The big bands are back
in a new and exciting way
MAY 2015
"BIG BAND NEWS"
compiled by Music Librarian
CHRISTOPHER POPA
ON THE ROAD
Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart. May 5-9, Birdland Jazz Club,
New York City; May 10, start of Australia, Tazmania and New Zealand tour.
Harry James Orchestra directed by Fred Radke. May 10, Longview, WA.
Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Nick Hilscher. May 1, private dance at unspecified
location; May 2, Musikfest Café, Bethlehem, PA; May 3, Paramount Hudson
Valley, Peekskill, NY; May 4, private dance at unspecified location; May 7, private
concert at unspecified location; May 8, Walhalla Civic Auditorium, Walhalla, SC;
May 9, Younts Center, Fountain Inn, SC; May 12, Elyria School Performing Arts
Center, Elyria, OH; May 14, Music Hall Ballroom, Cincinnati, OH; May 15, Goddard
Auditorium, Greensburg, IN; May 17, Bartlesville Community Center, Bartlesville, OK;
May 19, Grand Island Liederkranz, Grand Island, NE; May 20, Pla Mor Ballroom,
Lincoln, NE; May 21, Lake Robbins Ballroom, Woodward, IA; May 23-24, J.
Scheidegger Center, St. Charles, MO.
Artie Shaw Orchestra directed by Matt Koza. May 3, “Let’s Swing: The Artie Shaw
Orchestra,” Patchogue Theatre, Patchogue, NY; May 31, Dreamland Theatre,
Nantucket Island, MA.
BERIGAN JUBILEE
The annual "Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee" will be held on the 15th through the 17th of this month, and The Classic Red Hot Dixie band is back by popular demand. The band, led by clarinetist and saxophonist Jack Trowbridge, played last year and was such a hit with the audience that they were asked to return this year.
Complete information about the "Jubilee" is on the website bunnyberiganjazzjubilee.com.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
Van Alexander, b.May 2, 1915. Arranger with Webb '36-'38 and bandleader '39-'43 /
Capitol LPs '59-'62.
Lorry Peters, b.May 20, 1932. Vocalist with McKinley-Miller Orch '57-'59.
Gene DiNovi, b.May 26, 1928. Pianist with Shaw '49 (5/31 Columbia session);
Goodman '48 (9/9 Capitol session) / '59.
NECROLOGY
Johnny Keating, 87, d. May 28, 2015. Trombonist and arranger with Heath '52-'53 /
'54-'69.
REMEMBERING YOU
Billy Byers, b.May 1, 1927. Trombonist with Auld '49; Goodman '49 (3/31 Capitol
session); Ventura '50. Arranger for Basie '64-'65.
Henderson Chambers, b.May 1, 1908. Trombonist with Armstrong '41-'43; Redman
'43 (V-Discs) / '46; Oliver '47-'52; Millinder '50-'53? / '55; Basie '53 / '64-'66;
Ellington '57 (Blue Note 6/12 broadcast); Calloway '58 (Gone album).
Bing Crosby, b.May 2, 1904. Vocalist with Whiteman '26-'30; recorded with Dorsey
Bros '29 / '32 / '33 / '35; Ellington ' 30 / '32; J Dorsey '31 / '36 / '37 / '46; Redman ‘32;
Bob Crosby '38 / '40 / '42; Venuti '39 / Herman '41 / '42; Teagarden '41; Jordan '44;
Hampton '46; Nichols '51; Armstrong '51 / '56 / '60.
Yank Lawson, b.May 3, 1911. Trumpeter with Pollack '33-'34; Crosby '35-'38 / '41-'42 /
'50 / '58 / '64 / '66 / '85; T Dorsey '38-'39; Goodman '43 / '85; Byrne '53; Armstrong
'57.
Maynard Ferguson, b.May 4, 1928. Trumpeter with J Dorsey '49; Barnet '49. Leader of
own band.
Mary Ann McCall, b.May 4, 1919. Vocalist with Herman '39 / '46 / '47-'49 / '76; Barnet
'39-'40; Shaw '50 (1/6 Gramercy Five Decca session); Ventura '54-'55?.
Sonny Payne, b.May 4, 1926. Drummer with E Hawkins '50-'53; Basie '55-'62 /
'62-'64 / '73-'74; James '67-'73?; Jacquet '76.
Moe Purtill, b.May 4, 1916. Drummer with Norvo '36-'37; T Dorsey '38; Miller '39-'42.
Paul Barbarin, b.May 5, 1901. Drummer with Armstrong '35-'38.
Frankie Carlson, b.May 5, 1914. Drummer and / or tympany with Herman '36-'43;
Miller '39; Nichols '44; Auld '52; Kenton '63 / '6 / '65 / '66.
Paul Quinichette, b.May 7, 1921. Tenor saxophonist with McShann '43-'44; Millinder
'48?-'49; Basie '51-'53; Goodman '55.
Herbie Steward, b.May 7, 1926. Saxophonist with Shaw '44-'45 / '49-'50; Rey '46;
Herman '47 / E Lawrence '50 (Decca "Prom Night" LP) / '57 (Four Brothers:
"Together Again" Vik LP); James '51-'54.
Red Nichols, b.May 8, 1905. Leader of own band.
Mary Lou Williams, b.May 8, 1910. Pianist / composer / arranger for Kirk '29-'42?;
Goodman '37 (Roll 'Em) / '48 (Mary's Idea) / '78; Ellington '46 (Blue Skies).
Bob Zurke, b.May 9, 1910. Pianist with Crosby '36-'39. Leader of own band.
Al Hendrickson, b.May 10, 1920. Guitarist with Shaw '40-'41; Slack '41 / '44 / '46 / '55
(EmArcy album); Goodman '47; Herman '47 / '51 / '55 / '57; May '53-'58?.
Pee Wee Hunt, b.May 10, 1907. Trombonist / vocalist with G Gray '29-'43.
Mel Lewis, b.May 10, 1929. Drummer for Anthony '49-'50 / '53 / '54; Beneke '50-'53;
Kenton '54-'57?.
J.C. Higginbotham, b.May 11, 1906. Trombonist with F Henderson '31-'33? / '37;
Carter '33; Millinder (Mills Blue Rhythm Band) '34-'36?; Armstrong '37-'40; Shaw '41
(6/26 Victor session).
Jack Jenney, b.May 12, 1910. Trombonist with Norvo '34-'35; Miller '35 (4/25 Columbia
session); Shaw '40-'41 / '41-'42?; Goodman '43. Leader of own band.
Bobby Plater, b.May 13, 1914. Saxophonist for Hampton '45-'51?; Basie '64-'82.
Skip Martin, b.May 14, 1916. Saxophonist or composer / arranger for Barnet '39-'40;
Goodman '41; Basie '41; Miller '41-'42; Brown '45? / '49.
Al Porcino, b.May 15, 1925. Trumpeter with Prima '44; Auld '45-'46; Herman '46 / '49 /
'54; Krupa '46; Kenton '50 / '55; Basie '51 / '62 (Sinatra / Basie Reprise album);
Barnet '52; J Gray '56-'57.
Zutty Singleton, b.May 14, 1898. Drummer with Armstrong '28; Eldridge '36?-'37;
Hampton '39 (12/24 Victor session); Waller '43; Teagarden '43 (11/16).
Dud Bascomb, b.May 16, 1916. Trumpeter with E Hawkins '36-'43; Ellington '47.
Eddie Bert, b.May 16, 1922. Trombonist with Norvo '41?-'42; Herman '43 / '50 (5/5
Capitol session); Kenton '47; Raeburn '48 / '56; Les Elgart '53-'54; E Lawrence
'54-'58?; Goodman '58 / '85?.
Woody Herman, b.May 16, 1913. Clarinetist with I Jones '34?-'36. Leader of own band.
Joe Roland, b.May 17, 1920. Vibraphonist with Shaw '53-'54.
Kai Winding b.May 18, 1922. Trombonist with Goodman '45-'46; Kenton '46-'47;
Ventura '47-'48?; Herman '53; McKinley '54 (Decca); Hampton '79.
Georgie Auld, b.May 19, 1919. Saxophonist with Berigan '37-'38; Shaw '38-'39 /
'41-'42; Savitt '40; Goodman '40-'41; Barnet '54 (6/27 Clef session). Leader of
own band.
Fats Waller, b.May 22, 1904. Pianist / vocalist with own band.
Roger Segure, b.May 22, 1905. Composer / arranger for Lunceford '40-'44; Shaw
'49?-'50.
Artie Shaw, b.May 23, 1910. Leader of own band.
Milt Bernhart, b.May 25, 1926. Trombonist with Raeburn '47; Kenton '47?-'51 / '55 /
'56 ("Kenton in Hi-Fi" album); Goodman '48-'49; Ferguson '50 / '52 / '54.
Edgar Hayes, b.May 25, 1904. Pianist / arranger with Millinder (Mills Blue Rhythm Band)
'31-'36. Leader of own band.
Ziggy Elman, b.May 26, 1914. Trumpeter with Goodman '36-'40; T Dorsey '40-'42? /
'46. Leader of own band.
Peggy Lee, b.May 26, 1922. Vocalist with Goodman '41-'43 / '59 ("Swing Into Spring"
TV show).
Bud Shank, b.May 27, 1926. Saxophonist with Barnet '48; Kenton '50-'51.
Dave Barbour, b.May 28, 1912. Guitarist with Norvo '36; Armstrong '38 (6/24 Decca
session); Shaw '39; Auld '40 (2/40 Varsity session); Goodman '42-'43; Teagarden '43
(11/16); Barnet '45.
Andy Kirk, b.May 28, 1898. Leader of own band.
Dick Hafer, b.May 29, 1927. Saxophonist with Barnet '49 / '58; Thornhill '50? (incl
RCA Victor "Gershwin" album); Herman '51-'55; Beneke '55; Hackett '57-'58;
Goodman '58 / '62.
Benny Goodman, b.May 30, 1909. Clarinetist with Pollack '25-'28; Nichols '29 /
'30-'31. Leader of own band.
Dave McKenna, b.May 30, 1930. Pianist with Herman ' 50-'51.
Bobby Sherwood, b.May 30, 1914. Guitarist / arranger with Shaw '40. Leader of own
band.
Gene Gifford, b.May 31, 1908. Composer / arranger for G Gray '29-'39?.
Otto (Toby) Hardwick, b.May 31, 1904. Alto saxophonist with Ellington '26-'28 / '32-'46.
BEST COMPACT DISC OF THE MONTH
How could anyone go wrong with Count Basie, the swingingest big band ever? Acrobat Music in England has just released performances from five of Basie’s “One Night Stand” broadcasts during 1944-46 on two CDs, catalog number ADDCD 3126. The band is heard from the Blue Room of the Hotel Lincoln and at the Aquarium Restaurant in New York City.
During World War II, the Armed Forces Radio Service had a regular line-up of shows to entertain the troops and maintain morale, and, of course, they invited the top big bands of the time to appear on them.
Some of the sidemen in the Basie band during the period covered include trumpeter Harry “Sweets” Edison, trombonist Dicky Wells, saxophonists Lester Young and Illinois Jacquet, bassist Walter Page, drummer Jo Jones, and vocalists Jimmy Rushing and Thelma Carpenter – not to mention Mr. Basie at the piano.
Tunes include It’s Sand, Man; Red Bank Boogie; Every Tub; Down for Double; 9:20 Special; and One o’Clock Jump.
Slightly unfortunate that Acrobat chose two broadcasts that were already out on a 2003 CD, "Count Basie At The Aquarium 1946" (Jazz Unlimited 201 2086).
BIG BAND LIBRARY RATING: Jazzy snapshot of the mid-40’s Basie band
MORE NEW CDS
Frankie Carle. “Era: The 30s, 40s & 50s,” Music Boutique CD-R. Fine salutes to his
fellow bandleaders by Carle and an all-star Hollywood band including Georgie Auld.
These were originally out on the Dot label.
Larry Clinton. “Dance Along with Larry Clinton,” Music Boutique CD-R. A 1959 Kapp
album with pop tunes of the day.
Xavier Cugat. “The Beautiful Sounds of Strings,” Music Boutique CD-R. Not the
typical Cugat material, it comes from his 1969 Musicor set.
Jan Garber. “Dancing Happy,” Music Boutique CD-R. One of Garber's Decca LPs.
Guy Lombardo. “By Special Request,” Music Boutique CD-R. One of Lombardo's
Decca LPs.
---. “Is That All There Is,” Music Boutique CD-R. The band as heard live at the
Tropicana in Las Vegas.
---. “A Wonderful Year,” Music Boutique CD-R. Some of 1965's biggest tunes played
by the Royal Canadians.
Freddy Martin. “Dancing Party,” Music Boutique CD-R. Selections from RCA Victor
that were once collected on an RCA Camden album.
Russ Morgan. “Music in the Country Manner,” Music Boutique CD-R. A Capitol album.
Various artists. “Shep Fields and Orrin Tucker: Dance Date ’38,” Music Boutique CD-R.
SNEAK PEEK
No fewer than five new Lionel Hampton CDs and four Lawrence Welk albums transferred to CD.
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