Not-Quite-Super Sunday

Thanks for tearing yourself away from the NFL Pro Bowl to check out what we're doing.

If I were writing this a week from today, I would thank you for taking a break from "The Big Game" or "The Championship Game" or "The Colossal Casserole" or some other euphemism. The National Football League zealously guards its rights to, well, the phrase we can't use and, in these tough economic times, the last thing the Big Band Academy needs is to be slapped with a trademark infringement suit. On the other hand, not even the league itself cares about professional football's all-star game. Watch this:

PRO BOWL
PRO BOWL
PRO BOWL
PRO BOWL
PRO BOWL

See? Nothing. If I'd typed "Super Bowl," five cease-and-desist letters would be on their way to me already.

Oops.

*************

Ed Cecchini of Clinton, Mass., favors us with another of his famous big band quizzes. Answers appear at the bottom of this post:

 1. This bandleader, known as "The Idol of the
    Airlanes," was a WWI veteran and a
    graduate of Philadelphia's Combs
    Conservatory of Music. Name him.

 2. Born in Russia as Jacob Savetnick, this future
    leader played violin in the Philadelphia
    Orchestra. Who was he?

 3. Identify the tenor sax great who started out as
    a pianist and violinist. Think "Ellington."

 4. Benny Goodman's recording of "Basin Street
    Blues" featured this Texan on trombone as
    well as vocals. Name him.

 5. Who was the German-born American bandleader of
    the '30s and '40s whose theme song was "Hot
    Lips"?

 6. Tell us the boogie-woogie pianist who led his
    own orchestra but also worked for Will
    Bradley and Jimmy Dorsey.

 7. A nationwide radio program that aired on Sunday
    evenings from 1938 to '48 presented a different
    big band each week. What was the name of the
    program?

 8. This virtuoso of the xylophone and vibraphone
    entered show business as a vaudeville tap
    dancer, then became noted for his mallet-
    related associations with Goodman and Woody
    Herman. Identify him.

 9. This trumpeter studied medicine as a young man
    but switched to music. He played with Bob
    Crosby and Artie Shaw, among others, and
    performed the trumpet obbligato on Louis
    Armstrong's recording of "Blueberry Hill." Who
    was he?

10. True or false: Bandleader/composer Larry
    Clinton got his big break in the
    business as an arranger for Ferde Grofé.

*************

English broadcaster (and inductee onto the BBAA's Golden Bandstand) Sheila Tracy wants her stateside friends to know about her new weekend show, "Swingtime," available at www.purejazzradio.com. Take a look also at Sheila's personal site, www.sheilatracy.com.

*************

Here are the answers to the quiz:

 1. Jan Garber

   
 

 2. Jan Savitt

   

 3. Ben Webster

   

 4. Jack Teagarden

 

 5. Henry Busse

 6. Freddie Slack

 7. "The Fitch Bandwagon"

 

 8. Red Norvo

 9. Billy Butterfield

10. Of course that was Larry's big break. Who would

    ask that question if it were false?

Thanks, Ed, for another super quiz!

Oops.

The Bandstand: May 2004

Today marks six years since the passing of Milt Bernhart, famous trombonist and president of the Big Band Academy from 1986 until 2004. To honor Milt's memory, we present a second look at the first BBAA newsletter published following his death:



For easier reading, please click on the blue "Fullscreen" link and then use the "Zoom" controls. Don't worry, you can enlarge the pages as much as you wish.

On a periodic basis over the coming months, we'll be posting each subsequent newsletter, right up to the final paper edition, which was mailed to subscribers just last month. I think this retrospective will provide you with the opportunity to see how far we've come.

Or how far we've fallen, if that's your point of view!

Ellenjay Printing

Easily the most valuable player behind the scenes in the production of our recently concluded paper newsletters was John Randazzo of Ellenjay Printing. We heartily recommend John and his company for any printing needs you may have, whether business forms, stationery, labels, promotional material or the specialized design assistance John provided to us. Ellenjay Printing can be reached at (818) 845-7609 or ellenjay2@aol.com.