Big Band Library: August 2008 "Big Band News"

The big bands are back

in a new and exciting way!

AUGUST 2008

"BIG BAND NEWS"

compiled by Music Librarian CHRISTOPHER POPA

There are a number of opportunities to be outdoors this month and hear a name band live, even a few free concerts!

As usual, the busiest of the big bands is The Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Larry O'Brien.

"The music is too good to die," O'Brien, 75, recently commented to Lloyd Dykk of the Vancouver Sun newspaper.

The Miller Orchestra will start things off along the West Coast with two nights aboard the USS Hornet in southern California, then spend a

couple days on their bus traveling to the next

engagement, which is a set of performances at a casino 10 minutes west of Spokane, Washington.

"We run an efficient organization," O'Brien boasted to Dykk.

For a select list of big band tour itineraries, see below.

Cab Calloway Orchestra directed by C. Calloway Brooks, Aug. 17, Cain Park, Cleveland

Heights, OH.

Peter Duchin Orchestra, Aug.8, Guild Hall Summer Gala, Mulford Farm, Long Island, NY;

Aug. 11, H.B. Mattlin Middle School, Plainview, NY.

Harry James Orchestra directed by Fred Radke, Aug. 1, Hanover, PA; Aug. 2, Pottstown,

PA; Aug. 21, Stoneham, MA; Aug. 23, Worcester, MA; Aug. 24, Manchester, NH.

Sammy Kaye Orchestra directed by Roger Thorpe, Aug. 3, free outdoor concert, "Salute to

America," Purple Heart Hall of Honor, Vails Gate, NY; Aug. 9, [ private dance ], Lords

Valley Country Club, Lords Valley, PA.

Guy Lombardo's Royal Canadians directed by Al Pierson, Aug. 3, Fredonia Opera House,

Fredonia, NY.

Hal McIntyre Orchestra directed by Don Pentleton, Aug. 17, free outdoor concert, Stanley

Park Pavilion, Westfield, MA.

Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Larry O'Brien, Aug. 1-2, USS Hornet, Alameda, CA;

Aug. 5-6, Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, WA; Aug. 9, Kirkland Performance

Center, Kirkland, WA; Aug. 12, Idaho State University Performing Arts Center, Pocatello,

ID; Aug. 14, Natrona County High School, Casper WY; Aug. 16, North Platte High School

North Platte, NE; Aug. 17, Midwest Theatre, Scotts Bluff, NE; Aug. 19, Heartland Events

Center, Grand Island, NE; Aug. 22, Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Menomonie, WI;

Aug. 23, Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI; Aug. 24, Civic Auditorium, Richmond, IN; Aug.

25, Tibbits Opera House, Coldwater, MI; Aug. 26, St. Cecilia Music Center, Grand

Rapids, MI; Aug. 27, Lake Anna Park, Barberton, OH; Aug. 29, Turf Valley Resort &

Conference Center, Ellicott City, MD.

Russ Morgan Orchestra directed by Jack Morgan, Aug. 10th, National Ballroom Operators

Convention, Col Ballroom, Davenport, IA; Aug. 30, American Legion, Orland, IN; Aug.

31, Metropolitan Beach Ballroom, Mt. Clemens, MI.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

Herb Ellis, guitarist (G. Gray '44, J. Dorsey '45-'47; Carter '54), b.Aug. 4, 1921.

Jack Morgan, trombonist (Morgan '58-'69; Morgan Orch. '69- ), b.Aug. 4, 1940.

Buddy Collette, saxophonist - clarinetist (Les Hite '42; Hayes '47; Carter '48-'49), b.Aug. 6, 1921.

Urbie Green, trombonist - leader (Savitt; Carle '45; Krupa '47 / '50; T. Dorsey Orch. '66-'67), b.Aug. 8, 1926.

Frank Capp, drummer (Kenton '51; Hefti '52), b.Aug. 20, 1931.

Peter Appleyard, vibraphonist (Goodman '71-'77), b.Aug. 26, 1928.

Med Flory, saxophonist (Thornhill '50; Mooney; Herman '53 / '59), b.Aug. 27, 1926.

Jerry Dodgion, alto saxophonist (Carter '55; Goodman '59-'60 / '61 / '62), b.Aug. 29, 1932.

NECROLOGY

Chris Calloway, 62, singer and one of Cab Calloway's daughters, d.Aug. 7, 2008, cancer.

Survived by her mother, Nuffie, and sisters Cecilia and Cabella.

Lita Roza, 82, vocalist (Heath '50-'54), d.Aug. 14, 2008. Thank you to Tony Eaton for this information.

Ralph Young, 90, vocalist (Reynolds '40; Brown '41-'42; [ and later in duo "Sandler & Young" ]), d.Aug. 22, 2008,

"after a brief illness."

Walt Stuart, 82, trumpeter (McIntyre '50-'52; Morrow '55-'59?) and arranger, d.Aug. 30, 2008.

NEW DVDS

Jimmy Dorsey, "Four Jills in a Jeep," 20th Century Fox (available separately or as part of

set "The Alice Faye Collection Volume 2," 20th Century Fox).

NEW COMPACT DISCS

Louis Armstrong, "Rudy Vallee's Fleischman's Yeast Show & Louis' Home-Recorded

Tapes," Jazz Heritage Society 5289147 [ 2-CDs; disc 1: 1937 / disc 2: highlights from

Armstrong's home archive ].

Count Basie, "Four classic albums: 'April in Paris' / Basie / The Greatest: Count Basie

Plays Joe Williams Sings Standards / The King of Swing," Avid ( UK ) AMSC 946

[ 2 CDs; "Digitally remastered for probably the finest ever sound quality" ].

Tex Beneke, "One Night Stands," Sounds of Yester Year ( UK ) DSOY 765 [ live

performances from January 1947 to June 1948; compilation and liner notes by

Alan Price ].

Xavier Cugat, "Spanish Dance: More 1944-45," Circle CCD-157 [ follow-up to Circle

CCD-59; runs 71:38 ].

Maynard Ferguson, "The Lost Tapes: Volume Two," SNR 002CD ["live recordings, new

versions, never before issued" ].

Benny Goodman, "Benny Goodman, 1930-33," Jazz Oracle ( UK ) BDW8059 [ The

complete recordings issued under Benny Goodman's name and issued on the Melotone

label in 1930 and 1931, as well as selected sides by Grace Johnston and Sid Garry

accompanied by the same band. Also included are the four titles by Steve Washington

from 1933 featuring Goodman. Liner notes are by Goodman researcher David

Jessup. ].

Ted Heath, "Swing Is King / Swing Is King, Vol. 2," Vocalion ( UK ) CDLK 4377 [ = London

LPs ].

Harry James, "Music From Armed Forces Radio: Stardust: Big Bands 1940's - 1950's,"

Armed Forces Radio 18 [ "Rare collection of never-before released music . . . " ( sic )

including I'll Never Be Free, Stardust, and Untitled ].

Vaughn Monroe, "Racing with the Moon: An Anthology 1940-56," Acrobat ( UK ) 3061

[ 2-CDs ].

various artists, "Music From Armed Forces Radio: Sentimental Journey: Big Bands

1940's - 1950's," Armed Forces Radio 15 [ James, Ellington, Barnet, Brown, Herman,

Lawrence, Hampton, Thornhill, S. Jones, Basie ].

---, "Music From Armed Forces Radio: Strike Up the Band: Big Bands 1940's - 1950's,"

Armed Forces Radio 16 [ same artists as above ].

---, "Music From Armed Forces Radio: Back Beat Boogie: Big Bands 1940's - 1950's,"

Armed Forces Radio 17 [ same artists as above ].

IN-PRINT AND / OR ONLINE

Daniel Bubbeo, "Review: 'Doris Day: The Untold Story' by David Kaufman," newsday.com,

Aug. 3, 2008 [ commenting on 626-pg. biography of Day (Brown '40-41 / '44-'46), who is now

age 86 and living a reclusive life in California ].

Julie Flemming, "Berigan to join jazz wall of fame," [ Beaver Dam, WI ] Daily Citizen,

Aug. 15, 2008 [ ASCAP, which added Berigan to its Jazz Wall of Fame at Lincoln

Center in June, has sent the presentation plaque to the Fox Lake Public Library in

Wisconsin ].

Dan Kane, "On the beat: Evoking days of Moonlight Ballroom," Canton [OH ] Repository,

Aug. 3, 2008 [ details of a Canton Cabaret show titled "Remembering Moonlight

Ballroom," to be presented Aug. 15 and 22 at the Metropolitan Centre ballroom

in downtown Canton ].

Malcolm Laycock, "Serendipity Serenade," Big Bands International, No.124 August 2008,

pp.4-5 [ recalling music arranged or composed by Neal Hefti, who is now age 85

and retired ].

Dave Newhouse, "Voice of the ages," Oakland [ CA] Tribune, Aug. 2, 2008 [ recalling

the late Jo Stafford (T. Dorsey '40-'42; Weston) ].

Dieter Salemann, "Who played piano with Barnet?," IAJRC Journal, Vol.41 No.3 -

Aug. 2008, p.19 [ trying to identify the pianist(s) in Charlie Barnet's band from March

to July 1944 ].

Geoff Wheeler, "Capitol Records' Criterion Series," IAJRC Journal, Vol.41 No.3 -

Aug. 2008, pp.53-62.

Theresa Winslow, "New book chronicles Duke Ellington concert and its cultural impact,"

Annapolis [ MD ] Capital, Aug. 3, 2008 [ regarding Backstory in Blue: Ellington at

Newport '56 by John Fass Morton ].

FINALLY, IN POLITICAL NEWS...

Comedian David Letterman, on his late-night CBS-TV program, recently made a remark about the ongoing Presidential campaign.

“Well, the big debates are coming up," Letterman observed. "Barack Obama 'wants to debate about foreign policy,' while 'John McCain wants to debate about the big band era.'

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