APRIL 2016
"BIG BAND NEWS"
compiled by Music Librarian
CHRISTOPHER POPA
The big bands are back
in a new and exciting way
RENEWED ATTENTION FOR FRANKIE CARLE
Legendary bandleader Frankie Carle is getting some deserved, renewed attention with his induction into the Rhode Island Hall of Fame as well as two different new music releases.
The induction ceremony will take place on the 21st of this month at Chan’s in Woonsocket, RI.
Rick Bellaire, vice chair of the Rhode Island Hall of Fame said that the initiative
“provides a great opportunity to not only acknowledge Rhode Island’s musical greats and celebrate their achievements, but to finally have an organization whose primary goal is to promote and preserve Rhode Island’s rich musical heritage in all its forms. With actual exhibit space, coupled with our planned online digital archive, we will have in place the tools to curate and showcase the best of Rhode Island’s musical artists.”
Now available is a DVD, “RKO Varieties Triple Feature: Make Mine Laughs / Footlight Varieties / Variety Time,” that features three film shorts in which Carle and His Orchestra appeared. The DVD is in Warner Brothers’ Archive Collection series.
Circle Records, which has in the past released several Carle CDs, is now offering a digital download-only item, “Frankie Carle Quartet: Ivory Stride: 1946-47.” There are 27 songs available. (Perhaps they originally conceived it as a CD, as promotional artwork shows the catalog number CCD-175.)
This reminds me that in 2015, RCA Victor/Legacy released through Amazon.com two old RCA Victor LPs by Frankie Carle but only as digital downloads, not on CDs. I wish the companies involved would release this big band music in the CD format, too; in RCA’s case, with the original artwork and liner notes reproduced in a booklet.
TWO OTHER LEGENDS ARE HONORED, TOO
A ceremony will take place on the 16th of this month at the University of Colorado-Boulder, to induct two legendary bandleaders into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame.
Being honored are Glenn Miller and Paul Whiteman.
Miller came to Boulder in 1923 as a student at the University of Colorado.
“Glenn, worldwide, is maybe the dean of all touring orchestras in the history of music,” said Chuck Morris, chairman of the Colorado Music Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors.
According to a story by Quentin Young in the University of Colorado’s Daily Camera, a nephew of Miller, Glenn Wolfe, who was born in 1945 and grew up in Greeley, CO, said his family used the term “lost” to describe what happened to his uncle.
“There was never any resolution to the story of his disappearance,” he observed. “There wasn’t any acknowledgement in the early days that he indeed was dead.”
Today’s Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Nick Hilscher will perform during the program.
Whiteman was born in Denver in 1890 and learned music from his father, Wilberforce, who was director of music for the Denver Public Schools. Whiteman learned viola and played as first chair in 1916 with the Denver Symphony Orchestra.
The Colorado Music Hall of Fame last year moved into a new location, the Trading Post, at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO.
NEW COLLECTOR’S CHECKLISTS
I continue to work very hard on creating Collector’s Checklists of 33 rpm albums by the big bands.
Use the lists to see what was issued or to compare it to what you have in your collection.
BIG BANDS IN-PERSON
Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart. Apr 1, Jazz Kitchen, Indianapolis, IN;
Apr 2, Harre Union Ballroom, Valparaiso, IN; Apr 3, Fitzgerald’s, Berwyn, IL (2 shows);
Apr 8, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada; Apr 9, The Imperial Theatre, New
Brunswick, Canada.
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra directed by Terry Myers. Apr 1-10, conclusion of cruise
#6207, “Passage Into Spring,” from Miami to Monte Carlo aboard the Crystal
Symphony.
Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Nick Hilscher. Apr 1, Admiral Theatre, Bremerton, WA;
Apr 2, Auburn Performing Arts Center, Auburn, WA; Apr 3, Tillamook High School,
Tillamook, OR; Apr 4, Historic Elsinore Theatre, Salem, OR; Apr 7, The Ellen Theatre,
Bozeman, MT; Apr 9, Cheyenne Civic Center, Cheyenne, WY; Apr 10, Homestake
Opera House, Lead, SD; Apr 11, Best Western Ramkota, Casper, WY; Apr 14,
Community Concert Hall, Durango, CO; Apr 16, Colorado Music Hall of Fame
induction, Glenn Miller Ballroom, University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO; Apr 19,
Stiefel Theatre, Salina, KS; Apr 20, Pla Mor Ballroom, Lincoln, NE; Apr 22, Lancaster
Grand Theatre, Lancaster, KY; Apr 23, Long Center, Lafayette, IN; Apr 24, Benjamin
Logan High School, Bellefontaine, OH; Apr 28, Hazleton Area High School, Hazleton,
PA; Apr 29, Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown, NJ; Apr 30, Arcadia Theater,
Windber, PA.
Glenn Miller Orchestra-UK directed by Ray McVay. Apr 2, Royal Festival Hall, London,
England; Apr 17, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton, England; Apr 24, The Mill at Sonning,
West Berkshire, England.
Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Jan Slottenas. Apr 9, The Theatre, Vaxjo,
Kronoberg County, Sweden; Apr 10, private, Copenhagen, Denmark; Apr 24,
Louis de Geer Konsert & Kongress, Norrokoping, Sweden.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
Boomie Richman, b.Apr 2, 1921. Tenor saxophonist with Paxton '44-'45; T Dorsey
'45-'51 [ off and on ]; Goodman '51 / '52 / '53 / '54 / '55 / '58; Reynolds '55 "Songs for
Happy Feet" album.
Doris Day, b.Apr 3, 1924. Vocalist with Crosby '40; Brown '40-'41 / '44-'46.
Derek Smith, b.Apr 17, 1931. Pianist with Goodman '61 / '67 / '69 / '71 / '72-'73.
Slide Hampton, b.Apr 21, 1932. Trombonist with B. Johnson '55-'57; Hampton '58;
Ferguson '58-'59; and leader of the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band '04-?.
Mundell Lowe, b.Apr21, 1922. Guitarist with McKinley '46-47.
Bea Wain, b.Apr 30, 1917. Vocalist with Shaw '37 (If It's the Last Thing I Do); Clinton
'37-'39.
REMEMBERING YOU
Harry Carney, b.Apr. 1, 1910. Baritone saxophonist with Ellington '27-'74.
Hymie Shertzer, b.Apr. 2, 1909. Alto saxophonist with Goodman '34-'38 / '42-'44/
'51 / '52 / '53 / '54 / '55 / '58 / '59; Hampton '37 (Victor) / '39 (Victor); T Dorsey '38-'39;
Shaw '50 (Decca) / '53 (Decca).
Bill Finegan, b.Apr. 3, 1917. Arranger – composer for T Dorsey '39-'52 (intermittently);
Miller '39-'42; Heidt '42-'43. Leader of own band with Sauter.
Ken Kersey, b.Apr. 3, 1916. Pianist with Eldridge '39-'40?; Kirk '42.
Knobby Totah, b.Apr. 5, 1930. Bassist with Krupa '63-'64.
Gerry Mulligan, b.Apr. 6, 1927. Baritone saxophonist. Arranger - composer with Krupa
'46-'47 / '58; Thornhill '47-'53?; Kenton '52-'53.
Ralph Flanagan, b.Apr. 7, 1914. Pianist –arranger for Kaye '41. Leader of own band.
Billie Holiday, b.Apr. 7, 1915. Vocalist with Basie '37-'38; Shaw '38.
Peanuts Hucko, b.Apr. 7, 1918. Clarinetist – tenor saxophonist with Bradley '39-'40 /
'41 / '46 (Signature session); Miller '43-'45 (AAF); McKinley '46-'47; Teagarden '47 /
'57; Welk '70-'72. Leader of Miller Orch '74.
Julian Dash, b.Apr. 9, 1916. Tenor saxophonist with E Hawkins '38-'53?.
Morty Corb, b.Apr. 10, 1917. Bassist with Crosby '52 / '56 / '57 / '60.
Chano Pozo, b.Apr. 10, 1915. Bongo – conga drums with Gillespie '47-'48.
Lionel Hampton, b.Apr. 12, 1908. Vibraphonist /drummer with Armstrong '30-'31;
Goodman '36-'39. Leader of own band.
Bud Freeman, b.Apr. 13, 1906. Tenor saxophonist with Noble '35; T Dorsey '37-'38;
Goodman '38; Wilson '38.
Henry Mancini, b.Apr. 16, 1924. Pianist - arranger with Miller Orch-Beneke '46-'47;
arranger for Beneke '51.
Joe Dixon, b.Apr. 21, 1917. Clarinetist and saxophonist with T Dorsey '36-'37;
Berigan '37-'38.
Lou Stein, b.Apr. 22, 1922. Pianist with McKinley '46-'47? / '53 / '54 / '66; Ventura '47;
Bradley '53; Hefti '54; Bellson '55 / '56.
Dave Tough, b.Apr. 26, 1908. Drummer with T Dorsey '36-'37; Berigan '38; Goodman
'38; Shaw '41-'42; Herman '44-'45; Ventura '47 (National session in March);
Teagarden (3/14/47 RCA Victor session).
Matty Matlock, b.Apr. 27, 1909. Clarinetist with Pollack '29-'34; Crosby '35-'42 /
'50-'52 / '56-'57 / '60 / '66 et al; Hackett '55.
Everett Barksdale, b.Apr. 28, 1910. Guitarist with Carter '40.
Duke Ellington, b.Apr. 29, 1899. Leader of own band.
Billy Ver Planck, b.Apr. 30, 1930. Trombonist – arranger with Thornhill '53; Dorsey Bros
'56-'57?; J Dorsey '52 / '56 (Fraternity session).
NEW COMPACT DISCS
Ralph Flanagan. “1001 Nighters: Ralph Flanagan And His Orchestra,” My Music
Boutique CD-R. A 1956 RCA Victor album transferred to a CD-R.
---. “Ralph flanagan: Your Request,” My Music Boutique CD-R. Originally an LP on the
Imperial label, this offers 12 songs by Flanagan in a sweet band setting - not with the
Glenn Miller style.
Ted Heath. “Ted Heath & His Music: Volume 9: Reviewing the Situation,” Vocalion (E)
CDEA 6244. Transcriptions recorded in London during the summer of 1960.
Stan Kenton. “Concerts In Miniature: Volume 13,” Sounds of YesterYear (E) 2025.
Broadcasts from February of 1953. Tunes include Bags and Limelight.
Billy May. “Meet A Happy Guy: Guy Pastor,” My Music Boutique CD-R. Arranged and
Conducted by Billy May, this was originally a Capitol LP.
Buddy Morrow. “Big Band Beatlemania: The Big Hits Of 1964: Buddy Morrow and his
Orchestra,” My Music Boutique CD-R. Most, though not all songs, were made famous
by The Beatles, and are here presented as instrumentals. This was originally an
Epic LP.
Tony Pastor. “Guy Pastor: a Guy & his dad: with Tony Pastor & His Orchestra,” My
Music Boutique CD-R. Originally released on LP by Roulette.
---. “The Pastors: Cut Up Tenderloin,” My Music Boutique CD-R. Originally an LP on
The Capitol label, this offers 11 songs from the Broadway musical “Tenderloin,”
arranged and conducted by Billy May.
Lawrence Welk. “Lawrence Welk: Love Is Blue,” My Music Boutique CD-R. This
was originally an LP on Ranwood in 1968.
SNEAK PEEK
In next month’s “News,” some great music on new CDs by Louis Armstrong, Georgie Auld, Count Basie, Les Brown, and more.
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