The big bands are back
in a new and exciting way!
AUGUST 2014 "BIG BAND NEWS"
compiled by Music Librarian CHRISTOPHER POPA
courtesy of Francine Bellson
LB 90
Starting last month on what was the 90th anniversary of his birthday, July 24th, the official
website for the late drummer-bandleader Louie Bellson, louiebellson.info, has launched a year-long celebration of his legacy.
Bellson (b.1924-d.2009), was the recipient of a prestigious American Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1994, and was once called the “world’s greatest musician” by Duke Ellington, for whom he worked at various times in the 1950s and ‘60s. He also played drums on other occasions for Benny Goodman, The Dorsey Brothers, Harry James, and Count Basie. And, of course, he led his own bands for many years until his death.
Though he's gone, the Bellson website celebrates his life and career with a variety of information, including, for example, copies of some of his big band’s arrangements, such as Skin Deep and The Hawk Talks, available for purchase, and video footage of Bellson himself talking about his drumming and music.
Congratulations to Bellson’s widow, Francine, for keeping his legacy and accomplishments alive!
NEW COMPACT DISCS
Cab Calloway. “Cotton Club Revue,” Roulette / Warner (Japan) 1228539. The 1958
Gone LP on CD for the first time. In my opinion, the best cuts are Minnie the
Moocher, Copper-Colored Gal, and She’s Tall, She’s Tan, She’s Terrific.
Tommy Dorsey. “The Tommy Dorsey Show Volume Two,” Sounds of YesterYear (E)
DSOY968. The second in a series of four discs sampling TD’s radio show in which he
acted as disc jockey and interviewer. Besides the bands of Goodman, Lombardo,
Ellington, Prima, Martin, and Monroe, there is one record by brother Jimmy Dorsey
and six by Tommy himself included here.
Duke Ellington. “Contrapuntal Reposte,” Squatty Roo Records. A stereo recording of
the Duke’s octet as it played in the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center in New York
City during the summer of 1968.
Glen Gray. “jonah jones / glen gray” / “That Righteous Feelin’,” Blue Moon (Sp) BMCD
851. Two former Capitol LPs from 1962 on one CD with a pair of bonus tracks by
June Christy with Jonah Jones. Tunes include Echoes of Harlem, Boy Meets Horn,
and Apollo Jumps.
Gene Krupa. “Four Classic Albums: ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’ / ‘Gene Krupa Quartet’ / ‘Krupa
Rocks’ / ‘The Jazz Rhythms of Gene Krupa’,” Avid (E) AMSC1134. Recordings
originally made for Clef / Verve from 1954-57.
Various artists. “Ralph Flanagan and Tex Beneke: Battle of the Bands,” Sounds of
YesterYear (E) DSOY973. Similar to an earlier title, “The Duel of the Dance Bands”
(DSOY789), this compares the 1949 Flanagan band to the 1949 Beneke band.
Selections include You’re Breaking My Heart and Swing to 45 (Flanagan) and Ichabod
and Blues in the Night March (Beneke).
NEW IN-PRINT AND / OR ONLINE
Michael “Doc Rock” Kelly. Liberty Records: A History of the Recording Company and
Its Stars, 1955-1971 (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2014). Big bands that
recorded for Liberty included Jerry Gray, Spike Jones, Buddy Rich, and Si Zentner.
NAME BANDS LIVE
Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart. Aug 23, Gem Theater, Kansas
City, MO.
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra directed by Terry Meyers. Aug 1, Great Lake Centre, Taupo,
New Zealand; Aug 2, Municipal Theatre, Napier, New Zealand; Aug 3, Baycourt,
Tauranga, New Zealand; Aug 8, Whakatane Memorial Hall, Whakatane, New
Zealand; Aug 10, Forum North, Whangarei, New Zealand; Aug 12, Turner Centre,
Kerikeri, New Zealand; Aug. 17, Waikoloa Each Marriott, Waikoloa, HI.
Les Elgart Orchestra directed by Russ Dorsey. Aug 4, Euless Library, Euless, TX.
Jan Garber Orchestra directed by Howard Schneider. Aug 24, Surf Ballroom, Clear
Lake, IA.
Harry James Orchestra directed by Fred Radke. Aug 31, Columbia, SC.
Hal McIntyre Orchestra directed by Don Pentleton. Aug 17, "Tribute to Sinatra" with
vocalist Steve Marvin, Maudslay Arts Center, Newburyport, MA.
Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Nick Hilscher. Aug 1-2, Conner Prairie, Fishers, IN;
Aug 3, Coney Island Park, Cincinnati, OH; Aug 5, Lake Robbins Ballroom, Woodward,
IA; Aug 8, Grand Opera House, Dubuque, IA; Aug 10, Surf Ballroom, Clear Lake, IA;
Aug 11, Clarkson Opera House, Clarkson, NE; Aug 15, Theatre Deville, Vacaville,
CA; Aug 16, Hutchins St. Square Theatre, Lodi, CA; Aug 17, California Theatre, San
Jose, CA; Aug 19, Redlands Bowl, Redlands, CA; Aug 23, Fox Theatre, Bakersfield,
CA.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
John Miller, b.Aug. 3, 1941. Nephew of Glenn Miller; leader and vocalist with The Herb
Miller Orchestra.
Urbie Green, b.Aug. 8, 1926. Trombonist with Savitt '45; Carle ’45; Krupa ’47 / ’50;
leader of T Dorsey Orch ’66-’67.
Frank Capp, b.Aug. 20, 1931. Drummer with Kenton ’51; Hefti ’52.
Jerry Dodgion, b.Aug. 19, 1932. Alto saxophonist with Carter ’55; Goodman ’59-’60 /
’61 / ’62.
NECROLOGY
Robert Dupuis, 87, d.Aug 20, 2014. Jazz scholar and author of Bunny Berigan: Elusive
Legend of Jazz (Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1993).
REMEMBERING YOU
Les Elgart, b.Aug. 3, 1918. Trumpeter with Berigan ’40?. Leader of own band / band
with his brother Larry.
Claude Hopkins, b.Aug. 3, 1903. Pianist - leader of own band.
Charlie Shavers, b.Aug. 3, 1917. Trumpet – arranger with Kirby ’36?-’44. Trumpeter
with T Dorsey ’45-’49 / ’53; Goodman ’53 / ’54; Dorsey Bros ’54?-'56; T Dorsey
Orch-Donahue ’61-’65.
Jess Stacy, b.Aug. 4, 1904. Pianist with Goodman ’35-’39 / ‘43; Crosby ’39-’42;
T Dorsey ’44. Leader of own band.
Luis Russell, b.Aug. 5, 1902. Pianist with Armstrong ’35-’43. Leader of own band.
Norman Granz, b.Aug. 6, 1918. Producer of “Jazz At the Philharmonic” ’44-‘50s;
record label owner - producer (Clef / Verve / Pablo).
Warren Covington, b.Aug. 7, 1921. Trombonist with I Jones ’39; Heidt ’43?; Brown ’46?.
Leader of T Dorsey Orch ’58-’61. Leader of own band.
Freddie Slack, b.Aug. 7, 1910. Pianist with J Dorsey ’36-’39; Bradley ’39-’41.
Leader of own band.
Benny Carter, b.Aug. 8, 1907. Leader of own band.
Lucky Millinder, b.Aug. 8, 1900. Leader of Mills Blue Rhythm Band ’34-?. Leader of
own band.
Arnett Cobb, b.Aug. 10, 1918. Tenor saxophonist with Hampton ’42-’47.
Claude Thornhill, b.Aug. 10, 1909. Pianist – arranger with Noble ’35-’36; Shaw Navy
band ‘42. Leader of own band.
Russell Procope, b.Aug. 11, 1908. Saxophonist with Webb ’29-’30; F Henderson
'31-’34; Carter ’34; Teddy Hill ’34-’38; Kirby ’38-’45; Ellington ’46-'61 / '61-'74.
Joe Puma, b.Aug. 13, 1927. Guitarist with Shaw ’53; Bellson ’54?.
Frank Devito, b.Aug. 14, 1930. Drummer with DeFranco ’49 / ’51.
Morey Feld, b.Aug. 15, 1915. Drummer with Pollack ’36; Joe Haymes ’38; Goodman
’44-’45; Hackett ’53.
Joe Garland, b.Aug. 15, 1907. Tenor saxophonist for Millinder ‘30s; Hayes ‘30s;
Redman ‘30s; Armstrong ’41-’46?. Composer of Leap Frog and In the Mood.
Tommy Pederson, b.Aug. 15, 1920. Trombonist with Krupa ’40-’45; T Dorsey ’43;
Barnet ’44 / ’46.
Al Hibbler, b.Aug. 16, 1915. Vocalist with McShann ’42; Ellington ’43-’51.
Larry Clinton, b.Aug. 17, 1909. Arranger – composer for I Jones ’33; Hopkins ’33;
Dorsey Bros ’34; G Gray ’35-’36; T dorsey ’37; Berigan ’37. Leader of own band.
George Duvivier, b.Aug. 17, 1920. Bassist with C Hawkins ’41; Millinder ’42. Arranger
for Lunceford ’42 / ’45-’47.
Ike Quebec, b.Aug. 17, 1918. Tenor saxophonist with Calloway ’44-’51 [ not
continuous ].
Jack Sperling, b.Aug. 17, 1922. Drummer with Berigan ’41-’42; Beneke Navy band
’43-’45 / Beneke-Miller Orch ’46-’49 / Beneke ‘60s / ‘70s [ not continuous ];
Brown ’50-’54 / '60s / '70s [ not continuous ]; Crosby ’54-’57.
Med Flory, b.Aug. 17, 1926. Saxophonist with Thornhill ’50; Mooney ’52?; Herman
’53 / ’59.
Don Lamond, b.Aug. 18, 1920. Drummer with Herman ’45-’46 / ’47-’49; Shaw
Capitol LP ’68.
Eddie Shu, b.Aug. 18, 1918. Saxophonist with Hampton ’49-’50; Barnet ’50-’51; Krupa
’54-’58.
Eddie Durham, b.Aug. 19, 1906. Arranger – composer for Lunceford (Pigeon Walk,
Lunceford Special, Blues in the Groove); Basie (Out the Window, Topsy, Time
Out); Miller (Slip Horn Jive, Glen Island Special, Wham).
Spud Murphy, b.Aug. 19, 1908. Saxophonist – arranger for Garber ’31-’32; Hallett ’33;
Joe Haymes ’34. Arranger for Goodman; G Gray.
Jimmy Rowles, b.Aug. 19, 1918. Pianist with Goodman ’42; Herman ’42-’43 / ’46;
Crosby ’47-’51.
Frank Rosolino, b.Aug. 20, 1926. Trombonist with Chester ’46-’47; G Gray ’47;
Krupa ’48-’49; Pastor ’49; Auld ’51; Kenton ’52-’54.
Joya Sherrill, b.Aug. 20, 1927. Vocalist with Ellington ’44-’48 / ’57.
Jack Teagarden, b.Aug. 20, 1905. Trombonist with Pollack ’28-’33; Whiteman ’34-’38;
Armstrong ’47-’51. Leader of own band.
Count Basie, b.Aug. 21, 1904. Pianist with Moten ’30?-’35. Leader of own band.
Bob Crosby, b.Aug. 23, 1913. Vocalist with Dorsey Bros ’35. Leader of own band.
Paul Webster, b.Aug. 24, 1909. Trumpeter with Lunceford ’35-’42; Calloway ’44-’52
[ not continuous ]; Barnet ’46-’47 / ’52-’53; Oliver ‘50s.
Billy Moore, b.Aug. 25, 1917. Composer – arranger for Lunceford ’39-’42? (incl
Belgium Stomp, What’s Your Story Morning Glory, Chopin Prelude No.7, Bugs
Parade, Monotony in Four Flats); Barnet ’44 (incl Skyliner).
Jimmy Rushing, b.Aug. 26, 1903. Vocalist with Moten ’29; Basie ’35-’50; Goodman
’58 / ’59.
Frances Wayne, b.Aug. 26, 1924. Vocalist with Barnet ’42; Herman ’43-’46?; Hefti
’52-’53 / ’74. Married Hefti ’45.
Peter Appleyard, b.Aug. 26, 1928. Vibraphonist with Goodman ’71-’77.
Lester Young, b.Aug. 27, 1909. Tenor saxophonist with Kirk; Basie ’36-’40 / ’43-’44.
Charlie Parker, b.Aug. 29, 1920. Alto saxophonist with McShann ’41; Hines ’43;
Eckstine '44.
Dinah Washington, b.Aug. 29, 1924. Vocalist with Hampton ’43-’46.
Willie Bryant, b.Aug. 30, 1908. Leader of own band.
Edgar Sampson, b.Aug. 31, 1907. Saxophonist with Ellington ’27; F Henderson ’31-’33.
Saxophonist / composer – arranger with Webb ’33-’37. Arranger for Goodman
’36-’38. Composer of Blue Lou, If Dreams Come True, Stomping At the Savoy,
Don’t Be That Way, Lullaby in Rhythm.
go to Big Band Library homepage
