PAGE TWENTY r0>

% 0 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3

The Pittsburgh Comer

GALE. INC. NAMES RACE MANlO IMPORTANT POS LEE MATTHEWS WILL REPRESENT GROUP IN TRI- STATE AREA Move By Broadway Booking Agency Marks Second

Time In Two Weeks That Negroes Have Been •Given Special Consideration. ^^\

NEW YORK, Feb. 1—-Gale, Inc , which controls the destiny of such bands as Ella Fitzgerald, Erskine Hawkins, Benny Carter, The Savoy Sultains, and also discovered and handles the sensational Four Ink Spots, drove another nail Into their closely-knit booking or­ganization last Saturday when they announced the appointment

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of Lee A, Mathew, director of the New Artist Service as their book­ing representative in the Tri-State area.

Mathews* territory, which will cover Eastern Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, will give the Gale combine an opportunity to personally service bookere in his territory who handle their attrac­tions. v \

The naming of Mathews to this' Important post, marks the second time in two weeks that Broadway 'agencies have recognized Negro merit and ability, and apparently marks the crumbling of a wall against which colored promoters and agencies have been battering for years.

Last week, Music Corporation of America, signed Maceo Birch to their one-night department Birch had formerly acted as road man­ager for Count Basle.

Inside information is to the ef­fect that MCA offered JBirch the job only after Gale, Inc., had at­tempted to lure him away to han­dle their one-night department

MATHEWS TO HANDLE ALL GALE ATTRACTIONS 1 The new set-up will see Mai-hews handling all of the Gale at­tractions direct from his Pitts­burgh office at 2128 Centre avenue.

It should mark the dawn of a new day for Negro promoters fat this territory. In addition to hand­ling the attractions, Mr. Mathews will personally work with the pro­moters, giving them the benefit of his knowledge and experience in devising attractive publicity me­dia.

Last week, Mathews was named as International Road Show re­lease executive in Ohio, Pennsyl­vania and West Virginia, for a mammoth Hollywood producing combination. The combination he represents is headed by B e r t Goldberg and includes George Kan-dol, Argus Pictures, Aetna Films, Goldberg and Port Films and Ben­ny Ray. Twenty-five pictures are scheduled to be made in 1940.

This also marks the first time a race man has been employed on so wide a scale to represent the motion picture industry in the dis­tribution field.

KID LIPS HACKETTE, DRUM SENSATIpN, AND>BAND

SJXLTO W N

They're Clamoring For Kid Lips And His Bani\

To Return To Mobil

Pictured above is the first available picture of Kid Lips Hackette and his or­chestra, which are a t present touring the Soutn and creating a sensation. Lips, of course, is seated a t the drums. % f*

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Two-Weeks-Old Baby Gets $ 75 Per Day Job In Movies

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HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 1 (ANP)-pc While hundreds of movie aspir-{ nurse \approved of by the school

Ni ir,

YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN . . • Herschell Evans—1910-1939

HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 1—Young Man With a Horn— Herschell Evans. Young Man With a Man—Chick Webb. Both these young musicians * departed this life in 1939. Both had made great contributions to the musical world. Our story deals with the Great*' Herschel Evans, who was rated by many critics as one of the greatest tenor sax players of all time.

Herschel Evans, musician, was born May 1, 1910; died February 9, 1939.

He was born in Temple, Texas between the cities of Dallas and Austin. His parents were Robert Lee Evans, a Baptist minister, and his mother was Lauray .Frank­lin Evans. Both have been dead for over a score of years. They were blessed with nine chi ldren-five boys and four girls. Robert Evans was born in Gonzales, Tex­as, while his wife was from Aus­tin. STARTED CAREER AT FOUR

Herschel Evans started his musi­cal career at the age of four. He soon became an accomplished h e a r i n o f th<J d e s t l t u t e c o n d i t l o n a piano player. He attended elemen- f F R n n i e 0 g b o m a n d h e r h u g , tary school and high school in Te'mple. Later he changed to,s a trombone, then to an alto sax and finally a tenor' sax. He was a member of the following musical aggregations: Smith Brothers ork, Troy Floy, Lee Palmer, Mamie Smith, Durham Brothers, Ed Bail­ey ork, Bennle Moten, Lionel Hampton, Bucy Clayton and Count Basle. JOINS COUNT IN >36

Herschel jointed Count Basle In September, 1936 and played with him until his demise. He became 111 while playing the HowaTd thea-

.tre in Washington, D.C: was rushed to the Wadsworth hospital In New York and died on Febru­ary 9, last year. His body was transferred tq.-jjos Angeles where interment was^on February 14? St. Valentine's Day, at Rosedale ceme­tery. NEVER MARRIED

Earl Evans, his brother, l s f a

singer with a small band. Frank Ford Evans, another brother, lives in San Tone; Ivory, also in San Tone; and Alfred L , are his brother*: His sister, Eva Alexan­der, is dead; Edith Harris, another sister, lives In Temple; also Edna Lewis, x

Herschel never married—al­though he paid court to scores of eligible young women. His most cherished possession was a tenor sax. Herschel somewhere in heaven, has joined Gabriel's band -sti l l a young man with a horn.

• • ' • MR. PRESIDENT

Interesting Item . ^ Charles D. Wherry, well-known colored come/ dian and mimic who lives at 1019 East 25th street, Los Angeles,

ants bang at the closely guarded studio gates for years without get­ting a break, here is a case where 01' Doc Stork was waiting to hur­ry a little colored youngster right Into a .nice fat contract at wages most any grown person would be glad to g e t This Is Brentfa Tooms, a baby girl born January 5 to Mr. and Mrs. Tooms. Her proud parentsjfeigned a contract for the little^firl to appear in a new picture-^now filming at Warners First National at $75 per day. And to top it off, a day for Utile Bren-da must consist of only 20 min­utes in accordance with California state law. She was placed by Charles Butler of Central Cast­ing Bureau.

Besides these nice wages, a

board must always be in attend ance and accompany her to and from the studio. For this pur­pose the law also specifies that the studio must furnish car and driver regardless of how many cars a child's parents may own. So carefully is a baby handled in the movies that not even the pow­erful lights used ever injure them. s *

Being able to hire all sorts, sizes and numbers of babies, how­ever, is one of the many duties for which Butler Is always equal to the occasion and on a moment's notice. A couple of years ago he had to furnish 20 babies for Fox Studio all very young, and also 20 screen mothers.

GOING ABROAD

band In Hearne, Texas, near Aus­tin, wrote a letter to President Roosevelt anent their poverty. The letter was handed to F. C. Har­rington of.the WPA, who assigned Elisabeth Pearson, who prevailed upon the Texas WPA to take ac­tion immediately. Fannie Osborn'a hubby now has a job and she is very happy. BLACK WINGS

Dare-devil business . ", Three young dare-devils of this city un­der Skippy Smith, has a- "Carni­val of the Air." Their business is staging all-Negro air shows. The three are Skip, Skippy and William Aiken. They advertised their business thusly; "See Marie Dortley, dare-devil girl* parachute jumper and jivlatrlx, second only to late Bessie Coleman; William Aiken, dizzy stunt flyer^ radio broadcasting from a delayed para­chute jump and aerial advertising." That is progress. >̂

Van L. Woods haX: ^Organized the salesmen and retail merchants of our race. Van L Woods oper­ates from Mineral Wells, Texas. Another step forward. GLAMOROUS GLADYS SNYDER-''

Gladys Snyder, the glamorous young actress, who makes her film debut In "Gang'War," is de­stined to become one of the screen's great. Provided that pre­judice doesn't touch her. She has a dramatic background and de­spite the publicity ballyhood, is a sweet, simple little girl—just like the one next door to you.

It is regretable, however, that she has to make her debut in an over-worked gangster theme. Or that she was] alligned with Cliff Saunders, alias Cliff Sanders, or what have you, who says "Ne­groes are so Ignorant, it is pathe­tic!" And he produced "Gang War."

Reuben Taylor sent his scenario "House of Hate." to George Ran-

Jdol. A Black Hollywood will in-icreaae opportunities for your race. See Negro movies. I Wonder why Spencer Williams doesn't do free lance script writing. We need script written by Negroes also.

BASIE OPENS LIMITED STAY AT GOLDEN GATE;

IS SET AT SOUTHLAND NEW YORK, Feb. 1—Count Basie, the band sensation

of 1939 and the current sepia king of swing, brought his men of fascinating music to rest here Friday night for a two weeks' session a t the Golden Gate Ballroom, a few doors from the Savoy Ballroom*

Duke Ellington Opens At Chi State-Lake

PIANIST LIKES NEGRO AUDIENCE

CHICAGO, Feb. 1—Scheduled to take the stage at the loop State-Lake Theatre for a week's run is Duke Ellington and his 'interna­tionally famed ork. The band i f Set to open Friday, Feb. 2, and will go from there to the Southside Regal for a week's engagement.

NEW YORK, Feb. 1— (ANP) — In the current season, students at three Negro colleges have heard Egon Petri, world-famed Dutch pianst who will give a recital In New York at Town Hail on Feb. 24.

Dr. Petri's last two visits to this country were made at the inistence^ The of William Allen, music instructor at Fisk, who studied under him in London and Poland.

"I find Negroes provide an artist with the most attentive and satis­factory audience," Dr. Petri says of his tour.

ORLANDO, FIs-, Feb, 1—The world famous Drumming King, Kid Ltps Hackette, and hla hot orchestra, have been traveling so fast and far in filling engage­ments in seven Southern states that they have hardly had time to pose for a photograph. But fi­nally the cameraman caught up with them at Mobile, Ala~, and the picture above shows Lips and his men on the stage of the huge Pike Auditorium which accommo­dates 750 dancing couples. Here the orchestra played to a big crowd despite bad weather and got a most enthusiastic reception.

Such a reception, in fact, that a committee was formed to bring the Lips band back to mobile aft­er Lent on the promise of pack­ing this great Auditorium to its doors. Lips states that C. H. King, at Mobile and Jefferson Golly, at Greenville, Ala-, are both banner promoters.

The Kid Lips orchestra is now playing Florida and to good houses practically everywhere. His Jam and Jive music seems to be mow­ing 'em down. In Florida, these colorful boys played. Perry, Quln-cy, Marianna, Live Oak, Madison, Palatka, Ocala, Orlando and San-ford. The band has several big dates booked ahead in Tampa, Jan. 29; Bradenton, Jan. 30; Winter Ha­ven, Feb. 1 and St. Augustine, Feb. 2nd.

band will then proceed North through Georgia, Alabama and into South Carolina, N o r t h Carolina and Virginia where dan­cers have been eagerly waiting to shake their feet to the leaping HCKS of African swing sent out by these Jungle Jivers.

TO DEECU im*-^

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John M comedian much jmcecss the byways of Broad the current laugh-Howard theater D. C , where he h for two months.

aspn, real . - \km , who has travail

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FROM RHYTHM CLUB OF LONDON SEXTET

where he first rocked the town Iking of drums, James Rushing, with his aboriginal brand of swing.: the last of the great male blues

singers and Helen Humes of the modern swing school, Basie Is de-servlngly a number one favorite in this neck of the city and as

Opening in a somewhat mild manner, Friday night, Sunday found Basie and the boys right in the groove and setting the Gate on musical fire In a fashion that 4s akin to Basle and Basie alone.

As the last of the overnight sen­sations to hit Harlem since the coming of Ella Fitzgerald a n d Jimmie Lunceford, Basie is just about at the top of the ladder which spells success. His music is strong and wonderful with an American Negroid background that makes it so different JLrom the rest. Featuring Joe Jones, the

such is the rightful king of swing. Completing his run here early

this month, the Count and his group wilt; move into Boston for a four-weeks' fling at the South­land Cafe on or about the 22nd. During his run there, Basie will be featured several times weekly

an all-colored revue which wil l fea ture the Palmer Brothers among a host of top-flight race artists..

ABILENE, Tex., Feb. 1—While the Harlem Playgirls orchestra was appearing at the Paramount Theatre h€re recently, a thief broke into the auto of Miss Lulu Edge Martin, saxophonist with the band, and stole an alto saxophone, No. 114608 and a clarinet, belong­ing to her.

information leading• to the re­covery of the stolen instruments should be addressed to Miss Mar­tin, care Stecker Bros., 1820 Co­lumbus avenue, Minneapolis,' Minn. A reward will be forwarded. •

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Jimmie Goes 'Classic'

NEW YORK, Feb. 1—Jimmie Lunceford knows his swing, but he knows the classics too. During a recent air interview, a music com­mentator mispronounced the name of Beethoven's "Sonata Pathetitl-que." Jimmie politely corrected the

via the CBS national radio chain, abashed "expert'* Incidentally, He will be the star attraction of Lunceford has perfected a swing

arrangement of this famous clas sic which storms down the house whenever he plays It.

Following the trend of no discrimination in music, Leonard Feather's sextet the Rhythm Club in London blows hot for a Bluebird disc. Shown here are ft Barry, bass; Albert Harris , gui tar ; Pete Brown, sax, and Danny Polo, danwt

Duke Ellington Wows 'E At Harlem's Famous Save;

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Bob Parrish, whose recent stunts in theaters In and around New York have brought him ac­clamation from public and critics alike, is scheduled to sail for Australia after a four weeks en­gagement in California. The singer whose last engagement was a t the Howard theater in Washington left for California last week.

MILTON LARKIN SEEKS BIG-TIME MANAGER

HOUSTON, Tex., Feb. 1—Milton Larkln, leader of the southwest's finest orchestra aggregation, will leave here sometime this month for California In quest of a manager who can put his outfit on the big-time

Four Thousand People Jam 'Home of Happy Feet' to Hear Maestro and Erskine Hawkins' "Tuxedo

Junction' Band—Shep Fields Coming. *

NEW YORK, Feb. 1—Duke Ellington, the musical aris­tocrat of America, and his superb aggregation of s ta r musicians took over the bandstand of the Savoy Ballroom Sunday night in conjunction with Erskine Hawkins and his crew in a manner a la mode. A t - * — — . tracting a record crowd of some 4,000 jitterbugs and musicians, the torrid combinaUon rocked the "Home of Happy Feet" from early afternoon until late In the evening.

As said so many times before, the Ellington crew is without a peer in the field of modern music It Is endowed with all the fine tricks of instrumental notes with a verve and attack that takes one breath away. The band is full in every section which is predomin­ated by those soulful tones that are standouts either In parts or col­lectively.

As an added attraction with the Duke, Erskine Hawkins whose

original tune "Tuxedo Junction" is raising him to new musical heights, made a great Impression proving that his band is the coming big­wig of 1940. Similar to the great composer-genius, Hawkins' band has a fullness to it that attracts attention 1n any hall of modern music.

Continuing its policy of present­ing the best in music, the Savoy goes ofay for its next Sunday's star affair and Will present for his first appearance in Harlem, Shep Fields and his rippling rhythm who will vie for honors with E l l a F i t z -geraia and Erskine Hawkins.

eased a voice i f reaiarlsw

Surviving are b«r r .o -^ Elizabeth Backstro::: & J* cardo Vanarsdale, three * • » brother and a host oi * • tlves and friends.

Step Proves A Sensation

In Chicagf

EX-MEMBER OF HARLEM PLAYGIRLS BAND DIES

CHICAGO, Feb. the smash hit. Three," is Stepin' Fetd and stage star, who op the play Monday go's loop Erlanger TW

This marks Step's C matic debut and will successful an engager others that b a v troupe's nation wide i his many appears n res screen and on the i well-known in the cit greeted with a gran his opening night ar­te score a tremendous

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Arthur Dreiffus, director and co-producer with Bert Goldberg & Port, Inc., of "Mystery In Swing;" an all-colored cast newspaper drama, is shown above rehears­ing one of the dramatic scenes from the picture with Sybyly Lewis and Bob Webb, featured players in this fast-moving, non-gangster picture.

IOWA CITY, l a , Feb. 1—Talent­ed Marie Backstrom, one of the original members of The 'Harlam

ment in 1937.

Her sister, Margaret, left Abi-

Wanted: Information About George GW

hospital. Born in 1907 In Chicago, Miss

Backstrom joined the . orchestra when it was, first organized in 1935. She remained with the out-

Playgirls orchestra, and a sister of j l e n e » Te*-> immediately for this the present tenor savophone play- c i ty. e where she attended the fu er, died here recently in a local neral. Members of the band

•ponded with

^ M T U * 1 * * Hartley Toots ih7 K m W a V a b * s s p U > ' e r with sought by John Glut ? * <***** * S * f « w » • » could South street, this city-

m until Uln*s forced bar n t H i - l S T i ^ S F S J g ^ ^ " ^ * C ° m m U n i C a t e

ECORSE. Mich.. Feb. x-' re-jtion as to the <***"

flowers and wires|George Gluton. guita;: JL "

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pos-lat the address given.*

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Thomas M. Tryniski 309 South 4th Street Fulton New York 13069

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