New Pittsburgh Courier from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 14

J. 9 5 s. ft' THE COqgt August 13,. 1955 Katie's Batiti vs. Birdkfnd COHABIT Q5DG Sfapifee.

But vkm Whet cd ENdta 3 kI didn't fake SingsMo convince Atlantic's new abum, "Bobby Short us fhof Bobby is a great fonr wa knew fhoL However, we wbwW ague agansr me menu of a sessionvinNew York with fhe ftmperaf ure owl of we nineties almosoever. Bobby's adventures have almost changed our mind; he's almost convinced us thaf we should. det the ocean breeze for sizzling Gotham. We hope the young singing star doesn't mind our sharing his note with all of you. Dear Izzy: If you trv real real hard you can, perhaps, imagine one hundredtK of the disappointment I felt when I arrived in vour town of New York and found you not there.

Not there at all, dear Iz, but far away from the sweltering days and hot nights, from the melting asphalt and the burning, cement just having vourself a ball in some air conditioned bocage. But I wished for you, Izzy. I wished for, you more than a dozen times as I sat between my two oversized fans at Carnegie Hall with nothing more serious on my mind than the prozlem of whether to yield to ESQUIRE and don the Bermuda shorts so popular at the moment or simply stick to the old Spauldings I happened to bring along. At any rate, shorts were the thiHg and don't think I'm making a funny. After these many years, my mind rather automatically thinks in terms of song titles and for ten whole days number one on its hit parade was an old goody from Street Scene called "Aint It Awful, the Heat." In spite of it though, I got with your big town as, sur.

prisingly enough, I seemed to have it all to myself and, indeed, claiming as much of it as I could was my goal. Izzie, if you promise not to turn summer resort green with erivv I'll tell you just some of the fun we did. The used is not at all an editorial one; I grabbed off a friend of yours whose name is Ruth Cage first day I was in town and made her stick with me until the bitter end. i We paid a visit, first off, to Jack Walker and Georgia Carr at the Palm Cafe on 125th Street where the air was cool and pleasant and the food fine. Had just enough time to make it later down to the Pin Up Club on Lexington where we heard my favorite singer, Mabel Mercer, give out with her special art for an hour.

(I'm pleased, incidentally, to be on the same recording label, Atlantic, as she, after admiring her for these many years) Next day was an early one as I had a luncheon date at the Waldorf and a broadcast later in Peacock Alley with Tex and Jinx who amazed me with their general knowledge of everything and their completely facile conversation. I remember saying wonderful things about a friend of mine, Vernon Duke, then turning on the same show a few days later to hear him saying the same wonderful things about me. I can assure you it was not at all planned that way. Spent most of that evening at Birdland listening to Count Basie Band, certainly at 'its peak at this time, and allowmg my mouth to hang open quite honestly while Joe Williams performed his fabulous version of "Every Day I Have the Blues." Friday lunch at the IlarwyTi Club, cocktails at the Plaza Oak Bar, then an evening performance of the Desperate Hours' after which I grabbed a taxi and rushed over to visit with Dorothy Killgallen and Richard Kollmar where the conversation covered everything from their luncheon in the South of France with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to the current whereabouts of Bone Walker. Just time after that for another very short session with Miss Mercer then home to bed.

Saturday meant a matinee of "Inherit the Wind" which I enjoyed mightily, an ice cream soda at Howard Johnson's and a short" rest before making preparation lor our invasion of the Village. Invasion began with dinner at Five Oaks, continued at Bon Soir where I've come to believe it is impossible not to have a good time and finally wound up at the Village Vanguard where I refreshed an old friendship with Enid Mosier. late of "The House of Flowers." who sings there now with those steel drummers from the show. We passed up an invitation to Fire Island on Sunday. Instead, we took it easy all day at home, but after dinner caught the very last showing of Katherine Hepburn's new film, "Summertime." Monday.

meant luncheon at Sardi's. I walked there from home never knowing" the tall fellow next to me all the way down the street was Farley Granger who was also to be on the show After Sardi's I jrot to see and visit with Hilda Simms. Hadn't seen her since the days in Pari when we used to frequent the same sidewalk cafes. Still beautiful as ever A short chat with Faye Emerson on Tuesday morning" over at NBC where she was busily contributing: her share to planning: the Sunday Monitor show complete with laryngitis after an opening: in stock the night before but still with that old charm. Mad dash up to the Theresa where we immediately bumped into Betty Granger whom I hadn't seen since your New Year's Eve party back in 1953.

Then over to the Shalimar for whisky sours before taking lunch at Frazier's next door After dinner we made an appear ance on Leonard Feather's "Platter Brains" radio show. Then on to Ella Fitzgerald's opening at Basin Street Ruthle and I were joined thereby Bob and Jean Bach who had just left Bob's TV show "Music '55" and sat amidst such celebrities as Harold Arlen, Diahann Carroll, Margaret Truman. Delores Parker, Harry Carney, Dorothea Towles, Sara Lou Harris and Buddy Bowser. Wednesday was a luckv dav as I was able to get seats for "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and a pair that same evening for "The Boy Friend." Drinks at Jim Downey's later and then across town to the Toast on First Ayenue where Larry Carr sang until entirely too late. Some kind soul provided two seats for "Bus Stop" Thursday evening which took care of us until 11.

After that to the Embers where we joined the throng listening to George Shearing and Hal Scriaefer. Had to cut the evening short at two as Friday morning meant taking a 'plane to Cleveland and from there to Chicago and from there to Los Angeles where the temperature was a welcome 55 degrees when I stepped out into it Sunday morning. Sound like a Fitxpatrick travelogue to you, Izzie? Well. It very nearly was except for one things Somehow I never saw the sun sinking in the West. Itr was always rising in the East when I got to bed every morning.

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ROeiRS Mori9id Aawo Naw York 34. N. NEW YORK The headlines have been going to the Indians, Yanks and White Sox, but a thousand people will testify that the baseball event of this or any season was the one that pitted the Count Basie Bombers against the Birdland Pigeons on Bear Mountain last week. Of course, there will be those who might hint that it wasn't really baseball but, there will be others who'U compare the pitching efforts of Shoeless Henry Snodgrass with the best of Tommy Kyle (9 year old strike out king with the Astoria, I little League); there will be those who'll marvel at the splendid effort of the Birdland catcher wbo threw out pinch hitter Basie (on a full swing "the maestro's "hit" landed a full 4 feet in front of the plate) and there will be the others who'll wager that the major leagues have nothing to compare with the sight of PeeWee Mar quette, Birdland 's official greeter, swinging with all his Poohoimtni Cariro IMewesti CDub Found NEW YORK The meteoric rise of Diahann Carroll to fulltime star status was virtually a fact last week after the beauteous young: miss made her debut as a night club performer at Monte Proser's La Vie here. Diahann's most recent previ cjL ous success was as the ingenue What Love Is Like Among Aussie Aborigines SYDNEY, Australia A Holly wood tvpe premiere was the send off here for "Jedda." an independently produced ft 1 which tells the story of love and conflict suffered by youthful Australian aborigines.

Alanine, j. iU rr rL i which Arunta tribe of Central Austra lia and as her lover, 24 year old Robert Tudawali. ij.li i i U. Charles Chauvel Productions. BIGGEST and the BEST Gospel Package West Coast Hit LOS ANGELES in "House of a role which followed her film debut as Pearl Pailey's sidekick in "Carmen Jones." The coy charmer had skyrocketed to na tional attention last year by her sensational showing on the "Chance of a Lifetime" video offering which she won for a record breaking number of veeks in a row.

Miss Carroll has a voice which has power and range I by a crowd of 4.000 persons plus, Respite a thirty day street car strike nere. me nrsx iviia she uses to great dllldtiCr Willi lltl ciunii.T iinnocene a Quality which is charming switch. ad stylize tunes In an individual manner. Unlike most of her predecessors to the chic supper tribal laws and ancient t.us W. of native.

The a. Unto the cat go ot Sartr Sua" fr? tractions, artists on their recent tour of West Coast cities. The tour "package" consisted th Pilerim Travelers, ttro. HicrhlisrhtedlJoe Mav, the Soul SUrrers. Orig inal Gospel Harmonettes ana the Caravan Singers.

They also aDDeared in civic auditoriums summer Festival of Gospel Mu iin San Dieg. Oakland, Bakers at the Shrine Auditorium ilast week, was a barometer of the pulling power of Herald At Fitzgerald Tells field. Fresno. Stockton, Phoenix and Tuscon. Arizona, meeting with tremendous successes.

'Bebop' Got Its Name Ella Fitzgerald told Victor Young: on CBS Radio's "The Woolworth Hour? last week how it was that the word "bebop" came into our slanguage. "I was singing Tain't What You Do," Miss Fitxgerald explained. "Then I started In with a bit of scat singing: (singing without words, Improvising, nonsense syllables), and ended up a phrase with the syllables, 'rebop. Before I knew It, they were using: this name (changed to bebop) for the kind of music that Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie were playing at the time." I I 4 feet. 90 pounds for a solid single half way to the pitcher's mound.

There were rhubarbs aplenty some of which brought some changes. After complaints that he was wearing legitimate baseball spiked shoes, Snodgrass pitched from the ringers on both sides, the hero of the game remained "Cat" Anderson, who homered tripled and doubled for the Basie team although he is regularly employed by another bandleader named Ellington. By the time nine innings were in the book, the Basie crew had stashed away ten runs and the Birdland crew had settled for three. Meanwhile, before, after and during I I 4.L AIi There was plenty of gaiety and many Up in Tne MIT $ore a Bear Mountain last week following the softbalP game between Count Basle's band and the members of the staff at Birdland. On the left are members of Basic's Bombers.

Shown are Henry Snodgrass, Eddie Jones, Henry Coker, Joe Newman, Freddie Green, Joe Williams. Marshall Royal, Eddie (Cat) Anderson, Thad Jones, Frank Foster and Bill Basie, pinch hitter. Center photo shows Eddie (Cat) Anderson, the game's most valuable player, surrounded by lovelies Serena Simpson, Anita (Yum Yum) Caswell, Catherine Basie and Jerry Gray. In the right photo are members of the Birdland Pidgeons, which included Ed Wilkins, Sid Evens, Warren Sutfle, Big Jay, Morris Primach, Freddy Bellows, John Thorn as. Jimmv Dowman.

wscor uuuuj i cm auu 7 'i'y ft TL tll Pretty Joan Proctor, Dig 1 mill sensation from SffldDW MSSL IBTUSaiES By JOE ADAMS Leading Heat Coast Disc Jockey, Star of Film "Carmen Jones' I'm still flipped over attending the most air record session ever waxed. For three days and nights. Lionel Hampton recorded for jara impresario, Norman Granz. Clef Label, sixty sides of the most fabulous music ever put on platters. King of the Vibes.

Master of the Drums" had a real chance to show his versatility The music he played and the musicians he played with ranged from the sweetest to the hottest, from the most traditional jazz blowers to the most modern And the Hamp was ngnx in there, adapting his Inimitable performance in each case so he and his fellow musicians Were one. Lionel cut twelve tunes, to be released singly and on a twelve inch double faced long play with the group which appears with him in "The Benny Goodman Story." The quartet consiy of Hamp on the vibes, of course; Teddy Wilson on piano, Gene Krupa on drums, and Bed Callender on bass playing the same parts that Benny Goodman plays on clarinet In the movie sound track. Included are all the really great sides that the group played for the sound track of the movie, as weU as some that won't be heard there. All will be rare collectors choices. One of the sides is dedicated to Goodman, Joe Adam Lament for 14 year old singing larrisburq, is one of three finalists so far selected to compete tor top honors among new performers discovered by Horace Heidt, right, on his NBC TV program.

The classy lass won six amateur bouts while traveling with the Heidt group across the Benny." written by Norman Granz. It's the first song he has released which is credited to him, although hehas written many others which he didn't claim. Then Lionel cut another twelve sides for a similar album with Stan Getz on sax; Shelley Mann on drums; Lou Levy, piano, and Leroy Vinegar on bass. These are as, full of modern sounds as the first album is of traditional licks, and they're both great. The vibes of Lionel will also be heard on two double faced twelve Inch long plays with a trio, the like of which could never be equaled again.

Here are Hamp, Art Tatum on piano and Buddy Rich on drums. And finally, there are twelve sides, to be released singly, with Lionel Hampton and his big twenty piece band, the first waxing Hamp has made with a big band for more than four years. These ill also be released on the twelve inch long play. By the time this is in print, the first two sides will probably be in your area. Granz is so sure these will be a hit, he is running a first pressing of 200,000.

To be released will be Lionel's ever great 'Midnight Sun" backed with his jumping "Airmail Special." Norman had the RCA Victor crew working on a double shift (at triple pay!) to get the first thousand records pressed in a hurry and out to San Francisco record stores, who were clamoring for them after Lionel played a dance there, the Get Top Roles Th'e little guy in front is Peewee Marquette, Birdland's jovial jtion" kept his team in spirits. During a time out for igreatest I til tl I I this mad battle of the bats, the players, their families, th club's staff and their families, a variety of personalities from the entertainment world, and the free loading press tried very hard to consume $4,000 worth of eatables and drinkables. They didn't make it and so a few dozen families went home with baskets of such stuff as barbecued chicken and French fried balony. The entire affair was under the sponsorship of Morris Levy and the Birdland management. Despite the fact that owner Levy is sporting scratches from his forehead to his chin, the result of a headfirst slide Into second base, he is planning already for next year's session of "wholesome" out door activity for the stars and staff who keep his club the regular indoor activity for jazzophiles the year round.

According to early plans, next year's affair will attract Ave times the crowd that this year filled two buses and fifty automobiles and the musicians will bring along their horns to play during the seventh Inning stretch. i 1 0 FN. "I fe? Reaching for Stardom If nn mm 1 oDmniG to IFeatinoirG Ml eg roes aim Pa HOLLYWOOD This fall movie screens will be showing two top films in which Negro stars get the rare opportunity to display their talents to advantage. In "Tine Trial," Juano Her 0 nandez appears as a judge, giv i ing a performance which is al ready being touted as one of the! greatest single efforts by a sup porting player in a film. In the story, a Negro judge is selected) to trv the case of a Mexican boyi' 1 arPTiMd of murder as a trick to.

WaitcBaiinig Tfce Stairs NEW YORK Lena Home is I.fl, charge th.t rW at unfair. One reporter has stated. hlnirl iUA nnx inp man. agement of Stateline. Lake Ta nave wrmen, 0.1 ui ol ihoe Ashing there were twice was the Negro contribution of Jazz to the na i tional economy.

The jazz atmosphere is set in the opening scene by the Israelite Spiritual Church Choir of New Orleans and the cornet of Ted Buckner doing "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" and then Didn't He Ramble." the traditional funeral scene from which jazz grew. When the film moves from the historic setting into the actual action of the story, Ella Fitzgerald is on hand to wail the title tune and "Hard Hearted Hannah." After years of being undisputed champ of lady singers, Ella is making 'her debut as a part of a top Holly wood film. ay race as many seats available. screen misfortune, Kitt vith her first en refreshments lower phofo) DJ Jack Walter and Jimmy there are fair grounds to expect at The 500 Club. At n.

11 1 i I "UmnM nn" wUil A I tviV nivac 1 Viz Votrrn I snrix riti Viae trt rpflise calls "Trial" the isegro Cirj nas to reruse caais Bowman, oircnana manre noie a Dixxy Gillespie tries to watch the disappearing beverage and get in a few bites at the same time. Rowe Photos. that gives race its greatest break in terms to be able to get the third show of a fully felt many sided, on lu.orm Vinman intr." lilnann WRHI iuucijr waiin, 1, Hernandez will be remember ed for such other great roles as that of the central figure sce Black Qrchidf chl. "Intruder in the Dust." Withcago "The Trial," his career reaches' ShQrt, styhng a peak of excellence as ne rep nd versatilitv at Court and resents with heart and dignity Ithe Qualified, sensitive, intel Leo's on the Strip in Hollywood is bringing forth predictions lectual Negro who has hereto srezt things to come. fore never been documented in! Olga James held over lor an fi, other three frames at Rio i i tJ Janeiro's Copacabana Palace.

In a lighter vein. 'Pete; wgest 4 1 bjwt Kelly's Blues" offers an appre ciative glimpse of the Negro's A Oln Hibbler Disc NEW YORK On the strength of Al Hibbler's current popular ity as a top record salesman, Atlantic Records has re issued two sides recorded for them several years ago. Currently enjoying a long overdue success, it Is expected that the re issues of "Danny Boy" and "Now I Lay Me Down to Dream" will follow his more recent efforts into the hit circle. Both tunes are ballads which iica all the famed Hibbler i tricks. ILiioiniell MaiimiipttiDim first in nearly four years.

Typical of the way Norman does things is that with these extra costs, he LOST five cento on each record sold there, but was so enthusiastic about these first releases, he wanted to get them started. Playing so many records as I do on my five and a half houra day broadcasts over KOWL, I'm always happy toget really good platters. Lionel Hampton has been a favorite with my listeners, whether he appears with his big band or in smaller groups. I know these waxings will go great. I'm looking forward to another new release due out next week.

Thev're the first two sides to be released by RCA Victor featuring the deep velvet voice of that exciting new song stylist, curvaceous Ann Weldon, who starred In the opening show at Las Vegas' Moulin Kouge, where Hamp is breaking it up since his spectacular opening Tuesday. Ana started on the West Coast just this winter and her meteorite career is zooming, guided by Jules Fox and Jo Brooks, who are also Lionel's West Coast press representatives. I hear Victor has been buzzing about this new personality. Lionel is the same whirlwind of enthusiasm, energy, and show business greatness. Wherever he Is, the place come alive, and the West Coast has sorely missed him these paat few years.

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