Jazz Professional               

FANFARE

Magazine of 1946

ROY ELDRIDGE, who has left Artie Shaw, is busy experimenting with a small trumpet, one-third the size of an ordinary instrument, which he has had made specially for him. He is believed to be planning his own small band in New York.

CLAUDE THORNHILL is now released from the Navy and rumoured to be set for the Coast for a job as studio arranger and conductor.

The name of TEX BENEKE is being mentioned as the one that will front the old Glenn Miller Army Bond, as soon as they are all discharged from the Service.   Meantime,  Johnny Desmond is set for a tour as a single act.

NEW BLUES singer Cousin Joe from New Orleans has done a recording session with a group fixed for him by Leonard Feather.  Personnel included Dick Vance, At Sears, Harry Carney, Jimmy Shirley, J. C. Heard, Lloyd Trotman, Feather him­self at the piano. Titles were " Post War Future Blues," " My Love Comes Tumbling Down," " Larceny Hearted Woman," "Just Another Woman."

RED ALLEN and Higgy return to New York after an absence of three years, to open at the Onyx Club.

MAJESTIC RECORDS have been busy signing up new names for their catalogue. Bud Freeman recorded several sides for them with McKinley and Carmen Mastren, Bob Haggart, Schroeder, Lou McGarity, Yank Lawson and Ed Hall.

EX-BASIE trumpeter Karl George left Basie to form his own outfit, following the success of some records he made for Melodisc.

JO STAFFORD has been signed for the Chesterfield Supper Club commencing December.

THE GLENN MILLER Service Bond is appearing on "I Sustain the Wings," an N.B.C. air show, and has received favourable comment from the critics.

LEONARD BERNSTEIN, who has been conducting the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, went in to hear Bunk Johnson's jazz the other night. Up to the time of writing Bunk has not made plans for attending the Philharmonic.

BOB THIELE is very enthusiastic about his Signature Recording Company, which is now swinging into top production, following his discharge from the Forces. Signature's slogan is "Tomorrow's Artists To­day. ''

BRAD GOWANS, Max Kaminsky and Peewee Russell, with a rhythm section of Boston musicians, have banded together to show that city some real Dixieland stuff.

ART TATUM is now away on his concert tour of Midwest cities, and reported to be doing well.

SIX-YEAR-OLD schoolboy. Frank "Sugar-Child" Robinson, created a sensation with his boogie piano work, and has been signed by a film company.

ERSKINE HAWKINS received a letter signed by hundreds of the inmates of San Quentin prison saying that his record of " Fifteen Years and I'm Still Serving Time " has been selected as the most popular jukebox number at the prison.

RAY NANCE has now left Ellington, who is reported to be backing him when he starts off as a single act.

MUSICRAFT have now signed up Fletcher Henderson, Stuff Smith and George Auld, amongst many other top-line artists.