Music News
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| Bing Crosby |
The year offers, however, hardly change in the musical field. Stars of the 1920's like Ben Bernie, Paul Whiteman, Ben Selvin still have a strong popularity even if their inspiration remains confined in the style that made them famous. It must be said that at 40, Paul Whiteman may always enjoy his achievements and a tremendous reputation throughout the world. He tested all kinds of music but time has come for him to reconsider otherwise musical arrangements that made the heyday of the Roaring Twenties. In May is released King of Jazz, a movie to his glory shot in Technicolor. Paul Whiteman insisted to have the sound recorded regardless of the pictures in order to preserve its quality. But neither this technical boldness nor the original insertion of a cartoon, or even the impressive rendition of Rhapsody in Blue, George Gershwin's masterpiece dated 1924 which he had performed from its outset, prevent the film making a true failure. The penniless viewers do not go along with the overblown side of the show.
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| Paul Whiteman "King of Jazz" |
Actually, nothing goes round in 1930. Some bandleaders do not manage any more to pay
their musicians and lay off, vaudeville troupes disperse, many jobless chorus-singers rush in the few castings. The most jazzy big
bands, however, cope better: Fletcher Henderson, Jimmie
Lunceford, Luis Russell and of course Duke Ellington have the most verve while
on the side of"white" musicians ,Ted Lewis, Leo Reisman, George
Olsen, Ted Weems or Gus Arnheim have enough maturity to keep a
significant health. For small bands begin, on the contrary, very bad years of
scarcity. In such a gloomy environment, the style itself is evolving. The
public currently seems to expect a new kind of emotion and it is time for it to turn the page
of the Roaring Twenties, too light, too odd and already outdated.
Therefore, gone fantasy, charleston, and "flapper" spirit, gone this carefreeness specific to the post-war period. Recession, concern of tomorrow,
lack of work, threatening poverty are most often a today’s special for
millions Americans. The audience expects something better matching the
low mood having taken over the country. Even Louis Armstrong softens his style, giving up
the unbridled virtuosity of the New Orleans bands for a more tempered mode,
without frills. Big hitters of the 20's like King Oliver (Louis
Armstrong's mentor) and Jelly Roll Morton, however, are hand out of breath
and will not return to the front rank.
Rather worn-out, classic musicals are on the way to take a few wrinkles.
The voices of the moment are those of Jeanette Mac Donald, Ethel Waters, Annette Hanshaw, Libby
Holman and especially the Boswell Sisters, a jazz style close harmony trio which has already overshadowed its bright elders, the
Brox Sisters. Looking closley, however, 1930 appears to be a year of
withdrawal, confirmed artists being still those who take out the best. The most
popular singers are mostly about thirty years old when they have not exceeded.
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| The Boswell Sisters |
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Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra
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Bye Bye Blues feat. Scrappy Lambert
(Fred Hamm/Dave BennettBert Lown/Chauncey Gray) First performed on NBC radio by the Vikings, the song was later recorded by Les Paul & Mary Ford who made it a major hit in 1952. |
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2
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Duke Ellington
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Mood Indigo feat. Ivie Anderson
(Duke Ellington/Barney Bigard/Irving Mills) Originally an instrumental track, it was first played on radio but the tune effect had so impact on the audience that Irving Mills added lyrics. |
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Cab Calloway
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St James Infirmary (Traditional)
Inspired from an English 18th century folk song, it has just been made famous by Louis Armstrong in his 1928 recording. |
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Gus Arnheim & His Coconut Grove Orchestra
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Fool Me Some More feat. Bing Crosby
(Haven Gillespie/Peter DeRose) After leaving the Rhythm Boys, Bing Crosby makes here his first solo recordings with Gus Arnheim. |
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5
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Annette Hanshaw
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Happy Days Are Here Again
(Milton Ager/Jack Yellen) First recorded by Leo Reisman in 1929, the song was peformed the next year in the musical movie Chasing Rainbows by Charles King. |
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6
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Hoagy Carmichael
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Georgia On My Mind
(Hoagy Carmichael) Saxophonist Frank Trumbauer had suggested Hoagy Carmichael to write a song about the South because it was a topic that usually sell well. He was not wrong, Ray Charles immortalized it in 1960. |
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7
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Jeanette MacDonald
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Beyond Blue Horizon
(Richard A. Whiting/W. Franke Harling/Leo Robin) Introduced by Jeanette MacDonald in the movie Monte Carlo directed by Ernst Lubitsch. |
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Charles Lawman
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Blues Is The Night
(Fred Fisher) Introduced in the 1929 MGM movie Their Own Desire starring Norma Shearer. |
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Luis Russell & His Orchestra
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Poor Lil' Me
(Paul Barbarin) Songwriter Paul Barbarin was most of all a great drummer, known for having worked alongside Louis Armstrong and King Oliver. |
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Leo Reisman
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Puttin' On The Ritz feat. Lew Conrad
(Harry Richman/Irving Berlin) Introduced by Harry Richman in the eponymous musical movie, it was recorded in conjuction with Fred Astaire who will perform it again in 1946 in Blue Skies. |
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Louis Armstrong
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Body And Soul
(Johnny Green/Edward Heyman/Robert Sour/Frank Eyton) Written for British actress Gertrude Lawrence, this song was introduced in the US by Libby Holman in her 1930 Broadway revue. Popularized since by hundreds artists. |
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Ted Weems & His Orchestra
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The Man From The South feat. Arthur Jarrett & Parker Gibbs
(Rube Bloom/Harry Woods) The South means here the South Side of Chicago. A hot recording that will take place among the best sellers of the year. |
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Isham Jones & His Orchestra
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My Baby Just Cares For Me feat. Eddie Stone
(Walter Donaldson/Gus Kahn) Written in 1928 for the Broadway Musical Whoopee!, this song is best remebered for Nina Simone's rendition released in 1958. |
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The Boswell Sisters
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Gee, But I'd Like To Make You Happy
(Larry Shay/George Ward/Reggie Montgomery) Song released the same year by Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians. |
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15
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Paul Whiteman
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Song Of The Dawn feat. John Boles
(Jack Yellen/Milton Ager) This song introduced in King Of Jazz, was to be performed by Bing Crosby, but chance wanting him to be behind bars, John Boles recorded it in his place. |
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