STEVE LAWRENCE
You knew that Steve Lawrence was going to be a special talent when watching him during his early days appearing with Steve Allen on the Tonight Show. That’s a helluva long time ago. Recalling those days, he used to rotate appearances and that couch seat for guest boy singers with Andy Williams. That’s when he and Eydie Gorme became a pair because she was also a guest on the show.
Eydie had a great set of pipes and a wonderful laugh. But Steve’s personality always seemed to have something extra to offer and he was always on. I remember WNEW’s Anniversary party at Madison Square Garden. Later at dinner, Eydie told me that Jackie Gleason used to call Steve “the charmer.” Gleason also claimed that whenever Steve opened a refrigerator door and the light went on, he’d immediately begin to sing.
Steve Lawrence’s personality was remarkable…and still is. We saw him at Turning Stone Casino last year but manager Judy Tannen was unable to get us together because he was rushing to board a private jet waiting at Hancock Field. He performed marvelously as a single that night, apologizing for Eydie’s absence.
When Steve and Eydie lived in NYC during the sixties he was a frequent visitor to WNEW and WIP. The last time we visited was backstage at one of the Las Vegas hotels some years ago .
Steve and Eydie’s web site indicates no touring scheduled and that’s a disappointment. Although Eydie has retired, I’d especially like to see Steve perform again or release a new CD. Believe me, his voice and that smile are as bright and wonderful as ever
Several years ago, Steve released a CD containing songs made famous by Frank Sinatra who turned over the arrangements to Steve in the last days of Frank’s life. We’ll feature that CD on Big Bands Ballads and Blues this weekend.
Hear Dick Carr Saturdays at 11 am and Sundays at 6 pm. Click http://www.live365.com/stations/wnewradio1130
.
BASIE AND ELLINGTON “FIRST TIME” TOGETHER IN HISTORIC SESSION. THIS WEEKEND ON BIG BANDS BALLADS AND BLUES.
It happened over two days, July 6 and 7, 1961…a Columbia Records recording session that mixed the leaders, sections and musicians of the Duke Ellington and Count Basie Bands. Selections from that historic session will be featured every hour this weekend on Big Bands Ballads and Blues on Metromedia Radio via Live 365.
Noted jazz historians were there and Basie and Duke responded to their questions about working together on this extraordinary recording session produced and recorded by Columbia Records.
Basie: “It was the the most wonderful date I ever worked on. Why it was a thrill, a pleasure and an honor just standing there and discussing things with this great man!”
Duke: “The Count is a very dear friend. I have known and admired him ever since he appeared at Edmonds (NYC jazz spot) in 1923. Yes, he and I are very close. He’s like a brother to me. Actually, you know, he is a cousin of Sonny Greer, our former drummer. Over the years I have developed a profound and total appreciation of the Count.”
Reporter Aaron Bell added some color to his observation of the event and the bar around the corner
“The recording session was at Columbia’s studio on 30th street and there was this little special bar right around the corner. While Duke was getting it together with Basie-they would work together at one piano for a long time- the guys in the bands kept sneaking out to that bar. Before the night was over everybody was drunk. It was a hilarious scene.”
The Fight
Tough Cat Anderson
“Keeping order was not strictly a musical thing. Right in the middle of the session we had a fight…a real physical fight. It was between Juan Tizol and Cat Anderson. That’s the night that Tizol, who had been with Duke at the beginning, left the band forever. Cat Anderson was the trumpeter who sat closest to Sam Woodyard. Cat took one of Sam’s cymbals and threw it at Tizol and they went at it.”
Juan Tizol
Reporter Phil Schaap’s Take On This Session of Two Great Orchestras
“This everything but the kitchen sink adventure in Big Band Jazz is not an illustration of more is less but grand art large scale. That this merger of two large orchestras into one works must be the result of premeditated action taken by the bandleaders: Count Basie, the master of less is more and Duke Ellington, conceivably music’s greatest orchestrator and arranger. Their joined talents and approaches prevented the studio meeting of their orchestras from collapsing under it’s own weight.”
Hear Dick Carr Saturdays at 11 am and Sundays at 6 pm. Click http://www.live365.com/stationswnewradio1130
“Q”…MOST KNOW HIM AS QUINCY JONES
I have a favorite producer, arranger, conductor who used to play a pretty good trumpet…his name is Quincy Jones. We’re about the same age, as I learned on that Saturday afternoon about fifty years ago when he was in Philadelphia on a promotion tour. The only time we could get together was that weekend afternoon when I was doing my final show for WIP before pursuing my next career phase with Metromedia in management.
The Mercury promotion guy knew I wanted to meet Jones and got through to me while I was on the air and asked if he could bring Quincy by the quiet, deserted Rittenhouse Square offices and studios and sit in with me before Jones would have to catch a plane out of town.
Funny how I never put him on the air that day, but Q sat with me for over an hour just visiting and chatting. He hypnotized me with those amazing eyes of his and his capacity to answer my untrained musical questions about big band jazz and orchestrations. Here I was spinning a nondescript middle of the road playlist and ignoring the audience while talking off-air with Q about the kind of music I loved and he played and arranged so wonderfully. That was a special day for me because I got to know the gentleness and the genius of Quincy Jones.
Even though Jones had since arranged for albums with Count Basie and Ray Charles, it was his “Birth of a Band” 1960 or so LP from the EmArcy Jazz Series that first introduced Quincy Jones’ to me. All those musicians I had heard so much about years before were on those sessions. Joe Newman, Ernie Royal, Joe Wilder, Clark Terry, Don Lamond, Phil Woods and the rest. I thought to myself, here was this genius who grew up playing my music while I was growing up playing baseball and trying to learn how to hit a curve ball.
Although Quincy, was very active as a an arranger for smaller groups, he said that his first love was big band jazz ever since he was a kid with Lionel Hampton’s band and they toured Europe. He grew even more with Dizzy Gillespie. 1956…that became Quincy Jones’ breakthrough year. We talked about the “Big Band Bossa Nova” album, Jobim, Bonfa and the others and how those rhythms were so perfect for him. We talked about his Seattle years and Chicago…he told amazing stories.
As the years passed, I grabbed everything Quincy did, the movie scores, the compositions, his parallel paths that somehow allowed him to touch the worlds of Basie, Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan and jazz while reaching easily for Leslie Gore, Michael Jackson, Patti Austin, Chaka Khan, Roberta Flack and the rest of his great pop and soul accomplishment s of the sixties and seventies. And all through those years, Quincy Jones was the master producer, arranger and hand that guided all that music from Hollywood and beyond.
Quincy Jones has received many honors world wide and all the recognition any music master could wish for. My hope is that Q’s music will keep coming for a long time…or at least until I finally round third and head home.
In the music video to follow you’ll hear a version of “Stuff Like That” featured in a celebration of Quincy’s 755h birthday… and what a celebration it was. During a concert in his honor, a large group of famous people performed “Stuff” which is my favorite of all Q’s LPs…and wife Phyllis’s too. When she hears me put it on the turntable, she comes in to dance with me. We can’t contain our joy at the genius of Quincy Jones.
(Clicking on this link will direct you to a third party web site. Dick Carr’s Big Bands Ballads and Blues is not affiliated with any third party web site and is not responsible for the content or security thereof.)
THE JOHNNY CARSON PBS SPECIAL
When sister-in-law Linda Stern, now with WFMT in Chicago called to remind us to about the PBS Special on Johnny Carson last night, we of course watched the show. Although Johnny Carson was not an automatic tune in for me during his late night reign, it was fun to see the clips.
A running joke with anyone who knows me well is that after ten o’clock at night, my lids begin to droop, I yawn a lot, excuse myself and seldom heard from again until early the next morning. So, late night TV is not where you’ll often find me. But, there sure were memories on that show last night.
It was fun to see Johnny and Ed McMahon in the early days. Because of Ed’s Philadelphia connection, we got a favor when the producer of Who Do You Trust invited WIP disc jockey, Jim Tate to appear as a contestant with Carson and McMahon in the early sixties. Following a pretty good run on that show, Johnny took over the Tonight show from Jack Paar.
It was also a kick to see Carson in the old Omaha WOW Radio and TV studios. The WOW, KCMO, WHEN, WGST Meredith Broadcasting connection is still very memorable to me. As a matter of fac, Meredith’s Bud Stiker, KCMO’s Paul Fiddick, former WOW Program Director, Tom Barsanti and WGST’s John Lauer, Bill Sherard, Mike Wheeler and Eric Seidel and I are all still in touch after all these years.
Here’s the full video of Frank Sinatra and Don Rickles visiting with Johnny one night. It only gets a brief clip on the Special.
(Clicking on this link will direct you to a third party web site. Dick Carr’s Big Bands Ballads and Blues is not affiliated with any third party web site and is not responsible for the content or security thereof.)
Video of Carson, Sinatra and Rickles
RAY CHARLES AND COUNT BASIE…A COLLABORATION AFTER THEIR DEATHS
Probably the most important collaborative CD in my library is the magnificent RAY SINGS AND BASIE SWINGS breakthrough album of several years ago. It will be a feature on my Metromedia Radio Show this weekend.
The story behind the project involves an original live performance by Ray wherein he was marvelously reproduced however the band was not. So Concord Records decided to strip the vocal, bring the Basie band into the studio and digitally mix them together in order to produce this CD.
Ray Charles and Count Basie had their roots in jazz, blues and soul and when you combine these two artists, something special happens. You may have missed this CD but I’m going to add a video which explains how both these artists were combined in a far reaching recording process years after their deaths. In the video, you’ll see how this amazing musical happening was produced years after both had passed away.
Video Explaining how Ray and Basie performances were combined
Hear Dick Carr Saturday at 11 am and Sunday at 6 pm (EDT) http://www.live365.com/stations/wnewradio1130
HOW WILL GREATER U.N. CONTROL IMPROVE THE INTERNET?
Yesterday, I reported on Robert M. McDowell’s article in the Wall Street Journal regarding U. N. interest in gaining greater control of the Internet. Ever since, the thought of the such has haunted me.
According to the BBC’s China editor, Shirong Chen, the Chinese government has put a lot of their resources into controlling and censoring the content available to it’s citizens. On-line news, information and the business of the Internet will come into tighter control. Interesting to consider how this will affect American owned businesses who have already invested so much capital into that country.
WILL CHINA LEVERAGE OUR DEBT TO THEM MORE EFFECTIVELY VIA GREATER U.N. INTERNET CONTROL?
The only thing we can be sure of is that a diplomatic process is already underway that could result in an upending of the way the Internet operates and America’s best interests.
Please send your comments to dickcarr@bigbandsballadsandblues.com.
THE U. N. AND THE INTERNET…NOW WHAT?
Robert M. McDowell advises that the U.N. may soon have unprecedented powers over the Internet. McDowell is a Federal Communications Commissioner and his article in The Wall Street Journal made me spill my coffee a few mornings ago. There is a diplomatic process underway that could result in an upending of the way the Internet operates.
I refer you to WSJ at http://online.wsj.com
McDowell says that “Russia, China and their allies within the 193 member states of the ITU want to renegotiate the 1988 treaty to expand its reach into previously unregulated areas. Reading even a partial list of proposals that could be codified into international law next December at a conference inDubai is chilling.”
Further, McDowell says, “…some estimate that approximately 90 countries could be supporting Intergovernmental Net regulation—a mere seven short of a majority.”
“While precious time ticks away, the U.S. has not named a leader for the treaty negotiation. We must awake from our slumber and engage before it is too late. Not only do these developments have the potential to affect the daily lives of all Americans, they also threaten freedom and prosperity across the globe.”
Keep Broadcasting Alive and Functioning
Not necessarily unrelated, let us not be quick to dismantle our over-the-air broadcast capability. Never allow those frequencies and broadcast licenses to be surrendered.
I’D RATHER HAVE THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE THAN THIS NOISE
Older broadcasters remember the Fairness Doctrine…a once required obligation that over-the-air Radio and TV station licensees allow both sides of a controversial issue to be given a fair hearing. (Notice I did not say equal time…I said a fair hearing.)
I don’t watch all of the cable channels provided by Time Warner. Sometimes I wonder if even Time Warner has the time to do that. Aside from a few choice, live, sporting events and Turner’s Movie channel, I’m on Fox, CNBC, CNN and the Business channels. I also have strong political views and enjoy a spirited discussion of issues. But like Baseball’s founder, Abner Doubleday, I respect a first base line and a third base line that marks what is “fair” and “foul” territory.
Talking heads who play near the third base and “left” field foul line who too frequently abuse fairness are clicked off when they do. Guests hardly get a word in edgewise or are ever treated fairly by Chris Matthews, Ed Schultz, Martin Bashir and Rachel Maddow. Meanwhile, as far as I’m concerned, Keith Oberman shouldn’t even get in the game, he’s so obnoxious.
The players near the first base and “right” field foul line who also forget fairness and are often clicked by me when they do are Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly. I’d prefer that the Fairness Doctrine was back and governing fair discussion of issues.
Also, how annoying it is when turning to a cable TV news channel for the latest news and get discussion instead!. And how doubly annoying it is when the cable channels are counter-programming each other with their own discussion shows instead of news when and where you need it? I’d much prefer the cable channels to specialize in news when we need it.
If we had the Fairness Doctrine maybe over the air broadcast TV could be the home of discussion and let cable specialize in the latest news all the time.
Remember when comedian Bob Newhart in his Button-Down Mind comedy LP of 1960 once asked new game inventor Abner Doubleday “Why the need for a white striped base line to determine fairness? To determine if the ball is fair? Fair Mr. Doubleday? Now, just what would you consider fair?”
Here’s Bob Newhart and the telephone conversation with Abner Doubleday on his new game called “Baseball.”
(Clicking on this link will direct you to a third party web site. Dick Carr’s Big Bands Ballads and Blues is not affiliated with any third party web site and is not responsible for the content or security thereof.)
CAPITOL RECORDS…AN IDEA FROM MERCER, WALLICHS AND DESYLVA.
The Capitol Tower at Hollywood and Vine
When does “in the beginning” start? For me, it was at a little 250 watt radio station in Western New York State in the mid 1950s. I was working on a degree in Economics which I eventually earned. Yet, I learned a helluva lot more at that little radio station down the road than I did about Keynes, Supply and Demand and the Marginal Propensity to Consume.
My part-time job as janitor at the tiny station allowed me to create my own hours. I chose weekend afternoons because there were few people around. Except for a part-timer here and there, I was uninterrupted and had time to think, wonder and imagine. When my chores were done, I’d hang out in the record library for a few hours.
What a neat place! It was clean and neat because that was my job, to keep that station neat and clean. But what a treasure I found in that record library…all 78 rpm shellacked discs with labels that said Columbia, Decca, RCA and Capitol. I’d pull them out of the rack, remove the disc from the sleeve, throw it up on the only turntable in the library, turn up the speaker and listen to one after another.
Soon I became more selective. I seemed to be favoring the discs with a Capitol label. Some were black, others were yellow. I realized that Capitol featured more of my favorite artists…Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Nat Cole, Paul Weston, Les Baxter, Stan Kenton, June Christy, The Four Freshmen. These artists were current and they were different…they struck a special chord with me.
Johnny Mercer
One day in a trade publication sitting in the record library, I found stories about the founders of Capitol Records…Johnny Mercer, Glenn Wallichs and Buddy DeSylva. They were especially inspiring stories about entrepreneurs driven by their taste in music…mine too. And these discs highly shellacked, some with black labels and some with yellow all came from these guys who lived in a city of dreamers, Hollywood.
When I left the radio station in the late afternoons, I always looked west towards the setting sun where those wonderful records I just heard were being produced.
Hear Dick Carr Saturdays at 11 am and Sundays at 6 PM. Just click this link.
http://www.live365.com/stations/wnewradio1130
THE FEVER THAT NEVER ENDS…PEGGY LEE
Fever usually comes on quickly when you least expect it. Doctors say that when you get overly tired, your immune system warns you…your muscles ache…you get a headache…and then a fever. It was like that with Peggy Lee’s Fever… it came on in the late 50s, but lasts forever.
She wasn’t just attractive…she was gorgeous. Especially when that single, lonely spotlight cast an aura, caught her face and stayed there while she sang a ballad. One night as I sat in the crowded Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, N.J. she hypnotized me with You’re My Thrill…I felt she was singing it just to me…God, did she know I was there?
I remember a lot about Peggy Lee. She was a North Dakota farm girl who transformed herself into becoming one of the greatest musical stars of the middle years of the 20th Century…one of the most glamorous, distinctive and important singer-songwriters to ever step into the spotlight.
In the beginning, I remember that she was married to guitarist Dave Barbour, but that wasn’t all that important. I remember her with the Benny Goodman band and especially Why Don’t You Do Right. In the later years, her work with Joe Harnell, Basie, Lieber & Stoller and Quincy Jones
I remember her visits to WIP, Philadelphia and WNEW in New York. It took a long time for us to recover.
I remember asking for her new release from the Capitol Records promotion guy every few months. Peggy’s latest single was always on our play list. So was Sinatra’s, Tony Bennett’s, Ella’s and Nat’s. A new release every few months was about right unless her last record was a big hit single…then there would be a new album with the hit included. And then the next new single release would be held back a bit. Capitol knew how to promote Peggy Lee with the radio stations and the disc jockey crowd of the 60s.
Author Peter Richmond in his biography, The Life and Music of Miss Peggy Lee published by Henry Holt, rekindled my memories of ambitious but insecure Norma Egstrom who grew up a shy blond during the Depression years in Nortonville, North Dakota, until she turned herself into Peggy Lee.
And, thanks to Peter’s book, I’m reminded of that bad weather night in New York City on a February evening in 1961. The winter wind was biting and cold. The city was almost closed up because everyone had gone home to get away from the weather.
No…not quite.
On East Forty Eighth Street and Lexington Avenue a shivering, bundled up crowd was being coaxed into Basin Street East to hear the Queen, as Ellington called her. Peggy wanted her friends there for her closing night appearance. Few needed convincing. The record guys had us all set up…Peggy would be great No one doubted whether the show would go on. That was a certainty…and oh the crowd…they were all there…Ray, Basie, Ella, Lena, Judy, Cary, Sam, Gleason and the rest
I love how Richmond described Peggy Lee’s show prep routine as she arrived via the stage entrance hurrying to her dressing room to begin her pre show rituals… the hair… the make up… the gown. As she approached a backstage elevator, a stranger asked. “Are you Peggy Lee?” Her answer: “Not yet I’m not.” She needed perfection. Richmond recounts the scene so well. Then the small band was ready and waiting. Norma Egstrom completed her prep work and had again become Peggy Lee. And suddenly, the offstage voice…”Ladies and gentlemen, Basin Street East takes great pleasure in welcoming…Miss Peggy Lee.”
But there where problems. ..technical and physical. Cy Godfrey tells the story.
Capitol Records’ Dave Cavanaugh was there to record the performance for an album and there were technical problems. Peggy was also sick…she had a bad cold. It wasn’t working, they only had a couple of songs. So you know what Dave did? He recreated the event in a New York studio about a month later laying down enough tracks before a small crowd for the “Live” at Basin Street album.
Peggy Lee died on January 21, 202 and noted Jazz critic, Nat Hentoff had it right when he said, “you know, after she died I could still hear her voice.”
You’ll be able to hear it too many times on Dick Carr’s Bigbands Ballads and Blues on Metromedia Radio via Live 365 Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings.
Dick Carr’s BBB&B Saturday mornings at 11 and Sunday evenings at 6. Just click this link. http://www.live365.com/stations/wnewradio1130.
Music Video Of Peggy Lee’s Fever