Connie Haines Sings

 

Stormy Weather

Connie Haines Sings

Accompanied by Ray Bloch and His Orchestra

Recorded under the supervision of Bob Thiele

Coral Records CRL 56055 (10 inch LP)

1952

From the back cover: About Connie Haines

The glamorous Connie Haines had an even more glamorous name to start with. She was born Yvonne Jamis in Savannah, Georgia, a captivating mixture of French and Irish ancestry. She broke into radio at the age of four. At ten she won an audition for singers on an NBC affiliate, WJAX, in Jacksonville, Florida, and was rewarded with a commercial show which billed her as "The Little Princess Of The Air." At fourteen she became the youngest star ever to grace the Roxy Theatre in New York.

She then went on an extended year's tour of Eastern niteries. While at the Colonial Inn in New Jersey, she was heard and hired  by Harry James who had just left Benny Goodman to form his own band. James changed her name to Connie Haines. After three months with the band, she switched to Tommy Dorsey's orchestra and gained further distinction as one of the nation's most popular band singers. With the Dorsey menage at the time were Jo Stafford, the Pied Pipers and a promising lad named Frank Sinatra.

After a long stay, the Savannah thrush left Dorsey and headed for Hollywood. She made several pictures there including "A Wave, A Wac And A Marine," "Moonlight Over Las Vegas" and "Twilight On The Prairie." She also appeared as the featured on such radio shows as Fibber McGee And Molly, Abbott And Costello, Edgar Bergens, Old Gold Show," Chesterfield Supper Club and many others.

While on the Coast, her appearance at the well-known Ciro's drew attention from all sides and gained her an invitation to appear on the famous radio program beamed to the fighting men abroad, "Command Performance," her greatest thrill. In the fall of '47, Connie came East for the first time in years and went into the featured spot at the famed Paramount Theatre in New York. She appeared subsequently at the famous Harem night club in New York; the Chez Paree in Chicago; the Copa in Pittsburgh and the Bowery in Detroit. Connie wound up the year (1948) with her second Paramount Theatre date.

The Savannah songbird went on to television. She made guest shots on Ed Sullivan's video show, Jack Eigen's and opened a month-long stand at the Copacabana in New York. In 1949 she began another chapter in her colorful career. She signed a contract with Coral Records and immediately registered two smash hits: "How It Lies, How It Lies, How It Lies," and "You Told A Lie."

About Ray Bloch

Diminutive, bespectacled Ray Bloch, conductor of Ed Sullivan's CBS-TV "Toast Of The Town," Steve Allen's "Songs For Sale" and CBS-Radio "Big Time," NBC-TV's "Kate Smith Evening Hour," is a tireless working who seems never the least upset by the pressure of combined radio and video chores.

When still quite young, Bloch was brought to America from Alsace-Lorraine, where he was born August 3, 1902. In The United States, his father, a chef, encouraged his musical ambitions making sacrifices in order to pay for lessons. At the age of eight, the Bloch childish soprano could be heard in neighborhood choirs. Singing in choirs didn't appeal to him, but directing them did. So when he was 12, he conducted his first chorus at a Christmas festival. He has been leading choral groups ever since.

Ray Bloch was first employed as office boy at $6.00 a week for the New York French language newspaper, Courier de Etats-Unis. His first job of any importance was a piano player for a leading music publisher. He turned from this to play piano with ballroom bands in the city. During these formative days in the early 1920's he also played with an orchestra quintet which was billed opposite the famed original Dixieland Jazz Band, a fact which gave him the greatest emotional boost of his young professional life.

Bloch's initial experience as a maestro came when his organized a jazz quintet which toured from New York To California. In the late 1920's he switched to radio, as pianist at various stations. In 1931, he acme arranger-accompanist for the popular quartet of the day, the Eton Boys. Following a long stay with this foursome, he became leader of several choral groups, the most notable of which was the Swing Fourteen. His advent into conducting cam through a CBS sustaining series and a prominent sponsored show, "Johnny Presents," which had been fronted by such toppers as Ferde Grofe, Leo Reisman, Russ Morgan and Johnny Green. Early in this series, Bloch had charge of the choral group. Later, he was promoted to orchestra leader. This was the turning point of his career – he launched into an energetic schedule of conducting, coaching, orchestrating and choral directing that gained tempo and laurels with the passing years.

As a vocal coach, one of his proudest achievements was the development of soloists from his vocal groups, a few of which are Jack Smith, Gordon MacRae, Genevieve Rowe, Benay Venuta, Alan Dale, Sally Sweetland and others too numerous to mention. His baton has directed the music of many major shows during the last decade or more.

You Made Me Love You

Darktown Strutters Ball (with Alan Dale)

Stormy Weather

Will You Still Be Mine

My Man

But What Are These

What Has Happened To Joe

Silly No – Silly Yes

Call Of The Wild - Frankie Laine

 

The Swamp Girl

Call Of The Wild

Frankie Laine

Produced by Irving Townsend

Cover Photo: Leigh Weiner

Columbia CL 1829

From the back cover: Johnny Williams, brilliant young California conductor-arranger, provides Frankie with apposite orchestral and choral support. What Frankie provides in all the ballads in this album is akin to his vocal appearances in nightclubs and on television, through music.

Song Of The Open Road

North To Alaska

The Swamp Girl

Beyond The Blue Horizon

Call Of The Wild

On The Trail 

The Wayfaring Stanger

Tumbling Tumbleweeds

The High Road

Rolling Stone

The New Frontier 

The Girl In The Wood

Muted Memories - Carl Stevens

 

Harlem Nocturne

Muted Memories

Carl Stevens

His Trumpet and His Orchestra

Mercury Wing MGW 12138

1959

From the back cover: Versatile arranger-trumpeter Carl Stevens leads a group of Mercury All-Stars through this delightful session. Tympanist-Percussionist Bobby Christian has his own LP, MR Percussion (MG 20335 and SR 60015). Guitarist here, but also top vocalist on his own LP (MG 20418 and SR 60064), is Frank D'Rone. Bassist John Frigo switched to fiddle for his own Mercury 12-inch package (I Love John Frigo – He Swings MG 20285). And we can't overlook talented 88-er Dick Marx whose LP's are available under his own name on several other labels.

With trumpet gaining in popularity continually, Carl Stevens, Aurora, Illinois' gift to the valve and mouthpiece coterie, has carved a most unique approach to the rocky up-hill success climb.

While other trumpeters play routine standards in a style that dates back to 1930's, Stevens has a brand new approach. Utilizing all-star rhythm section, Stevens has actually written the musical backdrop for his rendition of the evergreens herein.

On previous trumpet efforts, the headlined horn has played against the tight rhythm section which Benny Goodman introduced. Stevens believes in variety. Not only does he switch the spotlight to his four cohorts for solos, but his own work is backed by a rhythm section that is conspicuous by its musical presence.

Michel LeGrand, writing in Down Beat recently, said modern recording technique is forcing arrangers to score differently!

Stevens, a long way from LeGrand's hometown, Paris, France, proves it with the dashes of tympani, percussion, music-box piano effects and guitar patterns.

And, as to mutes, Stevens raided four music stores of everything in the way of a plunger to the vastest audio-sensation mutes, to gain the fiery effects and the completely restful gimmicks you'll dig herein.

I Concentrate On You

Jeepers Creepers

Witchcraft

A Handful Of Stars

Satin Doll

The Song Is You

That Old Feeling

Harlem Nocturne

You Belong To Me

Out Of This World

Younger Than Springtime

What's New

Dorothy's Harp - Dorothy Ashby

Toronado

Dorothy's Harp

Dorothy Ashsby

Produced by Richard Evans

Engineer: Stu Black

Album Design: Randy Harter

Photographs: Jeff Lowenthal

Cadet Records

Stereo LPS-825

1969

From the back cover: Dorothy's Harp is a magical experience, indeed! It shimmers, glimmers and soars! It's funky, baroque and beautiful. Soulful, haunting, melodic. And besides that, it sounds good. An unbelievably versatile instrument, it offers the simple directness of the guitar, the fluidity and grace of the piano, the Old World delicacy and charm of the harpsichord. Not surprising, really, since all of these instruments evolved from the harp.

What is surprising is that, until Dorothy Ashby, the harp has been consistently #1 in Downbeat's Category of "Most Forgotten Miscellaneous Instrument," easily edging such contenders as the theremin and seraphim. Yet, with all the versatility and beauty the harp has offered through the ages, most folks can name only two harpists, and they're remembered for skills other than their harping. David, who played head harp in King Saul's Army Band, achieved his fame first by bonking Goliath in the Super-Philistine, and later by becoming King of the Israelites. What' more, he looked like Gregory Peck. And finally, his harping wasn't that good. Like President Nixon on piano, he played everything in "G"."

Harpo Marx was an incredible harpist who could have done much to popularize the instrument,  but he's remembered primarily for inventing the hydrogen bomb, which he kept in his pocket... next to the telephone, which was invented by Don Ameche. 

So much for history. The fact is the harp has needed a champion for aeons, and  it finally has one in Dorothy Ashby, as one hearing of Dorothy's Harp will reveal.

If you're a professional musician or jazz fan, chances are you're already aware of just how great Dorothy is; if this is your first exposure, you're in for a great treat that'll make you glad to have ears.

Producer Richard Evans' arrangements showcase Dorothy's Harp to perfection and reflect everything that is tasteful and exciting in today's popular music. In addition to the six recent standards, you'll be delighted by two Evan's originals "Tarth Spoken Here" and Toronado" and two Asby originals "Cause I Need It" and "Just Had To Tell Somebody".

The fender piano work of Odell Brown is also first rate, as are the flute and oboe solos by Lennie Druss.

This is the kind of album I'm happy to share with an audience. 

Fitz Peerenboom

WBNS Radio

Columbus, Ohio

By The Time I Get To Phoenix

Canto De Ossanha

Love Is Blue

Reza

This Girl's In Love With You

Truth Is Spoken Here

Toronado

The Windmills Of Your Mind

Cause I Need It

Just Had To Tell Somebody

Fool On The Hill

The Torch - June Valli

 

Stormy Weather

The Torch

June Valli

With Joe Reisman and His Orchestra

Photo by Jerry Saltsberg and Associates

RCA Victor LPM-1120

1955

From the back cover: The first time I ever heard June Valli, in person, was at the 4-H Club Convention, in Chicago. We were putting on a show there for the youngsters, and Kitty Kallen was to have flown out from New York to join us.

A few hours before the show, Irving Chezar, agent for Kitty Kallen, phoned from New York to tell me that Miss Kallen, ill, was still at La Guardia Airport. He suggested that I substitute June Valli, who was in Chicago.

So June rushed over, had a hurried rehearsal, and then stepped out on the stage and tied the show up in a knot. She's done the same thing for us ever since.

Here is a real young star, in the completest meaning of the that abused word. Millions of America who have enjoyed her on "Hit Parade", our "Toast Of The Town" and other TV shows, will welcome this album – June Valli is now a regular member of your family, instead of a TV visitor. – Ed Sullivan

One For My Baby

I Get It Bad And That Ain't Good 

My Man

Stormy Weather

You're Got Me Crying Again

Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man

But Not For Me

Bill

All Alone

I Get Along Without You Very Well

Body And Soul

Don't Take Your Love From Me

Watusi Trumpets - Claus Ogerman

 

Stingray

Watusi Trumpets

Claus Ogerman and His Orchestra

Produced by Andy Wiswell

Liner Photo: Dan Wynn

Recorded in Webster Hall, New York City

Recording Engineer: Mickey Crofford

RCA Victor LPM-3455

1965

It's Not Unusual 

Stingray

Watusi Trumpets

El Watusi

Downtown

Right Now

Harlem Watusi

One Step Above

The Joker

Poinciana

La Bamba

Land Of 1000 Dances

Souvenir Album - Gertrude Niesen

 

Temptation

Souvenir Album

Gerturde Niesen

Decca Records DL 5138 (10 inch LP)

From the back cover: First of all, she comes from Brooklyn... which may explain everything. For, just as the Dodgers are the unpredictable of the sports world, Gertrude Niesen is one of the most deceptive personalities in show business. Her career has been marked by as many old twists and turns as the base path antics of the Beloved Bums.

Even her initial debut came unexpectedly: Gertrude was born on the high seas while her parents were returning from a trip to England. As a youngster she displayed an unusual flair for mimicry which earned for her the nickname of "Monkey," Later, the beautiful blond, who was to win fame for her Broadway impersonation of a burlesque queen, was educated at Brooklyn Heights Seminary, a genteel finishing school for young ladies. Still more surprising, is the fact that Gertrude once considered a career in grand opera. It was during her third year at Brooklyn Seminary that her soprano voice attracted the attention of Romano Romani, the famous operatic voice coach. Signor Romani urged the young girl to study for a future with the Met, but before Gertrude could make up her mind, her high voice changed to a lush contralto.

The sudden change was a blessing in disguise, for Gertrude discovered that her new voice was perfect for impressions and popular songs. At the insistence of her schoolmates, she canvassed the Manhattan theatrical agencies and was immediately booked into the 300 Club. Other engagements followed, and before long she made her radio debut on the Rudy Vallee program caused a nationwide furor and Gertrude was signed on as a regular member of the cast.

Gertrude followed her first Broadway stage role in "You Said It" with starring performances in such hits as "Calling All Stars" and the "Ziegfeld Follies," Then came a movie career in Hollywood, with La Niesen appearing in "Top Of The Town," "Start Cheering," "Rookies On Parade," and "Harem Nights." Despite her cinema successes, Miss Niesen decided that the restrictions and stereotyped roles of movieland were not for her. In short, she wanted to get away – far away. So she left America and went to London, where she was featured at the plush Cafe de Paris. Here she worked leisurely in a familiar medium before appreciative audiences. In London she was given an opportunity to try out the things she had only dared thing about in Hollywood and to develop her own distinctive flair for comedy blossomed forth in England and Gertrude returned to the United States a seasoned and successful international performer.

It was in the role of Bubbles LaMarr, in "Follow The Girls," however, that Gertrude enjoyed her greatest success. Sensation of the show was her long-to-be-remembered singing of the strip-teaser's lament "I Wanna Get Married," which, incidentally, is included on this Decca Long Play Record. The show ran on Broadway for more than two years and toured the nation to packed houses for another year, definitely establishing its star as a top-flight musical comedienne.

Frankly, when La Niesen comes out on the stage and starts rolling her eyes and swaying her hips, she seems more than mischievous – she looks downright wicked. But away from the spotlight she is earnest almost to the point of being demure. Gertrude more than anyone else, enjoys the joke of being able to carry on under the spotlight in a fashion that has nothing to do with her real personality. Her flamboyant dress and combed blonde bangs are misleading cues. One would hardly suspect from her stage appearance that behind the outer facade lies a keen business mind. For example, Gertrude picked up a 50-room $2,000,000 Newport, R.I. mansion for $21,000 a few years ago. They laughed even more when the water pipes froze and burst. But Miss Niesen had the last laugh when she sold the estate a short time later for considerably more than she had paid for it.

At present, she owns large estates in California, an island off Greenwich, Connecticut, and a little place in New York's fashionable East Sixties. Gertrude, who is also a talented interior decorator,  and fills them with her collections of Chinese antique and English Sheffield silver. Just as her homes are the showcase of Gertrude Niesen's vocal ability. These eight songs are typical of the colorful Niesen repertoire... and she sings them like nobody else. But nobody!

I Wanna Get Married

Twelve O'Clock And All Is Well

I'm A Big Girl Now

Legalize My Name

Sooner Of Later

That's Good Enough For Me

Body And Soul

Temptation

It's Been So Long - Helen Ward

 

It's Been So Long

It's Been So Long

Helen Ward

Orchestra under the direction of Percy Faith

Columbia CL 6271 (10 inch LP)

1953

From the back cover: The charming girl on the cover of this set has enjoyed a unique career. She left New York University in the middle of her sophomore year to join a new band just formed by a young clarinetist named Benny Goodman. It was New Year's Eve when she made her debut with Benny. Two years later, in December 1936, Benny Goodman was the biggest and hottest name in the band business. Helen had reached the top of her profession as a band singer, and she threw it all over for marriage.

Although the marriage broke up a few years later, Helen did not at first return to singing in public, except for brief appearances with Gene Krupa and Harry James, her close friends from the Goodman band, and a season on the Camel radio show with Bob Crosby. She also made occasional recordings with Krupa, Crosby, James, Teddy Wilson and Joe Sullivan. During World War II, she toured extensively with the orchestras of Hal McIntyre and Harry James. In 1946 and '47, she became a radio producer for an independent New York station; among her programs were the Morey Amsterdam, Vic Damone and Toni Arden shows.

Helen was happily re-married and settled down when one day in October 1952 her telephone rang and there I was at the other end inviting her to a cocktail party in honor of Fletcher Henderson, the great arranger, who had done so much for the Goodman band of the thirties. Although Helen did not know it then, this was the first step which Benny and I had cooked up toward having her come back and sing in public again.

The plot centered around the fact that Benny was organizing an all-star band to tour in the spring of 1953, with as many of the former stars as were available. The conversation got around to the business of using a vocalist, and went something like this: "How," we both said simultaneously, "about Helen Ward?" Well, neither of us had heard Helen sing in years, but we knew that kind of singer would always be good.

As Helen sang in the lyrics of the special-material song which Frank Loesser and Milton DeLugg created for her return to Benny, "he didn't even have to ask me twice". Helen came down to the Columbia Studios one night, and after warming the band up with an instrumental, Benny signaled Helen to come over and make a side. (We still hadn't heard her sing.) But from he first four bars we knew we were in. If anything, Helen was better than ever.

Helen went on that tour with Benny; although Benny had to drop out after the first ten days when he suffered a physical collapse in Boston, the tour went on without him and was still a phenomenal success. Everywhere she appeared, Helen found that her old friends turned out in cheering droves, and that the newcomers who had not heard her in public before were just as enthusiastic. This double-barreled success which Helen enjoyed was the final bit that earned her the right to an album of her own.

This record evolved out of a series of conferences among Helen, myself and Percy Faith, Columbia's extraordinarily versatile East Coast arranger and conductor. The sessions were a happy dream; Percy flipped over Helen, Helen thought Percy was just great, and the musicians were inspired by both of them. The results, as you can hear, justified everyone's excitement.

It's Been So Long

You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me (Two Versions)

You're Mine

I'm Nobody Baby

Same Old Moon

When You Make Love To Me (Don't Make Believe)

It All Depends On You

Nice Work If You Can Get It

This Is Benny Goodman And His Orchestra

 

Wrappin' It Up

This Is Benny Goodman And His Orchestra

Popular Collector's Issue

RCA Victor LPT-3056 (10 inch LP)

1953

Swingtime In The Rockies (Recorded June 15, 1936)

Changes (Recorded September 6, 1937)

Sugarfoot Stomp (Recorded July 7, 1937

Big John Special (Recorded May 28, 1938

Camel Hop (Recorded November 12, 1937)

Riffin' At The Ritz (Recorded October 7, 1936)

Wrappin' It Up (Recorded May 28, 1938)

Life Goes To A Party (Recorded November 12, 1937)

Hello Benny! - Benny Goodman

 

The Girl From Ipanema

Hello Benny!

Benny Goodman

Plays The Fresh New Sounds Of The Great New Tunes

Produced by David Cavanaugh

Capitol Records T2157

1964

Complete personnel includes:

Clarinet and Leader: Benny Goodman

Trumpets: Tony Terran, Ray Triscari & Jimmy Zito

Alto Saxes: Skeets Herfurt & Herb Steward

Tenor Saxes: Teddy Edwards & Bob Hardaway

Trombones: Bob Edmondson & Vern Friley

Piano: Pete Jolly

Drums: Colin Bailey

Bass: Monty Budwig

Guitar: Benny Garcia

Great Day arranged by Fletcher Handerson

La Boehm arranged by Tommy Newsom

Call Me Irresponsible arranged by Bill Holman

People arranged by Tommy Newsom

Hello Dolly! arranged by Tommy Newsom

The Girl From Ipanema arranged by Tommy Newsom

The Pink Panther Theme arranged by Joe Lippman

The Lamp Is Low arranged by Fletcher Henderson

Hallelujah, I Love Her So arranged by Gerald Wilson

Them There Eyes arranged by Fletcher Henderson

The Classics Ala Dixie - Pee Wee Hunt

Cotton Pickin' Carmen

The Classics Ala Dixie

Pee Wee Hunt

Arrangements by Van Alexander and Dave Cavanaugh

Capitol Records T846

1958

Twelfth Street Toreador

Rigoletto Rock

Hi-Ho Pee Wee

Springtime Down In Dixie

Cotton Pickin' Carmen

Oh! Martha, Oh!

Hunt's Goulash

The Iceman Cometh

I Don't Want To Be Hurt Anymore - Nat King Cole

 

I'm All Cried Out

I Don't Want To  Be Hurt Anymore

Nat King Cole

Orchestra Arranged and Conducted by Ralph Carmichael

Produced by Lee Gillette 

Cover Photo: Capitol Record Studio/Ken Veeder

Capitol Records STEREO ST 2118

1964

I Don't Want To Be Hurt Anymore

You're Crying On My Shoulder

Only Yesterday

I'm Alone Because I Love You

Don't You Remember?

You're My Everything

I Don't Want To See Tomorrow

Brush Those Tears From Your Eyes

Was That The Human Thing To Do?

Go, If You're Going

Road To Nowhere

I'm All Cried Out

Red Sails In The Sunset - Dick Hyman

The North Sea (Dick Hyman)

Red Sails In The Sunset

Dick Hyman At The Organ

With Instrumental Accompaniment

MGM Records E3483

1957

From the back cover: Dick was born in New York City in 1927... graduated from Columbia College in 1948... free-lanced with many orchestra and singers... joined Benny Goodman in the maestro's European tour in 1950... then concentrated on radio and television work... currently on NBC staff as a conductor, pianist and organist, in addition to leading his own trio, famous to record fans through such M-G-M hits "Theme from 'The Threepenny Opera'"... has recorded with LeRoy Holmes, Joni James, Mary Mayo and many other stars in addition to producing his own hit recordings... Dick's trio has won the Cashbox Award (jukebox operator's trade magazine) several times.

From Billboard - March 9, 1957: The fourth MGM album by this fine keyboard stylist should be a profitable item for dealers. Hyman, a remarkable musician, has been growing in popularity – and in the last six months has been getting considerable promotion via singles as well as packages. In this album he plays the organ. The mood is quiet and moody, with the sound of surf and crying sea gulls interspersed among the numbers. In fact, one might say it has sort of Jimmy Kennedy quality. In addition to the latter's title tune, there are "Sleepy Lagoon," "Harbor Light," "Drifting And Dreaming," etc.

Red Sails In The Sunset

Island In The West Indies

My Ship

Sleepy Lagoon

I Cover The Waterfront

Drifting And Dreaming

Harbor Lights

My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean

The North Sea

Galway Bay

Beyond The Sea (La Mer)

You Have Cast Your Shadow On The Sea

The Little World Of Tiny Tears

 

My Breakfast I Must Eat

The Little World Of

Tiny Tears

Tiny Tears Favorite Games, Songs And Nursery Rhymes

Play House With Tiny Tears!

Majorette Records M-307

Mommy Where Is My Dolly

Mommy I Found My Dolly

My Breakfast I Must Eat

Going Bye Bye

The Story Of Cinderella

Lunch Time

All Around The Mulberry Bush

A Tisket, A Tasket

Three Little Kittens

Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be?

Little White Duck

Bath Time With Tiny Tears

Ten Little Indians

Bedtime: Lullaby Songs