Evening star., 1941-06-08
Popular Music
BY J. ". Sfebb.

Nearing the last stage of dilapida
ton as musical show the Jerome
Kern-Oscar Hammerstein Show
Boat" still has about it a certain
charm and grace when heard piece
meal Columbias set -four 12-inch
ed labels recaptures the finer points
with notable cast including Helen
Morgan, Countess Olga Albsni. Paul
Robson. Frank Mum. James Mel
ton and Victor Young's Orchestra.
Here Comes the Show Boat" offers
f1ourishing treatment Of each ex-
cerpt. entire surfaces being devoted
to such melodies as Bill" Cant
Help Lovin' Dat Man" or Man
River" why Do I Love You" and
of course. the overture and finale.
Pairings of performer with song are
well chosen and the performances
themselves hard to beat: Helen
Morgan for the first pair mentioned
above. Robson totes dat barge and
llfs dat bale" Alban and Mum be-
come winning duet for the duet
able Why Do Love You" Victor
Young's orchestral support is first
rate. too.
Xavier Cugat. playing In the So
ciety-Latin fashion which has. these
many years, evoked the admiration
OF Waldorf Astoria customers, as
sembles group of rhumbas for Co.
lumbia in four-dc set. A few Gu
gatees may frown on the present
collection, the majority. on the other
hand. have cause to be grateful for
the sleek senor's choice OF those
rhumbas which have ha : the good
luck not to be played at every drop
OF the maracas. In short. Cugat
presents something relatively fresh
and unused: "Incertedumbre.
"Acercate Mas" "Yo Tia Namora."
Anna Boroca Tinde," "Duerme."
''Negra Leona." "Cachita" and La
Cumparsa.' Carmen Castillo MRS.
Cugat to the post Office sings the
sultry items; Miguelito Valdes pep
perS the fast ones. Note: The price
less Cugat Self-portrait on the cover.
Let's Polka" suggests Bridgeport's
leading record firm on the front OF
another album. this containing
eight frivolous connections prepared
by Bill Gale and his orchestra.
Gales quartet of Columbia discs
holds all-Save the musicianlv per-
fection of Glahe Musette-thar is
dear to the polka addicts heart.
That is to say. the selections are
sprlghtly and they're polkas and
among them are numbered such ia
vorities as Beer Barrel Polka"
Bell p" Laugh P" "Goofy Cob"
as we'll as Clarinet" "Bartered
Bride" Q (Smetana'sD, Helena"
Gypsy
Lux the Master.
Meade LUX" Lewis is to booeie
woogie what Beethoven is to SYM
phony, Frank Buck to animals. Mus
solini to Mrs. MuSsolini. He is the
complete master. Blue Note Rec
ords, constant champions of his
cause. have issued Lewis latest
series of spectacular improvisations
on the boogie beat entitled "Varia-
tions on a Theme" and for which
the pianist attacks the console OF
the harpsichord. Lewis has the
space of two large discs for his
latest magic, marked off into four
separate sections subtitled "19 WAYS
of Playing Chorus, ""Self- Portrait"
tvery fitting with the b-w. written
all over its face, 'Feelin Tomorrow
Like I Feel Today" School OF
Rhythm The instrument under
Lewis hands speaks with a virility
that commands attention. And the
Lux has never displayed more fin
ished form, seldom before has he
been more inventive.
Sheila Barrett's new brace of i'm
presentations released by Schirmer
Records are somewhat of a let
down. While two new personalities
"a hyper dramatic actress and a
Mrs. So-and-So from some hinter-
land village-enter the scene, Miss
Barretts projection of their man.
ner smacks Of Barrett monologues
that have gone before. The same
applies even more particularly to
surface No. 2, Southern girl, wait
ing in wide-eyed innocence for her
metropolitan boy friend to show up.
OF course, if you don't have Miss
Barretts previous records Con
structive Criticism" and Mad About
the ROVo are necoSSitv