TURN ON THAT RED-HOT HEAT
(AND BURN YOUR BLUES AWAY)
Almost one-hundred years ago, Bunny Berigan was born in Fox Lake, WI (the exact date was November 2, 1908), and the annual celebration of his life and career, the Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee, will take place May 16-18 in his hometown of Fox Lake, WI.
For example, the "Bunny Berigan Memorial Band with Rev. Al Townsend" gets things underway at Mullin's Drive-In and, later, at the Fox Lake Community Center. Rev. Townsend is a trumpeter from LaCrosse, WI. A breakfast brunch, promising a guest speaker and a multi-media show of Berigan photos, is to be held at the American Legion. And a memorial service at Berigan's gravesite in St. Mary's Cemetery on Breezy Point Road will take place.
Additional information, including the full line-up of musical performances, is on the website bunnyberiganjazzjubilee.com.
Meanwhile, award-winning swing historian and writer Michael P. Zirpolo, Jr. is at work on a lengthy narrative about Berigan, which may see fruition as a book.
"I am up to the summer of 1938, which was a critical time for Bunny and his band," Zirpolo recently told me. "It was at this time that he started to experience problems that over time compounded, ultimately leading to the collapse of his health and the loss of his band."
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHITEMAN
There'll be an afternoon of talks about Paul Whiteman on the 5th of this month in Berk Recital Hall at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.
Don Rayno, author of Paul Whiteman: Pioneer in American Music, Volume 1 1890-1930 (Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2003), will speak about Whiteman at 1 pm. He recently told me that he expects Volume 2 of his Whiteman research to be completed in 2009.
Rayno will be followed at Berklee from 2 to 3 pm by a panel of scholars and performers discussing Whiteman's importance, including saxophonist Al Gallodoro, 94, who will recall his days with Whiteman.
For additional details, phone (607) 434-0798.
JAMES SESSION
Historian and journalist John R. Tumpak will present a program titled "A Tribute to Harry James" from 2 to 3:30 pm on the 17th of this month at the Brand Library & Art Center in Glendale, CA.
Besides lecturing on James' life and career, Tumpak will share recorded performances by him.
There is no admission charge.
For more information, call (818) 548-2051.
NECROLOGY
Mona Hinton, 89?, wife of the late bassist Milt Hinton, d.May 3, 2008, "after a long illness."
Franz Jackson, 95, saxophonist (F. Henderson '38; Eldridge '39; Hines '40-'41), d.May 6, 2008, "natural
causes."
Bob Florence, 75, pianist - arranger (Zentner '59-'65), d. May 15, 2008, "after a long illness" /
"pneumonia."
Jack Duffy, 81, vocalist (T. Dorsey '48-'50), d.May 19, 2008, "natural causes."
Stan Aronson, 92, saxophonist (Miller '38-'39), d.May 19, 2008.
Jimmy McGriff, 72, organist (Rich '74 Groove Merchant LP "The Last Blues Album, Vol.1"), d.May 24, 2008,
"believed to be heart failure."
Earle Hagen, 88, trombonist (T. Dorsey '37-'38; Noble '39-'41) - composer (Harlem Nocturne), d.May 26,
2008, "attributed to natural causes."
GET WELL, DICK JOHNSON
The leader of The Artie Shaw Orchestra since it was re-formed in 1983, clarinetist - saxophonist Dick Johnson, 82, is reported in ill health. While the band performs this month, his role is being taken by clarinetist - saxophonist Rich Chiaraluce, who also had filled in for Johnson earlier this year.
"Dick has been ill for some time, and we learned that he is not recovering in time to pick up duties with the band," Dave Carr of Macarmill Productions, which is bringing the Shaw Orchestra to Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada for a fundraiser on the 23rd of this month, told me. Ironically, May 23rd was the anniversary of the day which Shaw was born.
According to Marcarmill Productions' website on May 3, 40% of available tickets had been sold thus far for the date. (Other gigs for the Shaw Orchestra this month, including a couple of high-profile one-night stands, are shown below.)
Chiaraluce, a Colorado resident, recently toured aboard the Mississippi Queen with The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and also has played with The Woody Herman Orchestra. He attended the Navy School of Music in Norfolk, VA, then performed with The North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) Band in Colorado Springs. Afterwards, he studied woodwinds at the University of Northern Colorado, graduating in 1974 with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education.
NAME BAND ITINERARIES
Count Basie Orchestra directed by Bill Hughes: May 22, Palace Theatre, Greensburg, PA.
Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra directed by Bill Tole, May 2, Schaumburg, IL; May 3, Stoughton,
WI.
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra directed by Buddy Morrow, May 3, Lexington Music Theatre Co.,
Lexington, MI; May 4, River Raisin Centre for the Arts, Monroe, MI; May 5, Northport
Community Arts Center, Northport, MI; May 15, Orpheum Theater, Galesburg, IL.
Les Elgart Orchestra directed by Russ Dorsey, May 15, Old Bedford School, Bedford, TX.
Hal McIntyre Orchestra directed by Don Pentleton, May 16, Amazing Things Arts Center,
Framingham, MA.
Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Larry O'Brien, May 1, Valentine Theatre, Toledo, OH;
May 3, Cultural Life Center, Rochester, NY; May 5, La Comedia Dinner Theatre,
Springboro, OH; May 6, Villa Milano, Columbus, OH; May 7, Croatia Lodge, Eastlake,
OH; May 9, [ tba ], Pottsville, PA; May 10, Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg, PA; May 11,
Rich Forum, Stamford, CT; May 14, Smithtown Performing Arts Center, Smithtown, NY;
May 15, Eichelberger Performing Arts Center, Hanover PA; May 17, Owls Head
Transportation Museum, Owls Head, ME; May 18, Saint Anselm College, Manchester,
NH; May 20, Caribou Performing Arts Center, Caribou, ME; May 22, Hanover Theatre,
Worcester, MA; May 24, Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo, NY [ with The Buffalo Symphony ];
May 27, Maryland Theatre, Hagerstown, MD; May 29, Smoky Mountain Entertainment
Complex, Pigeon Forge, TN; May 30, Cumberland County Playhouse, Crossville, TN.
Russ Morgan Orchestra directed by Jack Morgan, May 30, John Knox Village, Lees
Summit, MO; May 31, Albert's Old Augustines, Belleville, IL.
Artie Shaw Orchestra directed by Rich Chiaraluce, May 19, Tropicana Casino & Resort,
Atlantic City, NJ; May 20, Blues Alley, Washington, DC; May 23, Harry Lumley Bayshore
Community Centre, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada; May 24, Smith Opera House,
Geneva, NY.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
Van Alexander, arranger (Webb '36-'38) - bandleader ('39-'43 / Capitol LPs '59-'62), b.May 2, 1915.
Buddy Catlett, bassist (Basie '62-'64), b.May 13, 1933.
Al Porcino, trumpeter (Herman '49 / '54 / '59; Kenton '55 / '60 / '65; J. Gray '56-'60?), b. May 15, 1925.
Eddie Bert, trombonist (Norvo '41-'42; Herman '43 / '50; Kenton '47; McKinley '52; Les Elgart '54; Lawrence '55-'59),
b.May 16, 1922.
Gene DiNovi, pianist (Shaw '49; Goodman '48 / '59), b.May 26, 1928.
Lorrie Peters, vocalist (McKinley-Miller '57-'59? / '61 RCA Victor LP "Glenn Miller Time"), b.May 20, 1932.
Dave McKenna, pianist (Ventura '49 / '54; Herman '50-'51; Krupa '56-'57; Morrow '57; Hackett '59), b.May 30, 1930.
NEW COMPACT DISCS
Billy Eckstine, "All of My Life," Jasmine ( UK ) JASCD 483 [ a 2-CD set including the title
song which is a 1957 Mercury recording ].
Duke Ellington, "The Treasury Shows Volume 13," D.E.T.S. ( Sweden ) 903 9013
[ 2-CDs ].
---, "New York New York," Storyville ( Sweden ) 101 8402 [ 19 previously-unreleased
selections recorded 1970-72 ].
Elliot Lawrence, "Straight From the Heart," Audiophonic 80401 [ 2-CDs; performances
from ca.1948? with vocalists Jack Hunter and Rosalind Patton ].
Joe Reichman, "Little Thoughts," Audiophonic 80225 [ 1944; 2-CDs ].
Jack Teagarden, "Jack Teagarden and Maxine Sullivan: Memories of You," Collectables
COL 0870.
Rudy Vallee, "Heigh Ho Everybody," Collectables COL 0873 [ including, among others, his
1958 RKO-Unique recordings of Sweet Music, Rain, and Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries ].
IN-PRINT AND / OR ONLINE
"Artie Shaw Orchestra playing in Owen Sound next
Friday," Meaford [ Ontario, Canada ] Express, May
16, 2008 [ a fundraiser to establish an operating room
dedicated to Minimally Invasive or "Keyhole" Surgery
at the Owen Sound Hospital ].
Julie Flemming, "Nationally known trombone player to
perform at Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee," Beaver Dam
[ WI ] Citizen, May 5, 2008 [ Doug Finke ].
Karl Gehrke, "Sharing a swingin' archive," Minnesota
Public Radio / minnesota.publicradio.org, May 1,
2008 [ Twin Cities Public Television will air a half-hour
program, "Big Band Treasures," on May 4th, produced
from jazz fan Bob DeFlores' film collection of over
6,000 titles ].
"Glenn Miller Orchestra plans June 14 performance,"
Clarinda [ IA ] Herald-Journal, May 7, 2008 [ personnel
and other changes as they prepare to play "The Glenn
Miller Birthplace Society Festival" ].
The big bands are back
in a new and exciting way!
Bunny Berigan
MAY 2008
"BIG BAND NEWS"
compiled by Music Librarian
CHRISTOPHER POPA
BIG BAND REUNION
LUNCHEON AND CONCERT
The Modernaires, Peter Marshall, and Stan Freberg will be the guests of honor when The Big Band Academy of America holds its 22nd annual "Big Band Reunion Luncheon & Concert" on Sun., June 1st in the Empire Room of the Sportsmen's Lodge, 12833 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City, CA.
Paula Kelly, Jr. and Julie Dickinson carry on the famous vocal group stylings of their parents, Hal Dickinson and Paula Kelly, with the latest incarnation of The Modernaires. Other members of The Modernaires are Joe Croyle, who joined in 1996, and Jim Stephens, a recent addition. The Modernaires' official website can be viewed at themodernaires.com.
Peter Marshall may be best-known as a TV game show host, but he started in show business as a vocalist with Bob Chester's orchestra. Years later, he appeared in concert packages with Harry James, Les Brown, and Tex Beneke, and in 1984 hosted "Big Bands At Disneyland," a Disney Channel series.
Iconoclastic comedian Stan Freberg used Billy May as his musical director for a series of humorous recordings at Capitol during the 1950s, including Pass the Udder
Udder, The Honey Earthers, Rock Around Stephen Foster, Tele-Vee-Shun, Wun'erful, Wun'erful!, Green Chri$tma$, and The Old Payola Roll Blues . In 1960-61, they collaborated on an LP, "Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America, Vol.1," and 35 years later on a sequel issued on the Rhino label.
Doors to the Big Band Reunion open at 12 Noon; lunch will be served at 1:00 pm; and the program will take place from 2:00 to 3:30pm.
Besides backing the guests in performance, the 18-piece "Big Band Academy Blue Ribbon Band," under the direction of saxophonist Pat Longo, will play for a half-hour dance set from 3:30 tp 4:00pm.
Past honorees have included the legendary bandleaders Louie Bellson, Tex Beneke, Les Brown, and Billy May, as well as the popular vocalists Helen Forrest, Herb Jeffries, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Jo Stafford, and Kay Starr.
To purchase tickets to the Big Band Reunion or for more information, contact organizer David Bernhart via bigbandacademy@yahoo.com.
[ top ] The Modernaires, 2008. Photo courtesy of Paula Kelly, Jr. and used with permission. [ middle ] Peter Marshall with Harry James, 1976. Image courtesy of Peter Marshall Enterprises and used with permission. [ bottom ] Stan Freberg and Billy May. Photo courtesy of Larry Bunker Music.
Richard Grudens, Star Dust: The Bible of the Big Bands (Stony Brook, NY: Celebrity
Profiles Publishing, 2008) [ "It is over 700 pages with over 350 photos," Grudens
told me ].
George Hulme, "Stereo Jazz Recording: Striving for Studio Session Realism,"
IAJRC Journal, Vol.41 No.2 / May 2008, pp.21-23 [ concludes that "the earliest stereo
jazz" recording was the salute to Glenn Miller concert April 17, 1954, taped by producer
Gene Norman ].
Ralph Jungheim, "Remembering Duke," IAJRC Journal, Vol.41 No.2 / May 2008, pp.58-59
[ a personal remembrance of Duke Ellington ].
Christopher Loudin, "Overdue Ovation: Keely Smith: Out From the Shadows," Jazztimes,
May 2008, pp.42-44 [ an excellent, revealing article which incorporates fresh comments
by Smith (Prima '49-'61) ].
Elaine Raines, "Tales From the Morgue: The Swingingest Band in All the Land,"
[ Tucson ] Arizona Daily Star, May 9, 2008 [ remembering the 6 local appearances
between 1969 and 1980 by Count Basie and His Orchestra ].
Mike Rothman, "Boynton Beach man donates rare Glenn Miller scores to FAU," South
Florida Sun-Sentinel / sun-sentinel.com, May 21, 2008 [ Martin Winner has donated
three original Miller AAF band scores, Hallelujah, Candy, and There Goes That Song
Again, to Florida Atlantic University ].
Charles A. Sengstock, Jr., "Frankie Masters - From 1920's Chicago Cabarets to New
York Hotels and Back - and Everything in Between," [ Chicago Federation of Musicians
Local 10-208 AFM ] Intermezzo, May / June 2008 (Vol.68 No.5), pp.14-16.
Robert L. Stockdale, "The Dorsey Brothers - Filmdom's Favorites," IAJRC Journal, Vol.4
No.2 / May 2008, pp.46-57 [ a comprehensive discussion of film appearances by Jimmy
and Tommy Dorsey ].
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