Brownsville Weekly News

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1941

FLINT BROWNSVILLE NEWS, FLINT, MICHIGAN

Featured in Army Air Show

Class
Pryor is a featured player on the
Lowry Field Theatre of the Air,

| Private First Joseph

the only regularly scheduled
Army dramatic show in the na
tion. The show is broadcast each
Thursday night from Station
KOA, Denver, Colo., by personnel
of the Air Ccrps Technical School
at Lowry Field.

Gets Radio Career

While |

(DENVER, Colo~(S N S)~Six
Weeks ago Private First Class
Joseph Pryor was ordered to drive
@ reconnaissance car loaded _ with
Army radio actors from Lowry
Field to a downtown Denver, Colorada, radio station,

~Because of that, Pryor today is
one. of the featured players. of the
Lowry Field Theatre of the Air,
a weekly dramatic show described
by..Radio Daily as the finest~ being
done. by. any gfe Ae station~Army

oneal of the show and responsilfe fop putting Pryor on the
-Private First. Class Kal. who before his induction
me. Ariny ~ Selective: for

Rar,

nto the

t dntten Pryor for his
appearance when he was uncast a. Negro voice, Sudhe. remembered the driver
~ had delivered the Lowry
actors to the rehearsal. Pryor~s
voice fit the part. Since then he
has played minor roles jn -five
other of the weekly shows and last
week appeared as the singing and
dramatic star of a sketch written
especially for him.

~. enlisted men at the Air

Army

Corps Technical School at Lowry
Field participate in the show,
broadcast at 9:30 p.m. each Thursday through station KOA in Denver. It is the only regularly scheduled dramatic program staged. by
any Army post in the nation.
Pryor, whose* singing js winning
him wide popularity on the show.
has been in the Army nearly two
years. He admits that he was
looking for excitement when he
volunteered at Shreveport, La. He
says he found that excitement
when he djscovered the Lowry
Field Theatre of the Air, He finds
time for the radio program. after
he. completes his regular duties at
fice. post motor transportation of
~When r get out of the Army:
want to be able to get.on as
radio entertainer,~ Pryor savs.

Kanter, who writes, produces
and directs the show, believes that
the 21-year-old Negro soldier has
a chance of realizing his | ambition Pryor~s frequent appearances
have invoked a heavy mail re- |
sponse. J.isteners in 19 states and
three Canadian dominions heve
flood the show~ with.some 2,000
pieces of mail since it was inaugtrated

RATING THE RECORDS

By FRANK MARSHALL DAVIS

~ern

SOUTH AMERICAN way ~~
Many Duskymericans may not
ikaline it, but the exotic rhythms
of our Latin American neighbors
are as African in base as this nation~s own blues, spirituals and
hot. jazz. The samba, rumba, tan-, conga,. etc,, stem directly from
dark~ continent where funda
y. the same _ intricate
rhyhtms. are played today~as they
have. been. for cénturies~by
Natives who probably think Cuba
and Chile are something you fish

~ ad

All of.which is a roundabout way
of introducing the new Decca album of ~Week-End in Havana~
sung in both Portuguese - and
English by Carmen Miranda, the
Brazilian canary. The numbers
are A WEEK-END IN HAVANA,
DIZ QUE TEM, WHEN I LOVE I
LOVE, REBOLA A BOLA, THE
MAN ~WITH THE LOLLYPOP
SONG and NAO TE DOU A
CHUPETA, ~

This. Miranda gal has @ habit of
~her own exciting and
personality into every
thing.~ She makes the stuff live
and it takes no imagination to
1: her sending the Rio de

op equivalent of our own jiting / performance in this collecticn

To me the most astound
~
be

a~
Be

has been producing some ~ very
listenable stuff with a Lunceford
twist, bounces his way _ through
WATCH THE BIRDIE and
WHEN I GROW TOO OLD TO
DREAM. on Bluebird. He has an
excellent tenor on both sides and
his brand of swing will set well
with all hepcats, even if you
dont go for his florid and. frequently tasteless trumpet mean-.
dering,

Those blues. specialists Count
Basie and Jimmy g,. combine to give us the stirring TAKE
ME BACK BABY on Okeh. Kicks
are first trombone and then Tab
Smith~s alio back of vocal, Of
course it~s not equal to ~Goin~ To
Chieago~~~ but just the same it~s
a standout Flipover is Fiesta IN
BLUE showing off the trumpet of
Buck Clayton who deserts his Joe
Smith leanings to sound like a
junior edition of Cootie Williams..
Artie Shaw presents a. good arrangement of R; CHAIR on
VICTOR. His violin @re well presented here and his own clarinet
is very tasteful. Plattermate, IF I
LOVE AGAIN, is pleasant and
~competent but quit ordinary,.....
Same goes for both sides of Tony
Pastors new Bluebird, SUNDAY

~ IN SAVANNAH and JOHNNIE~S

IN THE PANTRY.

Hampton: vail

~ Decca Contract

CHICAGO ~. (ANP) Lionel
Hampton has signed a " conttact
with Decca Recording company to
record his latest arrangements.
The first recording date for Hampton and his orchestra is Dec. 9 in)
New York City.

Among his first recordings will

~be new song hit, ~We've Waited |

Long Enough,~ written by Russell
T. McDavid with lyric by RahwW
Isaacs. Acéording to its previous

this number is ex-'

performances, this
pected to become one of the top |

30 Wunies of the day,

a

New All-Sepia
Cast Picture

Jeni Legon And
Leading Roles ~%

November 19 at LINCOLN theatre
Monte Hawley, Jeni LeGon, Harlem

| Dead End ~Kids Featured.

By LAWRENCE. ~F. LaMAR

LOS ANGELES, Calif.~~N P B)~
If such there could be, a ~smash
hit~ produced by any of these extremely low budgeted film companies producing All-Sepia cast
flickers, well, titis reviewer would
be obliged to include this latest
effort ~Take My Hife~ by the
Million Dollar Production company
in that catagory. Mind you, however,
we said ~if?~

Here is -a picture that compares
fairly- with most of the best screen
plays dealing with the all-sepia
cast situation, and ~above that is
far superior in many departments
and situations to many ~B~ class
flickers turned ~out by major studio~s.
~Take My Life~ JoHows closely in
the tracks of most popular films
hitting the..market in these war
torn days; and comes on with plenty
of the flag waving stuff.

PATRIOTISM SHOWN

Right ~there is where we give this
picture story its superior ratting. No
one seems to have thought of injecting the sepia Americans with a
hyperdermic of patriotism via the
films. Producer Harry Popkins deserves a lot of credit for sepia audience consumption. The run of
the mime incidentals in the screen
story can, however, be overlooked
for these other interesting and unique introductions in the flicker.

Monte Hawley, as Dr: Thurman,
has the starring rolé in ~Take My
Life~~ with the leading feminine role
going to Jeni LeGon, as Helen Stanley his nurse. Jack Carr as Sgt.
Holmes, U. 8. A., does a fine job
of the moralizing soldier who points
the way to good citizenship and
a dutiful soldier to five erring boys.
His dramatic appeal made in his
speech in connection with pean:

est maoenaiaters

pig l
t bespeaks the loyalty, courage,
oad authority of ~the soldier-man.

NEW FILM MENACE

Robert Webb, a newcomer to
films, as Ace Baldwin, is the minister figure in the screenplay, and
does a good job of -it. The Harlem
4 Dead End Kids, have much of the
offensive flippancy usually associated with films dealing with the glorification of bad boys, considerably
shaved down. As a result they easily emerge heroes after donning the
uniform of Uncle Sam. The boys,
Fredie Jackson as Johnny; Eugene
Jackson ~as Bill, Paul White as
Icky; Eddie Lynn as Stinky and
DeForrest. Covan as Shadow, ~~ all
turn in a fine performance to
~make the film the success that it
is. Other actors include, Lovey Lane,
~as the vampish Renie DeVere, Harry Levette, Guernsey Morrow (deceased) Robert Skinner and Arthur
Ray.

Harlem Pleased
With New Singer

NEW YORK~(ANP)~There is
one aspect of Harlem that surely
must be refreshing to those of its
music lovers who have. been residents for some years, namely its
obscure and almost unknown recital auditoriums,

To one who has keen interest in
its community musical development,
it is something hardly short of a
thrill to walk into a quite o
street block with a two-lamp po
edifice, under it and find a large
audience of enthusiastic music
lovers rapt in attention upon a recital. Such were the circumstances
surrounding Massie Patterson~s concert at the Finnish hall Sunday
evening.;

Mrs. Patterson, we recall, made
her down-town debut last m
with pretty much the same ~songs

Monte Hawley Hold|

\

Historic Patriotism C Of
atest Movie | ~Pro

on tour of the Southeastern states.

November 27.

Miss Madeline Green and Billy Eckstein hold down the singing assignments with Earl ~Father~ Hines and his great orchestra, cujyrently

The musical] aggregation is due to

appear at Atlanta~s City Auditorium on Thanksgiving night, Thursday,

LOS ANGELES, Calif~(NPB)~
Todd Duncan, wel! known baritone
soloist making his first: concert
appearance on the coast, scored
artistically before a large and appreciative audience last Sunday at

singer, who is a professor of voice
at Howard University, Washington,
C.; was in complete:
his ~excellent voice and his audience
throughout the entire concert.

The recital under the auspices of
the Birch Street ~Christian church,
pastored by the Rev Walter Bryant, was in six large parts, one of
which was given to Mme. Netta

the downtown Mayan theatre. Tne:

Paulyn Garner, guest artist at the

Todd Duncan Hit
In Coast Recital

piano. The first movement was in
Italian. in three-numbers. This was
followed. by a grouping of ~four
numbers in German.

Four numbers ~in English. followed to proceed the ~intermission
closing groupings number four.~
After each of the foregoing numbers under ~ach of the four group
~ory ings artist~singer Duncan was* the

pecioaet of ~salvo upon salvo of
applause. He appeared best at
home singing in German. His
Prayer by Moussorrgsky and his
Song of the Flea done in the lighter mood, clearly demonstrated to
what heights this well poised
actor-singer might ascend.

HOLLYWOOD~(ANP)~If there
is anything erratic or disjointed in
the following. scribble, bear. in mind

that it was knocked off on the eve
of Thanksgiving day, but with
~Yours truly~ facing an all day and
late night prospect of being at
work while the nation eats turkey.
No fun trying to enjoy a roast
gobbler and the trimmings after
midnight, so we'll just quit talking
about it and dash to press before
the printers also desert the Machinery for hand tools (knife and
fork). \

The ~Avenue Jumped Sunday
Night..As has been the case for
the past few weeks, ~the Avenoo~
was jumpin~ last Sunday night.
looking more and more like the
zood old days before the late depression, when everybody had their
roll in One pocket and their highpriced bootleg cr prescription bottle in their other. Crowds milling
in the ~Frivolous Forties,~ cifcling
in and out of Flks Lounge, Gene
Sorrals,~ the Harlem cocktail
lounge, the Club Alaham, the
Memo, the Dunbar, Madam Louise
Brooks, and cther eateries, or dine,
dtink ~and dance. hot spots ~Private after hour addresses whispered hideaways also get good play
for the fun could not stop because
the board of equalization clock
struck TWO.~Marva Louis smiling
and ever prettier, just back from
a trip to Mexico, one of many under the guidance cf her close friend
and lovely Mrs. Arthur Wilson,
wife of the well known radio officer.~_Next outing is Catalina;~
Jée, none too happy over

of | having been deferred from ~report
ing at camp until after the first
of the year;~Actually believe the
champ is ~dead ~in ~earnest ~about:| swapping ~the boxifig ~trunks for the
|| olive drab mar
*Hattie McDaniel pain scored back

pants.

IP MOVIELATS

HARRY LEVET TE.
ASOUATED NEGRO PRESS

rule there is considerable glamour
and compliment in being accorded
the winner of a prize, or even being considered as the person who
won, but in the case of the mother Of Eddie Wilson, she wants the
public to know that it was not her
whose name was called as the winner of $100 Lucky Strike money at
the Lincoln theatre, Her Christian

sciuples do not approve of theatres.
she declared in a phone call. The
real winner was a Mr. Eddie Wilson, who unfortunately was not
present to receive his reward~Incidentally there is not as much antagonism felt by the churches
against the theatres as in the old
days. The world has grown to
realize that many (pictures and
Stage plays are sermons more potent than those delivered from the
pulpits of the places of worship.

~Take My Life~ First..Negro Pa-.
-triots Film to be Released Shortly
~Harry M. Popkin, executive pro-..

ducer of Million Dollar Productions released a mumber of class-A,

| Woman's. club of. this. city

ids Hen
Best Pianists

Six Named Are
Negroes; Wilson

Term Greatest

NEW YORK~Beénny Goodirz.n
went in for a bit of Ail-American
selecting this week. The clarinet
VWictuoso. picked the ten pianists
whom he considers outstanding in
modern music.

Benny~s All-American. selections
are Teddy Wilson, Count Basie,
Jess Stacy, white, Earl Hines, Ars
Tatum, Clyde Hart, Alec Templeton, white, Mary Lou Williams,
and Joe Sullivan, white.

According to Goocman, Teddy
Wilson comes closest to perfection
of any pianist active today. For
rhythm, musicianship and _ technique, Wilson stands supreme.

Count Basie has a unique percussive style which. few can imitate with any success. Jess Stacy
is a fine example of an individual
improvisationist, especially wita
small Chicago-style combinations,
Earl Hines~ contrapuntal technique
has been the model for many of
teday~s best pianists.

Gjoodman includes Templeton
and Tatum as musical bridges hbetween jazz and classical. The most
exceptional of all woman 8
artistes is Mary Lou Williams, who
deserves a place on ~any = all-star
list.

- Selection of Mel Powell, white,
a hitherto unknown name ~in the
music ~field, is a Goodman
prophecy. Benny brought the 16 -year-old youngster i&fo his band
some months ago and ae big
things for his future.

Jarboro Heard
In Fine Concert

DARBY, Pa. ~ (ANP) ~ The

a most enjoyable ~
afternoon when ~ JaPboro,
the celebrated soprano, gave a recital under the auspices of the
club: Miss Jarboro, who rose to
spectacular brilliance ~a few years
ago in her performance in ~Aida~.
at the Hippodrome in New Yerk
City, brought a combination of
~dramatic power and gift voice ~such
as has been ~seldom heard by the
~women~s club, one of the local
critics reported.

~Miss Jarboro has the voice~ the
critic continued, that is.so smooth
and clear even at the highest treble
that the listener finds himself
searching his mind for the name
of some musica]. instrument which
it resembles. Then he suddenly
Yealizes that there is no such instrument; that this is the sort of
Singing that artists talk about
when they say the- human voice at
its best, is in ~itself, the apex of
beauty.~

The Balladeers, well-known in
tadio, appeared on program also
while Frank La-Forge, celebrated
composer-pianist, played the accompaniments for Miss, Jarhoro.

all-colored cast motion pictures.
during the past five years, is making. preparations for. the local and
national release of ~Take My Life~
the last one made early in the.
summer. It is the first patriotic
film~ ever préduced* with Negro.
soldiers, doctors, nurses and others
depicting the rea] life story that
rims lke a stream all through it.
It will be released -at the newly
beautiful and improved Lincoln
theatre which Mr. Ponkin. and his
associates took over and reopened

on Oct. 2.

| 23 1-2 years of Army service.

\

a

om

master Replacement Center
Ga.

Captain and Mrs. Rodney 8. Writz,
Lieutenant Sylvester Sheppard,
Chaplain and Mrs. Samuel H.
Giles and Chaplain ~Theodore
Brooks (8th Médical Battalion).

About 100 guests were present at

flowed. The affair was hedl at
the ~new Ninth Regiment Service
Club. Warrant Officer Nicholas is
expected to léave for his new post)
within two or three days.

Few men. have. expiored
chosen field so exhaustively as
Warrant Officer Nicholas. Since his
youth, he has faithfully ~pursued his:
calling, playing in and ~hroueh
bands, both in civil life and thro

He received his education at
Hampton Institute, Virginia, and at

ithe Army Music School, Washing
ton, D. C. His instrument is the
clarinet, which he played under
Benton Overstreet of Gibson Theatres and other widely-known leaders. He also directed his own band
in civil life, the RCO Band of
Wannamaker Stores, Philadelphia,
Pa.

His first period of Army service
lasted from July 1909 to November
1920. After nine years of civil life,
he re-enlisted in 1929 and has been

in the service ever since. His recent
advancement has been a com
Folk. Music From Bahamas

To Be'Introduced:

~Island Songs Are Negroid _ a

In Origin, Study Discloses: A Sued
Givil~ War. Other tines were brought

x

ys of

a

In U.S.

rice, no cocoanut oil~. A recording
of this number ~was made a few

years ago by Count Basie.

An elierly woman here recalls
having heard the song 80. years ago.
Several musicians claim credit for

haying introduced it to dance floor

banquet and the dance which;

their

Ex-Georgtan Is
Honored In Va.

CAMP LEE, Va. _.(SNS)~Congratulations and a hand- =
some silver service were formally presented Warrant Officer
}Jerome G,; Nicholas, at-a- OY:
Tuesday evening by the non-commissioned staff of the |
(colored) Q. M. Training Regiment. Warrant Officer Nie
olas had just received his promotion from Master Ser
and a new assignment as band-master to Fort Devens, Mas
He was formerly director of the Ninth (colored) rterband at Camp Lee, He andMrs.
Nicholas have their home at 2017 Glade Road, Columbus,.

stat sergeant, he was ~promoted to

echnical sergeant ~Miay 15, and to
Master sergeant October | 1 a
highest non-commissioned commissioned grad

Nurses Hear

\Miss Anderson

- BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ~ (sNs)~
More than forty visiting nurses
~and government officials eagerly
listened to the calm words of
Marian Anderson, internationally

famous contralto, who visited the
NYA center at Slossfield- in
Wednesday.

At the assembly and luncheen
she was presented by C. J_ Pare
rish, NYA center supervisor,

Dr. J, E. Bryan, superintendent
of the County Board of EMuca
tion, responding.:

In the heat of Mayor Latiuataia~s ~tainpeled~ for pecctdiblllg: ~to~ ~
the New York City post, none other than his Hi-de-highness King Cab
Calloway lent a meaningful hand. At Harlem~s Colonial Park, Cat led
his band and introduced His Honor to the capacity audience of 20,000
The Colored Committee for the re-Election of Mayor LaGuardia spensored the rally. LaGnardia was re-elected.:

Guests at the banquet included|ing to Camp Lee in February as:

Other ~outstanding visitors dur
ing the week of November -

Dr and Mrs. Ellison, the first
Negro president of Virginia University, Richniond, Va. Accompanied by Dr. J. W. _ Goodgame,,.
the party had lunch at. the center;,
aa

CUBA TO ~FOLLOW~ J. &.
INTO WAR

HAVANA ~ (SNS) ~ President

-| Batista, of Cuba, predicted in a

speech Sunday that the United

tates would be in the war by next
spring and added that ~when_ the.
United States declared war, Cuba
will be the first nation to ad
the; war oh her side.~

~ NAMED SEORETARY

ST. PAUL, Minn~(A N P)~S/
Vincent Owers was to begin his
duties this week as executive secretary of the St. Paul Urban League
fcllowing his election to that posi-tion ~last week. He is leaving

Bali~, | the past few years, "to cone wae
| Paul. -%