Newspaper Page Text
Josh And His Guitar Josh White, the popular composer of two album, of records, ». outhern Exposure" and "Chain Gang Blues,” will be pre.ent * at Uie National Conference of Negro Youth, Nov. 14-16, in. Washington, D. C. Judges For Blues Battle Are Named HOLLYWOOD—(A N P) — An nouncement was made by Para mount movie executives Saturday *hat a committee of three musical •notables had been appointed to hear New Orleans’ claims upon the birthplace of the blues—and. in eidentally, the world premiere of Bing Crosby’s “Birth of the Blues’’— as well as the Memphis rebuttal. .The committee consists of Irving Berlin, Paul Whiteman, and B. G. < Buddy) DeSylva, producer, of Louisiana Purchase,” “DuBarry Was a Lady” and “Panama Hattie” r>n Broadway, now making pictures L«br Paramount. The committee is to meet at noon Tuesday to hear Roark Bradford, loted author of Negro stories, pre .ent the case for New Orleans, and fiear the reply on Memphis’ behalf jy Harry Martin, amusement edi or of the Commercial Appeal, vhitc. if The statement issued by Para mount executive also said “Inas much as Mr. Whiteman will be re hearsing at the time of this lunch eon for his weekly radio program, he may be unable to attend. He has asked Dorothy Lainour to act as proxy for him. A complete trans cript of the arguments will be made and the committee will hand down their decision on Wednesday. “Meanwhile, the premiere is set for Oct. 31 with Memphis as the likely choice at the present time to receive the score of stars from Hollywood.” EXAM ANNOUNCED WASHINGTON—(A N P) —The United States Civil Service com mission announced open competi tive examinations for the position of junior engineer, at a salary of $2,000 a year. Applications may be made for any branch of engineer ing, and applications must be on file with the commission not later than Dec. 31, 1941. Necessary blanks may be obtained from any first or second class post office. Cab To Abandon Hi-De-Ho Form? - NEW YORK CITY—(S N S)—Cab alloway, the jive man with one >ot on Times Square and the other 1 the upper Nile, may gradually bandon his famous hi-de-ho style, ccording to an article in the ovember issue of Cornet maga ne. For Cab, though he's packing lem in as much as ever knows that fter a while the public tires of >o much personality, too little md. Today he gives his cus >mers more music, less Callowray; tore show, less show-off. Not that Calloway jive is by any leans on the way out. Coronet has ms to say. For Cab Calloway’s tar started to rise back in 1929 rhen he had a part singing ‘’Ain’t lisbehavin’ ” in Connie’s “Hot Chocolates,” and it’s stayed up lere ever since. Soon after “Hot chocolates,” he opened at the Cot m Club with his own band fea ring his own song “The St. James nfimary,” and the band became lajor league timber. Then along ame hi-de-ho and Calloway “ar ved.” It happened one night when he DUldn't remember the words to le song he was singing. “Hi-de-ho,” owled Calloway. “Ho-de-ho-de-ho .Skinny-we-de-we de-we-do..’’ The house tittered. He tried it gain. When he wound up. the ap lause roared down like a subway repress. Hi-de-ho became his vocal iat of arms. Today Cab is still working as hard s he did when he understudied very member of the floor show at he Sunset Club in Chicago, hop lg that somebody wouldn’t show up i he’d get a chance to show them 'hat he could do. He puts every tiing he’s got into it and tears him sell limb from limb at every per formance. Conservative in his tastes. the only extravagance of the jive king is fine cars. His latest addition, a custom-built Lincoln, turned out too long for his gararge. He had to scoop two feet out of the wall of his gararge to get it in. Cab is a sport enthusiast, addict ed to every known sport. His luck is phenomenal.. he never loses. Whenever he finds his band in a crap game, he knows how to break I it up without saying a word—he : joins the game . His one deep admiration is for ; Duke Ellington. According to Coro- j net, Ellington's picture hangs in 1 the bar of his house—the only pro fessional symbol in his home. A i radio-phonograph system, remotely controlled from every room, turns Ellington on and off at will. Cab thanks his sister, Blanche, for his musical career. When he went to Crane College in Chicago, to study law. she got him a job in a night club to help pay his ex- ex penses. Soon, says Coronet, he was burning the midnight oil—but in the wrong lamp. “Night clubbing and school didn't pan out so well together,’’ complained Cab. “So I figured I’d give up school.” One night the band leader didn’t arrive at the club. Cab took over and set the patrons howling for more. That was the beginning for that witch doctor in a white tie, Cab Calloway. Today he’s an institution in the entertainment world. And, with both feet on the public pulse and an eye on the future, Cab’s! popularity is not likely to wane. Be- j sides, who else can coin those words | like “jitterbug”? j RATING THE RECORDS Bv FRANK MARSHALL DAVIS FOR ANP) jATCHMO AND FATHA Continuing its policy of a month r reissue of hot jazz classics. Co imbia now offers an album call l “Louis and Earl" featuring eight des by Armstrong and Hines axed back in 1927-28. Two tunes. HICAGO BREAKDOWN and ON’T JIVE ME, have never pre ously been released. The other six e WEATHER BIRD, A MONDAY ATE, WEST END BLUES, MUG LES, TIGHT LIKE THIS and EAH ME 1ALKIN’ TO YA. In addition to Satchmo and the itha, scrtne other famous stars e heard, among them Zutty Sin eton. Don Redman, Fred Robin >n, Btompy Evans, .Jimmy Strong, lancy C&ia. Honor*} Dutrey and Boyd Atkins. They produced come of the greatest music waxed in /this golden age of swing. Surely the genius of Louis was at its height, and it was his work hi this period that placed Eafl among the immortals. “West End Blues” has been described by Armstrong as his greatest record; compare it with the recent Cootie Williams version. This is the righteous stuff and easily the best of Armstrong al bums thus far released—and that’s saying plenty. PASSING IT AROUND Instead of more clever nest, John Kirby’s boys turn to sound swing for Victor with IT’S ONLY A PA PER MOON and PIFI’S RHAP SODY The beat i<= solid and the soios excellent. Procope’s aito sounds better each waxing . . . Heckled While On 1 ‘ Stage, 'Bojangles' | Lectures Audience CLEVELAND—(ANP)—A “give and take” controversy ! growing out of an exchange of repartee between Bill “Bo j jangles” Robinson and a group of youngsters took place*in the opening matinee of Bojangles’ current appearance here at Palace theatre last Friday. The noted exponent of tap dancing was starred in a revue built around Jimmie Lunce i ford’s orchestra. According to Robinson, he and ; members 0f the show’s cast had I been heckled during the first per I formance by a group of \ouths seated in upper boxes overlooking the stage. It is said that the i youths, boys and girls ol' high j high school age, had interrupted i his performance with such cries as : “he locks like pig meat to me,” : “aw. put a nickel in that micro 1 phone,’’ “we don’t want no talk j we want no talk, we want to see you dance.’’ The appearance of a feminine ; dancer in the cast also evoked cries of “boy smoke them legs,” ‘‘baby, you better not walk down Central avenue with a pair oi i props like them.” The star admitted that he and : the entire cast of the show work ed under difficulty. Robinson pointed out that such conduct on ! the part of “thoughtiess Negroes wap likely to cause the doors ol downtown theatres in Cleveland I and other cities to be barred ) against them, and would eventual ly lead io the refusal of theatre managers to book Negro shows in to their houses. Said Robinson, while he was in i hig dressing room preparing for his second performance. “Today, 1 was made to feel ashamed that 1 j am a Negro/’ However, opinions seems divided j over the cause of the controversy. On one hand are thos? who severe | ly condemned the youths for their j conduct and a good majority on the other hand believed that the dancing star magnified an incident into something more important. Several spectators told an essen tially different story from that given out by the dancing star. I They said that Robinson opened i his performance with the telling of i his customary jokes. According to , Harry J. Walker, city hall clerk, most of the stories were of the Negro-white folks variety, and twc • in particular dwelt with by-play ! on Negro preachers. These ' wit nesses stated that the youths the boxes first kjegan to heckle tl star after the completion of story in which he described a N gro soldier conversing with a whi MP in an army camp. “We don’t want to hear that o Ui cle Tom stuff ’ one youth ye ed, “w'e came here to see y< dance. Other youngsters joined With pithy comments. Robins* ls *o have called one girl sea ed in the box to the stage pla form Holding the impression thj she wpuld be permitted to dam with the star, this girl and tv otheis walked onto the stage Ushering them up xo the mik Robinson asked “Can you gir f/fn,ce ,t08ether?” Upon learnir that they had never danced U gether before. Robinson turned i the audience and Said. “I brougi these girls up here on the stage t shew you why you can’t be entej tamed. ’ Embarrassed, the eir Red from the stage in consterns tion. Marked resentment was shown by their escorts as soon as Robin son had returned to the stage for Uif afternoon's second perform ance, during which he is said to have lectured to the youths It was at this time that he was al leged to have said ho was ‘ asham Vaughn Monroe has a Bluebird combining MOONLGHT MAS QUERADE. sweet and commercial, with WINDOW WASHER MAN, musical trivia..Tins isn’t swing but it’s a fair pair of solos that can stand a lot of listening, i re fer to the Victor of ELI ELI. trumpet solo by Ziggy Elam, and NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART, trombone solo by Tommy Dorsey. Both sides are played with feeling and finesse. There’s plenty of power and dass to WATCH THE BIRDIE by Gene Ki’upa on Okeh. The dead stops add to the zest and Roy Eldridge takes a few flaming bars on trum pet. Companion piece is AMOUR, combination Spanish hotcha and jump with Howard Du Laney and Anita O’Day doing a Bob Eberle Helen O’Connell on the vocal . . . Bluebird releases a Harlan Leonard pair, KEEP ROCKIN’ and DIG IT, enthusiastic in the Kansas City manner but unpolished. This is jumping jitbug stuff. I like Beckett’s trombone solo on the first side but don’t go for Will Smith’s trumpet there or Myra Taylor’s vo cal on the second..Save a needle for the disc debut of the Southern Sons on Bluebird. Unaccompanied spirituals singers, they have fire and cash and a close packed har mony that’s sensational. Hear their LEAD ME DOWN TO THAT ROCK and GO DOWN MOSES. Art Tatum and Joe Turner score again on Dacca with ROCK ME MAMA and LUCILLE, the first a slow bounce and the second drag gin’ blues. The music is alive and a lot of attention has been paid to getting real live lyrics. This is far superiod to their ‘rCorine Co rine” ^ platter of recent vintage... Ida Cox, an A-l blues singer from ’way back plus an A-l band, gives out on Oktfx's I CAN’T QUIT THAT MAN and I*AST MILES BLUES. Higginbotham’s trombone soio on the first is terrific, BILL KOBINSON , ed that I am a colored man." Yelling from the balcony, one ■ youth raid "If I had a pistol, I’d shoot you off tl*e stage.” Angrily Robinson invited the youth down to the stage and then offered to come up into the box. Leaving the stage and walking through the | theatre aisle upstairs to the boos, he asked ‘‘Who said that?’’ ThC youngsters refused to identify the l heckler. Pro-Robinsons are stilt yelling “Disgraceful conduct. This young er generation is a disgrace to the race!” and anti-Robinsons yell back. ■Disgraceful conduct! Alter ^7 years on the stage. Robinson should have better sense than to pav attention to hecklers in the audience. Anyway, it's about Jhme he learned the young Negro does not want t0 hear a lot of Uncle Tom stories, playing up Negroes as illiterates, ana speaking in dialect, from Negro performers on the pub lic stage. Maybe Bih is getting eld'” Dr. Carver Is Heard On Air WASHINGTON, D. C. —<ANP> —Headlining the second broadcast cf thp "Freedom's People" series over NBC'S Red network Oct. 10 was Dr. George Washington Car ver. distinguished scientist who in troduced the peanut as a southern crop and then developed from it 90 by-products of commercial value. Broadcast time was 12:30 to l p.m. EST. The broadcast in the "Freedom's People" series, sponsored by a na tional advisory committee of white and Negro leaders m interracial relations in cooperation wilh tire U. S Office of Education, drama tized Negro activities in the fields of science and discovery. Matt Henson, aide to Robert E. Peary in eight expeditions to reach the North Pole, told of his exper iences in Peary's seven failures and final success on his eighth at tempt. By £LVIN MOSES I NEW YORK—(ANP)—The love i of Negro audiences for the dramatic 1 type is not easily expressed. From i a box office standpoint, which is I the most important of all they ■seem to register... .sub-zero. But ; fron: an emotional appeal, observed ! at numerous church and auditorium ! gatherings,—dramatic groups ho*d a decided edge with them over the buffonnery they’re usually asked to pay fancy prices for. A reader, of this column, GERT RUDE STANLEY, writes to say anent Apollo theatre offerings: “Doesn’t that management ever grow tired of bouffe-opera? Why i can’t we have the 15 minute dramas, I occasionally I mean, starring real ! performers like Nina Mae McKinney. I Mark Wornoe, Richard Huey, Rex ' Ingram, etc., when they are free for ; bookings? Maybe a literary shot in 1 the arm, like the splendid column of yours I read in a Baltimore i paper a month ago, would serve its ! purpose as a ...constant desk re : minder to the owner of the Apollo who once was prominently identi fied with.. . .LAFAYETTE THEA TRE, early home of Negro drama tic stock”—MONTE HAWLEY came back to his Harlem friends, un changed after a long stay in the cinema capitol—yes, the erstwhile partner of George Whitshire and other local comedians, is doing a bit of all right for himself before the.... flickering footlights .. Says LOUELLA PARSONS, (N. Y. Even ing Journal)... “One of the big musical thrills of my life was hear ing PAUL ROBESON introduce . ‘Ballad for Americans’ at the Holly wood bowl last year. Since then this amazing musical-prose num ber by John Latouche and Earl Robinson has been presented sev eral times on the concert stage and over the air—but no singer has been able to pour into this ballad of nationalities that go to make up our American citizenship, what the Ne gro singer puts into it. MGM will produce Ballad for Americans with -Douglas McPhail. singing the theme. (N. B. would’nt that be a grand spot for Robeson, and Miss Parsons, did her best to remind the movie czars that they had over looked the best actor suited for the starring singing role).The N. Y. Evening Sun recently carried a three column spiel on Harlem’s re planted ....WISHING TREE, (or “Tree of Hope”), that was a honey of a yarn:....all the names you’ve heard us writers talk you about for years came in for mention viz. Clar ence Muse. Percy Verwayen, Monty Hawley, (or Holly): Billy Andrews, Emory Hutchins. Bill Robinson and Myrtle Hawkins.. while is was treat ed in satirical style, .it was very well done and Harlem has been talking about it over steaming cups of hot chocolate round_“Strivers Row” way.... SO LONG. Me Daniel Star In Big Benefit HOLLYWOOD. Calif.—(O—Hat- j ti0 McDaniel's name has been add- i ed to the rapidly growing list 0f ' sponsors for a midnight benefit to j be given Armistice Eve at the Ap polo Theatre in New York. The ! I “SALUTE TO THE NEGRO j TROOPS" has been endorsed by j Theatre Authority and the USO. The money realized by the bene fit will go to tho Harlem Branch of the New York City Defense Recreation Committee wnich is renovating the old Vincent Sani torium on Seventh Avenue oppo site the Renaissance Theatre, to be used as a recreation center for Ne gro troops. Other sponsors include Grover Whalen. Commissioner Robert Mo ses. Pa.ul Robeson. Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington. John Hammond, Jean Muir. Bessie Beardon, Orsen Welles. Frank Wilson, Edna Thom as and Geraldine Dismond. HOLD HEALTH INSTITUTE NEW ORLEANS. — (ANP; — A three day public health institute for physicians was sponsored bv the Louisiana State Department of Health and was held at Flint-Good ridge hospital, October 22-24. Symphony To Play New Still Number Bv DOLORES CALVIN NEW YORK — (C) — William Grant Still’s new composition, “Plain-Chant” will no doubt thiill music lovers who will gather to hear its first performance here in New York at Carnegie Hall. Ane Mr. Still’s latest work will he play ed by one of the finest orchestras in the. country, the N. Y. Philhar monic Symphony Orchestra. The song was written by Mrs. Francis Biddle, wife of the U. S. Attorney-General. She says that Fascists drove her to write it, thinking that we’ve got something in this country and ought to tell it. She speaks of lynchings in Geor gia and the freedom for which we are fighting. Mrs. Biddle sent a copy to Mr. Still, who had written the music for her ballad-poem of protest “And They Lynched Mims On A Tree” which the Philharmonic Symphony performed at the Stad ium concerts in June, 1940. and again last June. Mr. Still was ask ed by John Barbirolli, conductor of the orchestra, to compose some thing for the Philharmonic So ciety’s centennial this season. He tried an overture, Miss Biddle said, but was dissatisfied and asked if he could use “Plain-Ohant.” Mr. Barbirolli liked the poem and Mr. Still wrote rapidly during ihe um mer. “In Hollywood recently,’’ Mrs. Biddle said, “Mr. Still played it for the first time. The young people liked it and began to whistle the time afterward. Of course, it’s on the lap of the Sods whether it will go over here. I am anxious, how ever tG see, especially as it opens the program, when the audience is “cold,” Other conductors, in cluding Eugene Ormandy of the Philharmonic Orchestra here asked to see the work. “Plain-Chant” is not all a sen timental poem, it is indeed ex tremely forceful, especially to be They Hold Top Positions In Swing World Five of the top entertaining units in the i musical world are pictured here at one *ime. You : see Erskinc Hawkins at top left blowing out rhy 1 thm and Ella Fitzgerald sings a nursery rhyme at top right. The Four Ink Spots are in the spotlight at center warbling a sweet melody, while at low er left Sister Rosetta Tharpe strums a “righteous guitar. Just opposite her Lucius “Lucky Millin der is pictured getting in the groove. (Yates Photos). NEWS OF THE THEATRE Count To Be New York’s Busiest Man This Month : ' 1 -- Civilian Defense Work Discussed i BIRMINGHAM. Ala.—(SNS)— At a meeting on civilian defense ! last night at which Miss Mary Elizabeth Judy, of Washington, spoke, held at the First Congrega tional Church and presided ovei by Mrs. H. G. Davis, chairman of civilian defense council, a volley ol questions following the speeches re veals that Negroes in Birmingham had not been given adequate in formation about the civilian defense written by an Attorney-General.’; wife. But the most important thing, regardless of the poem, is the music—the native music of our own symphonic composer. Every body is on pins and needles wait work and were fearful of discri- . mination. While no actions were taken, it was mentioned that Negroes Green. Talks were made by Mrs. Alice Campbell of NYA and William R Perdon, white, of the civil protec tion committee. should be placed on the 11-man civil defense council appointed by Mayoi It was explained that courses in ; nursing, first aid and nutrition were opened. There are, according to an application blank, 62 activities in which one might “prefer to serve in case of local or national emer gency.” ing to hear Still’s composition alt er he’s kept so quiet all summer. But, most anything she writes is always good. It ju-‘l has to be good!! You Too Con Have Beautiful Hair LIT THI NU-HAIR BESGRO FORMULA HELP YOU AS IT HAS HELPED THOUSANDS OF OTHERSI How You Con Grow Long, Healthy Hair Certain parts of the body grow to a certain size and no further, whereas, 4 Hair Grows always if you keep your scalp healthy. An ailing scalp causes J itching. When you scratch your scalp you make sores and scars. j HAIR WILL NOT GROW FROM A SCAR < There are no sweat glands in sores or scars. The body is given power j by nature to make certain outgrowths of skin which we all know very 1 well. Hair is produced by our scalp skin. Each Hair Grows from a special < little place in the true skin. If you destroy or mutilate this true skin 1 you may feel all right, but nothing will ever form another true skin. <1 A scar is not skin. You will never find a hair growing from a scar or j sore. Hair grows from the cells of the hair bulbs. If you do not look after these hair bulbs, ,hair will become brittle and break off. ,j There are two glands to each hair to produce oil that Jteeps it soft and j pliable, keeps it from becoming unruly and from cracking. Every hair has a muscle which is attached to its Hair Root. In order to have attractive, 1 healthy hair, you must help nature to Grow Hair by keeping your scalp 1 in good conditibh. Keep it clean, soft and eliminate itching and dandruff. • If you are suffering with head sores or scars do not delay taking our h complete treatment or you will lose your hair. To keep your hair cells working properly and guarantee yourself a healthy, beautiful head of long growing hair, give yourself a complete Nu-Hair Treatment. Complete Nu-Hair Scalp Treatment consists of; Nu-Holr Besqro Formvlo SPECIAL OFFER Nu-Hair Pressing Compound ALL FOR ONLY Nu-Holr Special Shampoo SEND NO MONEY Just scad amm and address. Pay Peatmen only *1.00 pitta law cants posts,* wbtn h* delivers the entire treatment. It is Guarentstd to plsaae or money refunded? Write NowJ ( , NU-HAIR PROPUCTS. 1133 Broadway. Now York. N. Y. oasie ooys i o Hold Down Three Spots in Gotham NEW YORK CITY—(S N S>— COUNT BASIE, the “Jump King Of Swing”, has just been signed to open a two week engagement at the Warner Brothers Strand Theater on Broadway November 7, during which time the Basie crew will double “''Ween the Strand and the band’s u ent location job at Cafe Society Uptown on Fast 58th Street. The Count will 1 e *”’siest man in New York all Nove;.. • because he’ll be starting on the new Coca Cola radio program early in Novem ber in addition to playing at both the Strand Theater and .Cafe So ciety Uptown. With business way off in most of New York’s night clubs. Basie is urawing record-breaking crowds at the Cafe Society Uptown Club and is topping the attendance fig ures of Glenn Miller at the Hotel Pennsylvania, Benny Goodman at the Hotel New Yorker. Sammy Kaye at the Essex House and holding his own with Vaughn Monroe. Ameri ca’s current box office sensation at the Hotel Commodore. The “Jump King" is in terrific demand in lead ing band spots from coast-to-coast. According to Milton Ebbins of the William Morris Agency, Basie’s personal manager, the Count will remain at Cafe Society Uptown through December 20. after which the band will head out on a nation wide theater tour in a booking of sixteen solid weeks. Basie is slat ed for a West Coast engagement next Spring at the famous Palla dium Ballroom in Hollywood, dur ing which time the “Jump King" and his boys wrill start, work in a feature musical film for Columbia Pictures, based on the evolution of Kansas City jazz and the history of its most famous exponent, Count Basie himself! The current “King of The Juke Boxes’’. Basie is riding high with a flock of records, which are the top discs in the nation's coin ma chines. Charge Ear! Hines Broke His Contract CHICAGO — (ANP>— Suit was filed Saturday in superior court by Edward Fox, dance band manager, seeking an accounting of earnings during last year of Earl !'FathaM Hines, noted orchestra leader, who recently formed a new aggregation of stars. Hines is now aying at the Grand Terrace here. Fox charged that Hines violated contract by obtaining his own bookings when Fox had an agree ment to book his band through ij48. The suit also seeks an in* junction restraining Hines from playing at Grand Terrace Cafe. ALPHAS LEAD IN SCHOLARSHIPS LAWRENCE, KAN. —(ANP) — (ANP)— Taking the lead over all other social iraternities on Uni versity oi Kansas campus, Upsilon chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha frater nity of the campus had an average rating on the campus last year.