Evening star., 1942-05-31
Popular Music
By J. W. Stebb.

What once used to be veritable
weekly deluge of recorded dance
music has diminished with almost
startling suddennesS since the War
Production Board leveled an uncom-
promising finger at the manufac-
turers and said LAY off the shellac"
But while the slack has been greeted
with chagrln on the part of most
addictS of swing and its related
dance forms, it shouldn't be very
long before those same addicts will
be grateful for an opportunity TO
scrutinize their catalogues and dis
cover countless worthwhile items
overlooked in the mad rush to keep
abreast of the waves of new releases.
Moreover, restricted record produc-
ton serves more or less as a guar
antee of the quality Of material
henceforth to be impressed on the
precious shellac. This, as opposed
to the prodigious squandering of the
stuff on raft Of inferior tunes and
mediocre performers characteristic
of records during the boom days Of
the latter 30S. The shellac shortage
may, in fact, prove to be a stabilizer,
the likes of which the popular record
trade probably never would have ex-
perienced otherwise.
Some of the latest releases on all
labels would appear indicative of a
trend toward compact issuance of,
shall we say. artistic quality rather
than mere diffuSe issuance. There
is for example the Columbia album
OF tangoS played in the customary
impeccable style of Marek Weber
and his orchestra. An old hand
at concertizing semiclaSsic dance
forms so as to become concisely
suitable for listening as well as
dancing, Mr.. Weber has lost little
of his touch working with an Amer
ican orchestra. The selection Of
titles in this set is ideal for ad-
mirers of the Sultry tango: Tango
Of Roses" "Cumparsita," "A Media
Luz" "Jalousie," "Caminito." La
Paloma," Tango du Reve" and
"Chitarra Romana"-on four discs.
A noteworthy Columbia single is
Harry James SLEEPY Lagoon" a
fine melody, backed by a typical
James display of trumpet at his
most mellow, Trumpet Blues"
Victor brings another highly sue
ceSSful radio show to records with
its set, Your Hit Parade" which
embraces eight of the most popular
hits ever to have been featured in
the course Of its long series, as well
as the talents of its customary air.
ways cast: Mark Warnow's orcheS-
ira, Barry Wood, Joan Edwards and
the Hit Paraders. Public taste is in
this album revealed as a thing Of
great variability, wholly in line with
its tradition. The dittieS range from
Cocktails for Two" where or
When" "All the Things You Are"
These Foolish Things Remind Me
of You" and 81 Don't Want to Set
the World on Fire" to The Wood
pecker Song" "Ti-Pi-T Tin" and THE
Music Goes Round and Round"
Outstanding single records from
Camden include Freddy Martins
"On the Banks of the Wabash"
Gal SAL" Tommy Dorsey's Moon
light on the GangeS," Dinah Shores
"One Dozen Roses"-"All I Need Is
You" Shep Fields Nurse! Nursie! ."
Duke Ellington's "Raincheck"-
'Perdido," Bob CheSter's Tanning
DR.. Jekyll's Hyde" and Spike Jones
City Slickers' Little Bo-Peep Has
Lost Her Jeep."
Decca. too. is qualitatively strong
this week with such items on the list
as Kenny Bakers Softly AS In a
Morning Sunrise"-"Lover Come
Back to Me-" Gertrude Niesen's
Temptation BODY and Soul"
Woody Hermans "Amen"-'Delver
Me From Tennessee" and the An
drew Sisters Three Little Sisters"