[Dixielandjazz] Benny Goodman - Fletcher Henderson

[Bill Haesler]

> I've been looking for a special recording of a Benny Goodman concert for
many years and I wonder if anyone knows if it's been released on CD or if
the LP is available. It's the tribute concert for Fletcher Henderson who had
suffered a brain hemorrhage. The concert was held on April 1, 1951 and
featured the original BG trio plus other jazz stars.
If you have any information about this, please let me know.<

Dear Stan,
I had forgotten all about that one. Broadcaster Martin Block organised the
tribute, which was broadcast on WNEW at the time.
Apparently the musicians involved (BG, Wilson, Krupa, Buck Clayton, Eddie
Saffrasnski, Lou McGarity and Johnny Smith) did it for free.
Columbia issued 10 titles from the event on a high priced LP and Fletcher
Henderson received the proceeds. Then, a year or so later, Columbia reissued
the LP, in its regular catalogue. Apparently, none of the musicians or FH
received a thing from this second release.
When it first came out, I was a poor, one-eyed, mouldie (what! me?) and very
little Goodman stuff got into my collection.
Over the years, I have been rectifying this lapse, but have yet to catch up
with this April 1951 material on LP.
To my knowledge it has not appeared on CD.
However, I have been waiting for the French Classics chronological CD series
to catch up thhis year, as they are about to move into the 1950s in the BG
series.  
Unfortunately, this may not happen.
In a private email to me a few weeks back DJMLer Jerry Brown said (in part)
"To all intents and purposes the French Classics label has ceased to exist.
...............The series has stopped at 1429 and no-one at the moment has
any idea when it will start up again if ever."
Sad news indeed.
I am therefore about to scour my mates' collections to see if I can locate
this 1951 BG LP.
More later.
Kind regards,
Bill.