Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Renée Manning was born on February 8, 1955 and bred in Brooklyn, New York. She attended New York’s Music and Art High School as a teenager and by the ’70s she became employed on albums by hard bop/soul-jazz players like tenor saxophonist David “Fathead” Newman and cornetist Nat Adderley.
Her most visible association came in the 1980s, when she started a five-year gig as a featured vocalist for the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra at the Village Vanguard, after hearing her sing at another local nightspot Mikells. In 1991 Renée recorded her first solo album As Is for Ken Music, a small independent New York jazz label. Her success subsequently led to Ken releasing her second album, Uhm…Uhm…Uhmmmm.
Her big band associations and collaborations have included the Chico OFarrill Afro Cuban Orchestra, The George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, Dukes Men, a large ensemble project with Lester Bowie and Earl McIntyre and the Mingus Big Band. Manning has worked with Jon Faddis, Sir Roland Hanna, Mark Murphy, Howard Johnson, Joe Williams, Don Cherry, Sheila Jordan, Howard Johnson, Ray Anderson, McCoy Tyner, Pharoah Sanders, Carmen McRae, Louis Hayes, Dizzy Gillespie and Avery Sharpe to name a few.
She has toured Europe, played New York, London and Copenhagen clubs, recorded two albums as a leader and numerous others as a featured vocalist, performed at numerous jazz festivals, created a 15 piece ensemble called Unsung Heroes and was a part of the WBGOs children series with her and Earl McIntyre’s group Jazzimon.
Aside from performing and composing, Manning teaches vocal technique privately and master classes. She’sone of only two vocalists taught by the legendary teacher Carmine Caruso, her method is quite unique, and incredibly effective. She is currently on staff as vocal and choir instructor at the Brooklyn Conservatory with students from 8 to 80.
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Hollywood On 52nd Street
Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart is a 1934 popular song with words and music by James F. Hanley. Though Hal Le Roy and Eunice Healey introduced the song in the Broadway revue Thumbs Up! probably the most notable recordings were made by Judy Garland, who sang it in the 1938 film “Listen, Darling”.
The Story: Pinkie Wingate and her friend Herbert “Buzz” Mitchell go to great lengths to prevent her widowed mother Dottie from marrying the wrong person.
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Hollywood On 52nd Street
My Blue Heaven is a popular song written by Walter Donaldson one afternoon at the Friars Club in New York City while waiting for his turn at the billiard table. At the time the song was written Donaldson was under contract to Irving Berlin, working for Irving Berlin Inc. publishing company. George A. Whiting wrote lyrics adapted for Donaldson’s music, and for a while, performed it in his vaudeville act.
The song was first used in the 1950 film of the same title starring Betty Grable and Dan Dailey. The song was eventually used once again in the 1990 crime comedy of the same name that starred Steve Martin and Rick Moranis. By the time it appeared in the soundtrack it had been a jazz standard for many years having been recorded by Jimmie Lunceford, Don Byas, Mary Lou Williams, Benny Carter, Maxine Sullivan, Erroll Garner, Red Norvo, Oscar Peterson, Lena Horne, Teddy Wilson and numerous others.
The Story: 1950 – Kitty (Grable) and Jack (Dailey), portray married radio stars who are expecting a baby. When she miscarries, they move from radio to television and and become determined to adopt a baby. 1990 -Vincent “Vinnie” Antonelli (Martin) is a good-hearted larger than life mobster in the witness protection program. Barney Coopersmith (Moranis) is an uptight FBI agent assigned to protect Vinnie and his wife Linda and puts them in a small California suburb. Both wives leave, Vinnie and Barney get closer but has a hard time keeping him at low profile. Come to find out this town is full of mobster in witness protection. Enter two hit men, new love interests for both and eventually Vinnie becomes a prominent figure in the town.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Bobby Scott was born Robert William Scott on January 29, 1937 in Mount Pleasant, New York and began his studies at the La Follette School of Music under Edvard Moritz at age 8, and by 11 was working professionally. He became a pianist, vibraphonist and singer, but could also play the accordion, cello, clarinet and double bass.
In 1952 he began touring with Louis Prima, and also performed with Gene Krupa and Tony Scott in the 1950s. In 1956 he hit the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with the song “Chain Gang”, peaking at #13. (not the same Sam Cooke song) It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.
As a bandleader, he recorded sessions for Verve, ABC-Paramount, Bethlehem and Musicmasters. Booby won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for the song “A Taste of Honey”, and co-wrote the song “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”.
In the 1960s he became a music teacher and studied again under Moritz, but occasionally recorded as well, including a Nat King Cole tribute album released in the 1980s. He also arranged for jazz and easy listening musicians.
Musician, songwriter and record producer Bobby Scott died of lung cancer on November 5, 1990, at the age of 53. He left a catalogue of twenty-seven recordings from 1953 to 1990 that include performing on soundtracks such as The Pawnbroker, Joe, Slaves, In The Heat of the Night and The Color Purple.
Take A Dose On The Road
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Hollywood On 52nd Street
Pal Joey makes its second appearance as a 1957 drama musical film starring Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra and Kim Novak. The Lady Is A Tramp and My Funny Valentine (Babes In Arms/1937), There’s A Small Hotel (On Your Toes/1936), I Didn’t Know What Time It Was (Too Many Girls/1939) were introduced in their respective Broadway plays and all make their debut in the film, while I Could Write A Book and Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered make sophomore appearances. All of the above compositions composed by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart became jazz standards.
The Story: The setting is San Francisco; Joey Evans (Sinatra) is a second-rate singer, a heel known for his womanizing ways, calling women “mice”, but still charming and funny. When Joey meets Linda English (Novak), a naive chorus girl, he has stirrings of real feelings. However, that does not stop him from romancing a former flame and ex-stripper, now society matron Vera Prentice-Simpson (Hayworth), a wealthy, willful, and lonely widow, in order to convince her to finance his dream, “Chez Joey”, a night club of his own.
Soon Joey is involved with Vera, each using the other for his/her own somewhat selfish purposes. But Joey’s feelings for Linda are growing. Ultimately, Vera jealously demands that Joey fire Linda. When Joey refuses, Vera closes down “Chez Joey”. Linda visits Vera and agrees to quit in an attempt to keep the club open. Vera then agrees to open the club, and even offers to marry Joey, but Joey rejects Vera. As Joey is leaving for Sacramento, Linda runs after him, offering to go wherever he is headed. After half-hearted refusals, Joey gives in and they walk away together, united.
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