Odds and Ends
February 19, 1944
p. 26
Wallace Jones, Taft Jordan and Harry Carney all of the Ellington crew, with the exception of Jones who upped and quit the band in Chicago, will answer the call of their draft boards between now and the day which makes this leap year… Some of the cast of Carmen Jones, read Paul Peters’ play Nat Turner for the Theatre Workshop last Tuesday. The play will be produced at Labor stage as one of their experimental ventures. Norman Lloyd will direct… Burton Rascoe, reviewer for the World-Telegram says that [if] everybody who is mentioned in Dr. Robert Goffin’s book on jazz buys a copy, Dr. Goffin or his publisher will not have to worry about rolling up a neat sum.
Lionel Hampton and the terrific stage show appearing with him at the Capitol Theatre have got the managers tearing their hair out trying out ways to crowd in more shows to accommodate the customers that get in line with a let-me-in-or-I’ll-break-up-the-joint look in their eyes… Cootie Williams is getting rave notices from out of town papers over such show stoppers as the Ink Spots and Ella Fitzerald.
That guy Lee Mortimer on the Mirror is at it again. This time he took The Song Of Russia, as occasion to blast the hell out of Russia* all over again. Wish someone would get it through that bigot’s head that Russia is our ally. Some folks are so dumb… [Caterina] Jarboro was presented wings by the Canadian Air Force at Manning Depot, Toronto, while in Canada last month… ‘Tis rumored that the lady is about to be married… When Cab Calloway left Chicago for Hollywood, he did some tall hustling. His train left at 1:40 am and he was on the air from the Sherman from 1:00–1:30, but Cab being a smart boy, did the first half of his program with the full band and finished the last half with his jammers leaving most of the guys free to get all of the baggage and instruments to the station while he was still on the air. Yep, they made it.
According to a Fan Letter, Raebel Blakely had better watch out. Seems the fan heard Hampton’s valet, Norman Dunlap, pinch-hit for Blakley and he says the boy is terrific… Butterfly McQueen is doing a swell job on the Jack Benny Program. Her brand of comedy is clean, funny and without racial identity. Rochester could take a few hints from her… The new play “Decision” which packs a terrific wallop and features Georgia Burke, is going great guns at the BELASCO THEATRE. If you haven’t seen it yet, you’re missing the dramatic treat of the season.
Kenneth Spencer renewed an old friendship when he sang with the Rochester Symphony this week. Spencer sang one of the first concerts with this orchestra while studying at the Eastman School of Music… Trummie Young, who is holding down the Yacht club with his new combination, is rating raves from the critics and customers. He is in for four weeks… Sidney Catlett, who has been ace drummer with Teddy Wilson’s Uptown Cafe Society orchestra for to [sic] these many moons, took a small combination of his own into the 3 Deuces replacing Roy Eldrige.
If all goes well, Gene Krupa, who has been doing o.k. by himself, will take charge of the hides for Teddy as soon as he is free which ought to be in the next two or three weeks… Dinah Shore, Bing Crosby and Victor Young’s Orchestra, are recording “Porgy and Bess,” to be shipped overseas for the men in service… “Tolerance Through Music,” Alan (WOV) Courtney’s brain child will for the next three Mondays present to Army camps, Trummy Young, Roy Stevens and Bill Henry and their orchestras. [FW].