[Dixielandjazz] More on Artie Shaw plus Albert Marx

[Richard Broadie]

At this point, I wish Albert Marx were still alive.  He owned Musicraft and 
was responsible for numerous good projects, not the least being the 
recording of the '38 BG Carnegie Concert.  Albert would have been most happy 
to discuss this project in great detail.  Until now I didn't realize his 
connection with Shaw as well as Goodman.

The late Chuck Niles (my all-time favorite jazz DJ)  introduced me to 
Albert.  Quoting Niles there was "Harpo, Groucho, Chico, Gummo, Zeppo and 
CHEAPO."  (I won't comment further on this analysis.)

At the time I met Albert, he had just moved from Palm Springs to the Beverly 
Hills area of LA and was searching for the original master tapes to the BG 
Concert (he had "loaned" the dubs to BG who then sold them to Columbia sans 
permission from Marx).   He had me searching lots of strange places with 
hopes of locating the first generation masters but I had no success. 
Eventually the original masters were located in LA and released around the 
time of Albert's death.

One of my best friends in the LA area was Oliver Berliner (grandson of the 
guy who invented the mic and flat phonograph record 
http://www.capsnews.org/apn2000.htm).  The loop on this Albert Marx story 
was completed for me when I told Ollie of my search for Albert's missing 
recordings and he told me that he once was engaged to Albert's daughter. 
(Small world time, again.)

If the thread entrepreneurs of jazz is ever discussed, Albert Marx would 
have to be included near the top of the list along with John Hammond and 
others.  Albert was successful.  I never did end up doing business with him 
so never did have first hand experience how "Cheapo" Marx got his name. 
Then again, I'm not inclined to misjudge Chuck Nile's calls on anything.  He 
was quite a guy.

I'm rambling and disconnected here but a flood of memories are coming to the 
surface.  I hope you don't mind my sharing them with you.

Dick B




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stan Brager" <sbrager at socal.rr.com>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2005 9:07 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] More on Artie Shaw


> I've just finished listening to the 1954 Gramercy Five sessions with Tal
> Farlow on guitar, Joe Rolands on vibes, and Hank Jones on piano. They're a
> bit modern for some but excellent jazz for others. One of the tunes they
> recorded was "The Pied Piper Theme". This was a tune Shaw had written for
> the musical background for a children's album telling the story of "The 
> Pied
> Piper Of Hamlin". I think it was recorded about 1946 or so for the 
> Musicraft
> label and featured Harry Von Zell as the narrator. It was directed at
> children but the humor was subtle but well done and Shaw's accompaniment 
> was
> unique.
>
> I don't know how many of you remember this. I first heard it during the
> early '50s on a radio broadcast. It's never left my mind. Does anyone know
> if this recording has been reissued on CD?
>
> Does anyone else remember this recording (both sides of 3 10 inch 78's)?
>
> Thanks;
>
> Stan
> Stan Brager
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Dixielandjazz mailing list
> Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz