Stardust Memories
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
BIG on samples and happy hour buffets, periodically declares he's giving up on cheese (might as well call him "anti-American" i know), LOVES his wife (remember, "wife" spelled backwards is "efiw"), is certain his son is destined to be known as "Enzo the Great," appreciates his "parents" more each day (in-laws included), still dislikes cats, greatest fear is mediocrity, has resigned himself to blatant self-promotion (hey! i amuse me), defies popularity by defining himself, and wants (would like) you to pay him lots (market-value) of money for his work.
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Stardust Memories:
The Essential Guide to American Adult Pop-Culture
of the Age of Innocence, 1946-64
Introduction
In 1948 Columbia Records introduced the 33 1/3 LP, “long playing,” record at the New York’s Waldorf~Astoria, allowing the listener to hear an unprecedented 25 minutes of music per side, as opposed to the four minutes per side of the standard 78 rpm record. The grand event marked the exit of the ‘78 and the introduction of 12 inch ‘33 and ‘45 singles, which not only improved the sound quality, but also pushed sales forward dramatically.Once the ball began rolling, the recording industry sought to fuel this new lucrative consumerism by consistently introducing not only new singing sensations, but also new improvements and gimmicks. As a result, there developed a quaint attitude amongst the recording industry moving them to place erroneous disclaimers at the bottom of their albums. Stereo records were first introduced by EMI and Decca in 1958 and oddly enough the film industry had already mastered the stereo technique in 1952 for soundtrack recordings. Recording or release dates cannot be easily derived from most albums by the average buyer, because many of the companies felt that their material would never become dated. The attitude was universally "We are the future." Little did they realize that technology would continue to progress despite them.
Following are examples:
"This monophonic microgrove recording is playable on monophonic and stereo phonographs. It cannot become obsolete."
"This Columbia High Fidelity recording is scientifically designed to play with the highest quality of reproduction on the phonograph of your choice, new or old. If you are the owner of a new stereophonic system, this record will play with even more brilliant true-to-life fidelity. In short, you can purchase this record with no fear of its becoming obsolete in the future."
During the 1950s and early 1960s many album covers donned the latest description of why you should buy the record; stereophonic records with two distinct orthogonal modulations, or a RCA Victor 'New Orthophonic' High Fidelity or Dynagroove Recordings; Warner Brothers had Vitaphonic High Fidelity Records; or perhaps it might say “Important Notice: "Miracle Surface.” Like the general attitude during the 1950s, there was an overly optimistic outlook in the recording industry, resulting in not only many exaggerated claims, but more importantly in some of the best hip, swinging, positive music ever produced.
Easy-Listening
The largest of all genres previewed here, the artists of the easy-listening group primarily consist of singers who sang what we have come to know as American Pop-Classics or Standards. Many started there careers in one of three places and usually eventually traversed the stages of all them, that is radio, vaudeville and the nightclub circuit.
The songs they sang have remained popular all these years, because often the lyricists and composers wrote in a way that all could understand and relate to. Songs were so “standard” that many artists recorded the same song and had equal or similar success with their recording. For example Bobby Darin, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra all interpreted Mack the Knife and had relative commercial success with each of their versions. If the song and artist singing it were good, the public acknowledged them with buying the result on pressed vinyl or the tickets to the show. Some songs of the period are so good that they continue to be recorded by the artists of today. Hoagy Carmichael’s Stardust is probably the most recorded song of modern history, with Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra leading the way in the late 50s and later being joined by Harry Connick, Jr. and George Benson with their versions within the last ten years.
Most songs of this period evoked one of two things, either a soothing sentimentality built on nostalgia, yearning or wistfulness, or an internal rhythm which moved the listener to swing and dance. I hope that if you are relatively new to this music that upon listening you are moved in the same way.
The Rat Pack
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Frank "Ol' Blues Eyes" Sinatra
Dean "Dino" Martin
Coming soon to a link near you!
THE SINGERS
The Andrew Sisters Louis Armstrong Harry Belafonte Tony Bennett Ray Charles June Christy Patsy Cline Rosemary Clooney Nat King Cole Perry Como Chris Connor Bing Crosby Vic Damone Bobby Darin Doris Day Billy Eckstine Eddie Fischer Ella Fitzgerald Tennessee Ernie Ford Helen Forrest The Four Freshman Connie Francis Judy Garland Eydie Gormé Buddy Greco Dick Haymes Billie Holiday Lena Horne Jack Jones The King Sisters Eartha Kitt Frankie Laine Steve Lawrence Peggy Lee Julie London Gordon Macrae Dean Martin Tony Martin Al Martino Johnny Mathis Carmen McRae The McGuire Sisters Helen Merril The Mills Brothers Matt Monro Ella Mae Morse Wayne Newton Anita O’Day The Pied Pipers Louis Prima Arthur Prysock Johnny Ray Della Reese Dinah Shore Nina Simone Frank Sinatra Keely Smith Jo Stafford Kay Starr Barbra Streisand Mel Torme Jerry Vale Sarah Vaughan Dinah Washington Margaret Whiting Andy Williams Joe Williams Nancy Wilson
SONG WRITERS/COMPOSERS
Harold Arlen Irving Berlin Leonard Bernstein Johnny Burke Sammy Cahn Hoagy Carmichael Vernon Duke (Vladimir Dukowsky) E. “Duke” Ellington Dorothy Fields George Gershwin Oscar Hammerstein Lorenz Hart Frank Loesser Johnny Mercer Cole Porter Richard Rodgers Stephen Sondheim Billy Strayhorn Jule Styne Jimmy Van Heusen
CONDUCTORS/ARRANGERS
Van Alexander Count Basie Heinie Beau Dave Cavanaugh Don Costa Frank DeVol Tommy Dorsey Duke Ellington Gordon Jenkins Quincy Jones Stan Kenton Johnny Mandel Jack Marshall Billy May Sy Oliver Andre Previn Pete Rugolo Nelson Riddle Vic Shoen George Siravo Alex Stordahl Paul Weston Patrick Williams
The JAZZ MUSICIANS
Cannonball Adderly Chet Baker Count Basie Les Brown Ray Brown Dave Brubeck John Coltrane Miles Davis Buddy De Franco Paul Desmond Duke Ellington Maynard Ferguson Stan Getz Terry Gibbs Dizzy Gillespie Dexter Gordon Lionel Hampton Bill Harris Coleman Hawkins Milt Jackson J.J. Johnson Stan Kenton Gene Krupa Herbie Mann Charles Mingus Thelonius Monk James Moody Wes Montgomery Gerry Mulligan Charlie “Bird” Parker Les Paul Oscar Peterson Bud Powell Max Roach Sonny Rollins George Shearing Art Tatum Lester Young Gerald Wilson
The LOUNGE ARTISTS
Les Baxter John Buzon Cy Coleman Ray Coniff Xavier Cugat Martin Denny Juan Esquivel Jackie Gleason Jose Iturbe Liberace Arthur Lyman Henry Mancini Muzzy Marcellino Arthur Murray Peter Nero Les Paul Alvino Rey Nelson Riddle David Rose Terry Snyder Yma Sumac Lawrence Welk
The LATIN ARTISTS
Dezi Arnez Cachao Celia Cruz Joao Gilberto Machito Carmen Miranda Perez Prado Tito Puente Tito Rodriguez
The Recording Labels
Atco Atlantic Blue Note Capitol Records Chess Records Columbia Records Coral Records Decca Records Dot Records HiFi Recordings Label Liberty Records. London Records MCA Mercury Records RCA - Reprise Roulette Records Savoy Verve Records
Fresh Ink Company & Lorenzo D. Dominguez
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