Red Allen Chapters 9 - The Jazz Archive

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"CHICAGO AND ALL THAT JAZZ" - New York Scene, by Jack Bradley, J.J. Dec.1961: (photo with Red & Buster)
NBC-TV is producing a jazz show titled "Chicago And All brought applause from all in the house. Everyone in this band
That Jazz" which will be shown on Nov.26th. Rehearsals and is a star in their own right. It is regretful that no record
tapings began a month prior and gathered some of the greatest company in N.Y.C. had the sense to record them while they
jazz talent of all time. Featured were three full jazz bands, 1/2 were together.
dozen soloists and close to 20 numbers.
Meade Lux Lewis, big and round, should have been allotted
Yank Lawson, Roland DuPont(tb),Paul Ricci(cl),Johnny more time. However, his talents shone on HONKY TONK
Guarnieri and Cliff Leeman recreated the O.D.J.B. Their TRAIN and PINE TOP'S BOOGIE. Johnny Guarnieri, who
arrangement of ORIGINAL DIXIELAND ONE STEP was worked hard as house pianist backing almost everyone, soloed
identical to the original. Old time vaudevillian Blossom Seeley on Bix's IN A MIST. Mae Barnes proved her versatility by
joined the group to sing TODDLING TODALO.
playing drums behind Lil Armstrong's piano interpretation on
A recreation of Chicago jazz was expertly handled by Jimmy Jelly Roll's THE PEARLS. Dancers Al Minns and Leon James
McPartland, Jack Teagarden, Pee Wee Russell, Bud Freeman, strutted their stuff to the tune of FIDGETY FEET. Blossom
Eddie Condon, Joe Sullivan, Bob Hagart and Gene Krupa. Seeley was backed by Eddie Condon and the NBC-orchestra
Their CHINA BOY and WOLVERINE BLUES were typical on WAYS DOWN YONDER IN N.Y. Teagarden was backed
Condon fare.
by the same orchestra for his vocal on AFTER YOU'VE
But the greatest thrills of all were presented by the New GONE.
Orleans band, with Red Allen, Kid Ory, Buster Bailey, Johnny Also Involved in the above proceedings were Tony Spargo
St.Cyr, Lil Armstrong, Milt Hinton and Zutty Singleton. They and studio musicians John Piazarelli, Al Chernet, Julie
rendered JELLY ROLL BLUES, CORNET CHOP SUEY, Schechter(vln) Hymie Schertzer(s) and Bill Gussack(dm).
DR.JAZZ (which spirited vocal by Mae Barnes and Lil The rousing finale was TIGER RAG, with everybody joining
Armstrong). This band swung from the ground up, with Red in and, naturally enough, a Krupa drum solo. This show, with
Allen's trumpet providing the driving. Impetus. No one but the possible exception of Blossom Seeley, was l00 per cent
Louis could top his work on CORNET CHOP SUEY. At jazz and can be favourably compared to the memorable CBS
rehearsal Kid Ory's gut bucket solo on JELLY ROLL BLUES "Sound Of Jazz" programme of 1957
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CRITICS, VIEWERS ADMIT FINDING TV's 'ALL THAT CHICAGO JAZZ' ENTERTAINING by Fred Danzig
CD-12/2/61p12: N.Y.(UPI)-Some weathe- gaga put out their cigars and cigarettes, ment of the night's jazzmen was more
red whippersnappers from the land of lined up on each side of the stage with- impressive.
jazz stormed into a TV studio and manaout complaint and went along, as jazz- Those cats have the hot art down cold
ged to sweep aside some uncongenial men always seem to go along, with the and can hypnotize us into playing atten-
production barricades with their rousing production presumptions. And despite tion, digging their sounds, by virtue of
sounds and styles last week.
everything, the message came through, their professional ease and stylish hea-
“Chicago and All That Jazz” was the albeit in bits and pieces.
rings, not to mention the legends that are
special; NBC-TV's “Du Pont Show of For that reason, I was sorry the show kept alive by their hands, horns and
The Week” was the slot. Garry Moore, wasn't aired at an earlier time so that the hearts.
possibly TV's most commercially accepta- youngsters could get an earful. A little I also enjoyed the pre-twist jazz dances by
ble jazz buff, spoke producer-writer Wil- history lesson wouldn't hurt. And there the team of Minns and James and the
liams Nichols' words about the history were some priceless old, crowded- raucous, roly-poly shouting by those girl
and meaning of Chicago and all that jazz. bandstand film clips showing Mamie and singers. I thought an opportunity was
Garry was surrounded by such warm- Bessie Smith, Louis Arm-strong, Meade missed by not letting the old-timers tell
blooded jazz animals as RedAllen, Lil Lux Lewis and even a jet of Bix some stories about jazz, Chicago and the
Armstrong, Buster Bailey, Gene Krupa, Beiderbecke, in action.
20's, in their own words. They might
Kid Ory, Pee Wee Russell, Johnny St. Perhaps the performers have grown a bit have rammed the forms into sharper
Cyr, Meade Lux Lewis, Jimmy McPart- short-winded after 30 or 40 years. But perspective more effectively.
land, Joe Sullivan and Mae Barnes. With their rhythms though repetitive and, by The script wasn't intended to be a
that kind of company going for him, the modern standards primitive retain a scholary history of jazz –I hope-but it
script and Gary had the good sense to remarkable vitality and Joie De Vivre. could serve the unimitiated as a rather
keep out of the act as much as possible. No, they don't, a Garry suggested,“blow antiseptic primer. After all, there's a little
Oh yes, the jazzmen wore the silly hats you right out of your living room.” That more to jazz, or jass, then you'll find
that some clown decided were required. feat probably could be left to the youn- O'Garry telling you on your TV, buster.
They took part in some cornhalt sight ger cats who play louder. The achieve-
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CD-11/11/61p12: CHICAGO'S 'ALL NYAN-11/18/61p19: NBC'S “SHOW OF CD-11/25/p13: KID ORY, MAE BARNES
THAT JAZZ' 'SHOW OF THE WEEK' THE WEEK” on TV, Sun.Nov.26 is a full- AND MEADE LUX LEWIS FOR TV
NOV.26 – A full-hour showcase of the hour special called “Chicago and All That In memory of the golden age of jazz, some
most American of all modern music, and Jazz”. Such old timers as … and others are of the most eminent performers will sound
how it spread from its Midwestern cradle to seen and heard.
off fresh what one of them calls the “glori-
the entire world, “Chicago and All That WE CAUGHT A SCREENING OF THE ous finale of a Chicago free-for-all.”
Jazz,” will be produced by NBC Special show on Monday. One of the best features is This will come at the close of “Chicago and
Projects for broadcast in color on “DuPont the synchronizing of old film clips of such as All That Jazz,” the “DuPont Show of the
Show of the Week” Sun., 11/26, 9 to 10 p.m. Mamie Smith, Bessie Smith and others with Week” in color on NBC-TV, Su.,Nov.26.
Garry Moore will star as narrator, both on the life portions of the show. Garry Moore “In the Chicago of the Twenties,” says
and off-camera. And an all-star cast of 20 narrates this show which reunites a lot of William Nichols, producer and writer of
distinguished contempoprary jazz musicians
and performers will participate, it was an-
musicians for the first time in 27 years.
the NBC Special Projects program, “from
nounced by Donald B.Hyatt, the executive
ONE OF THE BEST FEATURES is the
time to time they would assemble all the
great bands are entertainers for a jazz free-
producer.“With the guidance of Gary Moo- dancing of Al Minns and Leon James in a for-all that would blow the roof off the
re as story-teller, the program promises to sequence called “Fidgety Feet” in which they mammoth dance-hall or armory where it
show how the infusion of jazz into the body demonstrate such once popular dances as the took place.” For the TV-show,
of American popular music took place Shimmey, Charleston, Snake Hips,Black Nichols has assembled 20 of the most
largely in the Twenties, and how that music Bottom and Lindy Hop. This, alone, should celebrated jazz performers including …
was ever present in American life during take some folks' minds off The Twist. The free-for-all finale, with the entire com-
those rebellious and uninhibited times. It is WILLIAM NICHOLS wrote and produced pany participating, will include “After You
fortunate that so many of the great mu- this show about the Jazz Age and which 've Gone,””Heebee Jeebies,” “Wolverine
sicians and performers of this period are features some 20 giants of jazz. It's a show Blues,” “Way Down Yonder in New Or-
still active and blowing as hot as ever.” which might make some of our contemleans,” “Pinetop Boogie” and “Tiger Rag.”
The 20 guest performers, arranged in porary modernists all up and take notice-if Garry Moore is the narrator, Donald B.
alphabetically, include …
they pay attention.
Hyatt, Director of NBC Special Projects, is
listing only 20 members of (2) and (3).
executive producer.
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NYAN-11/25/61p17: WHAT'S ON TV? – detailed note about the Nov.26 show, calling 20 performers.