THE INTERNATIONAL DEMS BULLETIN DUKE ELLINGTON MUSIC SOCIETY 09/1 April - July 2009 Our 31st Year of Publication FOUNDER: BENNY AASLAND HONORARY MEMBER: FATHER JOHN GARCIA GENSEL EDITOR: SJEF HOEFSMIT ASSISTED BY: ROGER BOYES

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Duke's Itinerary

Additions to Duke’s Itinerary by Roger Boyes

DEMS 09/1-15

See DEMS 08/3-8

Confirmed:
Maryland Theater, March 16, 1943: Cumberland Times, 14th and 15th March
Arne Neegaard

I found a programme in the Smithsonian Archive last September for a performance in Syracuse NY on 8 October 1944. It has Wini Johnson as a named singer so it was obviously printed some time before the event. The programme itself carries Joya Sherrill's autograph.
The Kapp Alpha Tau fraternity of the Nottingham High School organized this concert, but the venue appears to have been not the school itself but the NY State Armory on West Jefferson Street.
I haven't noted the box and folder reference, I'm afraid; I think I was racing against the clock by then. But I took a couple of photocopies and made a pencilled note.
Roger Boyes


Additions to Duke’s Itinerary by Joe Mosbrook

DEMS 09/1-16

I have an addition -- a concert Saturday, January 28, 1950 at 8:15 p.m. at the Masonic Auditorium at East 36^th and Euclid in Cleveland. An ad in the Cleveland Call & Post says Al Hibbler, Kay Davis and Johnny Hodges would be featured and an "added attraction" would be Cow Cow Davenport, "World famous Boogie Woogie Composer" (who was living in Cleveland).
Joe Mosbrook


2Sep34

DEMS 09/1-17

There's an Ellington gig from 2Sep34 signed by Joe Hoffman on Mills Artist Bureau paper. It's at Meyers Lake Park in Canton, OH.
Carl Hällström

According to Ken Vail, they opened a one week engagement at the Majestic Theatre in Bridgeport, Connecticut on 2Sep34 But a notice in the Evening Independent confirms the Meyers Lake Park gig.
Arne Neegaard

The 2Sep34 opening in Bridgeport is confirmed in the Bridgeport Post 2Sep34 and Variety 4Sep34, p52,
according to Joe Igo’s Duke’s Itinerary
DEMS

With the 2Sep34 gig now firmly located to a small town in Ohio, the remainder of the "Majestic Theater, Bridgeport, CT" week is also in doubt.
Carl Hällström

Duke was in Bridgeport 7-13Sep34. Source: Bridgeport Post. I have checked almost all dates in Stratemann from 1931-41.
Ken Steiner


COTTON CLUB BROADCASTS ON NBC

DEMS 09/1-18

See DEMS 08/3-11

Many thanks for the new Bulletin. I appreciated particularly Steiner’s details (with the note from Lasker) about the broadcasts from the Cotton Club and I hope that he will continue his researches for the subsequent years.
Luciano Massagli

Dr: Stratemann's book, page 45, states: "Around Thanksgiving [27Nov30] it was reported, Ellington went out on tour again, replaced at the Cotton Club once more by the Cab Calloway Orchestra".
But the broadcast listings you present in the latest DEMS gives the impression that the Duke indeed remained at the Cotton Club until 4Feb31. Or did the December 1930-February 1931 broadcasts originate from different venues while the Duke was on the road ?
Carl Hällström

Those broadcasts were definitely from the Cotton Club. The NBC logs indicate that. I think Klaus' statement that Duke went on the road in November of 1930 was prompted by a Baltimore Afro-American article dated 20Nov30, "Harlem Asking Itself, Why is Duke Leaving the Cotton Club?" which was about the upcoming switch from Duke to Cab. The correct dates for Ellington's Cotton Club engagements are listed in Steven Lasker's "Cotton Club Miscellany" [p3] of which I'm sure you have a copy. Duke did an occasional gig on the road during his Cotton Club engagements. When the band went to Boston with “Showgirl”, Chick Webb substituted.
Ken Steiner


Broadcasts from Chicago mid 1932

DEMS 09/1-19

Shouldn't Dr. Stratemann's entry regarding the Duke at Lincoln Tavern, page 51, be revised to look like:

July 1, 1932 (Fri) 9:00-9:15 PM CDST
SUSTAINING BROADCAST:
Colonial Tavern, Evanston, IL.
Local Chicago-station WGN.

July 1, 1932 (Fri) 10:00-10:14 PM CDST
SUSTAINING BROADCAST:
Colonial Tavern, Evanston, IL.
Local Chicago-station WGN.

July 1, 1932 (Fri) 11:00-11:30 PM CDST
SUSTAINING BROADCAST:
Colonial Tavern, Evanston, IL.
The CBS network excluding WGN.

July 1, 1932 (Fri) 11:30-Midnight CDST
SUSTAINING BROADCAST:
Colonial Tavern, Evanston, IL.
Local Chicago-station WGN.

This is the log for the second night, which is the first one to have the full CBS network in addition to the local broadcasts.
Carl Hällström

My files indicate the Lincoln Tavern broadcasts began 30Jun32.
Ken Steiner

Ken Vail, volume I, page 63 shows an advertisement: “Broadcasting from Lincoln Tavern Every Wednesday - Friday”. This is not Klaus’s source. He took his info from Variety of 21Jun p64. But in both cases it seems that the band broadcasted three times a week. Ken Vail also shows a newspaper clipping stating: “Duke and his boys are heard twice a week on the radio over the Columbia network, Wednesday and Friday nights.” This seems to be confirmed by your logs. It also suggests that we should not believe everything that has been printed. On page 62 of Duke’s Diary is an advertisement stating: “On the air! Beginning June 30^th Columbia Network via WGN from Lincoln Tavern.” The band did indeed start the gig on Thursday the 30^th, but as you stated, the first broadcast over CBS was the next day.
DEMS