davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07
News Of Theatres
Cuitarist Is
Sensation o.
Old Mexico
By NANCY CUNARD

MEXICO TY.--iANPy-One of
the musicians now gel. ing the big
gest hand in Mexico City is tall
dark Jean-cose Laboriel, Negro
guitarist and composer from Hon
duraS.
met him in eel Aquarium"
smart cabaret which has just been
started by Spanish CRepublican)
immigrants. EX political leaders,
one-time soldiers in the defense Of
the Spanish republic, intellectuaB,
businessmen and other Spanish ex-
les Of many professions all crowd
into this mIs;c-boX night after
night to listen to Laboriel sing his
recent composition, "Guldum".
they love him, and many is the ta-
BILE I have seen him invited to.
Laboriel is also a favorite on the
air and is sure of a big success IT,
the States when he goes there, as i
his hope. So far his career hat
been in so1,a of the Antilles in
Mexico, in his own country, and
parts of South America.
Born in 1rujillo. Honduras, in
1906, he was educated in Hondur-
as elementary school, and left at
the age of 19 for Mexico, and to
study music His career started in
1929 with a debut in Tamplco. He
composes the words of many OF his
songs, is an admirable gsitarlsG,
and likes classical music as we'll as
rhumbas, romances, blues and tan
goes. "Guidum'' is a most particu-
lar form Of song-a slave-lamenc
which contains deep feeling and
should be recorded. =
Wife of one year is Francisco Lo-
pez. also d Eonduran, who spent
three years of study learning Eng
lish, which she speaks to perfection,
in Jamaica, where she worked for
a considerable time with the Unit
ed Fruit Company. A most lively,
attractive and intelligent person
with a very pure African head.
She told me: mot SO pure an
African as vol think maybe. The
reason is this: In the 18th century
the Antillian island of st. Vincent
still contained many canakas of its
original population; they refused
to have anything to do with the
Spanish invaders and left for the
northern coast of Honduras where
they settled and mixed with the
early African slaves. Most of us are
descendants of this mixed blood
Laboriel mas many friends in the
Honduras government and compos-
ed words and music on the occa-
sion of the election of its presi-
dents.
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07
RATING THE RECORDS

there's a version. of Dearest by
Will Bradley, which doesn't equal
Pastors job. Bradley's coupling is
FIVE O'CLOCK WHISTLE with d
special set OF comedy patter. Both
are rhythmic Artie Shaw, lead
ing his hybrid band, goes through
A HANDFUL OF STARS and
LOVE OF MY LIFE on Victor
without adding to his reputation.
For lovers oI the sentimental,
the Mills Brothers Decca of Cant
Yo' Heah Me Calm Caroline, and
Loves Old Sweet Song will be
highly appealing, A lot of close
harmony and q little gentle swing
IF you are Charlie Barnet fans
you'll like his Bluebird of ISOLA
BELLA, a lovely tune, and WHAT
CHA KNOW JOE, jive stuff. 9th
erwise, pass it up....I had expect
ed better things of Teddy Grace
backed by Bud Freeman's Summa
Cum Ladders than the Decca Of
SEE WHAT THE BOYS IN THE
ROOM WILL HAVE. However, it
may please the tavern trade.
The other side is I'M THE LONE
SOMEST GAL IN TOWN, much
better but still not up to par.
Bing Crosby scores as usual on
Decca with PLEASE and YOU
ARE THE ONE, two that the crowd
generally likes. And at last
there Genes Woody Hermans ver-
sion of BEAT ME DADDY. This
is quite good, with s2me of his
Indian Boogie Woogie' harmo'
nies, gorgeous low register clarinet
and piano, ana fine all-out en-
sembled work at the end. He also
puts heat into THERE GO, the
coupling
RACE STUFF
Best race platter of the week is
NEW BLOCK AND TACKLE and
BEDROOM STOMP, by Rhythm
Willie on Okef. No vocals, but
piano. durms and the wailing
harmonica that's Stupendous. You
can cut rugs AL night on these.
Also for low Gown hip swingin' is
MOVIN' DAY. by Tiny Parham's
four aces on Decca. Nasty organ
anr brilliant clarinet set this off
Companion piece is HEADIN' FOR
THE RIVER by Rosetta Howard,
which can be ignored. A Blue
bird with plenty of CUTS is Wash
board Sans DIGGING MY PO-
TATOES NO. 2 and MORNING
DOVE BLUES Sam generally feels
what the he sings and his wash
board band packs a wallop. 49,.
Blind Willie Mc1'ell sings we'll and
plays guitar On the Decca of COLD
WINTER DAY, then goes hill billy
on LAY SOME FLOWERS ON MY
GRAVE. . Be Ca1ter's latest Bule-
bird is HONEY and WHAT YOU
WANT YOUR DADDY TO DO,
not up to his standard,
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07
KANSAS CITY JUMPS


1t is always interesting to note
that Kansas City bands have
their own individual way of Jump
ing and swinging. Two of chem
Count Basic and Harlan Leonard
are represented this week on new
releases. Basic doubles BLUES and
THE APPLE JUMP on Okeh as
Leonard renders 1 DON'T WANT
and SKEE for Bluebird Best de-
scription of Counts pair is tina!
they are typical with plenty of
Drive and solid rhythm, Jimmy
Rushing singing the first and both
natural for the jitterbugs.
Leonard got off to a slow start
on wax several months ago but has
recently begun hitting his stride.
There are some fine musicians in
this band and q competent girl
canary He has plenty of rhythm,
and on "Skee," built around a riff.
the pianist goes off on a Basic
kick. These sides are also for jit-
tering while "Skee'' also has the
advantage of sounding good . AS
a matter of fact, the bugs get sew
eral good breaks for Lionel Hamp-
tons new Victor of JUST FOR
LAFFS and PIG. FOOT SONATA
is rhythm on q rampage Not ex-
traordinary as numbers go and no
equal to many previous Hampton
performances, but they serve their
purpose of being hotly danceable
After selling himself TO the gods
of commercial mess, Bob Crosby
looks the other way this week on
DRUMMER BOY and AMT GO
IN NOWHERE. While the first is
commercial swing, it's not too hare
to take and Ray Bauduc gets in
some fancy skin beating. On the
coupling of this Decca, Jess Stacy
stars at the Keyboard. . elena
Miller also peodles commercial
swing on the Bluebird of MAKE
BELIEVE BALLROOM TIME, the
-Four Modernaires singing. The
other side is slow delight OLD
BLACK JOE, that's almost too
beautiful. Gene Krupa has q
capable Okeh of SOMEWHERE
and YOU DANCED WITH DYNA-
MITE.
Fetch Tony Pastor another
bouquet for his Bluebird of DEAR
EST. DEAREST I, the nutty Sc
quel to "Wouldst I Could But Kiss
Thy Hand Oh Babe anothe'
natural for his voice. and I'VE
GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN.
terrific performance with vocal
and glee club innovations alonc
with sterling jazz. On Columbia
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07

her with gifts including a COM
plete set Of life-sized Dionne Quin-
tuplets Dolls. Constance shows all
the character Of her famous
dad She has shown a marked pro-
fciency as a singer despite her eX-
treme youth and taps her toe ac-
curately to the beat Of Cabs re-
cordingS.
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07
WITH HAROLD JOVTEN
(ANP Radio EditOr)

"Sad-faced Boy" tale of a trip
taken by three small Negro children
from the cotton fields of Alabama
to Harlem in New York, written
by Arna Bontemps. prominent
American Negro teacher and writer
now living in Chicago, was selected
for review on the Nov. 18th Ameri-
can School of the Air broadcast
over CHS. The BontempS book was
dramatized and discussed on the
regular Thursday "Tales from Far
and Near" program of the CHS
American School Of the Air. The
Thursday programs are devoted to
chiidren's stories and the problem
of bringing children to a greater
use and enjoyment of books.
Theme of the semester's "TaleS
from Far and Near" programs on
Modern Children's Stories of the
Americas brings the Boritemps book
as an outstanding example Of good
writing for children. Critics accord
BontempS as a master in handling
the rhythm and swing of Negro
speech. especially as a writer OF
distinction ana integrity in we'll
conceived BOOKS for children.
Born in Alexandria, La, Arna
Bontemps was raised in Los An
geles, attended Pacific Union Col
lege, u. G. L. A. and the University
of Chicago. as graduate student
Having lived in New York City
Alabama and Haiti, BontempS has
made his home in Chicago for the
last five years.
Best known Bontemps children's
books are "Sad-Faced Boy, "You
Can't Pet a Fossum'', and "Po-Po
and Fifina- Children of Haiti
Langston Hughes. Other outStand-
ing Bontemps works include Goo
Sends Sunday, BLACK Thunder
and Drums at Dusk.
ROBESON'S BROADCAST
Paul Robson, the diStingulshe
baritone, sang two. songs closely
identified WITH his career when ile
was presented as guest soloist OF
the CHS Design for Happiness
program with the Woman's Sym
phony Orchestra of Chicago, Sun
day, Dec. /, from Chicago's Civic
Theater.
The songs sung were "OP Mai
River" from "Showboat' and th(
spiritual ''Scandalize My Name
which concert audiences here anc
abroad have been delighted with BY
Robeson's interpretation.
Robson is presently on a concert
tour of university towns. COLLEGE
glee clubs are cooperating witt
him in each place in performance.
of Ballad for Americans" which
Robeson introduced is Columbia
Pursuit Of Happiness series.
The career of Paul Robson l.
remarkable not in music alone. HI
earned his letter in four sport.
while at Rutgers University and {
Phi Beta Kappa key in his JUNO
year He was chosen as an All
American End by sports writer's tllt
same year. Robson studied law a
Columbia bot turned to the theatr,
where he made brilliant debu
in "Emporer Jones" He appeare;
thereafter with everincreasing sue
cess in "All GoC:s Chillun", "Porgy
''Black Boy and Show Boat
RADIO STARS VIA PLATTERS
Clrrently the outstanding whlt'
Interpreter II the 'blues
real blues-both vocally and instru
mentally, is Woody Herman and TIT
fine band he leads while Jack Tea
garden, previously recognized as top
is the blues held is rarely heart
from these days. The Decca com
pany in another one Of their out
standing packaged record item
namely the new Woody Herman
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07

to make listening bit monotonous
when playing the entire eight sides.
Vocals are done by two names well
known for their radio work Wis:
NBC and CHS, Hollace Shaw and
Flovd Sherman-That new Ina Ray
Hutton band is back with us this
week via Okel,. with their versions
Make Me Know It, that Sy Oliver
original done KY T. Dorsey on VIC
tor recently and Vie O'CLOCK
Whistle. Both sides display clean
cut swing with top guitar, ride
trumpet and weh wah brass work
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07
REPUBLIC TO START "FEMALE
TARTAN" SERIALS

Alfred Batson, author Of the best
seller, african intrigue, has oeen
signed by Republic to write a treat
ment of "Gurgle Girl" based On
The book by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Republic is seeking a feminine T@A -
,an to star ia this serial,
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07

young Negro artist who reminds
me not a little of the IMMORTAL
Caruso. Thanks Margie. . We'll
see that friend Eddie . gets your
letter personally,
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07
TuSkegee Little
Theatre Offers
Prize Our Town

TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE, Ala
(SNS)-On Friday evening the
Tuskegee Institute Little Theatre
presented OUR TOWN." Thorn
ton Wilder's Pulitzer prize-Wln-
ming play, before a capacity audi
ence in Logan Hall.
The presentation of the play ln-
augurated the Little Theatre
Building Enlargement campaign,
which is being sponsored to secure
funds additions to the Little Thea
tire auditorium.
Members of the large and appre-
ciative audience who attended the
play said it was the most out
standing performance in the his
tory of the Little Theatre. "OUR
TOWN was directed and produc-
ed by Sanders E. Walker, Director
of the Department of Drama.
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07

EDWARD NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
star of color on. Major BoweS'
Sunday program, gives you the i'm
preston that one of the great
masters out of the past is serenad-
ing you,. writes Margaret
Chisum, Q48 West 129th Street,
-. my mother son Amos and my
to the wonderful voices of this
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07
FOOTLITE FLICKERS .

NEW YORK--LETTER CARR1-
Frs, with StomacherS pOked out
with extra orders of turkey, left
a rather large sized bundle of mail
at our headquarters. Two in parti-
cular see INTO rate the column and
here they are:
Dear Alvin:
Read your splendid piece about
Dolly" King, brilliant West Indi-
an football sensation Of Long
Island university. I agree whole
heartedly with Thanksgiving night,
1 saw him when he wasn't carry
ing the pigslIin Instead he was
Strolling 7th avenue a step or two
ahead of a dwaTflike blonde Coz
would you call her an AlblnoD,
looking not in the least to me like
the athlete I've yelled my lungs
out for on basketball and football
settings.
I'm sensible enough to know
that ones private life is his own
darn business, still I think some
one should tell Dolly that many
a charming co-eds among our girls
as fair in complexion as the lady
he traversed the avenue with,
would welcome the same opportu-
nifty and with more becoming dlgnl-
ty. 1 trust you'll publish this and
that Dolly will see it or have 1t
called to his attention. A nice,
clean cut boy, but one who posi-
bly, won't (or can'D see my point
hiding no doubt, behind certain
customs of the land of his for
besrs?????
Yours for Our Girls
Gloria Mcknight
Georgia Club"
| Dear Al;
Accept the gratitude of the stage
performers of yesteryear for your
story OH the untimely passing
of Alec Rogers wife My wife and
I know them to be inseparable pays
and she was the inspiration 1or
his best works. May the New Yeal
bring you all the joys and your
household richly deserve.
Cordially yours,
Luckey Roberts GSoclety
EntertaineD
LANGSTON HUGHES "The Big
Sea- his latest and what we re-
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07
N[MlllZl[4I
n Ik|}Sa5AI4Sazyg| 4 5alldlII9I!azyg|

Joan Douglas, Dolores Coleman,
Louise Rit:hie and Myrtle Fortune.
Fifteen men of athletic build were
also selected from a group OF 40
sent by Butler, to work as safarl
men, or the men who is long line
precede the travellers through the
jungles.
THE DEVIL AND DANIEL
WEBSTER"
William Dicterle, returning to
Hollywood from New York, an
nounced last week, that he has OBJ
tained the screen rights to The
Devil and Daniel Webster, by Ste
phen Vincent Benet, as the first
of two feature productions which
the noted producer director will
make this season for release by
RKO Radio.
Benet, whose John BroWn'5 $
Body" won the Pulitzer Prize ana
who also holds the Theodore RooSe-
welt Medal thus far awarded 70
only 90 distinguished Americans,
will do the screen treatment oi his
own book, Dieterle added.
THE Devil and Daniel Webster
will probably go before cameras
shortly after the first OF the year
with Charles L. Cleft serving unoer
Dieterle as associate producer.
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07

gard as his finest book, scarcely
requires any pressure buildupS. A
decade from now it will no doubt
be listed among the best works of
the past 40 years. Deeply race
conscious, keenly alert and alive to
the world he must work and live
in, Langston has raised pertinent
questions here that white America
cannot much longer evade answer
ing.
We think the chapter in which
Langston describes the Negros
craze for art 1920, jazz, litera-
ture and interpreJative dancing,
competing with white doWntoWnerS
worth the reading and the price.
EUREKA!!!.. following our con-
fab with WEST END THEATRE
operators, they have discarded
ideas of theatrical war with the
entrendhed SCHIFFNIAN-BR -BRECH-
Err interest Owners of Apollo the
atre) reopening as a three-show
(daily) movie house at a.. dime
a throw"
JOE WELLS, OWNER OF the
eatery that coined the expression
Home of Glorified Chicken could
compete with Earl CAROLS Holly
wood revue, featuring worlds so
presSies girls" His social clue
known at WELLS BELLIES -
number a dozen or more lasses
ranging in color from leaf-brown
to vanilla ice-cream who are beau
ties in anybody's language honest
Injun!
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07

LANGSTON HUGHES 'The Big
Sea-" his latest and what we re-
The Phoenix index., 1940-12-07
JOURNAL-AMERICAN

N. Y. RNAL-AMERlCAN
COLUNANIST. Lou Sobel, wrote
of trumpeting wiz, Erskine HaW-
kins, lats Friday: His band has
novel method for solving disputes
and the highest scorer wins the
argument the nickels collected
by the machine go to-. Harlem
charities
Imperial Valley press., 1940-05-01

FJAELNESS, Swedish Norwegian
Frontier. May |. tUP)-NorWegian
troops and Swedish volunteers to-
cay recaptured the key town of
Roeros, in the Oester valley, IS miles
south-Southeast of Trondheim, in a
daring daybrcak attack on the oc-
cupying Germans.
Entering RoeroS during the night
in small. inconspicuous groups, ac
cording to the reports, the Nor
,vcgian troops and their Swedish
volunteer aides quietly took up
POSITIONS in alleyways and back
streets.
At ; am. it was asserted. they
dcbouchcd into the center of the
city and attacked all German
patrols.
The Germans were taken COM
pletely by surprise, it was said and
were able to put up only Slight
resistance.
According to the reports. the Ger
mans at once began to fall back
southwark along the road which
leads to Tynset, % miles to the
southwest. This is the main road
back to Oslo, up which the Ger
mans had advanced, and from
which a German motorized column
had branched off at Tynset to cross
Imperial Valley press., 1940-05-01
Defenders Drive
NdziS from Town

the mountain passes to the UlSbCr"
area in an attempt to sever the
Allied lines between DombaaS and
StOercn.
1t was asserted that at present
the NOrWCgianS and the Swedish
volunteers were in complete con-
troll of RoerOS.
Norwegian military authorities
here had asserted yesterday that
there were large numbers of Ger
man troops between Rocros and
Tynsct but that from the military
viewpoint their positions WcrC not
OF great Importance particularly aN
regards an advance nOrthWard from
RoeroS to Stocren.
road was too narrow for large
trucks needed to take heavy sup
DlieS and that bridges and tunnels
along the roads, which arc nol
good, had been dynamitci by Nor
WegianS,
All recent reports had been that
the Germans from the start had
never left large forces at RoeroS.
preferring to concentrate their men
along the road between TynSet ana
Ulsberg for an attack on the Allied
DombaaS Stoeren communication
line,
Imperial Valley press., 1940-05-01

10 the New York Times. Church
5i@ son, p r. Church said the offer
va made in good faith He said the
names Of those making the offer
%crH known ONLY to his father, but
that many of them we're members of
the Duquosne club, to which f. T.
Wcir, the steel magnate. and many
other milllonaircS belong.
IT is not in any sense an Offer
Of reward for an assassination -
Church said in his letter.
He emphasized that Hitler should
be brought to trial on treason char
2og. The offer stipulated before the
fcagu" of Nations. but Church said
aav attempt to deliver the Nazi
flchrcr to Geneva, would result in
that country being Ovcrrun by the
German army.
"Thc proper goal would be Eng
land" he wrote the Times. But the
question of trial would be too big
fGr Great Britain or for any other
orC country. A court of all the
civilized nations of the world should
try such 2 case. and the United
&t@t2s should be a member of such
/ court
Church said Hitler should be held
as the common enemy of mankind
and brought to justice accordingly.
He has in his brain the same
criminal motive which has guided
the destroyers of civilization of other
Imperial Valley press., 1940-05-01

times. nc Is consumed with the dc
ire of cN"o1eriHp tho world for the
mere pleasure of conqucring the
void"
Church said il lis l"tt,r to tho
Tim tn f. idoa 1f taking Hit
Ter = n"ico2cr originated among
membcrc Cf tho DuqueSno club.
There W. spacu!otion that weir,
close friend of Church. was con-
nectcd with the Offer. The epo7-
eors reportedlv had conceived the
idea upon recalling that group CT
American soldiers had attempted to
CAPTURE Kaiser Wilhelm in the
Netherlands after the World War.
Church urged that those who con-
t~mplate attempting the capture
should act quickly.
And if the proper result is to be
accomplished" he added. then 1t
Is necessary to spur men to action
Immediately 1t is ret a matter for
three months or six months. BY
that time. unless something inter-
vcrcs, there will be untold suffer-
ing"
Church. 80. an educator and or
mer F2nnevlvania railroad official.
is a member of the French Legion
of Honor H served on the Ameri-
can commission to Morocco IN l9Z3'
A self-stylcd liberal, he has been a
campaign speaker for number OF
Republican presidential candidates
since 1896.
Imperial Valley press., 1940-05-01

Scandinavian operations-haVe been
repeatedly attacked by the RAF
since the opening of the campaign.
But this attack appeared on a larg-
er sea e.
The air activity came as authori-
ties here admitted that the whole
strategic conception of the Allied
campaign in Norway may have been
endangered by the German success
not yet officially admitted here
in cffecting juncture of forces
between the Trondheim garrison
and the troops driving north from
Norway.
The grave turn of events in Nor
way conceded with another devel-
opment-the order of the admiralty
directing all shipping in transit to
avoid the Mediterranean until fur
ther notice This order admittedly
was issued because of fears that
Italy suddenly might join the war
at the side of Germany.
But the Norwegian situation over
Shadowed all others here Some au-
thorities believed that the German
advance on the Dombaas- -Stoeren
railroad may have been SO rapid as
to have outrun German communi-
cations in which case the possibili-
ty was opened of an attempted AL
lied counter blow.
1t was said authoritatively that
there is no confirmation here that
the Germans have taken Stoeren
and DombaaS but it was admitted
they may be in German hands.
The situation on other Norwegian
fronts, however, was described as
more favorable. British forces were
said to be closer to Narvik and the
NamSos front was said to be IN
good shape despite desultory Ger
man bombing between Steinkjcr and
NamSoS.
Imperial Valley press., 1940-05-01

BERLIN, May !. tUP)-Thc high
command said today that German
airplancs had sunk British anti
aircraft cruiser, a British Destroy
cr and five British transports OIL
NamSoS, Norway, yesterday.
1t said that another British Cful5-
CT was damaged and that five more
British transports received severe
or very severe damage.
CThe anti-aircraft cruiser type
mentioned is a new adjunct to the
British fleet. 1t carries only anti
aircraft guns and is not designed
for regular naval fighting. The Brit
ish converted six old cruisers Of
the l918-l9 class. all of less than
5000 tons, into this unique category
in the past few years.
The high command commlnlquC
said that another 1200 'ra'm%'
troops surrendered in the noun
tainS near Lommcn. between f'accr-
mes and SOgnc Fiord yesterday
The new claims of victories in
Norway cnlivcred an otherwise dull
May celebration. There was little
ceremony although Shuttcred store
fronts gave evidence of the hOl-
Imperial Valley press., 1940-05-01
Nazi Bomber Hits
Building, ExpIodes

CLACTON- ON SEA, En-. May |.
tUP)-Villagc officials announced
today that six persons were killed
and 162 injured as result of the
crash of a German HenikCl bomb
ing plane in this seaside resort.
-Four members Of the planes crew
and two civilians were killed when
the plane hit an apartment house
and burned itself in a great crater.
exploding its load of eight 500
pound bombs.
About SO houses were damaged,
some being destroyed.
Soldiers, policemen, air raid war
ucns. firemen and auxiliary fire
men. ambulance crews and Red
Cross workers turned out and pre-
vented the strangest accident Of tho
war from being even more of d
tragedy by getting people away from
the danger zone and preventing a
devastating fire.