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Thursday, March 25, 2021

Ragtime Jamboree - Laswon - Haggart Jazz Band

 

Bugle Call Rag

Ragtime Jamboree
Lawson - Haggart Jazz Band 
Decca Records High Fidelity DL 8199
1958

From the back cover: About Yank Lawson

Yank (christened John Ray) Lawson was born in 1918 in the small town of Trenton, Missouri. He was reared locally and finished his formal education in his native state at the University in Columbia, Missouri. Although he did not expect to professionalize his talents, he was musical from the start. As a child he played the piano, in high school he took to the saxophone. When he went to college the band needed a trumpet player, so a trumpet player he became. He has played the trumpet ever since. Ben Pollack's Orchestra, Bob Crosby's Band, Tommy Dorsey's outfit, Benny Goodman's boys are some of the organizations with which he has played. For the past several years Yank has extended his repertoire and broadened out into radio and television. He has also "broadened" into a Easterner, revolving about New York for the last ten years.

About Bob Haggart

Bob Haggart was born March 13, 1914, in New York City. Although he has travelled hither and yon, the area of his birthplace has always been his center. Long Island adopted him as a native son; he was raised in Douglaston and lives in Great Neck. Between 1935 and 1943 he was with the Bob Crosby band, playing bass and arranging music. He was prominently featured in such hits as "Big Noise From Winnetka,' "Dogtown Blues," "Dixieland Shuffle," "South Rampart Stree Parade," and other numbers recorded by Decca. After 1943 Haggart freelanced in New York in radio, TV and recording. He furnished backgrounds for many Decca stars, such as Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Evelyn Knight and others.

The personnel of the Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band is a close and personal one. It consists of Bob Haggart, bass, Yank Lawson, trumpet; Lou McGarity, trombone; Bill Stegmeyer and "Peanuts" Hucko, clarinets; Cliff Leeman, drums and Lou Stein, piano.

Tiger Rag
Maple Leaf Rag
That Eccentric Rag
12th Street Rag
Temptation Rag
Down Home Rag
Bugle Call Rag
Grace And Beauty
Johnson Rag
Panama Rag
Sensation Rag
Cataract Rag

Mimi Hines Is A Happening

 

People

Mimi Hines Is A Happening
Vocals with Orchestra Conducted by Phil Ford
Produced and Arranged by Don Costa
Cover Photo: Milton Greene
Decca Records DL 4834

I'm The Greatest Star (from the musical production "Funny Girl")
Some Summer Day (from the TV production "Alice Through The Looking Glass")
Double Doo Doo
September Song (from musical play "Knickerbocker Holiday")
Some People (from the musical production "Gypsy")
There Are Two Sides To Everything (from the TV production "Alice Through The Looking Glass")
Sunrise, Sunset (from the Broadway musical production "Fiddler On The Roof")
One More Time (vocal with chorus and orchestra)
Le Deluge
People (from the musical production "Funny Girl")

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

From A Jack To A King - Ned Miller

Long Shadow

From A Jack To A King
Ned Miller
Produced by Fabor Robison
Fabor FLP 1001
1963

From the back cover: Ned Miller was born and raised in Rains, Utah, a coal-mining town near Salt Lake City. Ned bought his first guitar at the age of nine with money he earned by cutting and selling firewood. His mother taught him to play the guitar. Ned wrote his first songs at the age of sixteen while still in high school. After high school Ned served three years in the Marine Corps and was stationed in the South Pacific at Midway, Okinawa and Ioshima. After returning from the service Ned studied two years under the G.I. Bill and is a pipe-fitter by trade.

In July of 1956, Ned decided to try his wings in the music field and came to California when he met Rabor Robison of the Abbot, Fabor and Radio Record Companies who had discovered, developed and guided the early careers and first hits of such artists as Jim Reeves, Johnny Horton, Bonnie Guitar, The Browns, Mitchell Torok, Ginny Wright, Floyd Cramer and The deCastro Sisters. Fabor saw the potential in both Ned's writing and signing abilities and agreed to work with Ned to develop he talents. A year later, from their combined efforts, came "Dark Moon," recorded by Bonnie Guitar on the Fabor label, which was later leased to another company. "Dark Moon" became a number one seller in the United States and was recorded by many other great artists all over the world. The inspiration for "Dark Moon" came while Ned was driving along the Malibu, California beach one evening. Being a little depressed, he mentally drew a veil across the bright, full moon an immediately wrote the song, "Dark Moon." Ned has written approximately one hundred other great songs, including "Mister Fire Eyes," "Johnny Vagabond," "Love By The Juke-Box Light" and many other, some of which are included in this, his first long-play album.

From A Jack To A King
Long Shadow
The Cry Of The Wild Goose
The Man Behind The Gun
Billy Carino
Stagecoach 
Mona Lisa
One Among The Many
Just Before The Dawn
Sunday Morning Tears
You Belong To My Heart
Lights In The Street

Ad-Libby - Libby Morris!


Sand In My Shoes

Ad-Libby
Introducing Libby Morris!
Arranged and Conducted by Dick Hyman (Courtesy of Command Records)
Produced by Joe Rene
Recorded in RCA Victor's Studio A, New York City
Recording Engineer: Mickey Crofford
RCA Victor LSP-3506
1966

From the back cover: All the elements that make up professionalism are apparent with Libby Morris performs. She was born in Winnipeg, Canada, and attended the University of Manitoba, studying classical singing and acting in varsity shows. Then she worked in nightclubs and on radio as a vocalist until she switched to comedy. As a comedienne, Libby had her own series on CBC and appeared in the major hotels and supper clubs in Canada. With her brother, Paul Kliegman, who is the third banana of the Wayne & Schuster team, Libby had a show called "Stanford Van Crump – Private Eye." They didn't solve an any cases, but served up loads of howls. There were other CBC shows and appearances – the "Big Revue," "Four for the Show," practically all the variety shows. The talent was showing.

Since 1956 Libby and her family have lived in England, where she has been seen on BBC and ITV. She had her own series there called "Two's Company," with Jack Jackson. She played the Mother in the London stage version of "Come Blow Your Horn," and appeared in the film "Tiara Tahiti" with James Mason and John Mills. The range of experience was growing.

Here in the United States Libby has been seen on the "Tonight" show with Johnny Carson at least four times since she performed at "The Strollers" in New York. It was the same show she did for over four months at "The Establishment" in London. She has arrived. Welcome.
Ad-Libby is the first album Libby recorded. She rides a wide range of song and story. This girl is a polished performer. She tells no jokes, but she is a comedienne. She mugs with her voice. She excites an audience. She warmed up a cold and unadorned icebox like Studio A. Libby is an entertainer.

One Of Those Songs
Sand In My Shoes
I Could Fall In Love
My Own Personal Bird
Alice Blue Gown
Tea For Two
What Are You Trying To Say?
The Phoenix Love Theme
It! That! (from the Broadway Musical "Skyscraper")
Runaround
Tess's Torch Song (I Had A Man)
On The Other Side Of The Tracks

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Les Compangnons De La Chanson

 

Venus

Les Compagnons De La Chanson
Capitol Records ST 10227
1960

From the back cover: France's finest vocal group is presented here with an even dozen songs – songs which have recently made it big in Paris on records.

Les Compagnons de la Chanson have now been together 17 years. There are still nine young men. Only three, in all that time, have quit the group.

One married Yvette Girard, the classy Parisian pop singer. Another wed a Canadian girl and now lives (with her, it is presumed) in Montreal. The third went out on his own for a solo career.

Jean Pierre Calvet has proven more than an adequate replacement and Jean Broussolle, with his Gallic flair for arranging, has shrewdly injected new coloring (sounds) into the group's routines.

"Tom Dooley" in French became a smash European hit for the revitalized Compagnons in 1959 – even a song imported from Israel, and sung in Hebrew, was popularized. It is the Hava Naguila which also is known under the title of "Dansons Mon Amour."

Eight of Les Compagnons are marrie.

Fred and Rene Mella, second and third tenors; Broussolle, the arranger and baritone, and Jean-Louis Jaubert, Jo Frachon and Gy Bourguignon, basses, are all between 31 and 39 and married. Jean Pierre Calvet is still a bachelor.

the Compagnons travel about 100,000 kilometers a year, every year.

There most requested number?

"The Three Bells" of course. It has sold 1,500,000 records over a ten-year period. They have preformed the song in three languages all over the world.

And this new version is, of course, the first and only version to be made stereophonically!

From Billboard - February 8, 1960: The French male chorus offers a fine program of attractive international standards and folk melodies. Lyrics are in French. Their rich voices blend in listenable harmonies on such fare as "Venus," Hava Naguila," "Les Trois Cloches (The Three Bells)," etc. Stereo is effective. Attractive cover shot of the singers.

Les Trois Cloches
Venus
Carioca, Mon Ami
Guitare Et Tamborine
Melodie Perdue
Margotton
Hava Naguila
Les Tourlourous
Les Gitans
Sarah
Si Tu Vas A Rio
Gondolier

Monday, March 22, 2021

Prefect For Dancing Fox Trots - Fred Astaire Dance Studios

 

Blue Turning Grey Over You

Perfect For Dancing
Fox Trots
Produced and prepared under the direction of the Fred Astaire Dance Studios
RCA Victor LPM-1070
1955

From the back cover: In 1917, a vaudevillian by the name of Harry Fox, appearing at New York's Ziefeld Roof, immortalized himself by giving his name to the increasingly popular dance form of the day. Mr. Fox may very well not be remembered for anything else, but in that particular year, and as part of his act, but in that particular year, and as part of his act, he initiated an audience participation gimmick which will long be remembered in the annals of dance history. Selecting young ladies from his audience, Mr. Fox trotted them about the stage, giving rise to the association of his name with the dance we will undoubtedly be doing forever.

Despite Mr. Fox's pioneering, it again remained for the Castles to really popularize the dance – in a musical called The Century Girl they first performed it as a team, and its success was made. Since that memorable day, the dance has never once waned in popularity – indeed, it keeps growing in stature and appeal, for no matter who we are, it is the one dance we feel we can do reasonably well. There's no doubt that we could all use a little coaching, but the fox trot's simple pattern and extensive moods make us feel like professionals we think that we are.

You Do Something To Me - Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra 
I'm Dancing With Tears In My Eyes - Ralph Flanagan and His Orchestra
Blue Turning Grey Over You - Gene Krupa and His Orchestra
Fanhat Stomp - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra
Yesterdays - Freddy Martin and His Orchestra
St. Louis Blues - Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra
The Way You Look Tonight - Freddy Martin and His Orchestra 
Once In A While - Luis Arcaraz and His Orchestra
Begin The Beguine - Artie Shaw and His Orchestra
I've Got A Feeling I'm Fall - Gene Krupa and His Orchestra
Dancing On The Ceiling - Ralph Flanagan and His Orchestra
A String Of Pearls - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra

Perfect For Dancing Sambas - Fred Astaire Dance Studios

Nao Tenho Lagrimas

Perfect For Dancing
Sambas
Produced and prepared under the direction of the Fred Astaire Dance Studios
Cover Photograph by David Hecht
RCA Victor LPM-1073
1955

From the back cover: Although the samba was introduced into the United States during the dance's tender years, it was temporarily regulated to a back seat by the popularity of the rumba. Here, it was at first considered more of a production number for professionals – Irene and Vernon Castle had featured it as the Maxie and it rapidly became one of their most requested numbers. It was not until the mid-thirties, when a Brazilian bombshell named Carmen Miranda burst explosively upon the American scene, that the country became truly samba-conscious. Miss Miranda's inescapable enthusiasm and obvious talent suddenly revealed the full potential of this wonderful dance – one by no means limited to professionals like herself, but easily available to all who enjoy an infection rhythm and a never-to-be-forgotten evening on the dance floor.

Brazil - Fala Lemos and His Orchestra
Nos Tres - Fala Lemos and His Orchestra
Madalena - Fala Lemos and His Orchestra
Samba Lele - Carlos Galhardo with Orchestra
Ola Seu Nicolau - Carlos Galhardo with Orchestra
Alma de um Povo - Odette Amaral with Carioca Swingtette
Nao Tenho Lagrimas - Patricia Teixeira with Orchestra
Sabia Larangeira - Zaccarias and His Orchestra
Clarinet Samba - Jose Curbelo and His Orchestra
Boogie Woogie Na Favela - Jose Curbelo and His Orchestra
Montevideo - Noro Morales and His Orchestra

Montery Brass Goes Country & Western Again

 

Don't Say Goodbye

Monterey Brass Goes Country & Western Again
Diplomat Records D2400

Filipino Rose
Crying In The Chapel
Faded Love
I Walk The Line
A Heart Full Of Love
Don't Say Goodbye
I Don't Hurt Anymore
Let Me Go Lover
I'm The One Who Loves You
Don't Worry

Beautiful Dolls - Frankie Carle

 

Doll Face

Frankie Carle and His Beautiful Dolls
Cover: Gowns courtesy of Ceil Chapman. Shoe by Capezio
RCA Victor LPM-1559
1958

From Billboard - February 17, 1958: Pianist Frankie Carle works with rhythm backing on a dozen tunes having to do with dolls, "Paper Doll," "Doll Face," Doll Dance," etc. Displayable cover shows three real live dolls draped around the grand piano. A nostalgic package for jocks with adult audiences.

The Wooden Soldier And The China Doll
Dream Of A Doll
Paper Doll
The Wedding Of The Painted Doll
Cha Cha Doll
Doll Face
Doll Dance
Cupie Doll
China Doll Parade
Rag Doll
China Doll
The Syncopated Doll

Sunday, March 21, 2021

More, More Piano - Winifred Atwell

 

Caravan

More, More Piano
Winifred Atwell At The Piano
Richmond High Fidelity B 20040
A Product Of London Records

The Black And White Rag
17th Century Boogie
Jezebel
Flirtation Waltz
Dinah Boogie
Stranger In Paradise
Swanee River Boogie
El Cumbachero
Caravan
Dixie Boogie