LIAR, LIAR, ROMANCE ON FIRE

I’ve been browsing through a titillating tome titled THE ENCYCLOPEDIA of LIARS and DECEIVERS, published in 2014 – two years prior to Donald Trump becoming President (which may explain why he’s not in the book) of the United States of Autocracy. This got me thinking, not about the (in)famous liars in history depicted in the dramatis personae (which may inspire a subsequent post), but about love lies and liars in song….to wit:

….which brings us to this 1940 hit sung by a very young Frank Sinatra:

We close on a most lachrymose note with this sad tale about a blackguard who burst Mildred Bailey’s bubble:

Good night.

LATTER-DAY SCAT-AWAY

In a recent series of Golden Age vocalists, my posts included such scat-singing greats as Louis Armstrong, Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards, The Boswell Sisters, and the First Lady of Song (and Scat), Ella Fitzgerald. But the post-Golden Age period (post-WW era) also recorded its share of scat-singing virtuosos, led by the multi-talented Mel Tormé. Here he pays tribute to Ella (whose career, like Mel’s, spans both eras) with this scintillating rendition of Gershwin’s OH, LADY BE GOOD!

Next, we turn to “Sassy” Sarah Vaughan, whose scatting (in my opinion) takes second place to her singing….but you be the judge:

We close with, at age 84, the only living (and undeservedly most obscure) of our three latter-day scatters, Carol Sloane. Take it away, Carol!

MORE QUESTIONABLE QUOTES AND QUARRELSOME COMMENTARY

It is said that one can never get enough of a good thing….so you’ll be happy(?) to hear that I’m doing another post of “Questionable Quotes and [my] Quarrelsome Commentary.” Admittedly, it is also said that one should leave well enough alone — let sleeping dogs lie, as it were. But why should I rest on my quarrels, if many of my previous post readers voiced their opinion with Likes (unless they thought they were clicking Lies). Whatever.

Heedless to say, my followers are definitely not dogs (sleeping or sentient). The only dogs in my life are my feet, which may bark but don’t lie — if they did, I’d smell a rat, and my dogs smell ratty enough without liars….or with outliers, for that matter. Let’s make no bones about it — it’s a dog’s life.

“If a dog could talk, he wouldn’t long remain man’s best friend.” –Evan Esar

True. He would soon become woman’s best friend.

“That woman speaks eighteen languages and can’t say “No’ in any of them.” –Dorothy Parker

Maybe she learned them all under cover.

“Those who write clearly, have readers; those who write obscurely have commentators.” –Albert Camus

Clearly right. Beyond that, I have no comment.

“As an American, I naturally spend most of my time laughing.” –H. L. Mencken

My dear sir, that was B D T (Before Donald Trump). If H L M lived today, I C U (him) singing a different hymn:

“The whole duty of a writer is to please and satisfy himself, and the true writer always plays to an audience of one.” –E. B. White

By all means, writer, satisfy yourself….but please don’t quit your day job unless you’re prepared to eat your words.

“A man marries one woman to escape from many others, and then chases many others to forget he’s married to one.” –Helen Rowland

Well, you can’t blame a guy for trying.

“History is the sum total of the things that could have been avoided.” — Konrad Adenauer

Not to mention, the story of my life.

“Life itself is a quotation.” –Jorge Luis Borges

So, what is DEATH — the last word?

QUESTIONABLE QUOTES AND QUARRELSOME COMMENTARY

“Man will become better when you show him what he is like..” –Anton Chekhov, Russian playwright/short-story writer

Really? If you believe that, I have a magic mirror I want to sell you.

“In politics, an absurdity is not a handicap.” –Napoleon Bonaparte

For the Trump faithful, an absurdity is blind belief in a nutshell.

“There’s only a step from the sublime to the ridiculous, but there’s no road leading back from the ridiculous to the sublime.” –Lion Feuchtwanger, Bavarian Jewish novelist who escaped from an internment camp at Les Milles, France, during WW II

Pardon my French, but they say you can go back if you….

“Advertising may be described as the science of arresting human intelligence long enough to get money from it.” –Stephen Leacock, Canadian political scientist, writer and humorist

Not unlike politics, which may be described as the art of arresting human intelligence long enough to get elected (and often re-elected and re-elected and re-elected) from it.

“Consult: to seek another’s advice on a course already decided upon.” –Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary

Of course, de devil is in de fails.

“I don’t know if God exists, but it would be better for His reputation if He didn’t.” –Jules Renard, French author

If God exists, I suspect He’s above all that.

“In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show more affection than she feels.” –Jane Austen

Just in case?

“I do not waste my time in answering abuse; I thrive under it like a field that benefits from manure.” –Henry Labouchere, British politician, writer and theatre owner

I squish a squash, hear a raspberry, and think I smell a rad(ish). From my stool, I sit and assume I’m making the best of it.

“An artist never really finishes his work; he merely abandons it.” –Paul Valéry, French poet, essayist and philosopher
Well, you can’t win them all.

BLIND SIGHTED VOICES

“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” — Helen Keller

“None so deaf as those who will not hear. None so blind as those who will not see.” –Matthew Henry

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The above quotes may be a bit ‘deep’ (and somewhat ‘strained’) as a lead-in to what follows; nonetheless, in looking back at my recent series of Golden Age vocalists, I see that I didn’t include three notable singers who happen(ed) to be blind. Two of them did not qualify for the series because they were not Golden Age vocalists; the third, I simply overlooked. I will get to the latter later.

The youngest of the three wasn’t born until 1950, and the second youngest, though born (1930) during the Golden Age, didn’t record until the 1950s. If you guessed the second one, it is no Wonder….but the first one? If you saw it coming….well, you just made a Wonder-ful call.

The second singer is the r & b soul of post-1950 vocalists, blind or sighted….a ‘blues-Ray’ of light in today’s musical (my opinion) blight:

Last but not lost (thank the Lord), we turn to AL HIBBLER (born 8/16/1915), who sang for various local bands in Arkansas and Texas, mid-1930s to 1942. By 1943 he’d replaced Herb Jeffries as male vocalist in the orchestra of Duke Ellington, who described Hibbler’s way with a song as “tonal pantomime” — a style punctuated by a pronounced London Cockney accent in this clip. Fats Waller would love it. Can you dig it, matey?

As you have seen, I’ve decided to end my break from blogging earlier than anticipated. I’m still dealing with a few unresolved issues, so posting may still be somewhat irregular — but then, I’ve never posted on a set schedule, so it is what it was, so to speak. I appreciate your ‘patronage.’

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS BOSWELL

No Golden Age Vocalists series would be complete without including my favorite vocal groups, both male and female. To my mind, the greatest male group was The Mills Brothers, and the greatest of ALL vocal groups was The Boswell Sisters….an opinion in which I am not alone:

“There were many sister vocal groups in the 1920s. Most, at best, featured appealing voices and little else, but the Boswell Sisters were on a completely different level altogether. Not only were they the finest of all the sisters groups of the past century, but they were arguably the most rewarding vocal ensemble [of either gender, or mixed gender].” –Scott Yanow, from his book Classic Jazz.

Connie (1907-76), Martha (1908-58), and Helvetia “Vet” (1909-88) Boswell were born and raised in (where else?) New Orleans. They first recorded in 1925 but didn’t begin recording regularly until 1930. Connie came down with polio as an infant and was unable to walk, which is why she always appears seated….but what a voice! Martha and Vet retired in 1936, but Connie (name later changed to Connee), who always took the solo parts in the group, carried on as a solo for two more decades. She was cited by Ella Fitzgerald as her main vocal influence.

Turning to The Mills Brothers (Herbert, Harry, Donald, and John, who died the same year The Boswell Sisters disbanded, and was replaced by their father, Herbert Sr.), their ages and early popularity roughly coincided with the Boswells. They excelled in vocally imitating musical instruments, though they actually used only a guitar, as in this great clip from the 1932 film, The Big Broadcast:

We conclude this series as we started this post, because all’s well that ends Bos….well, you know:

I plan to take a break from blogging for a few weeks — perhaps longer. In the meantime, may the spirit of harmony be your guide.

ANY OLD TIME

Back on June 11, when I was closing in on the tenth of what was originally to be a ten-post series on Golden Age vocalists, I indicated that I’d probably extend the series because I hadn’t yet gotten to a number of singers who warrant an encore, notably Lady Day (Billie Holiday). Now, five posts later, and still no Billie. Mea culpa. On the other hand, I have no regrets — the best time to feature Lady Day is any day….and any old time:

As a side note to the above clip, it’s the only time (July 24, 1938) she recorded with Artie Shaw (who wrote the song) and His Orchestra….though she did make a number of non-recorded appearances with his band around that time. And, speaking of no regrets….

I close with a question many of us may have asked ourselves at one time or another….

Have a great Holiday.

WE INTERRUPT THIS SERIES….

….of Golden Age vocalists to note the birthday of one of the all-time great composers in American musical history, Richard Rodgers (6/28/1902-12/30/79). His pairings with lyricists Lorenz Hart and (later) Oscar Hammerstein II produced some of the most enduring Broadway shows ever to grace the Great White Way….and a list of recordings and performances of his all-time standards would stretch notably and lyrically from the South Pacific to Oklahoma! To mention but a few: MY HEART STOOD STILL, WITH A SONG IN MY HEART, BLUE MOON, THE LADY IS A TRAMP, PEOPLE WILL SAY WE’RE IN LOVE, SOME ENCHANTED EVENING….and this scorcher from-the-Hart collaboration:

Rodgers famously disapproved of Lee’s scintillating rendition (as contrasted with this slow Cook-er):

….not to mention this rather bizarre rendition of a song from a Walt Disney production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical version of Cinderella, which probably had the old-school Rodgers turning over in his cremated ashes:

We close with a rare treasure (for classic jazz fans): an unissued take of a Rodgers & Hart tune by legendary cornetist Bix Beiderbeck, of whom his friend, the slightly older (and much longer-lived) Louis Armstrong, once said, “Lots of cats tried to play like Bix; ain’t none of them play like him yet.” This is the unissued of two takes recorded in April 1928 for Okey Records. Classic jazz fans may be interested in jazz historian Harry Oakley’s additional info which follows the clip.

“Two takes were mastered; take -C was issued on Okeh 41030 and a single test pressing of take -A (designated second choice by Okeh official Robert Stevens who signed it “RBS”) has also survived. This take has a great number of interesting differences from the issued one, especially in Bix’s clear lead all through the ensemble passages.
The record is single-sided and on the back are embossed the name and logo of the Columbia Phonograph Company, who by that time owned the Okeh label.
The history of this unique record is vague; rumour has it that it was found in a junkshop in New Jersey some 50 years ago, that it was later in Denver and that it travelled the world in a military trunk – this story was printed on the back of the only reissue LP in 1978.
None of this has been proven though – there is actually evidence that the record originates in Davenport. What IS certain is that a friend of Don O’Dette (founder of the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Society) from Davenport had the record and from him it went to a well known musician and Bix afficionado in 1977. The latter sold the record in 2008 on Ebay via a friend of mine.
It was reissued on LP in 1978 after John R.T. Davies did a remastering in England.
Alas, after this first re-issue the original record was never again made available and subsequent CD reissues all draw from John Davies’ old transfer with the result that the sound has always been rather dull and distorted.
However, recently I have done a full audio restoration from the original disc, using the latest techniques, and although the record is worn and heavily damaged (see picture), the sound is now quite stunning if you have good loudspeakers connected to the computer; even though the file had to be translated to MP3 format in order to upload it on internet.
Since the record turned up in Davenport it is possible that it originally belonged to Bix himself (rejected tests were often given to the artists). Moreover, after careful and extensive analysis, a highly reputable expert from Davenport who is familiar with Bix’s handwriting concluded that the writing in ink of the title and band name is probably by Bix himself. Interestingly, he has written 16-4-28 while the recording was actually done on the 17th.
Could Bix have written this some time later and forgotten the exact date? Possibly. It’s unlikely that an Okeh official would write the wrong date.
The other exciting aspect of the record is that the format is 11 inch, and a few test-grooves remain at the outer rim (alas heavily damaged by the engraved mx number which is right into these grooves – see picture) which contain some playing and talking by a few band members.
After some clarinet, bassax and piano notes the words “Damn”, “I got it” and “Take it (from) the last four” and some laughter can be distinguished. In the last sentence there was a heavy distortion over the word “from” which I cut out as it could not be made understandable. What can therefore now be heard is “Take it the last four”.

IT’S A LONG LONG WAY TO MARTINS FERRY

In my early boyhood in Cincinnati, we occasionally visited relatives clear across the state in Martins Ferry, Ohio (a small town through the woods and over the (Ohio) River from the larger town of Wheeling, West Virginia). Being between ages five to nine at the time, I don’t recall exactly how close the relatives were to us genetically, but back in those two-lane country roads days when interstate highways were just a gleam in father time’s eyes, they were distant relatives as far as I was concerned.

All this came back to me as I was thinking about how to introduce Ella Logan, a Scottish-born lass who came to the U.S. in 1932 and became a very popular singer on radio, Broadway, and records — many of which were upbeat versions of British Music Hall and Anglo-European folk songs, such as this pre-WW I era Irish air which has never died out:

From Martins Ferry and Tipperary, we turn to an Okie from Muskogee, Lee Wiley, who left Oklahoma in her teens to become one of the premier jazz vocalists of the 1930s, 40s & 50s. To quote jazz writer Will Friedwald: “What Mildred Bailey, Connee Boswell, and Lee Wiley added to the jazz vocabulary would vastly outlive their own careers; though each was more than a torch singer, each died with the knowledge that the torch had been passed on.” Here, she sings a torch song with a purpose:

Would it surprise you to learn that the above song was written by that most un-primitive of composers, Cole Porter? But Porter’s self-stated own favorite of his songs was LOVE FOR SALE, from his show THE NEW YORKERS, which opened on Broadway in December 1930. Because of critical objection to the song’s “taste,” the scene in which it was presented was changed from its original setting to Harlem’s Cotton Club, and the vocalist changed from a white vocalist to African-American singer Elisabeth Welch, who went on to a long career as an actress/recording artist, and died in 2003 at age 99.

Long live the memory of all of the above.

HOW YA DOING?

Funny you should ask, because I just happen to know a Gershwin song that answers that question, sung by none other than….

Yes, I’ve had Ella as my ‘guest’ on this series before, but we can never get enough Ella, now, can we? Another vocalist I can’t get enough of is Mildred Bailey, who made many recordings during the swing era with Red Norvo and his band. I’ve had her here before as well, which brought a request from a reader for info on “Mr. & Mrs. Swing” (Mildred and Red). More on that after this Irving Berlin song in further answer to “How Ya Doing”:

Jazz authority George Simon called Red Norvo “a magnificent xylophonist of exquisite taste. Of all the musicians in jazz, he has remained for me, through the years, the most satisfying of them all; in short, he remains my favorite of all jazz musicians.” Simon says that Norvo’s band, in the mid 1930s, “featured a very attractive young singer named Nancy Flake, who later married Red’s drummer. During a [gig] in Syracuse, Mildred Bailey, Red’s wife and one of the truly great singers of all time, came up to visit, and shortly thereafter she took Nancy’s place. From then on Red and Mildred were billed as “Mr. and Mrs. Swing.”

Speaking of Irving Berlin songs and vocalists I can’t get enough of, how about a surprise choice to close this post: Fred Astaire. Yes, I said Fred Astaire, vocalist extraordinaire . As I get ready to call it a night, judge for yourself:

I rest my case.