I came across...

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Carmel Quinn was a singer on the Godfrey tv show which was watched regularly by millions of our citizens.

Ah, thanks - I thought he won a talent competition. The 1955 equivalent of "The X factor".

MG

[Dan Gould]

Please keep 'em coming, Chris, because I know the end is near (Columbia recorded the London trip for "Satchmo the Great," the June 1 Helen Hayes concert, Armstrong's Newport set in July and a date at Lewisohn Stadium the following week and that was IT) and I can't wait to see how the relationship officially broke down.

See, I honestly had no idea if the contract got signed or not, though I guess if I sat down and thought about it I would have guessed "no". So now I am extra curious as to how things fell apart, and how Glaser was viewed in the immediate aftermath.

[Ricko]

I know I'm late to the party but a couple of quick hits before going to bed (spent most of the day researching, writing and editing music for a massive Armstrong blog tomorrow on the 80th anniversary of the first recording of "Basin Street Blue"):

Chirs, I don't know who Joe Moore is/was but I'll try to remember to ask George next time I see him. And regarding why Columbia would pay Armstrong so much even though he only had one hit record and one hit album, I think Chris hit the nail on the head when he said Armstrong was no flash in the pan. Armstrong was already seen as a legend and what's more, was going though a new period of unprecedented popularity. He was always popular but just look at what we've seen in the short period of time covered by these letters:

*September 1955, Mack the Knife becomes a huge hit (George today says that the figures published in the charts didn't represent things like the Columbia Record Club. He can attest that Armstrong's "Mack" sold over a million copies when all of that is factored in)

*Leaves on a world tour the following day. Mob scenes and riots occur wherever he goes, making headlines around the world

*George Avakian sees a great idea for an album so he convinces Columbia to record some material

*Avakian sees Edward R. Murrow in Europe, who asks what George is doing there. George tells him, Murrow is interested and starts following Pops around, interviewing him in Paris and turning it into a 30 minute segment on the very popular "See it Now."

*Armstrong returns from Europe in December and almost immediately starts filming his scenes for "High Society," a big box office hit when it's recorded

*By this point "Mack" is a smash and Pops is playing it every night

*He embarks on the tour with Woody Herman, playing one-nighters and selling out venues like Carnegie Hall

*He's a hit in Australia in April

*That same month, as quoted in one of the letters, Avakian says that no album has ever been given quite the send off as "Ambassador Satch"

*In May, he goes to England for the first time in over two decades and is a smash (especially when he dedicates a number to Princess Margaret and makes more headlines)

*Then it's off to Africa, Murrow with him all the way for the eventual feature length documentary "Satchmo the Great"

*Back home, it's off to Chicago for the Helen Hayes show

*Then a summer on the festival circuit, including Newport, as well as sharing a bill in front of tens of thousands at Lewisohn Stadium, with the concert arrangement of "St. Louis Blues" as the finale

*TV appearances all the time, including Ed Sullivan

Everything I just listed occurred in about a ten-month span. Armstrong was on top of the world. So even without a lot of bona fide hits, who wouldn't want to sign up such a hot artist as Pops at the time? No wonder Glaser (and sorry Dan for ruining the end!) wisened up and made Armstrong a free agent.

Ricky

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

you know who that D'impierio guy is? i wish i could re-touch base with him and make him an offer for the, or for a copy of, the Monk tv b'cast w/ mobley and farmer- which supposedly he possesss....

[Dan Gould]

Did Crouch have a relative working for Columbia back then?

[Dan Gould]

The script wasn't that bad until I got to

... and he was soon to hit the jazz world with the impact of a runaway comet.

:bad:

[Ricko]

A couple of more short things. First, in the letter of May 11, George writes the he "read the script by Jack Tracy." Tracy was the editor of Down Beat in this period (and also the author of a particularly scathing review of Armstrong's Newport set in July of 1956, just a month after the Hayes concert). I love when, on the complete Chicago Concert set, Armstrong gets pissed with all scripted stuff and cuts off "Manhattan" abruptly by going into "Sleepy Time," then announcing a short intermission...even though Hayes still had more scrip to read! It's proof that Pops didn't like anyone or anything messing with his show. In earlier letters, both Glaser and Avakian agreed that Armstrong should play some new repertoire; Glaser said he'd get Armstrong to do it and Avakian even suggested songs. But, as I posted last night, Armstrong had zero free time in this period. He gave quick one-chorus run-throughs of "Memphis Blues" and "Frankie and Johnny" and the beginning and played the hesitant "Manhattan" until he cut an end to the bullshit and called his own intermission, done with the script.

Also, I've been so into the letters, that I went back to reread one and saw this written by Chris on November 30:

"Thanks, Ricko, it's great that you can fill in the gaps. Apropos Glaser, Earl Hines told me that he had such a command over Louis that Louis would sleep on the front lawn of his house if Joe told him to. Earl also told me that Joe deliberately worked to create friction between the All-Stars because he feared they might unite against him. To this end, said Earl, Joe had his (Earl's) belongings placed in Louis' dressing room when they got to Paris. Also a Glaser gofer (don't recall the name) was instructed to distribute false rumors among the band members, designed to create mutual animosity."

It's true that Armstrong would only do something if Glaser okay'd it. But at the same time, he also had control over Glaser. Ernie Anderson remembered being with Armstrong in Europe and watching Armstrong, in a purposeful demonstration of his power, phone Glaser--even though it was 4 in the morning in New York--just to tell him that the concerts were sold out and he could use some more money. Glaser, initially full of panic, said he'd see what he could do. The next day, Armstrong received a telegram with $2,500. So it worked both ways.

And the Glaser gofer was the infamous Pierre "Frenchy" Tallerie. In all my research, I've never found a kind word about Frenchy. He once told Sid Catlett that Armstrong said stuff about him (a lie), causing Catlett to seek out Armstrong and begin choking him. It was broken up and Armstrong told him it was a lie. Catlett cried. Frenchy also got Dick Cary fired. Cary had leg cramps and once had to leave the stage, not a big deal because Hines was there (when Hines was hired, they did a three-week stand at the Roxy with two pianos). Frenchy told Glaser Cary had to leave because he was a drug addict. Cary was fired. Frenchy was also the guy who told the press that Armstrong didn't mean what he said after the Little Rock comments in 1957...Armstrong's rebuttal was pretty strong, to say the leave. Finally, a bass player, Irv Manning, punched Frenchy in the face in 1961. Manning was fired but Armstrong admirers still give Manning credit for that. To quote Barney Bigard, Frenchy was "a real asshole." Sums it up...

Ricky Riccardi

dippermouth.blogspot.com

[marcello]

you know who that D'impierio guy is? i wish i could re-touch base with him and make him an offer for the, or for a copy of, the Monk tv b'cast w/ mobley and farmer- which supposedly he possesss....

Danny would love you Chewy.

Maybe you should make a pilgramge to Cortland, N.Y.

[Dan Gould]

you know who that D'impierio guy is? i wish i could re-touch base with him and make him an offer for the, or for a copy of, the Monk tv b'cast w/ mobley and farmer- which supposedly he possesss....

Danny would love you Chewy.

Maybe you should make a pilgramge to Cortland, N.Y.

CLASP!

[Ricko]

Thanks Ricky, I did see the Jack Tracy mention and should have retained that info. I will correct it for the benefit of anyone who might come to this thread henceforth. As for Louis phoning Joe for money,, does that show "control" or is it just proof that Louis knew he was a meal ticket. it was my impression that Joe's m. o. was to see that Louis never needed money and that Louis was more or less ok with that arrangement. Joe, of course, built little empire upon Louis, but was there anything put away for Louis? What—in terms of material assets—did they leave behind, respectively?

Perhaps "control" was too strong, but I did use that story about Armstrong phoning Glaser for money to illustrate that Armstrong was no dummy. I got the story from Ernie Anderson, who set it up by writing, "We were on the road one night in Chicago [oops, not Europe, had to dig it out again] when Louis decided to prove to me once and for all that he could get a fair deal out of Joe Glaser. He told me that he was going to do something that he often did when he thought Joe was taking advantage of him." So maybe he didn't "control" Glaser, but Armstrong knew his importance and knew that Glaser would jump hurdles for him because without him, Glaser would be nothing.

Regarding what was left behind, Anderson wrote, "But, in some mysterious way, Joe's will made Louis a rich man." Of course, there were catches (it is Glaser, after all): half of what Louis was supposed to get went right back to the agency...with commission! (Ah, Louis, still paying into ABC even when Glaser died.) "Still," Anderson wrote, 'Louis's share amounted to a considerable sum. He told Bobby Hackett, who was very close to him, that it amounted to 'a bit more than two million dollars.' It was not all in cash, one item was a piece of prime real estate on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills." So, I'm sure Louis could have had more if Glaser was an honest guy (goodness knows he made Glaser much more than two million dollars), but I don't think Louis looked at it that way. He was born in a shack in New Orleans and through his own hard work, talent and Glaser's guidance, never had to worry about money (or mob threats) from 1935 until his death. And I like how he wouldn't take crap from Glaser, occasionally making demands for things he didn't even need, just to remind him that he was too important to Glaser's well-being to take for granted. (There's a wonderful letter in Thomas Brothers's "Louis Armstrong In His Own Words" from Armstrong to Glaser in 1955 that really shows how Louis, half-jokingly and quite devilishly agrees to play the latest series of dates Glaser has booked ONLY IF Glaser meets his demands, including cars for friends and money for a woman who he though was the father of his baby. I'm sure Glaser listened and I'm sure Armstrong played the dates.)

And yes, those are two quite different signatures, especially the last name. I'm sure he dictated his letters and maybe he was sometimes in such a huff, he couldn't even be bothered to sign his own name? Who knows, I know I just want more!

Ricky Riccardi

dippermouth.blogspot.com

[Ricko]

Granz! The end is near! Avakian recorded the Lewisohn show on July 14 that was it. Granz got Armstrong for a Hollywood Bowl show on August 15 (Armstrong's set still unreleased but it's pretty incredible, surviving in gorgeous sound) and the first Verve date with Ella on August 16. That would be it for Columbia for good and the beginning of the free agent period in Armstrong's career. Even though I know how it winds up, I'm fascinated by seeing how it went down, including these contract disputes. Treasures...

Ricky Riccardi

dippermouth.blogspot.com

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

oh im no fun anymore, he would want to meet early 90's chewy, not post-modern chewy- do u think i could e-mail him? he i think wanted 50 big ones for as copy in 90s money (or was it 500?)....with inflation maybe i could get away for 150....

[Christiern]

I will dig further into the Armstrong file in a moment, but first, let me share with you my current window view...

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

That last Joe Glaser letter starts a bit strangely. "Just getting around to answering my mail and found your letter of August 8th ..."

We've seen that there were, at least, two Joe Glaser signatures. The guy must have had people working or him. He (or ABC) had a bunch of different musicians to manage, including Brubeck and Ellington. But this - and much of the other correspondence - is written as if he's a one man band.

Now he clearly did have a personal relationship with George A - discussion of TV programmes and other stuff in those letters shows that - and you could expect some of this correspondence to be dealt with by Joe personally. But there are routine business letters in this lot. They seem to be signed by someone who writes Glaser with a capital G that looks like a capital G (even though there are interesting bits in them that seem to go beyond strict business, no doubt his staff knew the sort of thing Joe would put in a letter, perhaps he had even said to mention such and such). The letters in which one feels that Glaser is really speaking (eg 3 July - "George, I definitely and positively will not accept...") are signed by someone whose capital G's look like capital S's and I reckon those are Joe's own signatures.

MG

[marcello]

A interesting find on Flickr:

Louis Hayes on Drums, Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet, Joe Henderson - Sax - Kenny Barron - Piano and that's Herbie Louis on Bass.

The year was 1967, the place was The Crawford Grill This group of ascended masters played from November 20th thru Saturday the 25th with two matinees (Fri. and Sat.)

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

DO YOU LIVE IN THE GOODYEAR BLIMP, THAT VIEW IS BREATHTAKING! IS THAT NEW YORK CITY? WHY IF ITS NEW YORK CITY, WAS IT THERE THAT GIANT FIELD: I THOUGHT IT ALL WAS GIANT SKYCRAPERS EVERY INCH OF EVERYWHERE?

[Christiern]

That's my view to the East and the "giant field" is Central Park. Here's a broader summer view from my windows and (on the right) you can see the Citicorp building, Plaza Hotel, Empire State building, etc...

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Chris, when you look out of your window, do you ever think of that little video game they had about 18-20 years ago of the two gorillas on skyscrapers chucking bananas at each other?

MG

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

oh THATS central park?? its huge....it looks like it balences out all the city skyscrapers almost its such a big park.....do people actually venture all the way into it? isn't it supposed to be really dangerous?

[Free For All]

Chewy needs to visit the other coast one day.

[Christiern]

My friend, Kathi,came across this item in the October 19, 1963 issue of the NY Amsterdam News. I hadn't seen it before, but I remember that buffet lunch very well, especially when Josphine looked at the spread of caviar and other indulgent delicacies and exclaimed, "I didn't come to Harlem for this, where is the soul food?" Then she disappeared into the kitchenand emerged with a platter of chitterlings and a ham hock. When her companion, the Moroccan Princess, looked curious, Josephine gave her a taste. It was probably against her religion, but what the hell!

Sorry that theprint is so small, but that's how I received it. If anyone really cares, I'll be glad to run it through OCR.

[marcello]

Monk's Rules by Steve Lacy

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

marcello can you explain a little more about this item you posted

[marcello]

Steve Lacy Interviews

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

We are through with the Armstrong letters,

So there's nothing in the file about why they couldn't or didn't do a deal?

Have you got part 2 knocking about under a pile of other stuff, Chris?

MG