Big Band Chronology (June 13 - 19)

June 13

• Clarinetist and bandleader, Benny Goodman, "the King of Swing", 77, dies in NYC, 1986.

Sing, Sing, Sing
Benny Goodman and the Chicago Jazz Festival Orchestra (September 1979)

• Reedman Clarence Hutchenrider was born in Waco, TX, 1908. Played with the Casa Loma Orchestra from 1931-43.

• Trumpeter Doc Cheatham was born in Nashville, TN, 1905. During the 1930's, Doc played with the McKinney Cotton Pickers (1931-32) and Cab Calloway (1933-39). In the 1940's, Cheatham played with Benny Carter, Teddy Wilson, Eddie Heywood, AND Claude Hopkins.

• Glenn Miller records When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano (v Eberle), A Million Dreams Ago (v Eberle), Blueberry Hill (v Eberle), A Cabana in Havana (v Hutton), Be Happy (v Hutton), and Angel Child (v Eberle) 1940. Recording session ran from 1:00pm to 5:25pm. Personnel as follows:
  

Trombones: Glenn Miller, Jimmy Priddy, Paul Tanner, Frank D'Annolfo
Trumpets: Charles Frankhauser, Zeke Zarchy, Dale McMickle, Johnny Best
Reeds: Hale McIntyre (as), Ernie Caceras (as, bar,cl), wilbur Schwartz (as, cl),
Al Klink (ts), Tex Beneke (ts).
Rhythm: Chummy MacGregor (p), Jack Lothrop (g), Rowland Bundack (b), Maurice
Purtill (d).
Vocals: Marion Hutton, Ray Eberle, Modernaires

June 14

• Pianist and composer, Cy Coleman was born in NYC, 1929. Wrote Witchcraft.

• Guitarist Nappy Lamare was born in New Orleans, 1910. Joined Ben Pollacks band in 1934 and was part of the musicians exodus the following year. Played with Bob Crosby from 1935 to 42.

June 15

• Jimmy Lunceford records For Dancers Only, 1937.

June 16

• Bandleader and drummer, Chick Webb, 37, dies in Baltimore, 1937. Webb had long regular gigs at the Savoy starting in 1931. Although the band was short on major soloists (Benny Carter, Johnny Hodges and Louis Jordon briefly played in the reed section), the band developed a tight ensemble sound that was driven by Webb's drum pyrotechnics. In 1935, Webb hired the teenaged Ella Fitzgerald after she won a talent contest at the Apollo Theatre. In 1938, Ella provided him with his biggest hit, A Tisket-A-Tasket. The band's fame continued to grow, fueled by its reputation as a giant-killer in the Savoy battle of the bands (bested Goodman with Krupa flailing away) and hits such as T'aint What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It) and Liza.

June 17

• Maxine Sullivan backed by the John Kirby Band, records Loch Lomond, 1941.

• Reedman Gene "Honey Bear" Sedric was born in St. Louis, MO, 1907. In the 1930's he played with Fats Waller (1934-42), Don Redman (1938-39)and Mezz Mezzrow (1937).

• Glenn Miller opens at the Blue room of the Hotel Roosevelt, New Orleans, 1937. Originally booked for 2 weeks, The band eventually played a record breaking 10 week engagement. During the gig, the band broadcast nightly (except Sunday & Wednesday) at 12:30 AM on WSMB and nightly at 1:30 am over WWL.

• Glenn Miller records That's Sabotage (v Hutton), Conchita Marquita Lolita Pepita Rosita Juanita Lopes (v Hutton, Beneke, Modernaires, Caceres), The Hummingbird (v Hutton, Beneke, the Modernaires) and Yesterday's Gardenias (v Eberle, the Modernaires) 1942. Recording session went from 10:00am to 3:15pm, Personnel as follows:

Trombones: Glenn Miller, Jimmy Priddy, Paul Tanner, Frank D'Annolfo
Trumpets: Billy May,Steve Lipkins, Dale McMickle, Johnny Best
Reeds: Lloyd "Skippy" Marin (as), ernie Caceras (as, bar,cl), wilbur Schwartz (as, cl), Al
Klink (ts), Tex Beneke (ts).
Rhythm: Chummy MacGregor (p), Bobby Hackett (g), Doc Goldberg (b), Maurice Purtill
(d).
Vocals: Marion Hutton, Ray Eberle, Modernaires.

June 18

• Drummer, bandleader, and vocalist Ray McKinley was born in Fort Worth, Tx, 1910. McKinley joined Smith Ballew band in 1932. In 1934, he played with the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra and stayed with Jimmy after Tommy left the band. McKinley and Will Bradley organized a band in 1939 which Ray co-led until 1942, when he formed his own band. He enlisted in the USAAF and joined Glenn Miller's service band. He led his own big band from 1946-50. In 1956, at the invitation of the Glenn Miller estate, he formed a new Glenn Miller Orchestra that he lead until 1966.

• Drummer Ray Bauduc was born in New Orleans, 1911. In the early 20's, he played in the Dorsey Brothers' Wild Canaries Band. From 1928 to 1934, he played the drums in the Ben Pollack band when Pollock was singing or conducting. Bauduc was a founding member of the Bob Crosby band and stayed with the outfit until 1942. After the war, he co-led a band with Gil Rodin, and then played briefly with Tommy Dorsey, Bob Crosby, and Jimmy Dorsey.

• Tenor sax man and clarinetist, Irving "Babe" Russin was born in Pittsburgh, 1911. He played with Smith Ballew in the mid-20's. In the early 30's Babe played with Red Nichols, Ben Pollock, and Russ Columbo. From 1934-37, Russin played with the CBS staff and spent a year with Tommy Dorsey. In the early 4o's, he played with Jimmy Dorsey and after the war, with Benny Goodman. Russin appeared in both the Benny Goodman Story and the Glenn Miller Story.

• Bobby Sherwood records Sherwood's Forest, 1946.

June 19

• Tenor sax man, clarinetist, flutist, and arranger Jerry Jerome was born in Brooklyn in 1912. Played with Glenn Miller (1936-37), briefly with Red Norvo and Artie Shaw (1938), Benny Goodman (1938-41), and returned to Artie Shaw in 1941. From 1942-46 he served as musical director for NBC.

• Tenor sax man, clarinetist, and vocalist Joe Thomas was born in Union Town Pa., 1909. In the early thirties he played with with Horace Henderson and Stuff Smith. Thomas joined Jimmy Lunceford in 1933 and stayed with the orchestra till 1948. He co-led the band in 1947 with Ed Wilcox after Lunceford passed away.

• Singer Dave Lambert was born in Boston in 1917. Vocalist with Krupa and member of the Lambert-Hendricks-Ross trio.

Norm Gluckman
Cedarville, New Jersey
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