THE BANDSTAND JUNE 2007 es BAND ACIDENY OF KA = wi = Big Band Reunion 2007\ MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT. Well, another Big Band Reunion is in thy history books, Sunday. April 29, dawned clear and warm over the San Fernando Valley. but a erowil of some 400 decided this was the perfect day to spend an af noon indoors, enjoying hunch, a big band concert and dancing. ‘The theme of the program A More or Li Complete, Chronological History of the Big Bands the foyer of the rismen's Lodge banquet center with guests picking up their tickets on a willeall basis. In years past, we mailed tickets to purchasers advan, baton the day of the event much time would aby mn iekets that guests had misplaced o¢ forgotten to bring with them, A change was necessary snd [think I can pronounce owe new willeeall policy a success: Only one guest lost his tickot ‘while walking from the foyer to the ballroom: 1 sumptuous meal — chicken, arian plate and fruit plate were choices — Ah salmon, veg the entree the Harry Betts B conducting the 18-piece P BBAA Blue Rublon Band inf his own spoetally-wvritten * arrangement I Henry Maneini’s “Theme From ‘The Mancini Generation Leader Pat Longo then introduced the imembersol the band, including sophonis Pe enatunsi Christlieb. po and Rusty trombonist Redmond and Gary Tole trumpeters Charlie Davis 1nd Carl Saunders, pianist Ben Di Tosti and drummer Ralph Razze, The president of the Big Band Academy, yours truly his ilutios the the lable, each of whom would be Golden Bandstand award durin, master of eevemonies, guests of honor sitting aba front-row the program: First, a pianist, saxophonist, composer axranger, conductor and founder of the Bis Phat Band, Gordon Goodwin... Nex, a conductor, entrepreneur, radio hust, director of the Musical Knights and, let's face 1, if youre a big band fan anywhere in Greater Los Angeles, cddds are you are now or will be « resident of the apartment complex he operates in Sherman Oaks, Horace Heidt Ir... Andwe have with tus a lady whose accomplishments as a voralist tare so indelible that Fnow F need say only tte words: Jo Stafford.” Thunderous applause Followed, From there, the more or less complete history of big bands began with the Blue Ribbe Bands performances of “Hurricane.” male Famous by Jean Goldkette's orchestra outh Rampart Street Parade, When Martha Tilton died back in December the Big Band Academy lost one of its higgest boosters and the world lost a singing angel Martha's husband, Jim Brooks, yas with us the Reunion and it was our privilege al this point in the program to present jazz lecturer John Tumpak’s salute to Marth Horace Heidt Jr, was the Golilon Bandstand award. multimedia First recipient of @ Demonstrating his ‘capabilities, Horace first narrated slide sho of the Wi and career of his father Heidt, then band ina Knights deseribing appropriately enough, how to build big banc Anil appropriately fora Sunday. the number utilized the melody of “Phe Bells of St Mary's Jeontinued on page 5SEEN AT THE BIG BAND REUNIONA MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDE! Continuing the chronological theme, the band held forth in renditions of "Youll Never Know and “Artistry in Rhythm.” [then returned to the pastium: “Several members of the audienee today have traveled great distances to be here and we wanted to acknowledge a couple of them. From Baltimore, Mr. Chuck Hines and from Little Rock, Arkansas, Mr. David Miller. They are oth longtime supporters of the Academy and ant them Jor their devotion to the cause nd from the Seattle area, a new friend, Marilyn Burke, is with ves, Hes-lase father, Don Anderson, was a well-known trumpet player hove in town in the 308 and "10s, bu until three weeksago, Marilyn didn't even know weexisted. T gave a radio interviews that happened to air on a Seattle station, Marilyn happened to be listening, she got in touch with us and decided jus Fike that fo come down on the train for this concert. One of the first things Marilyn told me onthe phone was that her father once inadvertently burned a hole with his cigarette in 4 fur coat that Jo Stafford was wearing. ‘Ws asmaltirorld, isnt it? And Lovust it wasa smalt hole, And now, with -Jo Stafford in mind, here's moment wwece all been waiting for With that, a: proerocorded montage of Jo's gromtost hits (assembled by ohn Tumpak and Marty Halperin) was MMM played. also featuring material from her Tomm: Dorsey yeurs and concluding Iglagg with few bare ‘IJonathanand ssn Darlene Edwards" take onl Am Woman I then announced. “Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Jo Stafford.” 400 ationdees rose ax one applauding and cheering, and 1 carried do's olden Bandstand award, along with a wireless microphone, down to her table in the front row. Jo made a few remarks of NT (continued from page 2) appreciation, at whieh point | mentioned that some in the audience had likely noticed the tio montage of Jo's biggest= single. "You Belong to Me.” ‘The soli deliberate on our paris and I . ie do the surprise that he daughter vocalist : Am y Weston and Amy’ daughter “Anna Cumming both of whom were seated at Jo's table, would now ke the stage and xing "Vou Belong to Me! in Jo's honor. It was a memorable juncture and the next two generations of the so Stafford legacy came through with fying colors As Amy and Anna were walking toward the ‘tage, and I was headed for the dressing room the wireless microphone still in my” hand. something unexpected happened, A woman, from the audience approached me andl told me that she had some very important things to say. [didn't recognize her and she wasn't wearing a name badge. Figuring she meant she wanted to talk to me, I could only reply that Twas in the middle of a show and dlsin’t hhave time just then. I continued on my way to the dressing room. Vd been back in the dressing rom a few minutes, awaiting my next cue to come out 10 the podium, when I suddenly felt that sensation of somebody standingbehind “2, me. We've all experienced i Fturned ... and it was this woman again. Up close. 1 could tell she'd had more than a couple of drinks And now she clarified her earlier statement, "I have some very important things to say,” as meaning she intended for me to bring her on to address the audience. continued on pre 6)A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT continued from pose 5) Specifically, she wanted to thank all the bands anil musicians who had ever eome through her hometown in Canada m the 1940s, Yikes! I knew st would be a ake to attempt tweet hor forcibly from the dressing room — what a seene thal would have been! —so I just ined to play it cool, concentrate on the remainder of the concert and ignore my visitor to the greatest extent possible. Unaware of the situation, Pat Longo and the boys pressed on with Miles Davis’ ‘Milestones.” I then came out to introduce the band in the last hit record hy a leader who had led a big band daring the big band ora, Jimmy Dorsey's 1957 "So Rare My unexpected visitor remained standing in the middle of _.the dressing room as I came off-stage. About Ubree minutes later, Twas back atthe podium to bring up vocalist derry Sharell president of the Society of Singers. Jerry, fas always, wax the model of economy, this taste and time favoring us" with “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Nice and Easy And still my female visitor held her ground in the dressing room. Curiosity did prompt me at fone point to ask her, "Who are you?” [ know most of the names on the BBAA memberships roster and L recognized hers right away 1 made further appearances on stage to Introrluce the band in Bob Florence's 1961 arrangement for Si Zentner of “Up a Lizy River" and in "Get It On.” the hit from 1971 by Uhe grup Chase, led by former Woody Herman trumpeter. the lale Bill Chase, On my return to the podium, I said “Were running a bit tate, And speaking of running late... 1was backstage once at a taping of the Lawrence Welk slow and Myron Floren told of an incident many years before when the program was televised live, One particular night, an episode was rinvning long, but Myron was on camera, performing number, unaware that the show was abort to be eutshort. Suddenly, Lawrence was standing at his side with a microphone and announced, Were out of time, Myron, so I'm afraid In going fo have to jerk you off The program then clmaxed with Gordon Goodwin taking the stage to conduct his own ‘Sing Sang Sung,” a contemporary play on Benny Goodman's Sing Sing Sing,” followed by the presentation of Gordon's Golden Bandstand award. With the fisture of big bands in mind, Gordon asked the audience to promise that cach guest would bring a companion under the age of 30 tthe next Reunion On that sentiment, one with whieh we'll all, undoubtedly agree, I thanked everybody for coming and invited them to stick around for half an hour or so of dancing, Ob, and the woman in my dressing room? She maintained her position in the center of the room right to the last note of “Sing Sang Sung” without budging an inch. As she was expressing disappointment that | had not seen fit to allow her the microphone time she dlesired, I packed up my things and came down to the dance Moor ta say hello to pe le bofore the dance setstarted, Fm sure my unexpected visitor left the dressing room ecentialty, but 1 didn't see her again, Ml admit. that 1 don't feel great about disappointing a woman who seemed to mean no harm and probably felt mortified when she ‘woke up the next morning. But it was quite necessary for me to protect our event from what might have heen the worst unscheduled Appearance on a stage since Norman Maine crashed the Academy Awards in "A Star is Born, There's no business like show busing David Barn hast