The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1950-03-11

NEW YORK ~ For the il!Si
time in the history of show
business. dance halls through
out Che nation have been re.
porting an unprecedented Ieth
argy al the box office
This lack Of interest In dane
ing and ance halls has been
blamed on everything from the
war. to the 90, amusement tax,
to the peace But the sole cause
OF this recession according 70
Erskine Hawkins should be plsc-
ed upon the many handlcadets
who have deserted tho field 81
dance music and have INDUCED
In played music for listeners
Detroit Picture Gloomy
In Detroit four dance pfomoi-
ers opined that huslncs, had
fallen out alarminglv in The last
two months The promoters did
not state any particula ca1
sons for decrease Of attendance
except that dancing patrons
seemed 10 be contcnted this
year to stay home during the
Indictment weather But, 4 dancc
sponsored recently by local
disc Jockey was packed displlc
IL showing all DAY
BandleadcrS for many years
spent their off hours bv Indule-
inR themselves nv PLAYING and
listening 10 music far beyond
the key OF anyone except az
complished musicians Tines .
lam sessions were held after
hours in smoky cellars. rehearsal
halls or wherever musicians got
together to relax.
Much that IS great in music
has come out OF tnesc sessions
but the bandlcaders have now
Z become SO imbued with TN,
music that they failed to ical-
ne that too much Of IT is loo
rich diet for the general pub
lie.
Cult Is Too Small
II is tue that this music ha.
been adopted BY cult but TN.
cult is far TOO small 10 FIJI the
Golfers OF the dance promotes,
of thus country.
In order Tor dance halls e
prosper again they must echo
as they did IN tho years past
with music that Is danceabic
Tho public wiil come 20 aanec
halls only occasionally to lister
but they Viii come again An,
again to dance The truth d
this statmcnt can be seen IL
tho seemingly cvefla,ine sue
cess OF GUY Lombardo
RIGA Victor has seen nc iiui!
IN the above facts They ~,
now preparing campaign o
which they VIII spend over hat
4 million dollars to revive dance
music for dance halls
Star Album Campaign
The first step ol TINS campaign
is series of IS albums whi,r
will be recorded hy the tor
handlcadcr- IN the business Bf-
cause Of his icriiic interest and
his unccaslng campaigns Tor bc;-
ter music IN the past. EiSkinc
Hawkins was chosen TO tee ol.
this campaign with Ms album
of w G. Handy tunes.
Unless the nandlcaaols tncir
selves JOIN the current campaign
TO revive interest 10 dance MIR.
six warned Hawkins they
Will awaken ono day IN tht
near future and Ind ihumsclNes
out Of business While plogres.
Sive JAZZ IS wonderful rm
Of music and should be develop
cd for the good vt music il i.
not the music that should he
played As steady diet Al inc
dance halls throughout the coun.
! try.
When the kids stop dmcin.
Ito walk over to the bandstan,
to listen il is great tribute q
the artistry Of the musician hul
friend who came along with he
il IS disappointing to the gir
fcIls foi night OF dancing
Thu, iypc of music should "a
saved for concerts and should be
presented only when The music
ian is engaged in concert work
I Or II should be played OCCASION
ally between dance tunes Al thu
bathrooms Of the country
Must Present Daneeable Music
New ideas must be workec
INTO the bandlcadcrS present
stionS but the new ideas mus
stress the entertainment snc
dance angle and not the trcnticd
frantic music that excites tenn