The big bands are back
in a new and exciting way!
NOVEMBER 2014
"BIG BAND NEWS"
compiled by Music Librarian CHRISTOPHER POPA
big band trumpeter Pauly Cohen
photo by Amy Beth Bennett of The Miami Sun-Sentinel
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Trumpeter Pauly Cohen played with some of the best bands during the golden days of jazz, including Artie Shaw (1945), The Dorsey Brothers (1953-54), and Count Basie (1970-74).
Now age 92, Cohen lives in Tamarac, FL and still plays his horn and leads his own big band, which rehearses every Thursday at a senior center in Margate.
“People talk about who played better, the old-timers, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Charlie Barnet, all the men I’ve played with,” Cohen reminisced. “This band could stand right with them.”
So he has just financed “Being in Charge,” a CD recording of his band. “I’m doing it for the boys in the band,” he explained to reporter Ben Crandall. “I don’t go to the track anymore, so I have some money,” he says, laughing. “I always thought I was a very good handicapper. It turned out I was handicapped.”
There is also a DVD available, titled “Taking Charge: The Pauly Cohen Story.”
Congratulations to Cohen for still swinging after all these years!
HAPPY BIRTHDAYS
Herb Geller, b.Nov. 2, 1928. Alto saxophonist with Thornhill ’50.
Jim Harwood, b.Nov. 4, 1923. Trombonist with McKinley ’42; Miller AAF ’43-’44.
Louise Tobin, b.Nov. 11, 1918. Vocalist with James ’39; Goodman ’39; Bradley-
McKinley ’40.
Johnny Mandel, b.Nov. 23, 1925. Trombonist – arranger with Raeburn ’45; Rich ’46
/ ’48; Shaw ’49; Basie ’53. Composer of The Shadow of Your Smile.
Jack Sheldon, b.Nov. 30, 1931. Trumpeter with Kenton ’58-’59; Goodman ’59-’60 /
’65 / ’76 / ’78.
REMEMBERING YOU
Buddy Catlett, 81, d.Nov. 12, 2014. Bassist with Basie '63-'64; C Hawkins "Wrapped
Up Tight" LP '65 (Impulse); Armstrong '65-'69.
REMEMBERING YOU
Phil Woods, b.Nov. 2, 1931. Alto saxophonist with Barnet ’54; Gillespie ’56; Rich
’58-59.
Joe Howard, b.Nov. 3, 1919. Trombonist with Herman '60 (two NBC-TV specials);
G Gray ’58 / '63.
Joe Benjamin, b.Nov. 4, 1919. Bassist with Shaw ’50; F Henderson ’50; Ellington ’51.
Joe Sullivan, b.Nov. 5, 1906. Pianist with Crosby ’37 / ’39; Armstrong ’52.
George Williams, b.Nov. 5, 1917. Arranger – composer with Miller ’41-’42; Krupa
’46-’49; Anthony ’50-’53.
Dick Cathcart, b.Nov. 6, 1924. Trumpeter with McKinley ’42; Rey ’42; Crosby ’46;
Pollack ’49-’50; Noble ’50-’51.
Ray Conniff, b.Nov. 6, 1916. Trombonist – arranger – composer with Berigan ’37-’38;
Crosby ’39-’40; Shaw ’40 / ’42-’42; James ’47.
Andy Gibson, b.Nov. 6, 1913. Arranger – composer for Barnet ’37-’47 not continuously
(including Blue Juice; Bunny; Charleston Alley; Shady Lady); Basie ’38-’42 (including
Apple Jump; Hollywood Jump; Jump for Me; Let Me See; Louisiana; Shorty George;
Tickle Toe; and The World Is Mad).
Joe Bushkin, b.Nov. 7, 1916. Pianist with Berigan '36 / '38-'39; T Dorsey ’40-’42;
Goodman ’46. Songwriter (Oh, Look At Me Now).
Howard Rumsey, b.Nov. 7, 1917. Bassist with Kenton ’41-’42.
Chris Connor, b.Nov. 8, 1927. Vocalist with Thornhill ’49; Wald ’49; Kenton ’52-’53.
Muggsy Spanier, b.Nov. 9, 1906. Cornetist with Lewis ’29-’36; Pollack ’36-’38.
Leader of own band.
Billy May, b.Nov. 10, 1916. Trumpeter – arranger with Barnet ’38-’38 / ’54 / ‘69; Miller
’40-’42. Arranger for Rey ’46. Leader of own band.
Hoagy Carmichael, b.Nov. 11, 1899. Vocalist with J Gray ’50; Whiteman ’56 (“50th
Anniversary Album”). Songwriter (Georgia On My Mind; Rockin’ Chair; Star Dust;
Up a Lazy River).
Buck Clayton, b.Nov. 12, 1911. Trumpeter with Basie ’36-’43; Goodman ’56 (“Benny
Goodman Story” film / ’57; Wilson ’57. Arranger for Basie (Down for Double;
It’s Sand, Man; Red Bank Boogie; Taps Miller); Ellington (Hollywood Hangover;
One O’Clock Jump); James (Jackpot).
Bennie Moten, b.Nov. 13, 1894. Leader of own band.
Billy Bauer, b.Nov. 14, 1915. Guitarist with Wald ’39; Herman ’44-’46 / ’58 / '59;
Byrne ’53-’54; Goodman ’58.
Nick Travis, b.Nov. 16, 1925. Trumpeter with Ayres ’42; Herman ’43; McKinley
’46-’48; Sauter-Finegan ’53-’56.
Wayne Andre, n.Nov. 17, 1931. Trombonist with Spivak ’50-’51; Sauter-Finegan ’55-’56;
Herman ’56.
Chuck Andrus, b.Nov. 17, 1928. Bassist with Barnet ’53; Thornhill ’54.
Shorty Sherock, b.Nov. 17, 1915. Trumpeter with Pollack ’36; J Dorsey ’38-'39 /
'49 / '51; Crosby ’39; Krupa ’40-’41; T Dorsey ’41; Alexander ’59 (“Home of Happy
Feet” album).
Johnny Mercer, b.Nov. 18, 1909. Singer with Dorsey Bros ’33; Whiteman ’34;
Goodman ’39; Whiteman ’56 (“50th Anniversary Album”). Lyricist (Blues in the
Night; Come Rain Or Come Shine; Jeepers Creepers; Laura; Skylark; That Old Black
Magic; Too Marvelous for Words).
Boots Mussulli, b.Nov. 18, 1917. Alto and baritone saxophonist for Powell ’42; Kenton
’44 / ‘52; Krupa ’48; Ventura ’49.
Claude Williamson, b.Nov. 18, 1926. Pianist with Barnet ’47 / ’49; Norvo ’48.
Tommy Dorsey, b.Nov. 19, 1905. Leader of own band.
June Christy, b.Nov. 20, 1925. Vocalist with Kenton ’45-’49 / ’53 / ‘72; Heath ’57 / ’58.
Coleman Hawkins, b.Nov. 21, 1904. Tenor saxophonist with F Henderson ’23-’34.
Leader of own band.
Ernie Caceres, b.Nov. 22, 1911. Clarinetist – baritone saxophonist with Hackett ’37 /
’56-‘57; Teagarden ’38; Zurke ’39; Miller ’40-’42; Long ’42; Goodman ’43; T Dorsey
’43; Herman ’44; Butterfield ’47.
Tyree Glenn, b.Nov. 23, 1912. Trombonist with Carter ’37-’37; Calloway ’40-’46;
Redman ’46; Ellington ’47-'51; Armstrong '65-'68.
Serge Chaloff, b.Nov. 24, 1923. Baritone saxophonist with Reynolds ’39; Fields ’43;
I R Hutton ’44; Raeburn ’45; Auld ’45-'46; J Dorsey ’45-’46; Herman ’47-'49.
Al Cohn, b.Nov. 24, 1925. Tenor saxophonist with Auld ’43-’46; Rey ’47; Rich ’47;
Herman ’48-’49; Shaw ’49-’50; E Lawrence ’52.
Teddy Wilson, b.Nov. 24, 1912. Pianist with Armstrong ’31-’33; Goodman ’35-’39.
Leader of own band.
Gus Bivona, b.Nov. 25, 1917. Clarinetist – alto saxophonist with Hudson-DeLange ’37;
Berigan ’38; Powell ’39; Goodman ’40; Savitt ’41; Brown ’41; T Dorsey ’45; Crosby
’46; G Gray ’58.
Willie Smith, b.Nov. 25, 1908. Alto saxophonist – clarinetist with Lunceford ’30-’41;
Spivak ’42; James ’44-’51 / ’54-'63; Ellington ’51-’52; May ’52.
Jack Perciful, b.Nov. 26, 1925. Pianist with James ’58-73?.
George Wettling, b.Nov. 28, 1907. Drummer with Shaw ’36; Berigan ’37; Norvo ’37-’38
Whiteman ’38-’40; Spanier ’40 / ‘54, Marx ’42.
Hal McIntyre, b.Nov. 29, 1914. Alto saxophonist – clarinetist with Miller ’37-’41. Leader
of own band.
Billy Strayhorn, b.Nov. 29, 1915. Arranger – composer with Ellington ’39-’67 (including
After All; Day Dream; Johnny Come Lately; Midriff; Passion Flower; Raincheck;
Take the ‘A’ Train).
NEW COMPACT DISCS
Coleman Hawkins. “The Lost 1950 Munich Concert,” Solar 4569946. Note that
Hawkins doesn’t play on every tune; he is heard on Rifftide, Disorder At the Border,
Sweet Georgia Brown, and Stuffy.
Ozzie Nelson. “Ozzie and Harriett with Ricky Nelson,” Sepia (E) 1272. Ozzie’s 1957
Imperial LP (never before on CD), plus 18 (!) songs by his son, Ricky, including
I’ll Walk Alone, Stars Fell On Alabama, and Yes Sir, That’s My Baby.
Ray Noble. “Ray Noble in the USA Vol 2,” Crystal Stream Audio (Aus) IDCD290.
A selection of his Columbia recordings from 1940 to 1947, such as Along the
Santa Fe Trail, By the Light of the Silvery Moon, and Cuddles.
SNEAK PEEK
As will be reported in next month’s “News,” one legend of swing is being radically reinvented.
return to Big Band Library homepage
THE BUSIEST BAND THIS MONTH
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra directed by Terry Myers. Nov 1, The Newton Theatre,
Newton, NJ; Nov 2, Theatre for Performing Arts, Patchogue, NY; Nov 3, The
Academy Theatre, Meadville, PA; Nov 5, Performing Arts Center, DeWitt, IA; Nov 6,
Municipal Auditorium, Moberly, MO; Nov 7, Music Hall Ballroom, Cincinnati, OH; Nov
8, River Rasin Arts Center, Monroe, MI; Nov 9, Riviera Theatre, Three Rivers, MI; Nov
10, private, Canton, OH; Nov 11, Riviera Theatre and Performing Arts Center, North
Tonowanda, NY; Nov 14, Theatre Marcellin-Champagnat du College Laval, Laval,
Canada; Nov 15, Theatre Hector-Charland, L’Assomption, Canada; Nov 16, Theatre
du Vieux Terrebonne, Terrebonne, Canada; Nov 18, Maison des arts Desjardins
Drummondville, Drummondville, Canada; Nov 19, Salle J.-Antonio-Thompson,
Trois-Rivieres, Canada; Nov 20, Maison de la culture de Gatineau, Gatineau, Canada;
Nov 21, Salle Albert-Dumouchel, Valleyfield, Canada; Nov 22, Centre des arts
Juliette-Lassonde, St-Hyacinthe, Canada; Nov 23, Salle Edwin-Belanger, Montmagny,
Canada; Nov 25, Theatre Desjardins, LaSalle, Canada; Nov 26, Salle Pauline-Julien,
Ste-Genevieve, Canada; Nov 27, Theatre Granada, Sherbrooke, Canada; Nov 28,
Centre culturel de Beloeil, Beloeil, Canada; Nov 29, Salle Rolland-Brunelle, Joliette,
Canada; Nov 30, Grand Theatre, Quebec, Canada
MORE BIG BANDS LIVE
Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart. Nov 18, South Orange
Performing Arts Center, South Orange, NJ; Nov 19, Bethesda Blues & Jazz
Club, Bethesda, MD; Nov 21, Emelin Theatre, Mamaroneck, NY; Nov 22,
Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Nick Hilscher. Nov 2, The Arcada Theatre, St.
Charles, IL; Nov 5-6, Penn’s Peak, Jim Thorpe, PA; Nov 7, Dover Downs Casino
& Hotel, Dover, DE; Nov 8, Doubletree Hotel, Williamsburg, VA; Nov 9, Capitol
Theatre, Chambersburg, PA; Nov 14, Richlands Middle School, Richlands, VA;
Nov 13, Jabez Sanford Hardin Performing Arts Center, Evans, GA; Nov 15-16,
Paul P. Williams Auditorium, Leesburg, FL; Nov 17, Studio Theatre, Melbourne,
FL; Nov 18, private; Nov 20, Sumter Opera House, Sumter, SC; Nov 22, Spivey
Hall, Morrow, GA; Nov 23, Newberry Opera House, Newberry, SC; Nov 24, Walter M.
Williams High School, Burlington, NC; Nov 30, Sellersville Theatre, Sellersville, PA
