FEBRUARY 2015 "BIG BAND NEWS"
compiled by Music Librarian CHRISTOPHER POPA
The big bands are back
in a new and exciting way!
PICK COMPACT DISC OF THE MONTH
Ozzie Nelson. “Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra: “What a Perfect Combination,’”
Crystal Stream Audio (Aus) IDCD294. 25 recordings from 1931 to 1938, such as
Mary [recorded November 25, 1931 for Brunswick], Look What You’ve Done
[November 29, 1932, Brunswick], What’s Good for the Goose (Is Good for the
Gander) [ February 5, 1934, Vocalion], and Says My Heart [ April 6, 1938,
Bluebird]. Crystal Stream often chooses bands and songs that haven’t been overly
reissued, and they do a good job on the sound. Ozzie made many records for
those labels (especially Bluebird), so I hope that Crystal Stream will collect more
for additional volumes.
Big Band Library rating: Worth it!
OTHER NEW COMPACT DISCS
Lionel Hampton. “Lionel Hampton And His Orchestra: Rock Rock Rock,” Sounds of
YesterYear (E) DSOY988. Broadcast performances of things Hampton made
famous including Flying Home and Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop, along with other songs
from the same period like I’ll Get By, Idaho, Swanee River, and Star Dust.
Harry James. “Harry James And His Music Makers: Twenty Golden Greats ‘Live,’”
Sounds of YesterYear (E) DSOY985. A number of tunes associated with James
such as Ultra, Back Beat Boogie, Flatbush Flanagan, and Trumpet Blues, as
well as others like Your Red Wagon, Dancing in the Dark, and Rockin’ in Rhythm
that were not. The photo of Harry on the cover is from the 1940s, but the music
seems to be from the ‘40s, ‘50s, and early ‘60s.
Stan Kenton. “Concerts In Miniature Volume Seven” Sounds of YesterYear (E) DSOY
986. This group of NBC radio broadcasts comes from Lakeside Park Ballroom in
Dayton, OH on September 16, 1952 and The Arena in London, Ontario, Canada on
September 25, 1952. The shows are complete in their original form of presentation.
---. “The Vido Musso Orchestra: Thanks for the Thrill: Featuring Stan Kenton [ sic ],”
Sounds of YesterYear (E) DSOY987. Kenton fans may enjoy hearing one of his
famous musicians, saxophonist Vido Musso, in a different setting, with his own
big band. These selections are not listed in Tom Lord’s The Jazz Discography
Volume 15 (West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Lord Music Reference Inc.,
1996).
Various artists. “Hits Of The Forties,” Sounds of YesterYear (E) DSOY 984. Mostly
vocals by singers or groups, though it does include I’m Nobody’s Baby by Judy
Garland backed up by Bobby Sherwood and His Orchestra, Begin the Beguine by The
Andrews Sisters with Bob Crosby and His Bobcats, and Dream by The Pied Pipers
with Paul Weston and His Orchestra.
LIGHT THOSE BIRTHDAY CANDLES
Sammy Nestico, b.Feb 6, 1924. Arranger - composer with Basie '67-'84.
Elliot Lawrence, b.Feb 14, 1925. Pianist and bandleader.
Les Brown, Jr., b.Feb 15, 1940. Son of bandleader Les Brown. Sang with his father's
band, then, upon Les Sr.'s death, took it over.
Peggy King, b.Feb 16, 1930. Vocalist with Spivak '50; Flanagan '51; J Gray '55 "Stand
By for Music."
Pete Christlieb, b.Feb 16, 1945. Tenor saxophonist with J. Gray '63-'64; Zentner '65;
Bellson '67; Severinsen / Tonight Show '72-'92.
Joe Wilder, b.Feb 22, 1922. Trumpeter with Hampton '46; Lunceford '47; Basie '53-'54.
Joe LaBarbera, b.Feb 22, 1948. Drummer with Herman '72 "The Raven Speaks."
Michael Berkowitz, b.Feb 23, 1949. Drummer and leader of Krupa Orch '03- .
Dave Pell, b.Feb 26, 1925. Tenor saxophonist with Brown '48-'55.
NECROLOGY
Anita Darian, 87, d.Feb 1, 2015, "complications from surgery." Soprano vocalist with
Sauter-Finegan '54-'57?.
Clark Terry, 94, d.Feb 21, 2015, cardiac complications. Trumpeter with Hampton '45;
Barnet '46; Ventura '47; Basie '48-'51; Ellington '51-'59.
REMEMBERING YOU
Tricky Sam Nanton, b.Feb 1, 1904. Trombonist with Ellington '26-'45.
Stan Getz, b.Feb 2, 1927. Tenor saxophonist with Kenton '44-'45; Goodman '45-'46;
Herman ' 47-'49.
Tony Gottuso, b.Feb 2, 1917. Guitarist with Shaw '36-'37; Whiteman '38.
Joe Mondragon, b.Feb 2, 1920. Bassist with Herman '46; Rich '56-'57.
Sonny Stitt, b.Feb 2, 1924. Saxophonist with Eckstine '45-'46; Gillespie '46.
Chico Alvarez, b.Feb 3, 1920. Trumpeter with Kenton '41-'3 / '46-'51.
Snooky Young, b.Feb 3, 1919. Trumpeter with Lunceford '39-'42; Hampton '42-'43;
Basie '45-'47 / '57-'62.
Gil Bernal, b.Feb 4, 1931. Tenor saxophonist with Hampton '50-'51.
Artie Bernstein, b.Feb 4, 1909. Bassist with Nichols '31; Dorsey Bros '32-'34; Norvo
'33; Clinton '37; Thornhill '37; Goodman '39-'41.
Manny Klein, b.Feb 4, 1908. Trumpeter with Whiteman '28; Dorsey Bros '33;
Goodman '34; Shaw '40.
Don Goldie, b.Feb 5, 1930. Trumpeter with Teagarden '59-'61.
Don Fagerquist, b.Feb 6, 1927. Trumpeter with Krupa '45 / '47-'49 / '50; Shaw '49-'50;
Herman '51-'52; Brown '52-'56.
Bernie Glow, b.Feb 6, 1926. Trumpeter with Shaw '45; Raeburn ' 47 / '56 / '57;
Herman ' 47-'49 / '50 / '53.
Conrad Gozzo, b.Feb 6, 1922. Trumpeter with I Jones '38; Norvo '40; Chester '41;
Thornhill '41-'42; Shaw '42-'44; Herman '46 / '51-'57; Beneke-Miller Orch '47-'48;
then studio work for Crosby '47?-'51; J Gray '49-'53; Anthony '51-'58; May '51-'64.
Howard McGhee, b.Feb 6, 1918. Trumpeter with Hampton '41; Kirk '41-'42 / '43-'44;
Barnet '42-'43; Auld '44.
Joe Maini, b.Feb 8, 1930. Saxophonist with Rey '48; Thornhill '51.
Buddy Morrow, b.Feb 8, 1919. Trombonist with Shaw '36-'37 / '68 (Capitol LP); Duchin
'37; T Dorsey '38; Whiteman '39; Crosby '40-'42; J Dorsey '45. Leader of own band.
Leader of T Dorsey Orch '77-'91.
Peanuts Holland, b.Feb 9, 1910. Trumpeter with F Henderson '41-'42; Barnet '42-'46;
Redman '46.
Walter Page, b.Feb 9, 1900. Bassist with Moten '31-'34; Basie '36-'42 / '46-'49.
Foots Thomas, b.Feb 10, 1907. Saxophonist with Calloway '30-'43; Redman '43.
Chick Webb, b.Feb 10, 1909. Leader / drummer of own band.
Tex Beneke, b.Feb 12, 1914. Tenor saxophonist / vocalist with Miller '38-'42. Leader
of MIller Orch '46-'50. Leader of own band.
Buddy Childers, b.Feb 12, 1926. Trumpeter with Kenton '43-50 / '52-'54; T Dorsey
'51-'52.
Mel Powell, b.Feb 12, 1923. Pianist / composer with Goodman '41-'42; Miller AAF
'43-'44.
Bernie Privin, b.Feb 12, 1919. Trumpeter with Shaw '38-'39 / '68 (Capitol LP); Barnet
'40-'41 / '43; Goodman '41 / '42 / '45-'46; Miller '43-'45; Hefti '54.
Lennie Hayton, b.Feb. 13, 1908. Pianist / arranger with Nichols '27-'28; Whiteman '28-'30.
Arranger for Shaw '40-'41.
Jack Lesberg, b.Feb 14, 1920. Bassist with Spanier '40; Goodman '46 / '67;
Teagarden '47; Armstrong '47 / '49; T Dorsey '50; McKinley '50 / '53; Butterfield '54 /
'56-'5 / Hackett '63 / '69-'70.
Taft Jordan, b.Feb 15, 1915. Trumpeter with Webb '33-'39; Ellington '43-'47;
Oliver '50-'52?; Goodman '58.
Charlie Fowlkes, b.Feb 16, 1916. Baritone saxophonist with Hampton '44-'48;
Basie '51-'69 / '75-'80.
Buddy DeFranco, b.Feb 17, 1923. Clarinetist with Fio Rito '42; Barnet '43-'44; T Dorsey
'44-'45 / '45-'46 / '47; Basie '50. Bandleader '51; Miller Orch '66-'74.
Tadd Dameron, b.Feb 21, 1917. Arranger / composer for Leonard '40-?; C Hawkins
'47; Shaw '49.
Rex Stewart, b.Feb 22, 1907. Cornetist with Henderson '26 / '28-'33; Ellington '34-'45.
John Carisi, b.Feb 23, 1922. Trumpeter with Miller AAF '43; Thornhill '49 / '50;
McKinley '51-'52.
Flip Phillips, b.Feb 26, 1915. Tenor saxophonist with Herman '44-'46 / '72 (Newport,
RI Jazz Festival) / '78 (Century LP); Goodman '59-'60.
Mildred Bailey, b.Feb 27, 1907. Vocalist with Whiteman '29-'33; Norvo '36-'39;
Goodman '39.
Abe Most, b.Feb 27, 1920. Clarinetist / saxophonist with Brown '41-'42 / '49?-'50;
T Dorsey '46-'47.
Leo Watson, b.Feb 27, 1898. Vocalist with Shaw '37; Krupa '38.
Ben Webster, b.Feb 27, 1909. Tenor saxophonist with Moten '31-'33; F Henderson 34;
Calloway '36-'37; Ellington '35-'36 / '40-43 / '48-'49; Herman '43.
Lee Castle, b.Feb 28, 1915. Trumpeter with Shaw '36-'37 / '41-'42/ '50; T Dorsey ' 37-'39;
Bradley '41; Dorsey Brothers '53-'56; McKinley ('55 Grand Award LP).
Jimmy Dorsey, b.Feb 29, 1904. Alto saxophonist / clarinetist with Nichols '26-'27;
Whiteman '27-'28; Dorsey Brothers '34-'35 / '53-'56; leader of own band.
WHERE THE BANDS ARE
Tex Beneke Orchestra directed by Jim Snodgrass. Feb 15, "Tribute to Glenn Miller
and the Band Leaders," Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, Cerritos, CA [ with
Peter Marshall, The Mills Brothers featuring John Mills, The Chordettes, Polly
Podewell, Madeline Vergari, Bonnie Bowden ].
Les Elgart Orchestra directed by Russ Dorsey. Feb 14, private party, Prestonwood
Country Club, Dallas, TX.
Jan Garber Orchestra directed by Howard Schneider. Feb 18, Madera Clubhouse,
Green Valley, AZ.
Harry James Orchestra directed by Fred Radke. Feb 1-6, “Florida Only” [ no
details provided ].
Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Nick Hilscher. Feb 2, Chipley High School,
Chipley, FL; Feb 3, Luck Flanders Gambrell Center, Swainsboro, GA; Feb 5,
Naval Air Station, Pensacola, FL; Feb 6, Oxford Performing Arts Center, Oxford, AL;
Feb 10, Visual & Performing Arts Center Theater, Oklahoma City, OK; Feb 12,
Houston Scottish Rite Temple, Houston, TX; Feb 13, Strange Brew, Austin, TX;
Feb 14, Texas A&M-Corpus Christ, Corpus Christi, TX; Feb 15, Cameron ISD
Performing Arts Center, Cameron, TX; Feb 17, Tydings Auditorium, Hobbs High
School, Hobbs, NM; Feb 19, Clovis Civic Center, Clovis, NM; Feb 22, Chandler
Centre for the Arts, Chandler, AZ; Feb 24, Heritage Center Theater, Cedar City, UT;
Feb 28, Arnold Hall Theater, Colorado Springs, CO.
TONY’S TALKING
Glenn Miller expert Tony Eaton will give his talk “The Curious Disappearance of Glenn Miller” on the 4th of this month at the Langford Village Women’s Institute, Bicester, England.
SNEAK PEEK
A reissue of Phil Harris performances that haven’t been in-print for more than 50 years is on its way. So, too, are more volumes of Stan Kenton’s “Concerts in Miniature,” some Glenn Miller AAF music from 1943-44, and a collection of Abe Lyman's band.
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