MAY 2020 NEWS by JAY and CHRISTOPHER POPA

JACKIE GLEASON

AND THE BIG BANDS

He was a fan of the big bands, Dixieland, and jazz. And he

was a friend to many musicians.

Throughout Jackie Gleason’s career, the big bands often

played a part, including his appearance in the 1942 motion

picture “Orchestra Wives.”

In the movie, Gleason was the bass player, “Ben Beck,” in

the fictional “Gene Morrison” band. Glenn Miller, one of

America’s favorites in real life, portrayed “Morrison,” and a

featured member of his band, Tex Beneke, became “Phil

Mercer,” though his role was uncredited.

BIG BAND Alliance

Though best-known for his comedic talents as “Ralph

Kramden” in the TV show “The Honeymooners” and as host of

the variety program “The Jackie Gleason Show,” he also lent

his name to a series of “mood music” record albums for about

20 years, from 1951 into 1970. Gleason was billed as

Conductor, and many of the tunes featured Bobby Hackett,

who played trumpet and cornet.

Here are two examples of those LPs showcasing Hackett.

An album that did not include Hackett, but was quite a

swinger, “Jackie Gleason Presents Riff Jazz,” has been issued

on CD this month by Sepia Records of England, no. 1351.

The music, which was recorded in 1958 and has been

carefully remastered, includes 16 riff tunes or figures named

after the upstate New York area in which Gleason had a house.

To name a few, the titles include Tollgate Treat, Cortlandt

Clipper, Round Rock Riff, and Bear Mountain Blast.

Prominent soloists on the album were trumpeter Charlie

Shavers, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, saxophonist Charlie

Ventura, and pianist Hank Jones.

For the Sepia CD, “Riff Jazz” has been combined with

“Jackie Gleason Presents Lazy Lively Love,” another album

which fans of big bands, Dixieland, and jazz should enjoy.

Personnel of this recording, made in “full dimensional” stereo

in 1960, includes such big band veterans as Yank Lawson

(trumpet), Lawrence Brown (trombone), Claude Hopkins

(piano), and Milt Hinton (bass).

Every tune should be a familiar one, such as It Had to Be

You, Smile, and On the Street Where You Live.

More photos showing Jackie Gleason’s penchant for comedy

and his enjoyment of big band music.

Young man with a horn, blowing to no effect.

With actress-singer Rose Marie and Sammy Kaye’s band.

Blowing the trumpet with drummer Jimmy Crawford.

With Sy Oliver recording the “Jackie Gleason plays Romantic

Jazz” album (Capitol W 568).

With Oliver and the trumpets (including Charlie Shavers).

With the string section.

With Oliver, Gleason points out a clinker.

The finished product.

Jackie Gleason and his pals, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, who,

under Gleason’s supervision, starred on TV in “Stage Show.”

Admiring the music of Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars.

And enjoying the company of Count Basie an d Guy Lombardo.

In fact, a great episode of “The Jackie Gleason Show,” telecast

on CBS in November 1966, presented a remarkable line-up of

big bands including Basie and Lombardo, as well as Buddy

DeFranco (leading The Glenn Miller Orchestra), Sammy Kaye,

Duke Ellington, Les and Larry Elgart, and Freddy Martin.

Other swing era names who took part in certain Gleason LPs

included Pee Wee Erwin, Chris Griffin, and Roy Eldridge

(trumpets), Buddy Morrow (trombone), Toots Mondello (alto

saxophone), Lou Stein (piano), and even Dick Haymes sang on

a Gleason session (it took place on April 4, 1957).

Meanwhile, Jackie Gleason’s memorable film roles included

“The Hustler,” “Requiem for a Heavyweight,” “Papa’s Delicate

Condition,” and “Smokey and the Bandit.”

Another fine role was ”Gigot” in 1962.

And “Nothing in Common,” with Tom Hanks, in 1986.

JACKIE GLEASON (1916-1987)

Thanks for the laughs… and the music!

LIVE BIG BAND MUSIC

NOTE: The Coronavirus pandemic seems to have affected

everyone in some way, whether day-to-day activities,

employment, travel, or shopping.

It has also forced the cancellation or postponement of many

planned dates by the name bands.

Some dates may be re-scheduled and the situation has and

can change quickly, so please double-check with the venue to

make sure what the status of the performance is.

JAN GARBER ORCHESTRA

directed by HOWARD SCHNEIDER

May 25-1, “Jan Garber Ballroom Cruise” aboard Royal

Caribbean’s “Adventure of the Seas,” sailing from New York to

Canada and New England.

Contact Tom at Ahoy Cruises, 214-761-1968.

HARRY JAMES ORCHESTRA

directed by FRED RADKE

May 15-18, Southwest tour.

Send an e-mail to info@harryjamesband.com.

SYD LAWRENCE ORCHESTRA

directed by CHRIS DEAN

May 8, The Army Museum, London, England

May 20 The Orchard, Dartford, England

Write chrisdeanmg@gmail.com.

WHITEMAN DISC HONORED

Bandleader Paul Whiteman’s recording of Whispering,

made for Victor on August 23, 1920 and released in November

of that year, was recently inducted into the National Recording

Registry at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

The chosen records are deemed worthy of preservation

because of their “cultural, historic and aesthetic importance to

the nation’s recorded sound heritage.”

The same recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of

Fame in 1998.