Page Six
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DorseyBand
No Stranger
T®J-opp ers
Weekend Marked His
Fourth Appearance
The University's face has
changed quite a bit in the past
two years, but Tommy Dorsey and
his band didn't have too much
trouble finding their way around
last weekend.
The 1948 J-Hop marked their
fourth appearance in' Ann Arbor.
Dorsey's first stand here was in
1937 when he played at Yost Yield
House to raise money for a some-
what nebulous women's swimming
pool.
Former J-Hop Stands
His first J-Hop venture was in
1940 when he played opposite Ted
Fiorito. He came back in 1946 to
play for Michigan's first post-war
J-Hop. At that time he was still
wondering what happened to the
women's pool.
Dorsey's band broke up shortly
after that dance, but most of his
old players were back with him in
his new band last weekend.
In every poll held in the last
ten years, Dorsey has been voted
one of the three most popular
bands in the country. He reached
the heights in January, 1946,
when the Downbeat Poll showed
his band to be the number one
favorite in the Sweet Bands di-
vision, 450 radio editors voted his
the No. 1 Swing Band, and Band-
leaders Magazine's poll of fans
named his their favorite band.
Started in "Brass Band"
Dorsey got his start in music
playing in a "brass band" under
his father in Shenandoah, Pa.
After quitting high school, he and
Jimmy, his brother, organized
their own band. They parted only
after ten years of experience in
the "big time" when they found
they had hit upon strong indivi-
dual styles which they wanted free
rein to develop.
The subsequent rise, of each to
the top of the musical world is a
familiar story, recently filmed in
Hollywood's "The Fabulous Dor-
seys."
Hop Marks J-Hop
Debut for 'Criers'
The Town Criers, Dorsey's re-
nowned singing quartet which
made its first J-Hop appearance
Friday night, have attained a
prominent position in the musical
world in the last few years by
blending humor, sophistication
and vocal perfection.
The Criers toured with Bobby
Sherwood, Les Brown and Bob
Crosby before going to Dorsey.
They feature original and imagi-
native arrangements of popular
swing numbers.
ii
Brndleader Last Year, E lman
eturns withHottest Truin pet'
Not since the very first J-Hops the rarest gifts a musiciass can
way back in the 1870's has one have--a sense of perfect pitch.
musician returned year after year When only six he amazed thse con-
to entertain at Michigan's biggest certmaster of the Philadelphia
dance, but Ziggy Elman has held Orchestra by identifying a note
this distinction since 1946. played on the piano, and the mu-
At that time he almost stole the sician offered to teach him gratis.
show from Dorsey with his Elman first worked in a night
clownish antics in addition to his club when he was 13 and later
trumpet work. As The Daily re- took a job as house musician at
porter phrased it, "Elman had a Steel Pier in Atlantic City. There
big evening." he was discovered by Benny Good-
Last year he returned as the man. Elman -was "Jack-of-all-
leader of his own band, composed music" and arranger for Good-
msostly of former Dorsey players, man for five years before joiing
to team up with the late Jimmie Tommy Dorsey.
Lunceford for an evening of con- Best known of his compositions
tinuous musical entertainment. is "And the Angels Sing." Least
Now back with Dorsey again, known fact about him: his name.
Elman owes his career to one of It's Harry Finkelman.
1
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TOMMY DORSEY
Stutart FoserMorsey Singer,
CroonsJ-Hoppers' Favorites
The romantic baritone voice band six months before joining
that crooned J-Hoppers' favorite I Dorsey's crew.
songs over the weekend belongs Probably his biggest disappoint-
to Stuart Foster, 29-year old vo- ment came when he was forced
calist, who has been with Dorsey to discard his real name for a
since the band opened in a Fifth stage name. He had hitch-hiked
Avenue restaurant in New York. into New York from his home
Foster's first public appearance town of Binghamton, N.Y., for
was in a church choir at the age an audition, so he was in no mood
of 10. After graduating from high to argue when Ina Ray Hutton
school he landed a job singing demanded something different
with Ina Ray Hutton's band. than Tamer Aswad, the name he
When it disbanded in 1943, he inherited from his Assyrian par-
ents.
moved to the Apollo Theatre in Foster was the sole support of
Harlem and from there jumped to his parents and sister while his
Guy Lombardo's band. three brothers served in the Army
He sang with the Lombardo during the war.
I
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OXFORD CLOTHES
BURBERRY COATS
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DOBBS J-IATS
HANLEY BELTS
DANIEL HAYS GLOVES
JOHNSTON & MURPHY SHOES
STATE STREET AT CAMPUS 41 EAST ADAMS AVENUE
ANN ARBOR DETROIT
SWIFT'S
DRUG STORE
340 S. State St.