St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1956-05-04
THE LOWDOWN

scholarly-mannered. bespectacled
fellow with a world Of self conf
dence, Phineas Newborn, Jr., Is
the kind Of guy you read about in
story books or see in movies or
television plays. A Tennessean by
birth, Newborn is well known in
the Memphis territory as a musi-
clan who is excelled by few when
II somes right down TO good piano
playing.
once, twice, and perhaps thrice,
fame and fortune reproducing OPP
portunities escaped Phineas, who
for years has been trying to make
It to the those big joints in the
east" willard Alexander, one Of
New York's biggest booking a
gency heads, first heard of New
born from bandleader Ray McKin-
ley more than five years ago. An
other report on the Memphis piano
wonder came 10 Alexander from a
guy who played bass fiddle in Art
Moneys band. Then Count Basic
came back TO Big Town raving
about a fellow with the "doggon-
est name ever heard for a must
clan Phineas Newborn, Jr"
Alexander was naturally anx-
ious TO hear Newborn, but before
he got around TO it Uncle Sam had
grabbed him for Army duty, Then
for a few years the big booking a
gents burning curiosity about the
piano discovery faded away-only
TO be revived when fresh raves be-
gan pouring out Of the Memphis
area again. After mis- discharge
from service, Phineas had rejoined
his fathers band at the F1amingo
in Memphis willard Alexander
quickly dispatched man to
Memphis to interest Newborn in
nationwide booking, more money
and the fame that had escaped
him for years Newborn hastily
formed a quartette featuring him
self on piano, his father on drums,
brother on guitar and a sister
l.. -. ta,,g-N
Last week the Phineas Newborn
Jr., Quintet made its first appear
ance anywhere at Pops Musical
Bar in Philadelphia, with such
critical jazz names as Leonard
Feather, John Hammond and
Willard Alexander, among the
satisfied listeners on hand TO APP
plaud the new group And for Al
exander the man who made II
possible for them 10 be there, II
was the first time he's ever heard
the Phineas Newborn Jr., Quin'
tet!
| PLACES & FACES: ZardrS
LAKELAND in Hollywood jumped
when Count Basie's orchestra, fea
turing vocalist Joe williams, tool
over A gal to watch is a viva
cious copper-colored beauty nameC
Barbara McNair, who is holding
her own with clever song stylingl
at the Silver slipper in Las Vegas
New. Barbara, young artist Will
face, figure and style, is definitel!
headed for greater things in SHOW
biz Billy Daniels, was SEIZED
uled TO open at London's Palla
dunn on the night before his Tues
day, April "a. arraignment in New
York for the January shooting in
cident Two magazines had t
kin cover features on Billy Eek
slime after the announcement tina
he and Carolle Drake had beel
married over two years, one ha
planned TO reveal The Truth A
bout Billy And Carolle" A
mong those departing from IN
U. S.A. to make some Europea
dough (the kind that Uncle Sar
doesn't bite at so hungrily) wer
Eartha Kilt and Dorothy Oar
bridge Show biz celebs VIII
; remember Atlantic City's Easter
: Seaboard scribe, Charles Sugar
johnson can drop him a get-we
quick card at New York stat
Hospital. Ward IS, Kings Parl
N. Y. We hope that by no'
Pearl Bailey has recuperated fror
an attack Of water on the knee.
/ Herb Jeffries, a great SINCE
| most Of todays rock n roll Graz
youngsters never heard Of is fir
p ishing two red hot weeks at III
Crescendo in Hollywood
Newsman Ted Posten's series 1
: the N. Y. Post "a Big Town Daily
] entitled Prejudice And Progress
In New York" may win the fan
Gus journalist another nswspapt
award. It's that good o.. the extr
added attraction at the Hot
Sahara in Las Vegas is Katherir
Durham, who co-stars with Ii
o Ian Roth Of "Tn cry Tomorrow
fame.
10 QUOTE & UNQUoTE: Haz
q Scott, currently wowing 'em
New York's Cameo Club. says:
; In the light Of the raggS
tempers flaring in Alabama, SOM
one goofed when they booked Nj
King" Cole there in the fin
place"