The Omaha guide., 1946-09-14
SEEM STA s
WITH o CALVIN

NEW YORK CITY. (CNS)-
You'd be surprised. no shocked, to
actually sit down and listen to the
amount of talent teen ayers have
nowadays. These young Americ-
n really seem to know their stuff
and, in this postwar period, a flock
of them Ire appearing or the big
scene to grab some of that fame
that's floating around but which
is none too easy to grasp-and to
keep hold to! Their talent is so
fresh and unpampered that the
road to their goal seems almost
clear to the finish. We have in
mind, as a case, little Sugarchile
Robinson. Of course the z year old
wonder boy is no teenager. but
think how much greater he'll be
when he reaches the stage! And
there's the little older Mabel Fair
banks Zone year out of her teens)
who just got her big break last
week as a star of the coming "Hol-
lywood On Ice"..
Two weeks ago Cab Galloway
brought to the stage of the Lewis
ohm Stadium at the Isaac Wood
ard Benefit Rally, a teen age boy
who sat down to the piano and
played Chopin's Polonaise like in
the movies) Cab didn't even know
the boys name. He had heard
him play around at the Zanzibar
Cafe when he went work that mite
and was so astonished he thought
he'd bring him up to the benefit.
In the band field, we have a po-
tential hot saxophone player in 16
year old Andy Kirk, Jr. who has
even recorded a bit with his own
band of boys. He'll play a few
weeks in his fathers orchestra
during his vacations in school. A
side from these, there's that new
crop of singers, artists. comedie-
mes, dancers, and regular swing
sters who don't miss beats. Their
ideas on management, bookings.
Nromotion and advancement aren's
to he compared with the older
school.
Last week we sat down in Car
negie Hall and listened to a new
bunch Of kids (194 in ALI from
over the nation. They were entries
into the Look Magazine National
Contest of amateur swing bands.
Most spectacular Of the contest
ants was a Junior speciality: the
Hanpy Woodchoppers from North
HOLLYWOOD, Calf. Thew were eight
little girls and boys who all plnv-
ed the xyophone in an unbelievabls
oanner. The youngest was 9 and
the oldest Is. The father of the
Youngest little girl he'd to mako
~0ecial shoes for her to reach the
'n~trument.
Two arnateur swing bands. c~~
-'nrrlHr rf-e md n~e co~ohn +0~'-
to li~he~t hcnors pt the fin~17.
All were hi~h SCHOOL students With
musical careers in mind. The kids
who had obviously worked like
beavers rehearsing and perfecting
arrangements, were at their best
for the finals and the Bruce Dyb-
Wig Band of Minneapolis won the
top award.
In special consideration for mem
bers of the various orchestras who
had done outstanding work, thirty
one trophies were given out, dona-
ted by bandleaders themselves. &.
Comely Flossie Hawkins, with an
orchid, presented the Erskine Haw
kins award to a lucky junior. Ca
Uterine Williams, gowned in white
gave the Cootie Williams trophy.
The other stars, including Frank
Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Lionel
Hampton, Stan Kenton and Louis
Jordan, who weren't present, had
their press agents do the duty.
The King Cole Trio were on hand
to give their personal congrats to
the winner of their gold trophy.
Howeved brilliant the showing
of Americas teen ayers, one sad
thought followed us out of Carne-
gle Hall. There wasn't ONE Ne
gro contestant in the finals.
The return of Josephine Baker
is greatly anticipated. Harlem is
preparing the welcome signs al
ready. Pepsi Cola expects to an
nounce shortly the beginning of a
huge program in Harlem in con-
nection with youth. Nat Cole is
lingering through a brand new
tune Lucky" written by a mem
Der of the Fourth Estate. The I'm
tied States Baseball Leagues first
night game, cancelled out at Eb-
etts Field, will be held before the
season is out. Meanwhile, the Lea
que returns to Ebetts in Septem-
Der for another double header.