swallow. His charac- ter songs are done well enough, but the spontaneous clowning that ac- companies them makes one feel like an agent must feel when his prize act walks off without receiving the expected acclaim. Florence Shubert, one of those wistful prima donnas, reacts favorably to cabaret fares. She has an agreeable voice and is not shy on personality. Soubretting is handled ably by Marlon Kane. . Lots of pep and a nice kid voice are her valuable as- sets. Very good to look at. De Carlos and Louise, adagio team, ap- pear extremely young, but handle their routine in an experienced man- ner. Their ballroom dancing Is ex- ceptionally graceful. The largeness* of the floor makes extra work for Brundage and Cramer, male song team. The boys are forced to push their piano about the floor and must make several stops In order that everyone may hear their intermission specialties. They are a friendly pair of chaps, (Continued on page 62) PAUL WHITEMAN Just Published Whiteman Now Repeals the Marvelous Story of HU Success The Acknowledged King of Jazz Telia in His Amazina Book— IIow his methods of orchestration have made him the most so light for orchestra leader In the world, with engngemente at fabulous fees. How he struggled up from obscuri- ty as a member of a small orchestra in San Francisco to world wide fame. by the counter balancing of the Instrumentation one obtains the "treat art" In Jazs. Illustrated. Price $3.00 At Tour Bookseller or from J. H. SEARS & COMPANY, Inc. 40 West 57th 8t. New York i EMERSON GILL AND HIS RETURNING JUNE 1st TO THE BAMBOO GARDEN CLEVELAND, OHIO OKKH RECORDS CONN INSTRUMENTS