The Washington times., 1938-06-18


dred for an orchestration. Gene
got around everywhere and
would certainly know if there
were jobs open.
Whats the di:t?" asked
him.
"NBC expelled three pluggers
for hanging around a wood.
she'd" said Gene. "Decca is
looking for a good groanbox
artist to do a recording date
with the Boswell Sisters"
Il don't know of a good loose
Squeezeboxer," I said. Here,
Gene, meet Biff Brown, a new
clarinetist I discovered when I
played a one-nighter in Maine
last year."
Strictly from hunger?" Gene
whispered to me.
Gene, how do you always
know when guy is looking for
a job?"
He shrugged his shoulders
good-humoredly. Tommy" he
said, "a musician actually
smells from hunger when he's
out of work"
Hes good, but" said.
"A schmaltzer?" ne asked.
Strictly jIve," I answered.
But he's a book man too. ID
rather, though, he didn't waste
his time playing stocks"
Tommy" said Gene, scratch.
ing his bald, round head, moth
ing but problems you're giving
me. You know what happened
yesterday"
"What?"
CHICAGO'S THE TOWN
art Lester's band busted up
on account of the Suitcaser
claimed the third sax was max
ing up to the warbler who was
going with the gitboxer but the
su1tcaSer thought she was going
with him. So IA cats are looking
for work. And three good COB
sticks ride men,"
Biff'S face darkened. "I didn't
realize there were so many musi-
clans out of work in New York"
There are thousands looking
for jobs, kid" I said. But don't
feel brought, there's always
room for a good get-off man."
"A get-off man should 60 to
Chicago" said Gene, that's a
town where they appreciate
swing. Or Kansas City. In New
York they're a bunch of ickieS.
Look at Lombardo, for seven
years already he's at the RooSe-
velt. Look at Duchin, the society
kids love him"
Il didn't think the job situa-
tion was that bad, Mr.. Dorsey"
said Biff. IF only you could give
me a place in your band"
Don't pay any attention to
Noonan. He juStS talks that way
because he's an arranger. Why,
If all the musicians could swing,
Gene would go out of business"
"All right, have it your own
way" chuckled Gene, leaving us
and joining the radio musicians.
THE SAME STORY
Then we went to West 48th st.
where the one-night bookerS con-
gregate, but it was the same
story there.
We had a quick lunch with
my manager, Artie Michaud,
and I asked Michaud, a success
full agent in the music business
for Is years, if he knew of a
job for a good licorice-stick man.
Michaud gave me the same an
swer.
I had a rehearsal scheduled
for 4 o'clock but we still had
some time to kill, so I took Biff
around to the Brill Building on
Broadway, where many music
publishers are located.
They have their professional
counters there; the band leaders
and radio vocaliStS come for free
copies of the latest tunes. The
publishers are only too glad to
give copies to the professionals
because that's the only way to
get their songs introduced and
plugged.
After we made the rounds of
the dozen publishers in the
Brill Building, we proceeded to
799 Seventh and paid a visit to
Jack Robbins.
The elevator boy in this build
ing is called Tommy, a we'll
known character on the ALLEY"
Tommy has the habit of singing
the hit songs of every publisher
in No. 799 as he stops the car
on their floor. Tommy sang
Robins and Roses" as we got
off on the third.
Near the counter we ran into
Murray Baker, professional man.
ager of Robbins. Murray is the
type who is very unhappy un-
less his songs get at least so
major plugs a day. Murray was
not looking happy this time
when I introduced Biff to him.
"a kolo?" he asked me in an
undertone.
"a right guy and he'll have a
wire some day." I said. 80 be
nice to him, Murray
We went into Robbins office.
This Jack Robbins is a fellow
of medium height, broad-Shoul-
dered, and with a sense Of
humor. They say he can tell a
hit song while the songwriters
are still bringing the opus up in
the elevator.
They say he buys less dogs"
than any other publisher in the
business.
pohhinS ic SenSihIe fnllnuy