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baker’s dozen of Cole’ssongs. During the enthrallingprogram, he sang, played,informed, joked, andgenerally charmed theaudience. The only thingmissing was a drummer tounderline the punch line ofthe jokes, not that thepredisposed assemblyrequired a prompt.
Danny opened withthe irresistible “StraightenUp and Fly Right,” writtenby Cole in the Winter of1943, and the first songrecorded with the King ColeTrio for Capitol Records.Cole, broke and hungry, soldthe song to Irving Mills, amusic publisher, for $50. Itwas not uncommon to see
Irving Mills listed on a pieceof music as a composer, alyricist, or both. He oftenappeared as a collaboratorwith well-known songwriterssuch as Cab Calloway,Jimmy McHugh, and DukeEllington, who, for the sakeof exposure, agreed to have50% of his future royaltieson some of his biggest songsgo to Mills.
Throughout theprogram, Danny alternatedbetween singing and playing,the transitions virtuallyseamless; the voices of thesinger and sax both smoothand mellow. A well-respected jazz musician,Danny provided plenty ofexpert scatting, and was
MAY 2019www.APSSinc.org
Newsletter
VOLUME 40, NUMBER 8 Formerly New York Sheet Music Society
By Jerry Osterberg
Continued on page 3
How do you get toCarnegie Hall? Listen toyour grandparent’s Big Bandand Swing recordings andWNEW’s Make BelieveBallroom, learn how to playa musical instrument, andstart singing, preferably notlater than the freshman yearof high school. Thankgoodness our grandparentskept the old records andtapes, bless their hearts. Theyclearly had an uncannyinstinct that their vinyltreasures would live againone day. And, who among usdoesn’t want to assume therole of a jocular disc jockeyfor a precocious grandchild?
Fast forward acouple of decades, and adynamic young talent,Danny Bacher, brought all ofwhat he had absorbed andlearned, plus his evidentpassion to the stage of theAmerican Popular SongSociety. On April 20, Boardmember and ContributingEditor Marilyn Lesterproduced her annual salute tojazz, sweetening it with acelebration of Nat KingCole’s centenary.
Backed by JasonTeborek on piano and DeanJohnson on bass, and dressedin a fuchsia colored jacket,black shirt, and a snappybreast pocket handkerchief,Danny arrived with hissoprano sax and more than a
especially generous to hisfellow players, each ofwhom contributed extendedsolos. Among other tuneswhich had been covered byCole, either with or withoutthe King Cole Trio, playedby the Bacher team, were“Let There Be Love,” “Gee,Baby, Ain’t I Good for You,”“Around the World,” “Dayin, Day Out,” (with just abrief piano interlude of“Night and Day,”) “TheseFoolish Things” and “TheBest Man,” in which a manlaments that while his bestfriend stole his girl, he’sdecided to be his bestfriend’s best man.
The Danny BacherTrio played on with “TheseFoolish Things,” “The VeryThought of You,” “The FrimFram Sauce,” “OrangeColored Sky,” “Love,”“Mona Lisa,”“Unforgettable,” and aninstrumental rendition of“Penthouse Serenade,” oneof eight all instrumentaltracks recorded in 1952.
Straighten Up and Fly Right: Danny Bacher andNat King Cole – An Inspired Meeting
Nat King Cole
Photo
by Andrew Po
retz
Happy May to Members, Friends, and Fans:
Could our April meeting celebrating Jazz Month have been any better? The DannyBacher Trio was extraordinary, comprising all truly sublime musicians. Thanks to BoardMember Marilyn Lester for producing our program, bringing us Danny Bacher’s NatKing Cole Tribute, celebrating Cole’s centennial. Danny is funny, charming, and agreat entertainer. I could tell that our full house didn’t want the afternoon to end. Pleaseread our feature story by Editor Jerry Osterberg in this issue.
We only have two more programs to complete the 2018-2019 season, and they areboth sensational. On May 11, we have Sandi Durell’s Songwriter Series, which is alwaysa special treat. How wonderful it is to discover the talented young composers workingin the theater and clubs today. Remember Joe Iconis who performed for us just a shorttime ago? Well, he now has a show on Broadway that opened to rave reviews- Be MoreChill!
On June 15th, Richard Skipper will be producing an all-star Tribute to composerMeredith Wilson, of Music Man fame. Richard is a showman of the first order and aSkipper Production is the perfect way to end another remarkable season of the AmericanPopular Song Society.
SPECIAL OFFER: Please encourage your friends to join or rejoin APPS at theMay or June Meeting. Their memberships will also include the entire next season!
Looking forward to seeing you on May 11th!With all good wishes,
PAGE 2 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY MAY, 2019
President’s Message...Linda Amiel Burns, President
Linda
President:Linda Amiel Burns
Vice Presidents:Joan AdamsSandi Durell
Treasurer & Membership:Glen Charlow
Secretary:Marilyn Lester
Board Of Directors:Elliott AmesBill Boggs
Will FriedwaldMichael LavineSandy MarroneJerry OsterbergAndrew PoretzJudy StewartTom ToceMark William
Membership Mailing Address:American Popular Song Society
P.O. Box 5856Pikesville, MD [email protected]
(212) 315-3500 (Linda A. Burns)
American PopularSong Society
MEETING LOCATION: Local 802 – Musicians’ Hall322 West 48th Street. Program: 1:45 – 3:30PM.Come early to look thru Sheet Music & CD’s & stuff, all FREE.
N E W S L E T T E REditor/Publisher: Jerry Osterberg
[email protected] Editor: Marilyn Lester
[email protected] Editor: Joan [email protected]
Graphic Designer: Glen [email protected]
Linda Amiel Burns & Danny Bachner
Photo
by Alice L
ease Dana
MAY, 2019 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 3
Danny also performed “SweetLorraine,” said to be Cole’sfirst unofficial solo. During aperformance with the KingCole Trio, a drunk hadrequested the tune, but, afterrewarding the trio with a 15cents tip, the lush attempted toretrieve the nickels because noone recognized his secondrequest.
Over the course of hiscareer, Nat King Colerecorded more than 600songs, 21 of which placed inthe top ten, and 4 at #1:“Nature Boy,” “Mona Lisa,”“For Sentimental Reasons,”and “Too Young.” In additionto those played by Danny,some of Nat’s mostmemorable recordings were“The Christmas Song,”“Pretend,” “Ballerina,”“Answer Me, My Love,” “ABlossom Fell,” and “ThatSunday, That Summer.”Cole’s last winners were“Ramblin’ Rose,” released in1962 (competing against “BigGirls Don’t Cry,” “TheTwist,” “The Loco-Motion,”
and “Do Wah Diddy Diddy)and “Those Lazy – Hazy –Crazy Days of Summer” in1963. I can personally attestthat the song was a hit inEurope because I first heard itthat year in Naples, Italywhile with the U.S. Navy.
Fifteen years after
making his uncredited filmdebut in Citizen Kane in 1941as a piano player, Cole had hisown television variety showon NBC. Previously, he hadappeared numerous times ontelevision, including 14 guestshots on The Ed SullivanShow. Although Nat’sprogram featured NelsonRiddle and Gordon Jenkins asconductors and major starssuch as Ella Fitzgerald, TonyBennett, Peggy Lee, MargaretWhiting, Billy Eckstein, Stan
Getz and Oscar Peterson, itwas unable to attract anational sponsor. It may havebeen the top-rated televisionprogram in New York City in1957, but Cole wasn’tuniversally accepted byaudiences in every region ofthe United States, particularly
the South. When NBCapproached Cole about givingup his prime- time slot tomake room for a western, hedecided to walk away. Mostimportantly, Cole opened adoor for other African-American artists – DiahannCarroll, Bill Cosby, and FlipWilson – among them.
One could assumethat not many APSS membershave seen Danny Bacherperform before. As he himselfhas admitted, he doesn’t
usually do a Saturdayafternoon gig. Consequently,his rare daylight appearanceon April 20 made the showaccessible to all, night owlsand early risers alike. It wasobvious from the start thatDanny and Nat King Cole area good match. With such avast catalog to choose from, itcouldn’t have been easy tonarrow down the options. NatKing Cole ranged far andwide in choosing the songs hewould record and managed tomake many good choices.Similarly, but with theadvantage of knowing whichof Cole’s songs weresuccessful, Danny pickedseveral which fit his energeticstyle quite well. We’rethankful that Marilyn Lesterpersuaded Danny Bacher tospend the afternoon with usand wish him much success.
Editor’s Note: Ifyou’d like to hear more ofDanny’s playing, go to hisw e b s i t e :www.dannybachermusic.comor purchase one of his CD’s:Swing That Music and StillHappy.
Danny Bacher...Continued from page 1
Jason Teborek on piano and Dean Johnson on bass
Photo
s by A
lice L
ease Dana
Stella by Starlight: Hard to believe this lovely standard comes from the non-musical 1944 supernatural horror movie,The Univited, which starred Ray Milland. Originally composed as the film’s underscore and instrumental theme songby Victor Young, the melody proved so popular and captivating, it was turned over to lyricist Ned Washington, whopenned the lyrics in 1946. The film earned critical praise and is noted by contemporary film scholars as being the firstfilm in history to portray ghosts as legitimate entities rather than illusions or misunderstandings played for comedy. Italso earned a single Oscar nomination; not for “Stella,” however, but rather for cinematography. A mere eight monthslater, another iconic American standard would emerge through similar circumstances by way of the classic non-musicalfilm noir, Laura. It’s score also proved too popular to contain to an instrumental track and was later lyricized by JohnnyMercer in 1945.
Editor’s Note: Stephen Vrattos is a choral singer and New York based writer whose roots go back to Stan Lee andMarvel Comics. He is the proud creator of Captain Gravity. Stephen is currently an Editor for Playbill Magazine.
By Stephen Vrattos Song Facts You May Not Know
PAGE 4 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY MAY, 2019
Three Men Behind the MusicBy Marilyn Lester
You probably don’t think about theproduction aspects of making recordedmusic when you’re listening to an albumor CD, yet that product takes a village,starting with the record producer. At itsbroadest, that job is to realize the fullpotential of an artist and shepherd him, heror them through the process of making arecording. It’s a very individual butdemanding job, now requiring multipleskills and a comprehensive understandingof music and music making. The role of themusic producer has changed over the years,but in the mid-twentieth century legendaryimpresario producers reigned. Here, inbrief, are three of those who put their markon music history.
George Avakian (March 15, 1919–November 22, 2017) was born in Russiaand brought to the US in 1923. He becamea jazz fan in his teens, collecting recordsand writing to major record companiesurging them to reissue material acquiredfrom bankrupt labels. In 1940, DeccaRecord executives, in response to thisunrelenting pressure, hired him to producehis first recording while he was still astudent at Yale. The result was ChicagoJazz, a groundbreaking compilation of six78-rpm discs, complete with his liner notes,full credits and background information.While still at Yale, he was approached byColumbia records to produce a jazz boxset, during which he discovered manyunreleased gems by Louis Armstrong andothers.
Avakian kept producing for Columbia,handling jazz and popular music andnurturing and recording artists such asDoris Day and Frank Sinatra. He was also
at the forefront of new methods ofproduction, marketing the new technologyof LPs and of live recording. In subsequentyears, for labels including Pacific Jazz,Warner Brothers and RCA, he produced ahost of major artists such as JohnnyMathis, Tony Bennett, Miles Davis, DaveBrubeck and more. One of his cornerstonealbums is Ellington at Newport, whichcaptured live Duke Ellington’s historicconcert at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival.Avakian continued to produce and work inother capacities in the music business intothe 2000s.
Ahmet Ertegun (July 31,1923–December 14, 2006) was born in Turkeyand brought to Washington, DC as the childof the Turkish Ambassador to the US.Ertegun took immediately to Americanmusic, especially jazz. Soon after Ahmetgraduated from college, his father died andthe family returned to Turkey. With hisbrother, Nesuhi, Ertegun decided to stay onin the US, figuring to find a temporary jobin the record business to sustain himself. Ameeting with Herb Abramson, an A&Rman for National Records, turnedtemporary into permanence, and led to theformation of Atlantic Records in NewYork, in September of 1947.
In 1949, after 22 unsuccessful recordreleases, the label began to gain tractionand soon began signing major talent suchas Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin.Ertegun, it turned out, had a genius fordiscovering and developing new talent.Later on in his career he began signingmajor rock groups including Led Zeppelinand the Rolling Stones. He was also apioneer in the use of technology, such as
recording in stereo and utilizing 8-tracktapes. The much lauded and honoredErtegun made huge contributions to manyaspects of the music industry and was alsowidely respected for his variousphilanthropic endeavors.
Norman Granz (August 6, 1918–November 22, 2001) was mostlyassociated with jazz, founding fiverespected jazz record labels includingPablo and Verve. He was born in LosAngeles and held an unremarkable jobupon graduating from high school. Butwhen the US entered World War II, and hewas drafted into the Army Air Corps,Granz found his true calling. Assigned tothe “Morale” branch––the unit responsible,in part, for entertaining the troops––heimmediately began to set about producingshows and concerts.
In July 1944 he produced “Jazz at thePhilharmonic” in LA, which he continuedto produce and tour through 1957,nationally and internationally. He recordedmany of these concerts, selling or leasingthe recordings first to Mercury Records andlater to Asch/Disc/Stinson Records, evenwhile establishing his own labels. Granzbegan to attract and develop prime talent.One of his highest profile artists, out ofmany, was Ella Fitzgerald, with whom heworked from 1956 until her death in 1996.Others in a who’s-who list of performersincluded Oscar Peterson, Count Basie,Louis Armstrong and many more. From hisarmy days on, Granz was proactivelyagainst racism. He was at the forefront ofdesegregating Las Vegas, and defiantlyprotected his Black artists from racialabuse, even in the face of death threats.
Ahmet Ertegun and Mick Jagger
Louis Armstrong, WC Handy and George Avakian
Norman Granz and Ella Fitzgerald
Linda Amiel Burns, APSS President, is celebrating four decades of The SingingExperience. Several APSS members have taken this workshop, some more thanonce. For those of us who have, we can assure you that you’ll feel like a pro by thenight of the performance. Although many students have never sung in public before,the supportive environment has prepared them well for their debut. Call Linda at212-315-3500 to sign up. The Singing Experience Cable TV show continues onMNN Time Warner: Channel 56 or RCN: Channel 111. The program broadcastsare every Sunday at 5:00 PM. You can also see your fellow NYSMS members onYouTube at any time.
The Singing Experience will present Ain’t We Got Fun on Tuesday, May 14 at theTriad, West 72nd Street. Contact Linda for additional information at 212-315-3500 [email protected].
Midday Jazz Midtown continues Wednesdays (1:00 PM to 2:00 PM) at Saint Peter’sChurch (East 54 Street (entrance) @ Lexington Ave), NYC, Hosted by Ronny Whyte.May 1, Remembering Marlene VerPlanck; May 8, Jon Davis – piano, Gianluca –bass; May 15, Kendra Shank – singer, Frank Kimbrough – piano, Dean Johnson –bass; May 22, Cecilia Coleman Big Band; May 29, Bill Mays – piano, Martin Ward –bass; June 5, Minas Brazilian Jazz, Orlando Haddad – guitar/singer, Patricia King –piano/singer. Suggested donation: $10. Parking: Icon Parking, East 51 St, betweenThird and Lexington Ave. $15 including tax for five hours with validation@SaintPeter’s Reception Desk. www.ronnywhyte.comwww.saintpeters.org/jazz/midtownjazz.htm.
Steve Ross is back with his Master Class: The Song In You and You in the Song onSaturday, May 4 from 1:30 to 4:30 PM. Contact Dena Kaufman at 917-848-4797 [email protected].
Ann Kittredge, 2018 MAC Award Winner will bring her show Fancy Meeting You Here:An Evening of Ahrens & Flaherty to Studio 54 on Wednesday, May 29 @ 7:00 PM.The Director is Andrea Marcovicci, and Musical Director is Alex Rybeck. ContactStudio 54 or call 646-476-3551 for reservations.
Ronny Whyte will be appearing at Birdland on Thursday, May 9 @ 5:30 PM with histrio: Boots Maleson – bass, Cecilia Coleman – piano, and Mike Compenni – drums.Reservations: 212-581-3080.
The Elegant Ivory Duo, L. Egan D'ivori and Elyzsabeth Ahne, aka John and ElizabethTodras, are pleased to present their latest show, Imperfections of Love (It Ain't AlwaysLovey), on Saturday, May 25 @ 7:00 PM and Sunday, May 26 @ 4:00 PM at Don'tTell Mama. There's a $20 cover charge ($15 for MAC and APSS), and a 2 drinkminimum per person. Cash only. Reservations:visit DTM website or call 212-757-0788 after 4:00 PM.
Congratulations to this year’s MAC Award winners Anita Gillette, Bobbie Horowitz,Bob Levy, Marissa Mulder, Jeff Macauley, and Sidney Meyer.
MAY, 2019 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 5
Member News...
Send Member News to Osterbergg@aol .com no la ter than the 15th of each month for the next issue.
If you have any member news, or other items you would like to haveconsidered for this newsletter, please send it by e-mail to the Editor,Jerry Osterbergg: [email protected]. It will be subject toediting, depending on size and content, and please remember thatwe try to go to press two weeks before each monthly meeting. Weoften get very good items that get to us after the newsletter has beenfinalized and made available to the membership.
Steve Ross reports that the classic radio interview show New York Cabaret Nights,which was broadcast on WNYC, can be accessed anew by going tohttps://www.wnyc.org/series/new-york-cabaret-nights.
APSS member and composer/lyricist Jeff Flaster, announces a staged reading of ARetrieved Reformation, on Friday, May 3 @ 7:00 PM at Placido Domingo Hall at theNational Opera Center, 330 7th Avenue. Presented by Melodic Music LLC, this newmusical is based on a classic O’Henry story. Audience members will have the optionof giving input on this work-in-progress via a questionnaire or via e-mail. Admissionis free. Donations will be accepted to benefit Singnasium’s John KoprowskiScholarship Fund for singers over the age of 55. Directed by Lennie Watts, theprogram will feature Joshua Lance Dixon, Eve Eaton, Frank McDonough, AlexandraMuscaro, and Musical Director Bobby Peaco. For reservations please [email protected].
Danny Bacher will be appearing at Stony Brook’s Jazz Loft with Tom Manuel & JazzLoft Big Band on Thursday, May 9 and Friday, May 10, both at 7:00 PM, andSaturday, May 11, at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM. This is a Swing into Spring, celebrationof Frank Sinatra. Reservations: www.dannybachermusic.com.
Danny Bacher will also appear at the Weill Recital Hall @ Carnegie Hall on May 21@ 7:00 PM. Presented by the Mabel Mercer Foundation, the program All the ThingsYou Are, features the music of Jerome Kern. In addition to Danny Bacher, performerswill include KT Sullivan, Alexis Cole, and Natalie Douglas. For reservations, pleasevisit the Mabel Mercer Foundation website.
Board member Marilyn Lester is now the Executive Director of the new nonprofitAmerican Songbook Association (an outgrowth of the Cabaret Scenes foundation).The mission is publishing the magazine, bringing the music into the schools andproviding quality, low-cost performances to senior citizens, students and all wholove songbook music. Please check out www.americansongbookassociation.org
Do you seek an elusive song? If you do, write APSS Board member Sandy Marrone@ [email protected] or call 856-829-6104. You can also visit Sandy in NewJersey to see thousands and thousands of sheets of music, most of which can beyours very reasonably. She is a marvelous resource and a super-great lady! Havingheard from only a few of our members over the past year or so, Sandy wants toremind you that she’s still at it, adding to her collection every day, and always willingto part with sheet music at especially fair prices for us. Sheet music was the reasonwe were founded thirty plus years ago, after all, and she’s only a phone call or e-mailaway. Sandy continues to be willing to offer free appraisals with no expectation ofhaving right of first refusal and can provide unbiased advice as to how and where tosell music. It’s not a secret, pass it on please.
In November 2009, to celebrate the centennial of songwriter/singer Johnny Mercer,Minneapolis radio personalities David Cummings and Les Block produced andbroadcast a 100th birthday tribute to Mr. Mercer. The show features original interviewswith a distinguished roster of Mercer-connected performers and writers, showcasingrecordings of Mercer songs sung by the guests and presenting valuable commentson the songs and on the man. Among the more than twenty celebrities interviewedwere Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Kay Starr, Nancy Wilson, RobertKimball, Barry Manilow and Margaret Whiting. Sadly, our interview with Miss Whitingwas her last. The show is being archived by the Library of Congress whichacknowledged that “…it would be impossible to produce a work of this quality onJohnny Mercer today.” The entire show can be heard online at the following URL/webaddress: https://archive.org/details/mercer100/ksav-mercer-1.mp3 OR<johnnymercer100:davidcummingsandlesblock>
Sandi Durell is Publisher-Editor of TheaterPizzazz.com, a vital website that presentsup to date theater reviews, news, interviews and previews, along with cabaret reviewsand videos. There is a large contributing group of writers who offer discerning andprofessional reviews and information. Sandi is a Drama Desk and Outer Critics CircleAwards Voter, member of the American Theatre Critics Association, League ofProfessional Theatre Women, The Lambs, and The Dutch Treat Club. Visit:
October 13, 2018Alex Leonard presents Harry Warren
November 10, 2018Alan Jay Lerner with Amy Asch,KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler
December 8, 2018Celebrating Frank Sinatra on his birthday with
clips and songsJanuary 12, 2019The Anderson Twins
February 9, 2019Barbara Cook show by Shana Farr
March 9, 2019Ron Fassler: Up In The Cheap Seats
April 20, 2019Celebrating Jazz Month and the
Nat King Cole centenaryMay 11, 2019
Songwriter ShowcaseJune 15, 2019
Richard Skipper Celebrates Meredith Willson
P.O. Box 5856 • PIKESVILLE, MD 21282
Did you know every issue of this newsletteris in COLOR online at www.APSSinc.org
American PopularSong Society
2018 - 19 Season
MAY 11ANNUAL SONGWRITERS’ SHOWCASEThe 14th Annual Songwriter Series, produced bySandi Durell, will feature a diverse group ofsongwriters and their singers both in the spirit ofthe Great American Songbook and the future ofwhere it is headed. Expect to hear songs fromJake Friedman (Esther Unmasked); ClintEdwards (My Beloved, A Ted Bundy Musical);Anya Turner & Robert Grusecki; Sara Zahn &Allan Kashkin; Jude Obermueller (Feet Keep MeFlyin', Miss Havisham's Wedding) and somesurprises! The pre-opener from Brazil is PedroCoppeti (represented AMDA at the 10thanniversary of Broadway's Rising Stars, andappearing in Scott Siegel's Broadway by theYear).
<••DATE CHANGE
<••DATE CHANGE
Pedro Coppeti wasthe youngest mainsoloist ever to performat “Nativitaten,” thelargest knownoutdoors Christmasproject in the world.He has performed withSymphony Orchestrasnationally andinternationally. He wasa part of the
Broadway Rising Stars concert, which tookplace at the Town Hall and has performed atvenues such as 54 Below, Lincoln Center, andmany more. He returned to The Town Halland sang in the acclaimed Broadway By TheYear event.
May OpenerPedro Coppeti
