Evening star., 1942-05-26
RUTH LANDI,

RUIN LANDl,
Billed as a "continental chan
teuse," 1Dho sings her o,Dn ar
rangements of popular tunes
in the Shorehan Blue Room
this week.
When the Will-o'- '-the-W -Wisps Lisp I
Love You huh?" Whereupon the
bandman looks pleasant but blank,
and the taunter enjoys another
hearty inward snicker.
The other night one Of these
citizens walked into the Copaca-
bana, and after a few moments Of
table meditation, up to Johnny
Velasquez whose music is a feature
of the place. The fellow had in
mind native tune he had heard
and liked on visit to Costa Rica
several years ago. Its title was
Pretty Little Doll" and ever since
his return to the States he had
been paging bandmen all over
for a rendition of the thing
with small success. So, certain
that results would be the same
once again, he approached Johnny.
He was abashed 1t developed that
Mr. Velasquez wrote Pretty Little
Doll' 10 years ago.
Coincidence at its absolute effec-
tiveneSs.
If w. C. Handy is the Father
of the Blues" then Angie Rodante
is one of his adopted daughters as
far as local night club entertainers
are concerned. For up in the SAFE
rae Room of the Old New Orleans
Angie is to be found moanin' low,
to phrase it mustily, night after
night and during any hour of that
night. The young lady may sing
numbers unrelated to blues, but
when she does, it is only to satisfy
the whims of a determined GUS
toner. If she could have her way,
Miss Rodante would sing the blues
and nothing but the blues.
"St. Louis Blues" grandpappy Of
the idiom; Memphis Blues" blues
My Naughty Mamma Taught Me,
Basin Street Blues" and, yes, the
current Blues in the Nigh" these
are the items on which Miss Sazerac
Of 1941-42 dotes. She has, more
over, been doting on them since the
gangling days in Florida. when her
childish pipings were thinly oozing
torch and blues ditties over the air.
waves. The Rodante voice since
that time has acquired certain
throaty huskiness, or husky throati-
ness, of whichever the two 1t is, re-
mains the prime asset to blues sing
ing.
If it's the blues you're looking for,
Angie will give you a frSt-rate
accommodation.
\
Speaking of blues, which undeni-
ably we were, there is new set OF
them recently composed which
prophets claim will take up where
Blues in the Night" left off. It's
title is I'm Gonna Move to the
Outskirts of Town" Prophets large
and small, in fact, are contending
that the blues art form is we'll on
the road back to general public
favor.
And speaking of tunes in general
there is new parody on Three
Blind Mice" floating around. 1t is
of a patriotic nature and it's lyrics
run something as follows in the clos
ing stanza: There's Schickelgruber
the paper man-and Moto hiding
behind his fan-Benito, the Muscle,
an also ran-They're three blind
mice.
Les Brown, whose band opened
Sunday in the Victory Room of the
Roosevelt Hotel, may claim the
questionable distinction of having
the only one among the 10 best
swing outfits of the Nation (as voted
by radio editors) performing regu-
larly on the air without benefit of
sponsor. Mr.. Browns band, in fact,
hasn't had commercial under its
belt in the two years of its existence
in and out of hotels and night clubs.
Proving that you can get along with
only the love of several millions
of public in your favor.
X X X
1t appears that Bill Gibson of
Paul Kain's Krew in the Spanish
Ballroom of Glen Echo's summer
haven of rest and recreation, owns
one of only IL electric harps in
existence Furthermore, he is such
an expert on electric harps, theory
and design, that a prominent elec-
trio harp concern recently sent two
of their experts to town for consul
tation with the Gibson Of Kahn.
X X X \
Bernie Cummins' Band which,
with Songstress Jane Pickens, sue
ceeds Enric Madriguera in the Del
Rio next Tuesday, can boast OF a
leader instrumental in the climb to
success of the fabulous Blk Beider-
becke and his fabulous Wolverines
of the Chicago Jazz hey-day. 1t
was Cummins who on one occasion
introduced the Blk to an affluent
club operator in Cincinnati, town
quainted with the type OF nacht-
%~xys 20