"BIG BAND NEWS"
JUNE 2005
reported by Christopher Popa

It's been years since there has been any release of Al Donahue's music, so a new compact disc from him tops this month's information, along with a
must-have book about the Swing Era.
AL DONAHUE
The CD covers the period that he was signed to Vocalion, starting on May 31, 1938 with Spring Is Here and ending with Goodbye, Good Luck, and God Bless You, on January 7, 1942.  Besides his popular version of Jeepers Creepers, made November 23, 1938, two masters never before released, Basket Weaver, recorded June 20, 1939, and Bumble Bee Stomp, done July 14, 1939, are included.  Here is the complete track listing for "The Solid Swing of Al Donahue and His Orchestra," Collectables 7684:

  1. Spring Is Here   Barry McKinley, vocal
  2. Stop Beatin' Round the Mulberry Bush   Paula Kelly, vocal
  3. Jeepers Creepers   Paula Kelly, vocal
  4. Alexander's Swingin'
  5. Stairway to the Stars   Paula Kelly, vocal
  6. South American Way   Paula Kelly, vocal
  7. Moon Love (adapted from Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony, 2nd Movement)    Paula Kelly, vocal
  8. Basket Weaver   Paula Kelly, vocal
  9. Bumble Bee Stomp
10. My Prayer   Phil Brito, vocal
11. Poor Old Joe   Hoagy Carmichael, vocal
12. In the Mood   Paula Kelly, vocal
13. Darn That Dream   Paula Kelly, vocal
14. Tuxedo Junction
15. You Can't Brush Me Off   Paula Kelly, vocal
16. Fifth Avenue   Dee Keating, vocal
17. Ohio Breakaway
18. The Wise Old Owl   Dee Keating, vocal
19. With a Twist of the Wrist   Phil Brito, vocal
20. Java Jive   Dee Keating, vocal
21. Why Don't We Do This More Often?   Pat Kaye, vocal
22. The Waiter and the Porter and the Upstairs Maid   Phil Brito & ensemble, vocal
23. I Wish I Had a Sweetheart (Like That Old Sweetheart of Mine)   Jean Gordon, vocal
24. Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag   Jean Gordon, vocal
25. Goodbye, Good Luck and God Bless You   Phil Brito, vocal

MORE NEW CD RELEASES:
Ray Anthony, "Plays the Arrangements of George Williams," Lone Hill Jazz 10194
Count Basie, "The Basie Boogie," Sounds of Yesteryear 671
June Christy, "Ballads for Night People," Capitol 60442
Duke Ellington, "The Essential Duke Ellington," Sony/BMG 89281 (2-CD)
Maynard Ferguson, "M.F. Horn," Wounded Bird 466; "Maynard Ferguson," Wounded Bird 1117
Coleman Hawkins, "The Stanley Dance Sessions," Lone Hill Jazz 10189
Eddy Howard, "To Each His Own," ASV 5580
Harry James, "The Jazz Sides: 1937-1947," Jazz Legends 1024; "Remember: His Orchestra
  and Friends," Sounds of Yesteryear 670
Budd Johnson, "The Stanley Dance Sessions," Lone Hill Jazz 10192
Stan Kenton, "Viva Kenton!," Capitol 60444
John Kirby, "Night Whispers: 1938-1946," Jazz Legends 1022
Jay McShann, "Solos and Duets," Sackville 5012
Glenn Miller, "Mainly Medleys: From 'Live' 1940 Chesterfield Shows," Sounds of Yesteryear
  669; "The Essential Glenn Miller," Sony/BMG 69241 (2 -CD) [ similar contents to "The Essential Glenn Miller,"
   RCA Bluebird 66520 (2-CD), released in 1995, except for a few different civilian recordings and the inclusion of a number of AAF cuts ]
Ella Mae Morse, "The Morse Code," Jasmine 418
The Pied Pipers, "Dreams From the Sunny Side of the Street," Jasmine 412 (2-CD)
Billy Strayhorn, "The Stanley Dance Sessions," Lone Hill Jazz 10191
Claude Thornhill, "The 1946-'47 Performances Vol.2," Hep 74
Ben Webster, "Blue Skies," Fruit Tree 845
Dickie Wells, "Bones for the King: The Ebullient Trombone Stylings of Dickie Wells,"
  Lone Hill Jazz 10190
Lester Young, "The Complete Studio Master Takes," Lone Hill Jazz 10187
various artists, "Big Band Themes: Remember Them?," Jasmine 423 (2-CD); "More Big Band
  Magic: Sounds Like the Fabulous Forties," Jasmine 420 (2-CD); "Sounds of Harlem,
  Volume 2" Hep 1066

CHRONOLOGICAL CLASSICS
The Classics label from France has resumed production, and among its new releases will be
"The Chronological Dizzy Gillespie 1953" (Classics 1380).  Starting in 1990, Classics gathered the studio recordings of many different big bands in chronological order, eventually reaching over 800 titles, also including jazz instrumentalists and vocalists.  Some runs, such as Charlie Barnet, Tommy Dorsey, and Woody Herman, were left incomplete when Classics halted releases 10 months ago.  There was no immediate word on when or if previously-issued titles would again be available. 

NEW DVDs:
Duke Ellington, "Live At Tivoli Gardens," Image Entertainment
Lionel Hampton, "Jazz Legend: King of the Vibes," Hudson Music

#49 IN THE "STUDIES IN JAZZ" SERIES
As publicity material explains it, "15 year-old Bob Inman was given a radio for Christmas in 1935.  From then until August 1938, he kept a meticulous log of all the radio shows he listened to and chronicled the hundreds of jazz shows he witnessed.  Along with his collection of pictures and autographs, these logs eventually became seven large scrapbooks detailing the world of swing music in New York.  Bob saw Benny Goodman at the Paramount Theater, Louis Armstrong at Loews State, Duke Ellington at Harlem's Apollo Theatre, Chick Webb at the Savoy Ballroom, Count Basie at Roseland, and hundreds of other prominent musicians and venues."  This information has now been compiled by Ken Vail into a 416-page book, Swing Era Scrapbook:
The Teenage Diaries and Radio Logs of Bob Inman, 1936-1938, published by Scarecrow Press, Inc.  "Inman's descriptions of these trips form a social history of life during one of Manhattan's most vibrant and charming periods," the press release states.  "Ken Vail has applied his talent as a graphic artist to enhance the presentation of these radio logs and turn them into a fascinating and useful reference source, which includes listings of commercial studio recordings for the period, autographs of hundreds of musicians, and publicity photographs and original snapshots by Inman and friends.  Together with a preface by Dan Morgenstern, this scrapbook will interest students and historians alike."

ALSO NEW IN-PRINT:
Fratallone, Stephen, "Snappy Nappy: Nappy Lamare Centennial Looks At Guitarist's Legacy
  To Dixieland," jazzconnectionmag.com, June-July 2005
Halper, Donna L.  "Hats off to a Happy Cowboy: A Salute to Herb Jeffries," Classic Images,
  June 2005, pp.73-76.
Scannell, Walter.  "Artie Shaw At War!," Nostalgia Digest, Summer 2005, pp.24-28.

NECROLOGY:
William Henry "Billy" Bauer, 89, guitarist (Wald '40-'41; Herman '44-'46; Goodman '48, '56),
  June 17, 2005, complications of pneumonia
Gordon "Chris" Griffin, 89, trumpeter (Barnet '33-'35; Goodman '36-'39), June 18, 2005,
  melanoma
Dale Norris, 68, saxophonist (Kenton '63), June 28, 2005, lung cancer

ARTIE SHAW - TAKE 1
Evelyn Keyes, who was married to Artie Shaw from 1957 to 1985, is suing his estate, claiming he died owing her $150,000.  Keyes stated that Shaw was short on cash in the early 1970s and had borrowed the money in order to sue others, disputing royalties or for having used his likeness without authorization.  It's alleged that Keyes and Shaw signed a contract indicating their wills would "leave our entire estates to each other," and that he promised her that he would repay the loan or give her 50 percent of the money he recovered from his lawsuits, whichever was greater.  Keyes is now asking for a judgement of more than $1 million.

ARTIE SHAW - TAKE 2
"Artie Shaw: A Life in Music" was among the courses offered June 19-24 at the so-called Mini University, Indiana University's nationally recognized "learning vacation" at the Bloomington campus.  "Mini U" participants attend up to 15 non-credit mini-courses that they choose from more than 100 offerings, all taught by some of IU's finest faculty members.  Each course lasts approximately 75 minutes and allows attendees to learn in a relaxed setting without the pressure of exams.  The Shaw study was taught by jazz expert Dr. David Baker.  More information was available through alumni.indiana.edu/bloomington/miniu or by calling 800-824-3044.

MIDSUMMER NIGHT SWING
"Flying Home: A Multimedia Tribute to Illinois Jacquet" is one of the highlights of the 17th annual Midsummer Night Swing, held at Lincoln Center in New York City June 16th through July 16th.  The Jacquet night, to take place July 16th, will feature The Clark Terry Big Band and special guests.  Other events scheduled included "A Tribute to Artie Shaw" by Bob Rotunda's 19-piece Stardusters Big Band on June 21st and The Nelson Riddle Orchestra directed by Christopher Riddle on June 16th.

ITINERARIES - SELECT LIST: 
Count Basie Orchestra directed by Bill Hughes: June 2, Coral Gables Congregational
  Church, Coral Gables, FL; June 3, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL; June 4, First Presbyterian
  Church, Bonita Springs, FL; June 5, Tito Puente Amphitheater, San Juan, Puerto Rico; June 26,
  Masonic Theatre, Clifton Forge, VA; June 28, Hilton Hotel, Harrisburg, PA
Cab Calloway Orchestra conducted by Calloway Brooks: June 25, Marriott Ballroom,
  Charleston, WV
Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra directed by Bill Tole: June 3, Spokane, WA; June 25, Fish Creek,
  WI
Jan Garber Orchestra under the direction of Howard Schnieder: June 10, The Fountains,
  Carmel, IN; June 12, Dubuque County Fairgrounds, Dubuque, IA
Sammy Kaye Orchestra directed by Roger Thorpe: June 25, Renaissance Theater,
  Mansfield, OH; June 26, James Dicke Auditorium, New Bremen, OH; June 27, Bear Creek
  Farms Theatre, Bryant, IN
Gene Krupa Orchestra directed by Michael Berkowitz: June 3, private event, Atlantic City, NJ
Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Larry O'Brien: June 1, Midland Theatre, Newark, OH;
  June 3, Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, Dearborn, MI; June 4, Kirtland Community
  College, Roscommon, MI; June 5, Burton Manor, Livonia, MI; June 7, Forest Lake Senior High
  School, Forest Lake, MN; June 9-11, Clarinda High School, Clarinda, IA; June 13,
  University of Arkansas, Batesville, AR; June 14, Clarksville High School, Clarksville, AR;
  June 17, Hilton Suites Nashville Downtown, Nashville, TN; June 18, Von Braun Civic Center,
  Huntsville, AL; June 19, Woodland Hills Ballroom, Memphis, TN; June 21, The Wink Theatre,
  Dalton, GA; June 23, Jaffa Temple, Altoona, PA; June 24, American Music Theatre,
  Lancaster, PA; June 25, Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MD; June 26, private event, Chestertown,
  MD; June 27, Westchester Broadway Dinner Theatre, Elmsford, NY; June 28, Brookside Park,
  Bloomfield, NJ; June 30, Media Theater, Media, PA
Russ Morgan Orchestra directed by Jack Morgan: June 5, Hub Ballroom, Edelstein, IL; June
  17, City Park Band Shell, Geneseo, IL; June 18, American Legion, Orland, IN; June 19,
  Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Rose Festival, Dubuque, IA
Garry Stevens: June 13, Acalanes Adult Education Center, Walnut Creek, CA [ with the Contra
  Costa Jazz Band ]



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