The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1947-05-17

ABOUT 8 pm.
That's the gist Of what neigh
bors use to do in an America
less tensioned by work and war,
an America that used to relax
and play in community get-to-
gethers, an era Of old fashioned
house gatherings, parlor socials,
lawn parties, People were hap
pier then and some people are
trying earnestly to revive these
programs to fit the present day.
What this country needs is
more bum music - music for
amateurs who play solely sor
the base and sordid end of hav-
ing a good time" writes author
Gerald Johnson who is quoted
by Doran X Antrim in his story
Of the current revival entitled.
Tune Up Neighbors."
Now, all Of this is old stuff to
Prof Ernest G OBanyoun of
the famous Irish OBanyouns.
who has long preached the doc
trine that music belongs to the
common man as well as the
stuffed-shirts. The good profess
scr, music editor of the BOS-
TON GUARDIAN, as everyone
knows, delights in dropping his
heavy responsibilities now and
then to take peace-of-mind
melody meanderings with Bos-
toms neighborly music lovers
known as the Sam Coleridge-
Taylor Musical Association. In
describing these tuneful tru-
ancies, Professor OBanyoun
gives the wicked impression
that he has gotten new life.
The folks play and sing what
they please and one of these
days I am going to take my big
bass drum and join them. They
may play better than I do, but
I bet I can play louder!!
One Of Professor O'Banyoun's
pet peeves is the general lack of
appreciation for American mu-
sic wherein many of our citi-
zens pay prodigious high prices
to hear music rendered in lam
guages they do not understand.
The National Citizenship Com
mittee really ought to have
awarded music editor O'Ban-
youn some sort of medal for his
loyal work along these lines.
And now, with the help of other
good neighbors, many of them
outstanding Hub artists. Mr.
OBanyoun is working on a
brilliant Carnival of American
Music" which is slated to fill
historic old Ebenezer Baptist
church, Tuesday, next June 3rd.
You have heard good singers,
inStrumentahsts and dramatic
readers before. but it now looks
like you'll hear all the best in
one night for the price of one
ticket.
Our best musical programs
began in our churches, in our
homes, at our work and even on
the streets. Our church cholrs
rejoiced in talent like Marian
Anderson; the street bands pro-
duced Louis Armstrong and
from the sidewalk stars came
Rojangles Robinson. Every
neighborhood once had music
and people who could express
the rhythm or the tune. And
people were happier for it ev-
erywhere. So the June 3rd pro-
gram is going to be for the peo-
pie. 1t is going to feature the
songs The people want to hear
and I have an idea that the
people will be asked to join in
on some numbers with all the
zing and zeSt of which they are
capable. For every American,
rich or poor, colored or white,
will agree that a fitting way to
celebrate the 45th Anniversary
Of the BOSTON GUARDIAN is
by a program of good music
featuring the Hubs top artists.
Many artists who volunteer
next June 3rd will do so with
the sincere hope of reminding
the old appreciation and deep
soul satisfactions Of real good
music, the kind that clings to
ones memory all through Tire
years like Jerome Kern, Berlin,
Ellington Many will leave that
night humming tune they
haven't heard in mighty long
time. 1 note that there is men
ton made of haunting melo-
dies" the kind that continually
crop up in your mind no matter
who you are or where you're at.
Everyone has a haunting melo-
dy. They fit our moods. Some
times a man may feel n such
song moods as Summertime. .
IT. rrE T1Io,.t.. . 1y.At-.s,s I,