Big Band Library: October 2011 "Big Band News"

The big bands are back

in a new and exciting way!

Among others, Monroe's daughters, Candy and Christy, and former Monroe trombonist Joe Bennett were present. The daughters revealed that their mother, Marian, is doing well, considering that she will be 100 years old in January.

Copies of 16 radio broadcasts by Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra, dating from 1941 to 1952 and remastered by big band historian Karl Pearson, were sampled at the Society's function, courtesy of The New England Conservatory of Music, where Monroe studied voice in 1935. The programs originated from such venues as The Century Room of The Hotel Commodore, The Longacre Theatre, and the NBC and CBS studios in New York City.

Also, the Conservatory has posted to the online photo sharing site Flickr a number of archival picrtures of Monroe from their collection. The images may be viewed at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27770344@N02/with/6147492674/.

In November, Monroe will be inducted into The Western Music Association's Hall of Fame, at their awards event to be held in Albuquerque, NM. And he is featured in the Fall 2011 issue of the Association's magazine, The Western Way.

MORE HAPPY BIRTHDAYS

Terry Gibbs, b.Oct. 13, 1924. Vibraphonist with Rich '48; Herman '48-'49; T. Dorsey '50;

Goodman '50-'52.

Paul Tanner, b.Oct. 15, 1917. Trombonist with Miller '38-'42; Miller Orch.-Beneke '46-'50;

Beneke '50-'51.

Norman Leyden, b.Oct. 17, 1917. Arranger with Miller AAF '44-'45; Miller Orch.-Beneke

'46-'49; Columbia "Once Upon a Time" LP with Johnny Desmond '59.

Betty Bennett, b.Oct. 23, 1921. Vocalist with Thornhill '46; Rey '47-'48; Ventura '49;

Herman '50; Barnet '52.

Tony Eaton, b.Oct. 30, 1939. Correspondent and longtime member of the (international)

Glenn Miller Society.

NECROLOGY

Butch Ballard, 92, d.Oct.1, 2011. Drummer with Armstrong '46; Basie '48-'49; Ellington

'50 / '53.

Pete Rugolo, 95, d.Oct. 16, 2011, "age-related causes." Arranger - composer with Kenton,

'45-'49; conductor for Eckstine on recordings, '57-'58.

Memo Bernabei, 94, d.Oct. 22, 2011. Saxophonist with Garber '45-'55.

Beryl Davis, 87, d.Oct. 28, 2011. Guest singer with Miller AAF (8/17/1944 and "Uptown

Hall Gang" 9/6/1944); guest with Goodman on his radio show 3/10/1947.

NAME BANDS NOW

Count Basie Orchestra directed by Dennis Mackrel. Oct. 8, Marquis Giuseppe Roi-

Tribute Concert, Vicenza, Italy; Oct. 15, Central State University, Dayton, OH.

Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra directed by Bill Tole. Oct. 23, Tecumseh, MI.

Tommy Dorsey Orchestra directed by Nick Hilscher. Oct. 18, Columbia Basin Allied Arts,

Moses Lake, WA; Oct. 20, Kirkland Performing Arts Center, Kirkland, WA; Oct. 21,

The Historic Elsinore Theatre, Salem, OR; Oct. 22, Craterian Ginger Rogers Theatre,

Medford, OR; Oct. 23, Cascade Theatre, Redding, CA.

Jan Garber Orchestra directed by Howard Schneider. Oct. 21-22, Grand Hotel, Mackinac

Island, MI; Oct. 23, Terrace Bay Inn, Escanada, MI.

Guy Lombardo's Royal Canadians directed by Al Pierson. Oct. 16, Newberry Opera House,

Newberry, SC.

Hal McIntyre Orchestra directed by Don Pentleton. Oct. 18, The Sahara Club, Methuen,

MA.

Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Gary Tole. Oct. 2, McKendree University, Lebanon, IL;

Oct. 8, Flagler College, St. Augustine, FL; Oct. 9, Maltz Theatre, Jupiter, FL; Oct. 11,

University of Georgia, Athens, GA; Oct. 13, Community Performqance Center, Rock Hill,

SC; Oct. 15, Scottish Rite Auditorium, New Bern, NC; Oct. 16, The Carlyle Club,

Alexandria, VA; Oct. 17-18, Westchester Broadway Theatre, Elmsford, NY; Oct. 20,

Bucyrus Elementary School, Bucyrus, OH; Oct. 21, Charlotte Performing Arts Center,

Charlotte, MI; Oct. 23, The State Theatre, State College, PA; Oct. 25-26, Penn's Peak,

Jim Thorpe, PA; Oct. 28, Dover Downs Hotel and Casino, Dover, DE.

BIG BANDS ON FILM

A retrospective on the performing arts in film, "Scenes Through the Cinema Lens," will focus on jazz orchestras and vocalists this season.

The first program, "Big Bands On Film," will be presented on the 20th of this month at The Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York City. Classic footage of Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa, Artie Shaw, and others will be shown.

Additional programs are "The Art of the Jazz Soloist" on February 16, 2012, with Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, and others; and "The Great Jazz Singers" on April 13, 2012 including Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, and Fats Waller.

NEW IN-PRINT AND / OR ONLINE

Jim Burns. "The Forgotten Ones: Eddie Finckel: Jim Burns recalls an often overlooked

arranger whose writings for Boyd Raeburn, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and others sought

to introduce thye colours of bop and 20th century art music into the swing big band

format," Jazz Journal, Volume 64 No.10 / Oct. 2011, pp.14-15.

L. Pierce Carson. "Prima to carve father's signature at Silo's on Friday," Napa Valley [ CA ]

his father's career at Silo's in Napa, CA on the 14th of this month.

Andy Hamilton. "Book Reviews," Jazz Journal, Volume 64 No.10 / Oct. 2011, p.13.

Hamilton reviews Brian Harker's Louis Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings

(Oxford University Press, 2011). "There's a wealth of insight and understanding in this

closely-argued yet very readable book, the most impressive I've come across on

Armstrong's music," he states.

---. "Louis Armstrong: The good book," An interview of Brian Harker. Jazz Journal, Volume

64 No.10 / Oct. 2011, p.18+.

George Hulme. "Book Reviews," Jazz Journal, Volume 64 No.10 / Oct. 2011, p.13+. Hulme

reviews Raymond D. Hair and Jurgen Wolfer's Thinking of You: The Story of Kay Kyser

(BearManor Media, 2011). "This very informative book is marred by two faults," Hulme

states. "It looks as if a spell-check program has been used but without intelligent human

participation, resulting in spelling errors . . . In addition information is repeated, often

several times - not just the subject matter but the actual text. This is a pity as a great deal

of research has gone into the book and it deserved better. Recommended reading, all

the same."

Ed Peaco. "Divas honor some of greatest songstresses," [ Springfield, MO ] News-Leader,

Oct. 13, 2011. Les Brown, Jr. will lead Caduceus: The Doctors Band in a performance

of his father's hits at an afternoon dance at the Savoy Ballroom in Springfield, MO on the

23rd of this month. "There's a wealth of young talent in this area," Brown said, "and it

should be nurtured."

John Tumpak. "Louise Tobin - A Life with Big Bands," L.A. Jazz Scene, Oct. 2011, p.19+.

Tumpak traces the career of former vocalist Tobin, who will turn 93 next month.

Steve Voce. "Scratching the Surface: Steve Voce reviews media coverage of Louis

Armstrong's 110th birthday, marvels over the sound of the new 10-CD Armstring set from

Universal and redsicovers Ernie Anderson's account of Louis's years with Joe Glaser,"

Jazz Journal, Volume 64 No.10 / Oct. 2011, pp.8-9.

POSTHUMOUS HONOR

Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who played guitar and sang during the big band era and beyond, will be posthumously honored with the dedication of a historical marker at her former North Philadelphia, PA home (at 1102 Master St.) on the 24th of this month. And the Central Philadelphia Library will show the recent documentary film "The Godmother of Rock & Roll: Sister Rosetta Tharpe" that night.

Tharpe came to prominence in a Cotton Club revue in New York City with Cab Calloway in 1938, and later worked with Lucky Millinder's band. Among her Decca recordings with Millinder were Trouble in Mind and Shout, Sister, Shout.

She died in 1973.

NEW COMPACT DISCS

Louis Armstrong. "Complete Louis Armstrong Volume 10 'Radio Days,'" Fremeaux [ Fr ]

1360. 3-CD set of 1941-1944 performances.

---. "Satchmo: Louis Armstrong, The Ambassador of Jazz," Universal 5333655. 10-CD

boxed set with 123 selections including a facsimile battered case; hardcover book;

sheet music for five tune; previously-unissued out-takes, fragments, and other material;

and the audio from a 1965 interview of Armstrong by Dan Morgenstern. Excellent

sound quality.

Count Basie. "Count Basie Swings and Joe Williams Sings," Fresh Sound Records [ Fr ]

FSRCD 655. 2 LPs on one CD. Recordings done for Clef and Verve.

---. "Guard Sessions 53-54 55-56," Sounds of YesterYear [ UK ] DSOY 867. With guest

vocalist Keely Smith.

---. "In a Mellotone," Candid 79558. Taped while on tour in Europe and including Shiny

Stockings, Basie Boogie, and In a Mellotone.

---. "Kansas City Suite: The Music of Benny Carter," American Jazz Classics 99040.

Recorded 1957-58. Roulette SR 52056 + other sessions from the same period.

Benny Carter. "4 Albums From the MusicMasters Catalogue," Nimbus [ UK ] NI 2737.

4-CD set = "In the Mood for Swing" / "Over the Rainbow" / "Cookin' at Carlos" /

"Benny Carter & Phil Woods."

---. "4 Albums From the MusicMasters Catalogue," Nimbus [ UK ] NI 2741. 4-CD set =

"All That Jazz" / "Live at Princeton" / "New York Nights" / "Live at the Iridium" /

"Songbook."

---. "Swingin' the 20s," Essential Jazz Classics 55522. 2 LPs on 1 CD, including

Contemporary S7561 + three alternate takes + "Livin' with the Blues" (Dot DLP 3177)

by singer Barbara Dane with Carter and Earl Hines.

Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra directed by Lee Castle. "What's New," Montpellier [ UK ] MONT

CD078. Epic recordings.

Tommy Dorsey. "AFRS One Night Stands 218 & 411," Sounds of YesterYear [ UK ] DSOY

869. Performed April 22, 1944 and October 21, 1944, respectively.

Duke Ellington. "Flying Home," Candid 79557. Airshots from The Blue Note in Chicago

during the summer of 1952.

---. "Piano in the Background," Essential Jazz Classics 55521. = Columbia CS 8346 +

the complete four-movement Suite Thursday. NOTE: all of these recordings have been

previously available on CD - "Piano in the Background" in 2004 as Columbia CK 87104

and Suite Thursday on "Three Suites" as Columbia CK 46825 in 1990.

Benny Goodman. "Volume Nine of the Complete AFRS Benny Goodman Shows," Sounds

of YesterYear [ UK ] DSOY 868. Shows #19 and 20.

Glen Gray. "No Name Jive," Montpellier [ UK ] MONTCD082. Select Capitol recordings.

Coleman Hawkins. "Coleman Hawkins & Tommy Flanagan," Fresh Sound Records [ FR ]

FSRCD 659. 2-CD set of recordings from 1960 that were originally on the Prestige/

Swingville and Moodsville labels.

Stan Kenton. "Double Feature Vol. 3: Stan Kenton and the University of Wisconsin-Eau

Claire Jazz Orchestra," Tantara Records.

Red Norvo. "Red Norvo Trio with Tal Farlow & Red Mitchell: Complete Recordings,"

American Jazz Classics 99039. Recorded 1952, 1955. Includes the LP "Red Norvo

with Strings" (Fantasy 3-218) + additional material.

Louis Prima. "Louis Prima Featuring Keely Smith and Sam Butera & The Witnesses:

Buona Sera," Proper Box [ UK ] 156. 4-CD set.

Buddy Rich. "A Different Drummer / Stick It," BGO [ UK ] Records BGOCD983. Equals

the early '70s RCA Victor albums, both of which were previously issued on CD (BMG

[ J ] BVCJ-37432 and BMG 68732, respectively).

Paul Weston. "Jonathan and Darlene Edwards: Jonathan Plays 'Fats' / Darlene Remembers

'Duke,'" Corinthian 117. The original 1982 album by Weston and his wife Jo Stafford

masquerading as off-key performers Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, plus four bonus

tracks from 1979.

Various artists. "Let's do it," Montpellier [ UK ] MONTCD079. Includes Skip Martin and

the so-called Sy Oliver/Norman Leyden Big Band.

SNEAK PEEK

In next month's "News," I will make a full review of Michael P. Zirpolo's excellent, new Bunny Berigan book.

go to Big Band Library homepage

OCTOBER 2011

"BIG BAND NEWS"

compiled by Music Librarian CHRISTOPHER POPA

ANNIVERSARY SONG

This month marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vaughn Monroe, and his fans were anxious to celebrate.

Members of The Vaughn Monroe Appreciation Society (VMAS) got together for a special dinner on the 8th at The Meadowlands Plaza Hotel in New York City.

"This is our 4th VMAS gathering," co-founder Claire Schwartz wrote, "and we have invited distinguished international guests and those who knew Mr. Monroe at various levels both personally and professionally."

Vaughn Monroe

(1911-1973)