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About The Omaha guide. (Omaha, Neb.) 1927-19?? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1939)
SieneiMrU^JtejUrHiUr-^Jedl Bed in) Mi Ml Ur—*1 Ur—*1 Ml Ml Ml IWII fcJJ fl_iJ LLrdLJ UcJJ Ur-il UedJ ikdl UdSJ ¥=LI Ue*j Uc=£J u-*j lir-rJ Vksl Ucr'J Be-J Urfl Ue*J Uefl Br-*J ttr-M Urfl IWJ ifcr—»? Ur-*i UrJf -=9 BctSBcdJ IfcHI Ue-dJ Ur£JUrdU IKJ UedJ UrdJ lWdlkcd Bard Uvd Or-*Orr!J Ur-* I U«d MJ Bi Theatricals Music Features ON THE AIR (By Saliye Bell for ANP) Well, Christmas and New Year Year have come and gone leaving us happier than they found us and Mere determined than ever to turn •ver a new leaf. I suggested last ■week that one of your resolutions might be to give me more support in nay fan mail campaign, starting out with a letter to the manufact urers of Fitch's Dandruff Remover Shattnpoo, the sponsors of Fitch’s baadwagon hoard Sunday evenings and featuring name band8 which have not yet included a colored ag gregation. If you didn’t get around to writing the letter last week, it’s still not too late; write it now. The Taylor family appeared en masse on a benefit program at the Metropolis club last week, Eva Tay lor, radio and recording and stage artist, her husband and accompan ist, Clarence Williams, and their daughter, Irene, who has a voice almost as strong as her mother, and who was well received on her first public appearance. The Clarence Williams Music Compony Publishing Co. has re cently signed with an Italian publ isher to handle their song.-4 rin Italy and its colonies. Among the numbers to be distributed over there are: “Blues Why Don’t You Let Me Alone,” “Swing, Brother, Swing.” "Where Have You Gone,” “Everybody Loves M' Baby,” and Clarence William slatest song, “I’m Falling For You.” Alberta Hunter, brought back to the States from Paris by NBC., recently sang Will Marion Cook’s first popular song in over 20 year® —“A Little Bit of Heaven Called, Home”—over an NBC chain. In her song renditions, Alberta ranks with tho world’s greatest. It is interesting to note that when Sam Balter WGN’s (Chicago) sports commenator, nominated ten sportsmen for the most outstanding sporting events of the year, Henry Armstrong headed the list for win ning three boxing titles. Joe Louis was seventh for his first round ka yo of Max Schmeling. Despite announcements Louis Armstrong did ont appear on the OB Show opposite the McCarthy show as per schedule. In Richmond, Va., local station WRTD is fea turing a new program believed to be the only colored children’s pro gram on a local station. The pro gram is titled “Swanee River Kid dies,” and consists of talent rang ing from four to sixteen, with Le roy Howard director and announc er. The shows features music, songs and dances of Negroes past and present Erskine Hawkins and his ‘Bama State Collegians will play at the Mecca Temple, New York City, on Jan. 7. Chick Webb and his or chestra, a sever featuring Ella Fitzgerald will play a charity ball for the Church of the Sacred Heart at Manhattan Center on Jan. 20. See you next week. RATING THE RECORDS (by Frank Marshall Davis for ANP) FIVE FOR COLLECTORS: Ser ious students of jazz are always intensely interested in the compos itions and performances of Duke Ellington and his band. To this writer, his greatest title among a large selection of amazingly fine compositions is Black and Tan Fantasy, a number that shows Duke at his weirdest and most pre cise best. Last summer the Duke recorded PROLOGUE TO BLACK AND TAN FANTASY and NEW BLACK AND TAN FANTASY for Brunswick. They were released at different times, with the pro logue appearing recently. They are a highly interesting contrast to the Black and Tan recorded 10 years ago and released on Victor 21137 in which the great Bubber Miley blew his immortal trumpet. Although Duke is still Duke, bis musical ideas have changed consid erably in a decade. He is now giv en to more intricate harmonic structures, more elaborate scoring. His music is still of black Africa, but of an Africa that has assimil f a ted the finest in the white world. Ellington is never stilted or dated; as soon as the rest of the boys learn some of his musical tricks, ho has perfected more dar'ng ones. This means that the new inter pretation of Black and Tan is some thing Duke could not have recorded 10 years ago. The old Victor waxing was taken at a faster tem | po; Ellington now uses the same lunda mental tuno over two comp lete sides in a slower mood and em bellished with ultra-modern rhyth mic patterns. Each soloist acquits himself well; the ensemble playing I is magnificent; and although Coot i io Williams, good as he is, can not touch Miley, his moaning horn is | grand. The numbers are particul t arly interesting to anybody with | the old Victor release, but even ! without it the discs belong in the musical library of everybody in terested in modem music, whether swing or standard. New Black and Tan is backed with STEPPING INTO SWING SOC.IETY, a finely performed number with a sensational rhyth mic background. Backing PRO LOGUE is PLEASE FORGIVE j ME which shows Duke in a nice, sweet mood. The records are Brunswick 8063 and 8256. oooooo After Ellington, the greatest hot b'-m1 in th"> game today is that of Count Easie who incidentally sneaks in a totally different jazz id m. His “JUMPIN’ AT THE WOODSIDE and DARK RAPT URE have just been released on Dr.-n-. 2212. Th? second t'tle, tak e” from the Universal picture of th same name, hn an excellent vocal bv Helm Humes and the piece has the typical Basie touch. But the Woodside selection is one of those rousing stomps that make you want to shout. The piece starts off innocently enough like a finger exercise for piano. Sud denly Jo Jones comas in on drums and before many notes slide by the boys are in the groove and swing ing for dear life. The band has tremendous drive and each soloist is at his best. Jumpin’ is easily one of Basie’s best performances on wax. oooooo One of the greatest records in the" history of jazz is JUST A MOOD filling both sides of Bruns wick 7973. It was recorded by Teddy Welslon’s quartet consisting of the leader on piano, John Sim mons on string bass, Red Norve on xylophone and Harry James, ace of Benny Goodman’s brass section, on trumpet James, Wilson and N -ve in turn interppret the mood, a slow blues number. But it is not like other blues. Each member of the quar tet plays as tenderly as a mother crooning a lullaby or a forsaken weman quietly but feelingly sobb ing for her lost love. This is emo tional and sincere jazz and the kind of record made only once in a pur ple moon. It belongs in that sel ect circle of perfect performances including Louis Armstrong’s “West End Blues” on Okeh, Bessie Smith “St. Louis Blues”, Benny Goodmans “Sing Sing Sing” and Ellington’s “Creole Love Call’’ and “Black and Tan Phantasy.” -0O0——— NORVELL TO MAKE DEBUT North High’s prominent colored singing artist, Vercylee Norvell, shall make his North side debut, when he is presented about the third week in January in a pre song recital by his accompanist, and very talenfted pianist, Miss Ed •Rose Willis. This will be presented at one of the local chuches. Probably during the month of March, we will hear him in his 1939 Song Review. Watch this paper for the dates. -0O0.. COUNT BASIE AIRS HIS VIEWS ON MUSIC New York City, Dec. 3d—(By Rothschild Francis for ANP)—Re cent criticism of Negro artist by Germany’s Nazi-controlled press last week prompted Count Basie, famed colored orchestra leader to air his views in the New York Post. Drawing a sharp distinction between ‘Kultur’ and 'Culture,' the Count said: “Despite the duspeptic. bellowing of raco purifiers and their contri bution to the downfall of all crea tive art, music is still the univer (Music Feature* & Photo Syndicate, N. Y.) DUKE ELLINGTON'S real name is Edward Kennedy Ellington . . . Tommy Dorsey has figured that in his years of trombone-toothig he has blown enough air to fill a blimp ■ . . Jascha Heifeu' suggestion OI ci UHCl aUvIlvw at the end of concert broad casts is all well and good, but thus far listeners have been their own judges as to when the sil ence period should begin. Often it occurs at the start of a program . . Louis Keia "Sweetie seems as dead in Tin Pan Alley as ’’tootsie i wootsie.” Nor is any attention paid any more to “ba-by.” But the song writers’ moon keeps a-shinin’ . Shrewdest showman in the musical world is Leopold Stokowsky. Head lines are as easy -for him as Bach. . . . The old tune, “Aw Gee, Be Sweet To Me, Kid,” is being resur rected by the swing boys. , . . Seldom hear hillbillies play the old hoedowns os grandpappy and Uncle Freedom mould hare liked to hare had them played. Maybe, it's because too many of the hillbillies come from the slopes of Broadway. They’re Family Men Orchestra leaders, as a rule, arc family men, despite their nomadic existence. Whiteman takes great pride in his young son.' Olsen has two children. Besfor’s particular joy is a young daughter. Ishaip Jones is a proud father. So is Ilal Kemp. Emil Coleman is training his son for a maestro’s career. Curiously, only a handful of dance band batoneers are composers or lyricists and belong to the im posing membership of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. The select list includes ! Rudy Vallee (he was part author of, i among other things, “Deep Night” and “Betty Co-Ed”), Wayne King, Isham Jones, whose “I’ll See You in My Dreams” still gets a big play annually; A1 Goodman, concocter of innumerable popular arrangements; Ernie Golden, Duke Ellington, Ted Fiorito, Jerry Livingston. Of all maestros, none takes great er pride in past associations than Jack Denny. He likes to recall that he was official jazz dispenser to the Duke of Windsor (then Prince of Wales) and Prince George during their visit to Canada some years ago. Denny got a leave of absence from the Montreal hotel where he was playing, spent five weeks with the royal brothers, airing the latest American dance tunes for them at their various stops in the Dominica He never worked, he relates, for more considerate, more appreciative employers. Though Wales, he found, was somewhat bored with the social world, brother George was as enthusiastic, as ready for a good time as a boy out of military school. Can't recall ever having heard the Red Caps Intnd of the Grand Central - .. ..-rt-T-- ■ --n Duke Ellington, A.S.C.A.P. (Band Leader and composer of “Solitude”.) Terminal, Maybe, they're petting ready jor the World's Fair visitors. We’ve always wanted to know how really to appreciate the tango. It has remained for Xavier Cugat to tell. He, if anyone, should know. Advises Cugat: “If you cannot dance, then have a bottle of sherry at your elbow and a plate of Andalusjan fritters on your lap.” p-P-p Titles of some recent unsolicited contributions of amateur songwrit ers, unduly concerned with life, to Broadway music publishers: “I Owe Everybody in Iowa,” “It Ain’t Love, So It Must Be Hate,” "My Tele phone Will Always Be Busy to You, You Rat.” It's hard to believe, but the boys have written words to Saint-Sacns’ “Danse Macabre." Newell Chase has prepared a vocal interpretation of the eerie composition. sal language and no great prooi'( is necessary than the Carnegie Hall concert at Which I have the honor to be presented. The fact that members of the colored race are invited to sing o rplay iu this citadel of American fosters it.” The management of Garniegie Hall maintains that ‘art has no color line.” FOOTLIGHT FLICKERS by ALVIN MOSES (for ANP) New York, Jan. 5—JOHN DAN CER, dance arranger and produc er, is proving to be a most genial host at ‘‘YE PLANTATION CLUB —one of the better night-life places especially designed for—World’s Fair Trade. We won’t tell you too much about the excellence of the sepia floor show,—just take our tip and drop in one night from nine until—. XXX OCX NOBLE SISSLE might rightful ly be called the best business man among lead($rs and directors of “name bands”. The former part ner of Eubie Blake opened with his aggregation in the swellegant new BILLY ROSE CLUB.—and that’s the kind of ticket they pay off on at the i-ace track windows. xxxxxX SAYS JOHN CHAPMAN, “DAILY NEWS”—“There are 19 colored actors, headed by Ethel Waters, in—‘‘Mamba’s Daughters” which is rehearsing at the Empire theatre. Last Monday, following Equity regulations, they were paid $20 rehearsal money each and a stud poker game started immed iately in a dressing room. In an hour three of the cast had all the money.” XXXXXX NOW WOULDN’T CHA LIKE TO KNOW,—who comprised the unholy trio? ?—bet you would too! xxxxxX LEW LESLIE’S BLACKBIRDS who have had some stormy pre-op ening moments due to financial ^difficulties,—will positively open this week—Lew Leslie, says so,— himself!*! xxxxxx PATRONS of the HIPPO DROME, where “Jai Ali’’, has dis placed all other past-times Jn a musement circles, remain silent until it becomes deathlike while blind WILLIE JOHNSON sweetly warbles,—“Ain’t nobody's fault but mine.’’ xxxxxx JIMMY MARSHALL, manager of the country’s leading vaudeville house catering to colored perform ers, devotes as you know, 52 weeks each year to bring to New York the finest in the amusement field money can tempt. xxxxxx After much consideration and de liberation, we voted the following army of satellites last season’s best attractions, whether taken from the box-office appeal (boy, that’s important)—or pure fan interest.— BILL ROBINSON, COUNT BA SIE, DUKE ELLINGTON, CAB CALLOWAY, ETHEL WATERS, “FATS” WALLER, LOUIS ARM STRONG, WILLIE BRYANT (‘Em eeo’’ or as ork leader), CHICK WEBB. From our vantage point back in tho wings, we derive pleasure wat ching the faces of jewel bedecked ladies of pallid complexions loudly applauding the weekly offerings of Noble Sissle, Earl (Father) Hines, i Erskine (Trumpet King) Hawkins. Lucky (watch my leap) Millinder. LOVELY AVIS ANDREWS, Geo rgs Dewey Washington, Ruby Elzy, Buck and Bubbles, Eddie (Cotton Clubl Mallory, Blanche Calloway, Florida Serenaders, Claude Hop k ns, Don (Arrangement Master) Redmon, Edgar Hayes, Fletcher Henderson, Eubie Blake, Tiny Brad ■.haw, Ernest Whiteman, Chick Car ; ter, et al. The incomparable fun i stars: "Pigmeat” Markham, Geo rge Wiltshire, Jimmy Baskette, Sandy Burns, Dusty Fletcher, Swan ar/i Lee. and that darling of them all—VIVIAN HARRIS. xxxxxx ANDY KIRK, with sweet singing PHA TERREL and that gracious queenbee of the twinkling ivories, may turn out to be the surprise band of 1939. "ST. LOUIS WOMAN” and “GO DOWN MOSES" TO FOLLOW "RUN LITTLE CHILLUN”, IF IT EVER CLOSES Los Angeles, Jan. 5 (ANP) That the Negro r/,it of the Feder ' al Theatre project, hailed for ts current success in "Run Little ■Chillun”, will be brought a step closer to its ideal of a Negro Art theatre, was suggested in a state nient released this week by James R. U'llman, newly appointed direc tor for FTP. of Southern Californ ia, "From the archives of American history—both past and present, we aro considering, a living newspap er dramatization of the Negro and his struggles in the United Stutes to be done by the capable cast of players within the Los Angeles | un't,” Ullman stated. ‘‘Because of the success of “Run Little Chillun,” and its contribution : to the local project in helping to popularize federal theatre produc tions, we aim to keep the unit work ing.” While no closing date for ‘Run, Little Chillun’ is announced several future plays for the unit are being considered. Among them Is "St Louis Woman," by Arna Bontemps and Countee Cullen. “Go Down Moses”, ’.y Theodore Brown, which depicts the life of Harriet Tubman, a slave woman : who made a career of leading her peoplo to freedom through the un derground railroad, is also on the list of possible productions. RANKED WITH ALL-TIME GREATS— The foremost white figure in swing was that of Bix Beiderbecke who died several years ago. As a trumpet player he ranks with such all-time greats as Armstrong, Joe Smith, King Oliver, and Freddie Keppard and Bubber Miley. He died before the present interest in swing, but thank8 to records, ex amples of his marvelous easy style are with us. Recently his JAZZ ME BLUES and AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL were reissued on Vocation 3042. Bix was greatly influenced by King : Louis, but he was nevertheless able to develope an original style. This record not only shows him at his sensitive best, including * brilliant solo on the Jazz Me side, but prov ! es that the boys of several years ago could gave out as well as most of the hot men today. Adrian Rol lini on the bass sax sets a standard that otrers on that instrument would do well to study closely. All of the five records listed be long in your record lebrary no mat ter whether you are a jitterbug or a serious student of swing music. 20 Cent Discount on Laundry & Dry Cleaning Cash and Carry Edholm and Sherman Launderers & Dry Cleaners WE 6055 ~~ * 'he thrilling * Tories-oft; I ANDERSON E LOUIS ER DIVINE ELLINGTON ER WHITE NW. CAR VS E SULUVSt tOBlNSON L WATERS <3L are the sensational me TRUK LIFE STORIES of colored celebrities who climbed to fame and fortune against tre mendous handicaps. TOPS takes you backstage and tells you their struggles, their secrets of success, their private and public lives. Many unusual photographs. A beautiful, inspiring magazine for the whole family. Get TOPS at your ncusstand today. If sold out, send 25c to PHAMK PUBLISHING CO. 9 Rockefeller Plata. N. Y. C. *T— — ' — 1Rent>c3vous grille (formerly the Apex Har) A COMPLETE ASSORTMENT OF LIQUORS—BEERS AND WINE SPACIOUS DANCE FLOOR — NEWLY DECORATED 1818N. 24THST. JN. 9331 ==—SCHMOLLER & MUELLER5”5 We ore making o CLEAN-SWEEP of every trade-in, demonstrator and sample instrument in the house , . , prices cut to rock bottom. Every one must go! Band and Orchestra INSTRUMENTS BRAUDE Oboe, cose . *175 HUMPHREY Bassoon, Hecbel System. *180 CLARINETS B - Flat Boehm VICTOR, fine, metal model 22.50 DOUCET, excellent, metal 27.50 DUPRE, nickel plated .... 27.50 FRENCH, wood, a bargain 40.00 DUMONT, wood, big value 47.50 FLUTES — PICCOLOS 3 PICCOLO, D flat, metal.. 39.50 ? 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