At the same time, many other companies - some familiar labels, others not and without authorization - offer hundreds more big band albums on iTunes as well as other digital music websites such as Amazon.com, eMusic, and Rhapsody Music.
Individual tracks are typically priced at 99 cents each.
NEW COMPACT DISCS
Tex Beneke. "Here's to the Ladies (Who Sang With The Band)," Sounds of Yester Year
[ UK ] DSOY 829. Featuring the girl vocalists who sang with Beneke, namely Lillian Lane,
Claire Chatwin, Mary Mayo, Helen Lee, Eydie Gorme, Shirley Wilson, Joan Cavanaugh,
Shirley Jones, Lois Lane, and Barbara Edwards; plus selections from Beneke's 1960
RCA Camden "Alamo" LP. Another fine title compiled by the indefatigable Michael
Highton, a longtime Beneke aficionado and member of The Glenn Miller Society in
London.
Duke Ellington. "From his Treasure Chest: Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, 1965-1972,"
Nimbus [ UK ] NI 2736. Material previously released on CD in 1991 as Musicmasters
5041. The 15 selections include The Old Circus Train, The Prowling Cat, and Woods.
---. "Playlist: The Very Best of Duke Ellington," Sony Masterworks. 14 tracks.
Benny Goodman. "Happy Session," Essential Jazz Classics. Equals the Columbia LP
of the same name, CL 1324 / CS 8129. Includes a swinging What a Diff'rence a Day
Made and Clarinet a la King - but hardly essential. It already was on CD as Columbia
( Fr ) 476523 2 and this issue adds only The King and Me, which was released as part
of a 1958 Playboy All-Star LP.
---. "Yale University Archives: Benny Goodman, Vol. 5: NBC Broadcast Recordings 1936-
1943," Nimbus [ UK ] NI 2734/35. Previously released on CD, with different artwork, in
2007 as "The Yale University Music Library: Benny Goodman, The King of Swing,
Volumes 11 and 12: NBC Broadcast Recordings 1936-1943," Jazz Heritage Society
5262997.
---. "AFRS Benny Goodman Show Volume 2," Sounds of Yester Year [ UK ] DSOY 828
Programs 3 and 4 of the series.
Jay McShann. "Jay McShann in Copenhagen," Storyville [ Den ] STC 1018524. 16
tracks, recorded on April 12, 1977, including Cherry Red and Jumpin with McShann.
various artists. "All-Stars with the Singers," Sounds of Yester Year [ UK ] DSOY 827
2-CD set including Bob Crosby, Sy Oliver, and others.
---. "Anita O'Day 'Live': Let Me Off Uptown," Mr. Music MMCD-7027. Accompanied by
Les Brown, Benny Goodman, others; from 1956-59.
---. "Mildred Bailey 'Live': First Lady of Swing," Mr. Music MMCD-7028. Accompanied by
Benny Goodman, Teddy Wilson, Red Norvo, others; from 1939-47.
---. "Nat King Cole & His Trio: The Forgotten 1949 Carnegie Hall Concert," Hep [ UK ]
91. The concert also featured Woody Herman and His Orchestra.
AND TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER GOES
Several pieces of big band and jazz memorabilia hit the auction block or were offered for sale this month.
Guernsey's of New York City offered Harry James' King Symphony gold-plated trumpet (serial #333232), which he played from 1953 to 1957; his King custom performance trumpet (serial #107), which he used on recordings and live appearances from 1968 until his death in 1983; and his dark brown sheared beaver coat. Each of the horns were estimated in value at $20,000 to $30,000; the horn was expected to bring between $1,500 and $2,500.
They also had up for auction two acetates by Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, recorded at Carnegie Hall on September 29, 1947.
Hake's Americana and Collectibles of York, PA had an original Chick Webb "Swing Cotillion" handbill, estimated to be worth $200 to $400; Decca Records cardboard standees for Guy Lombardo and Carmen Cavallaro, valued at $100-$200; an "Only Decca for 1939" button, valued between $75 and $200; and a Dizzy Gillespie concert program brochure from 1952, thought to be worth $100 to $200.
At the annual book sale benefitting Planned Parenthood in Santa Barbara, CA this month, "books from jazz musician Artie Shaw's estate grace the rare, valuable, and collectible section."
More books from Shaw's personal library were listed on eBay, including Shaw's own copy of
Dialogues in Swing, inscribed by its author, Fred Hall.
IN-PRINT AND / OR ONLINE
Brian Belton. "B.B.'s Big Band Beat: Brian Belton takes a look at the big band scene,"
In Tune International, No.223 / September 2010, pp.34-35. Belton reviews some recent
Montpellier and Sounds of Yester Year CDs.
Alice Hand Benham. "Jazz photos, autographs hit different note values," PressofAtlantic
City.com, Sept. 17, 2010. After a reader asked how much some Chesterfield promotional
photographs of Harry James and the members of his band would be worth, Benham
stated that "photos such as yours are fairly common and presently sell for $10 to $20."
Vicki Bennington. "GACAF kicks off season with Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra," [ Alton, IL ]
Telegraph, September 2, 2010. Featuring trombonist Bill Tole and vocalist Nancy Knorr,
who happen to be brother and sister.
Fielding Buck. "Big band legend Herb Jeffries rolls on," [ Riverside, CA ] Press-Enterprise,
September 23, 2010. Jeffries has his own MySpace profile.
Mark Cantor. "Saturday Night Swing Club Goes Hollywood," IAJRC Journal, Vol.43 No.3 /
September 2010, pp.8-12. Discusses the filmed appearance by Will Bradley and Bobby
Hackett, among others.
Will Friedwald. "Leave It to the Experts," Wall Street Journal, September 3, 2010.
Discusses the music of John Kirby, and the present re-creation taking place by "Wayne
Roberts & the John Kirby Project" at Smalls on W. 10th St. in New York City.
Harold Hayes. "Dizzy Gillespie, King in a world of his own making," IAJRC Journal, Vol.43
No.3 / September 2010, pp.20-22. A report of "how bebop was perceived" from a 1948
Wake Forest student newspaper.
Duncan Heining. George Russell: The Story of an American Composer (Lanham, MD:
The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2010). 400-page biography about Russell, a composer and
arranger for Carter '43 (New World); Hines '44; Gillespie '47 (Cubana-Be, Cubana-Bop);
Ventura '49 (Caravan); and Shaw '49 (Similau).
Claudia Heller. "A Miller tribute at museum," Pasadena [ CA ] Star News, September 3,
2010. Tells of a Glenn Miller exhibit at the Duarte Museum, including several items
donated his son, Steve, and a painting and architectural rendering of the ranch which
the Miller family lived in near Duarte's Fish Canyon.
"Jazz Magazines Index," IAJRC Journal, Vol.43 No.3 / September 2010, pp.44-55. Includes
listings for Armstrong, Basie, Berigan, Calloway, Carter, Casa Loma Orchestra, Crosby,
Eckstine, Eldridge, Ellington, Ferguson, Gillespie, Goodman, Hackett, Hampton, C.
Hawkins, E. Hawkins, Herman, Hines, Kenton, Kirby, Krupa, Lunceford, Mills Blue
Rhythm Band, Raeburn, Teagarden, Waller, Zentner, and others... but, for example, no
Dorseys or Shaw.
Pete King. "Glenn Miller's 'Use By Date' Nearing Its End?," Big Band Buddies International,
September 2010, p.34+. King questions how long the "Glenn Miller Festival of Swing,
Jazz and Jive" at the historic Royal Air Force (RAF) Twinwood Airfield near Bedford,
England and The Glenn Miller Museum in Clarinda, Iowa will be financially viable.
"On the Road with your favorite bands," Glenn Miller Orchestra Newsletter #090,
September 3, 2010. Gives the background of trombonist Gary Tole, who will take over
the leadership of The Glenn Miller Orchestra in 2011.
Gerry Stonestreet. "Book Review: Glenn Miller: the Truth At Last?," In Tune International,
No.223 / September 2010, pp.6-7. Review of Hunton Downs' hardcover The Glenn Miller
Conspiracy: The Shocking True Story of How He Died and Why.
Herb Young. "Between the Ears: IAJRC Members' Astute Reviews From Ragtime to No
Time," IAJRC Journal, Vol.43 No.3 / September 2010, p.67. Positive review of "Artie
Shaw: The Complete Thesaurus Transcriptions 1949," Hep CD 89/90.
NECROLOGY
Joe Aguanno, 93, d.September 5, 2010. Trumpeter with Berigan '39-'40.
Buddy Collette, 89, d.September 21, 2010. Saxophonist with Les Hite '42; Hayes '47;
Carter '48-'49.
Eddie Fisher, 82, d.September 22, 2010, "complications from a recent hip surgery."
Vocalist with Morrow '46; Ventura '46.
Buddy Morrow, 91, d.September 27, 2010, "passed away peacefully in his sleep."
Trombonist with Shaw '36-'37; Duchin '38; T. Dorsey, '38; Whiteman '39-'40; Crosby
'41-'42; J. Dorsey '45. Leader of his own big band, '45-'73; Glenn Miller Orchestra '74-'75;
T. Dorsey Orchestra '77- .
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES
Stumpy Brown, b.September 1, 1925. Trombonist - vocalist with Brown '43-'01?.
Trigger Alpert, b.September 3, 1916. Bassist with Rey '40; Miller '40-'42; Miller AAF '43-'45.
Gerald Wilson, b.September 4, 1918. Trumpeter with Lunceford '39-'42 and bandleader.
Virginia Maxey, b.September 4, 1923. Vocalist with Barnet '43 / '48 "Red Skin Rhumba"
[ sic ] Universal film short; Pastor '44; Elman '47.
Frank Foster, b.September 23, 1928. Saxophonist - arranger with Basie '53-'64; leader
of Basie Orch. '86-'95.
Herb Jeffries, b.September 24, 1913. Vocalist with Ellington '39-'42.
ON TOUR
Count Basie Orchestra directed by Bill Hughes. September 5, "Tanglewood Jazz Festival,"
Tanglewood, MA; September 7-12, Blue Note Jazz Club, New York, NY.
Count Basie Orchestra directed by Dennis Mackrel. September 22-23, Akbank Jazz
Festival, Istanbul, Turkey.
Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra directed by Bill Tole. September 12, Lewis and Clark Community
College, Godfrey, IL.
Duke Ellington Orchestra directed by Paul Mercer Ellington. September 17-18, Utah
Symphony, Salt Lake City, UT.
Harry James Orchestra directed by Fred Radke. September 4, Gretna, PA; September
23, Broken Arrow, OK; September 25, Sedalia, MO.
Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Larry O'Brien. September 16, Miller Performing Arts
Center, Jefferson City, MO; September 17, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS;
September 18, McPherson Opera House, McPherson, KS; September 22, The College
of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN; September 25-26, Northern Lights Casino, Walker, MN;
September 30, Fairfield Arts and Convention Center, Fairfield, IA.
SNEAK PEEK
Next month, as the lead "News" item I will present today's Hal McIntyre Orchestra, including exclusive comments by its leader, Don Pentleton.