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me se le BRM Bs, ‘ tb ot . pennienieeenee Se eee ce at Ae norenmneg, , o-eeeamee t aw wenn Et Vee oo ae re | lw 42 eg Music Jazz, Pure and Simple We with getting rid of Upton Close and abolishing the unwrit- ten law which forbids mentioning an- other network by name, the Mutual Broadcasting System would appear ta be on something of a progressive kick. And the fact that Mutual is the only major web to give a half-hour show of pure jazz from coast to coast doesn’t in any way diminish this effect. The program is called “This Is Jazz," and I men- tioned it a few weeks ago when it au- ”” ditioned on “For Your Approval,” a show which presents new ideas and lets listener response determine whether or not the idea remains on the air, “This Is Jazz" has been in busi- fess for nestly two months now, and everyone, including the nctwork, the listeners, the musicians and producer- director-writer Rudi Blesh, seems quite happy. The other night I went to Mu- tual to see and hear the show in the * studio, and had a relaxed half-hour. I heard a small New Orleans band which featured Muggsy Spanier, Georg Brunis, Albert Nicholas, Pops Foster, Joe Sulli- van and Baby Dodds. They put their teeth into about five numbers, including a slow blues not recommended for lis- ' teners who were expecting maybe the Champagne music of Lawrence Welk. The old team of Spanier and Brunis brought back memories cf the things they did on the Bluebird label back in 1940. It's been a long time since I've heard Muggsy play that way. But enough of this love-making—the show was good all the way through. I bearded Rudi Blesh right after it and ‘asked him if he had any complaints. He said no, except that he looks forward to the time when Mutual will give the Program a regular spot. (At this writing it's been jumping back and forth be- tween Saturday and Monday. It will be more than worth your while to keep an cye on your local radio page for the day and time.) He told me that he in- tends to preserve his present band intact, breaking the nucleus only occasionally to make room for a guest. In addition, he plans to stick very closely to the New Orleans-early Chicago idiom, be- Cause it represents to him the best in undefiled jazz. This is too bad. Blesh, in other wotds ea. touch of the a tepresents a school in a field that needs anything but schools to stimulate its de- velopment. The attention given to New Orleans music creates a situation not unlike the result of a hypothetical sym- phony conductor's decision to perform nothing but Palestrina. I respect the * work Blesh has done on his show, and his taste, but I point out that jazz is bigger than one style. I'm very fond of the exciting music that came from New Orleans before the First World War. Yet I'm equally fond of the stuff that Count Basie brought from Kansas City. And cf the music of Benny Goodman and Jess Stacy and Jack Tea- garden and Bobby Hackett and a dozen other jazz artists who don't play the New Orleans style. It occurs to me that in being the only producer selling pure jazz to American listeners, it’s almost Blesh’s duty to let the other styles be heard, However, I'm not panning the show. Finer hot music can't be heard on any network today, and Blesh is entitled to say, “I told you so” to the skeptics who thought that non-commercial jazz couldn't go over on a naticnwide scale. HE patrons of New York's Ruban Bleu ate as boorish a collection of nudnicks as ever assembled in a pub- a, Ma" Ray Bauduc (drums). These records have NEW REPUBL: | lic place. I've seen floor shows in ; 4 time, but never has it been so difficult: hear as it was the night I dropped = here to thtow away some expense-; count money. The only time the creé of New York society closed its c° lective yap was when a stunning °° named Marian Bruce came out and $a; 4 with the warmth of Billie Holiday a= the subtlety of Mildred Bailey and j'z Bessie Smith. Miss Bruce is relative’ new in the business, but with 2 lite % training in mike technique, she shou: become one of the best gitl singers -: the country. She hasn't recorded yet. NE of the most satisfying of id current albums is a Commodo® showcase featuring the clarinet of Es; mond Hall and the piano of Ted: Wilson. They're backed by bass, guita; and drums, and the result is a collectic? of numbers which are ideal for nov jazz people who like to dance and fc jazz Boople who wouldn't be caught dea: rolling up the rug. Teddy Wilson's del 3 cate, imaginative work is fairly familic’: to most listeners, but the album shoul! be a particular treat for those unas: quainted with the unusually rhythm* clarinet which makes Hall's work so di: tinctive, . S- Be in the early thirties, Wing: Manone, a wild man with a tram: pet and a voice that frequently mad? one think of Louis Armstrong, turne out some of the best small-band jaz - ever recorded. Most of these sides wer: for the Vocalion and Bluebird labels:. and the band was the nucleus of the; great Bob Crosby outfit, including Eddi | Miller (tenor sax), Matty Matlock, (clarinet), Nappy Lamar (guitar), anc oF OT ae MRSS AUPE COT . become almost impossible to find, bu | they're worth the trouble. People with out the time or inclination can lister to Manone in a new album put out by: : Davis. There's a lot of the old Wingy : in these offerings, and although the: supporting band isn’t too impressive— Particularly in the rhythm—the album, * is worth buying for those interested in- hearing a real jazz artist who never got. 3 the recognition he deserves, : ay CHARLES MILLER. .« sane aranaaane>aasirebeaiadadrenernirmneadie es een eta tnpereries rg te Aube reg 4