The Washington times., 1938-06-30

common sense in Sammy. He
SenSed there was something else
beneath the surface in Har.
riet'S gesture.
Maybe it's Biff, uh?" he shot
in the dark. Maybe it's that
prima donna silver sucker? May.
be it's him you're so brought
down about?" He saw by the ex.
preston on her face that his
shot had hit home. Agile as q
monkey he followed up his argu-
ment.
Listen, kid. I know love,
see? I know love as soon as I
see it. I don't have to read it
in no book. worked on the
coast for two years playin' musi-
cal backgrounds for pitchers,
and in the pitchers you learn
about love.
And I'm tellin' you that Biff
loves you, only he don't know it
himself. What you oughta do
is become q swing singer and
make him love you more"
Harriet giggled in spite Of her
self. Sammy, you're dreaming,
but I'd love to believe you"
Sure, I know what I'm talk.
in about. I've had lotSa expert.
ence. Knockin' round for 20
years wised me up plenty. I
played one-nighterS in every big
and Ill burg in these United
States. Just take those rough
edges off your voice and it'll
turn out to be the prettiest any.
body ever heard"
LESSONS FROM CANARY
Maybe you're right, Sammy"
she said, wavering. "Biff used
to rave about Edythe Wright's
singing. Maybe I'll call her UP.
Biff even gave me her card"
you mean Tommy Dorsey's
warbler? Nor you're in the
groove, kid. I gotta go upstairs
now. See you on a network
hookup. S'long!" He turned,
and made the next elevator.
On fire with this new idea,
Harriet went to the nearest drug
store and dialed Edythe Wright's
number. A sweet voice answered.
Harriet explained her business
and Edythe Wright told her to
come on up When Edythe heard
Harriet sing she became more
enthused about the idea than
Harriet herself.
Darling" she cried, with all
the talent you've got, you'll
burn them up! You can really
sing with feeling. Honestly,
Harriet, you're in a class with
Connie Boswell or Mildred
Bailey; that is, you will be with
practice"
But can I sing swing style?"
Harriet wanted to know.
SWING REALLY RELIGIOUS
They were in Edythe Wright's
apartment, seated at her con-
cert grand. "of course you can"
replied Edythe, "aS soon as you
realize that swing is basically
the same as the songs you used
to sing in the chapel choir. I
don't know whether you're
aware Of the fact that jazz is
originally rooted in religious ex-
preston. But 1t Is.
The blues were the Negro's
way Of expressing his loneliness
and his longing for heaven.
Well. we've refined q great deal
on the original blues, but down
deep all swing singers today, II
they really swing, sing the
blues"
Harriet was enthralled. She
hung on Edythe's every word.
DO you know" continued
Edythe, what W. c. Handy.
composer of st. Louis Blues,
once said? In order to write or
play the blues, you must have
suffered them he declared. In
other words, Harriet, swing isn't
always something synthetic or
maudlin or manufactured. It's
got to be genuine and real. the
lift of swing must come from
the heart. That's what we call
out Of this world.
LISTENS TO RECORDS
"'Out of this world'-that is
a beautiful way Of putting It,"
mused Harriet.
Lets begin" said Edythe.
"by listening to some records.
Through the rest Of the after
noon she played for Harriet
some two dozen records, par
ticularly those with outstand-
ing swing vocals by such singers
as Bessie Smith, Louis Arm
strong, Ivy Anderson and Ea'
mona. She made Harriet take
note of every quirk and peculi-
arity of these artists.
In the evening. after Edythe
got through working with my
band, she and Harriet, chape-
roned by the latter'S aunt and
uncle, made the rounds OF the
night clubs and supper rooms
to listen to ace vocallStS.
They went to the Savoy ball
room in Harlem to hear Ella
FITZGERALD. They listened 70
Helen Ward, Dolly Dawn, Kay
Weber and all the others who
were in Manhattan at the mo-