BIG BAND NEWS

FEBRUARY 2019

by Music Librarian CHRISTOPHER POPA

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

ELLIOT LAWRENCE Born in Philadelphia but a long-time resident of New

York City, Elliot Lawrence, one of the very last surviving

name bandleaders, celebrates his 94th birthday on the

14th of this month. “I’m still kicking, still going strong-

and still cranky,” he joked not too long ago. “I’m quite

worried about the music business today . . . It’s disaster

time for musicians. I don’t know how to change it.”

Lawrence gave up his touring big band in the late 1950s,

but found a new career for himself conducting,

composing, and arranging for musicals, soap operas, and

television award programs, including becoming the Music

Director for the televised Tony Award shows starting in

1966.

TALENTS OF

ELLIOT LAWRENCE

PIANIST-BANDLEADER

COMPOSER

CONDUCTOR

ELLIOT LAWRENCE

PLAYS GERRY MULLIGAN, 1955

MORE BIG BAND BIRTHDAYS SAMMY NESTICO, arranger-composer, b. Feb. 6, 1924.

With Basie ‘67-’84. .

LES BROWN, JR., drummer-vocalist-son of bandleader Les

Brown, b. Feb. 15, 1940. Sang with his father’s band, then

upon Les Sr.’s death in 2001, took it over.

PEGGY KING, vocalist, b. Feb. 16, 1930. With Spivak ‘50;

Flanagan ‘51; J Gray “Stand By for Music” ‘55.

PETE CHRISTLIEB, tenor saxophonist, b. Feb. 16, 1945.

Tenor saxophonist with J Gray ’63-’64; Zentner ’65; Bellson

’67.

JOE LaBARBERA, b. Feb. 22, 1948. Drummer with

Herman “The Raven Speaks” LP ‘72.

MICHAEL BERKOWITZ, b. Feb. 23, 1949. Drummer and

leader of Krupa Orchestra beginning in 2003.

NECROLOGY

DOLORES PARKER, vocalist, d.Dec. 17, 2018. With F

Henderson ‘41-’42 (as part of Rhythm Debs trio) / ‘45 (as

solo vocalist); Hines ‘46; Ellington ‘47.

URBIE GREEN, trombonist-bandleader, d.Dec. 31, 2018.

With Reynolds ‘42?; Strong ‘42?; Carle ‘45?; Savitt ‘45;

Krupa ‘47-’50; Herman ‘50-‘51 / ‘52 / ‘53; Lanin ‘54?;

Goodman ‘56 / ‘57; leader of T Dorsey Orch ‘66-’67.

MEMORIES OF YOU

TRICKY SAM NANTON, b. Feb. 1, 1904. Trombonist with

Ellington ‘26-’45.

TONY GATTUSO, b. Feb. 2, 1917. Guitarist with Shaw

‘36-’37; Whiteman ‘38.

JOE MONDRAGON, b. Feb. 2, 1920. Bassist with Herman

‘46; Rich ‘56-’57.

SONNY STITT, b. Feb. 2, 1924. Saxophonist with Eckstine

‘45-’46; Gillespie ‘46.

STAN GETZ, b. Feb. 2, 1927. Tenor saxophonist with

Kenton ‘44-’45; Goodman ‘45-’46; Herman ‘47-’49.

SNOOKY YOUNG, b. Feb. 3, 1919. Trumpeter with

Lunceford ‘39-’42; Hampton ‘42-’43; Basie ‘45-’47 / ‘57-’62.

CHICO ALVAREZ, b. Feb. 3, 1920. Trumpeter with Kenton

‘41-’43 / ‘46-’51.

MANNY KLEIN, b. Feb. 4, 1908. Trumpeter with Whiteman

‘28; Dorsey Bros ‘33; Goodman ‘34; Shaw ‘40.

ARTIE BERNSTEIN, b. Feb. 4, 1909. Bassist with Nichols ’31; Dorsey Bros ’32-’34; Norvo ’33; Clinton ’37; Thornhill

’37; Goodman ’39-’41.

GIL BERNAL, b. Feb. 4, 1931. Tenor saxophonist with

Hampton ‘50-’51.

DON GOLDIE, b. Feb. 5, 1930. Trumpeter with Teagarden

‘59-’61.

HOWARD McGHEE, b. Feb. 6, 1918. Trumpeter with

Hampton ‘41; Kirk ‘41-’42 / ‘43-’44; Barnet ‘42-’43; Auld ‘44.

CONRAD GOZZO, b. Feb. 6, 1922. Trumpeter with I Jones ‘38; Norvo ‘40; Chester ‘41; Thornhill ‘41-’42; Shaw ‘42-’44; Herman ‘46 / ‘51-’57; Miller Orch-Beneke ‘47-’48; studio work for Crosby ‘47?-’51; J Gray ‘49-’53; Anthony 51-’58;

May ‘51-’64.

BERNIE GLOW, b. Feb. 6, 1926. Trumpeter with Shaw ‘45;

Raeburn ‘47 / ‘56 / ‘57; Herman ‘47-’49 / ‘50 / ‘53.

DON FAGERQUIST, b. Feb. 6, 1927. Trumpeter with Krupa ‘45 / ‘47-’49 / ‘50; Shaw ‘49-’50; Herman ‘51-’52; Brown

‘52-’56.

BUDDY MORROW, b. Feb. 8, 1919. Trombonist with Shaw ‘36-’37 / ”Recreates His Great ‘38 Band” Capitol LP ‘68; Duchin ‘37; T Dorsey ‘38; Whiteman ‘39; Crosby ‘40-’42; J Dorsey ‘45. Leader of own band. Leader of

T Dorsey Orch ‘77-’91.

JOE MAINI, b. Feb. 8, 1930. Saxophonist with Rey ‘48;

Thornhill ‘51.

WALTER PAGE, b. Feb. 9, 1900. Bassist with Moten

‘31-’34; Basie ‘36-’42/ ‘46-’49.

PEANUTS HOLLAND, b. Feb. 9, 1910. Trumpeter with

F Henderson ‘41-’42; Barnet ‘42-’46; Redman ‘46.

FOOTS THOMAS, b. Feb. 10, 1907. Saxophonist with

Calloway ‘30-’43; Redman ‘43.

CHICK WEBB, b. Feb. 10, 1909.

Drummer / leader of own band.

TEX BENEKE, b. Feb. 12, 1914. Saxophonist –vocalist with Miller ‘38-’42; Heidt ‘42. Leader of Miller Orch

‘46-’50. Leader of own band ‘51-’00.

MEL POWELL, b. Feb. 15, 1923. Pianist–composer with

Goodman ‘41-’42; Miller AAF ‘43-’44.

BERNIE PRIVIN, b. Feb. 12, 1919. Trumpeter with ‘38-’39 / “Recreates His Great ‘38 Band” Capitol LP ‘68; Barnet ‘40-’41 / ‘43; Goodman ‘41 / ‘42 / ‘45-’46; Miller AAF ‘43-’45;

Hefti ‘54.

BUDDY CHILDERS, b. Feb. 12, 1926. Trumpeter with

Kenton ‘43-’50 / ‘52-’54; T Dorsey ‘51-’52.

LENNIE HAYTON, b. Feb. 13, 1908. Pianist-arranger with Nichols ‘27-’28; Whiteman ‘28-’30; arranger for Shaw

‘40-’41.

JACK LESBERG, b. Feb. 14, 1920. Bassist with Spanier ‘40; Goodman ‘46 / ‘67; Teagarden ‘47; Armstrong ‘47 / ‘49; T Dorsey ‘50; McKinley ‘50 / ‘53; Butterfield ‘54 / ‘56-’57;

Hackett ‘63 / ‘69-’70.

TAFT JORDAN, b. Feb. 15, 1915. Trumpeter with Webb

‘33-’39; Ellington ‘43-’47; Oliver ‘50-’52?; Goodman ‘58.

CHARLIE FOWLKES, b. Feb. 16, 1916. Baritone

saxophonist with Hampton ‘44-’48; Basie ‘51-’69 / ‘75-’80.

BUDDY DeFRANCO, b. Feb. 17, 1923. Clarinetist with Fio Rito ‘42; Barnet ‘43-’44; T Dorsey ‘44-’45 / ‘45-’46 / ‘47;

Basie ‘50. Leader of Miller Orch ‘66-’74.

TADD DAMERON, b. Feb. 21, 1917. Arranger-composer

with Leonard ‘40-?; C Hawkins ‘47; Shaw ‘49.

REX STEWART, b. Feb. 22, 1907. Cornetist with

F Henderson ‘26 / ‘28-’33; Ellington ‘34-’45.

JOE WILDER, b. Feb. 22, 1922. Trumpeter with Hampton

‘46; Lunceford ‘47; Basie ‘53-’54.

JOHN CARISI, b. Feb. 23, 1922. Trumpeter with Miller AAF

‘43; Thornhill ‘49 / ‘50; McKinley ‘51-’52.

FLIP PHILLIPS, b. Feb. 26, 1915. Tenor saxophonist with Herman ‘44-‘46 / ‘72 at Newport, RI Jazz Festival / ‘78

Century LP; Goodman ‘59-’60.

DAVE PELL, b. Feb. 26, 1925. Tenor saxophonist with

Brown ‘48-’55.

MILDRED BAILEY, b. Feb. 27, 1907. Vocalist with

Whiteman ‘29-’33; Norvo ‘36-’39; Goodman ‘39.

ABE MOST, b. Feb. 27, 1920. Clarinetist-saxophonist with

Brown ‘41-’42 / ‘49?-’50; T Dorsey ‘46-’47.

LEO WATSON, b. Feb. 27, 1898. Vocalist with Shaw ‘37;

Krupa ‘38.

BEN WEBSTER, b. Feb. 27, 1909. Tenor saxophonist with Moten ‘31-’33; F Henderson ‘34; Ellington ‘35-’36 / ‘40-’43 /

‘48-’49; Calloway ‘36-’37; Herman ‘43.

LEE CASTLE, b. Feb. 28, 1915. Trumpeter with Shaw ‘36-’37 / ‘41-’42 / ‘50; T Dorsey ‘37-’39; Bradley ‘41; Dorsey Bros ‘53-’56; McKinley “Swingin 30s” LP ‘55.

Leader of J Dorsey Orch ‘57-’90.

JIMMY DORSEY, b. Feb. 29, 1904. Alto saxophonist-clarinetist with Whiteman 27-’28; Dorsey Bros ‘34-’35 / ‘53-’56. Leader of own

band.

ITINERARIES

GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA DIRECTED BY NICK HILSCHER

February 1, 2019, Cleveland Country Club, Cleveland, TN February 2, 2019, Andrew Jackson Hall, Nashville, TN February 5, 2019, Border Theater, Mission, TX February 6, 2019, Tobin Center, San Antonio, TX February 8, 2019, Orpheum Theatre, Memphis, TN February 10, 2019, BJCC Concert Hall, Birmingham, AL February 14, 2019, Texan Theatre, Greenville, TX February 15, 2019, Cultural Activities Center, Temple, TX February 16, 2019, Texas A&M Univ., Corpus Christi, TX February 17, 2019, private February 19, 2019, Ocotillo Perf. Arts Center, Artesia, NM February 23, 2019, Cheyenne Civic Center, Cheyenne, WY February 25-26, 2019, Boulder Dinner Theater, Boulder, CO

February 28, 2019, Lensic Perf. Arts Center, Santa Fe, NM

GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA DIRECTED BY JAN SLOTTENAS

February 23, 2019, Folkets Hus, Ludvika, Sweden

GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA DIRECTED BY RAY McVAY

February 1, 2019, The Mill, Sonning, Berkshire, England

GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA DIRECTED BY WIL SALDEN

February 6, 2019, Konzerthaus, Dortmund , Germany February 7, 2019, Johanniskirsche, Magdeburg, Germany February 8, 2019, Empore, Bucholz, Germany February 9, 2019, Rudolk Oetker Halle, Bielefeld, Germany February 10, 2019, Theater Am Aegi, Hannover, Germany February 15, 2019, Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany February 16, 2019, Kornmarktkirsche, Muhlhausen February 17, 2019, Philharmonie Alfried Krupp Saal, Essen February 22, 2019, Zhukovsky, Russia February 23, 2019, Dubna, Russia February 24, 2019, House of Music, Moskau, Russia February 25, 2019, Archangelsk, Russia

February 26, 2019, Swerodwinsk, Russia

NEW COMPACT DISCS

A 2-CD SET (SOUNDS OF YESTERYEAR DSOY 2133) CAPTURES HARRY JAMES AND HIS SWINGIN’ BAND LIVE

IN CHICAGO IN 1973 WITH VOCALIST SUNDI MARTINO AND DRUMMER LES DeMERLE. BESIDES FAMILIAR JAMES

FAVORITES, IT INCLUDES A NUMBER OF SONGS OR INSTRUMENTALS FROM THE 1960S, SUCH AS “LARA’S THEME,” “SOMETHING,” “MEDITATION,” “ON A CLEAR

DAY,” “GOIN’ OUT OF MY HEAD,” AND “WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?.”

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T WANT TO BUY ALL 24 CDS OF “CONCERTS IN MINIATURE” BY STAN KENTON, HERE IS A

“SAMPLER (SOUNDS OF YESTERYEAR DSOY 2130).

A SAMPLING OF 56 OF LAWRENCE WELK’S CHAMPAGNE MUSIC SINGLES RECORDED FROM 1938 TO 1962 FOR

VOCALION, OKEH, DECCA, MERCURY, CORAL, AND DOT. THIS IS A 2-CD SET (ACROBAT ADDCD3285).

A FEW NOTES ABOUT…

THE LEXINGTON HOTEL

It opened as the Hotel Lexington at 511 Lexington Avenue

(at 48th Street) in New York City in 1929, envisioned by the

architectural firm Schultze & Weaver, which also designed,

among others, the Waldorf-Astoria.

In the 1930s, the Lexington was operated by hotel industry

pioneer Ralph Hitz, who was the head of the National Hotel

Management Company, which also ran the Congress Hotel in

Chicago, the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, and the Nicollet Hotel in

Minneapolis. Big band fans need only to hear those locations to

know that they were, at one time, hosts to the bands of Artie

Shaw, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, and others.

But back to the Lexington. Last year, renovations of all six of

the specialty suites at the Lexington were completed, and one

was decorated with themed accessories inspired by the hotel’s

history, along with inspiration from the Jazz Age. That space

has been named the “Lady Ella Suite,” for Ella Fitzgerald, who

in the 1930s was vocalist with Chick Webb’s band.