Raymond Scott
b. Sept. 10, 1908, New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA;d. Feb.8, 1994
né:Harry Warnow
Here's a photo of Raymond Scott, whose father, a concert violinist, had emigrated from Russia, and opened a record shop in New York City.Raymond's older brother, Mark Warnow, became a successful studio conductor, and was director of the 'Hit Parade' radio and later television show.
Raymond completed Brooklyn Technical High School, and then studied at the Institute of Musical Art for some years. He also played piano in his older brother's studio orchestras.In 1930, CBS hired him, and he stayed with them for four years, working as a staff pianist as well as writing background music for several radio shows. (In 1932, his brother Mark, played Raymond's "Christmas Night in Harlem" on the radio.)
In 1936, Raymond left CBS and to become a member of a small group that included Bunny Berigan and Jerry Colonna, who later became a comedian on the Bob Hope Show. The group was featured on a radio show called "Saturday Night Swing".

In 1937, Raymond formed his own group, consisting of Raymond on piano; Louis Schoobe; Peter Pumiglio; Johnny Williams; Dave Wade and Dave Harris. Here's an early photo of the Raymond Scott Quintet. The group played original compositions by Scott including:
"Twilight in Turkey"
"In an Eighteenth Century Drawing Room", an adaption of Mozart's Piano Sonata in C major, K. 545, main theme.

Hollywood called in 1937, and Raymond stayed around for a year writing for films that starred Shirley Temple and Eddie Cantor and others. His hit song "The Toy Trumpet" was heard in the Temple film 'Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm'. He then returned to New York and a job as Music Director for the CBS radio network. A great many of Scott's songs have been used as background music for a great many of the 'Merrie Melody' and 'Looney Toons' cartoon pictures. But Scott did not himself have anything to do with that. Instead, Warner Brothers musical directors orchestrated Scott's music for the cartoons. Carl Stalling did the Bugs Bunny cartoons, Winston Sharples orchestrated Scott's music for the Batfink cartoons, and John Kricfalusi orchestrated Scott's music for a crime-fighting Mexican Chihuahua pooch. In 1937, Scott also revived his quintet and toured nationally.

In 1945, the Broadway show 'Beggars Are Coming', had some incidental music by Scott.He also enlarged his quintet into a large dance band.

In 1956, he scored the Broadway show 'Lute Song', starring Yul Brynner and Mary Martin.A box office failure on both Broadway and on tour, it never the less won the critics acclaim. The show was revived on the Broadway stage again in 1959, with the same box office results. Probably, it's best song was "Mountain High, Valley Low".

In 1949, Scott's brother, Mark Warnow, died, and Scott took over his job as music director of the very popular 'Your Hit Parade' radio show, remaining for about 10 years.One of the stars of the show was Dorothy Collins, who would become Raymond's second wife (Pearl was wife no. 1, and Mitzy was wife no. 3).

Scott had a fascination for the whimsically bizarre. Some of his best songs are:
"All Around the Christmas Tree"
"Huckleberry Duck"
"In a Magic Garden"
"Minuet in Jazz"
"The Girl With The Light Blue Hair"
A small album of The Raymond Scott Quintet releases:
  "Square Dance For Eight Egyptian Mummies", (559 kb).Raymond Scott Quintet
  "Dinner Music For A Pack Of Hungry Cannibals", (551 kb). The Raymond Scott Quintet.
  "Reckless Night On Board an Ocean Liner", (598 kb).The Raymond Scott Quintet.
  "ToyTrumpet", (591 kb).Raymond Scott Quintet
  "New Year's Eve In a Haunted House", (471 kb). Raymond Scott Quintet
  "Girl At The Typewriter", (593 kb).Raymond Scott Quintet
  "Bugle Call Rag", (631 kb). Raymond Scott Quintet
  "Oil Gusher", (509 kb). The Raymond Scott Quintet.
  "Powerhouse", (779 kb).The Raymond Scott Quintet.(3 minutes 54 seconds) Don't give up... there are several pauses and rhythm changes. A nice demonstration of Scott's inventive mind.
  "Song Of India", (423 kb),The Raymond Scott Quintet.
  "Steeplechase", (489 kb).The Raymond Scott Quintet.
  "In A Subway Far From Ireland", (643 kb).The Raymond Scott Quintet.

  VIDEO: "Twilight In Turkey"   (film clip:NILBOGisBACK ). Raymond Scott's Quintet performed in a dance number from Eddie Cantor's 1937 comedy "Ali Baba Goes To Town"

  VIDEO: "Singing In The Rain"  (film clip:jamesrstewartaz)After husband and wife musical team, Dorothy Collins and Raymond Scott, left "Your Hit Parade," in 1957 they rarely appeared together. A joint and completed album for Everest Records, "Singing and Swinging" was canceled at the last minute, due to artistic differences between the label and Scott, who was Everest's A&R director. Here is an example of one of those post Hit Parade joint appearances. "Singing in the Rain" was pretty much standard fare for Dorothy and Raymond, since they recorded it twice (once for their own Audivox label and later for Coral Records) and performed it as a Lucky Strike Extra on "Your Hit Parade." The selection is a good example of The Raymond Scott Quintet 'sound.' Dorothy and Raymond terminated their business and personal associations not long after this video was done. Dorothy went on to make a stack of singles for various labels, appeared regularly on "Candid Camera," did lots of summer stock shows and concerts, and starred on Broadway in "Follies."

  VIDEO: "War Dance For Wooden Indians"   (film clip:nudnick).The Raymond Scott Quintette performs "War Dance For Wooden Indians", then backs up two amazing tap dancers, from the film "Happy Landings".

Scott introduced many new instrumental sonorities, and he well exploited his vivid melodic and harmonic imagination. Yet, his music still exhibits that authentic song idiom associated with American Popular Song.

   Jack Segal
Currently no information available.
Please see the Evelyn Danzig entry, for some details about this Lyricist .

   Matyas Seiber
b. 1905.d. 1960
In 1935, this Hungarian Ex-Patriate settled in London, England where he would live and work for most of his life. He found work as a choral conductor and film composer and joined the teaching staff at Morley College. In addition to composing music for Short subjects and cartoons, he scored some feature films including:
The Magic Canvas (1949)
The Diamond Wizard (1954)
Animal Farm (1955)
Chase a Crooked Shadow (1958)
The Mark of the Hawk (1958)
Robbery Under Arms (1958)
For Better, for Worse (1961 - released posthumously )
Malaga (1962 - released posthumously )

   Terry Shand
b. Oct. 1, 1904, Uvalde, TX, USA.d. Nov. 11, 1977
(Pianist; bandsman, Composer)
Currently no information available.
From 1933 to 1938, Terry played piano (and sang occasionally) with the Freddie Martin Band, after which he led his own band.
Among the songs that Terry composed are:
1932 "My Extra Ordinary Gal"
1934 "Just One Girl"
1935 "I'm Sitting High On A Hill Top", this song was recorded by the Original Dixie Jazz Band. This was NOT the real Orig. Dixieland band, in fact the only member of the Original Dixieland band who was present on therecording date was Tony Spargo (Sparbaro). A very young Russ Morgan played the trombone.
1936 "So Do I", heard in the film 'Pennies From Heaven"
1938 "I Double Dare You", lyric by Jimmy Eaton.

   Ted Shapiro
Currently no information available.
This composer worked with Lyricist Benny Davis on the song "To You".

   Winston Sharples
b.d. 1977
Sharples was one of Paramount Pictures' musical directors who worked on the Merrie Melodies cartoons, Sharples supplied themes and scores for such cartoons as Popeye, Felix the Cat, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Little Lulu, Superman and Batfink. In the annals of "Tunes for 'Toons", Winston Sharples was a craftsman considered by many to be second only to Carl Stalling.

The cartoons used the music of Raymond Scott as the underscoring of the antics of the cartoon characters Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and Porky the Pig. In 1943, Warner Brothers had purchased Raymond Scott's Publishing company. (Scott was the director of the CBS radio orchestra at the time, -including working on the Lucky Strike Hit Parade radio show.) The comic imagery of such Scott instrumentals as "War Dance for Wooden Indians", "New Years Eve in a Haunted House", "Celebration on the Planet Mars", "Reckless Night on Board an Ocean Liner", and "Egyptian Barn Dance", were just perfect for the cartoons.

Interestingly, Scott himself had absolutely nothing to do with the synchronization of his music to the misadventures of a short-fused Mexican Chihuahua suffering from Asthma, a "wascally wabbit", or Batfink, the crime-fighting bat. That job was left to the W.B. Musical Directors, - Carl Stalling (Bugs Bunny), Winston Sharples (Batfink), and John Kricfalusi (the crime-fighting Chihuahua), respectively.

In 46 of Batfink's 100 episodes, Sharples had included lines from five Raymond Scott tunes: "Minuet in Jazz", "Powerhouse", "Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals", "The Toy Trumpet", and "Tia Juana". Sharples used a medium-sized studio orchestra, recording each of the five tunes just once, with brief passages subsequently "tracked" to the on-screen action. His almost haphazard pacing seems almost impressionistic when compared to Carl Stalling's note-perfect, "on-a-dime", orchestrations.

Winston Sharples' first film work was 1933s 'Last Mail', his last - 696 films later - was 1967s 'Blacksheep Blacksmith'.

   Sydney Shaw
Currently no information available.
Among the songs that Shaw composed with Erroll Garner music:
      "PASSING THROUGH"
      "DREAMY", Among the performers who recorded this tune are Eileen Farrell, Erroll Garner, Edie Gorme, Buddy Greco, Gloria Lynne, Johnny Mathis, and Sarah Vaughn.

Among the songs that Shaw composed with Burt F. Bacharach music:
       "OUT OF MY CONTINENTAL MIND"
       "CLOSE"
       "FAITHFULLY",Performer: Johnny Mathis
       "HEAVENLY", Performer: Johnny Mathis

Among the songs that Shaw composed with Jane Dousglass White lyric:
       "DO IT YOURSELF"
       "DOWN AT THE BOTTOM"
       "FRENCH POODLE", Performers: Sam Butera and The Witnesses.
       "YOU RE THE PRETTIEST THING"
       "LOVE IS A GAMBLE"
       "ME TOO"

Among the songs that Shaw composed both the Lyric and the Music:
       "EVIL SPELLED BACKWARDS MEANS LIVE", Performer: Eddie Anderson
       "FIVE CUPS OF COFFEE"
       "GO BRAVELY ON"
       "HOT CHA CHA"
       "I LOVE JAZZ"
       "BE ON THE LOOKOUT"
       "JUKE BOX FANTASY"
       "MY LOVE TO YOU"

Among the songs that Shaw composed with Phil Moore music:
       "FALLING IN SOMETHING"
       "FLOCK IS ROCKING"

Among the songs that Shaw composed with Mort Lindsey Music:
      show: FORTY POUNDS OF TROUBLE the cues.
       "IF YOU"ex show: Forty Pounds
      Show: BEDTIME STORY, the cues.

Among the songs that Shaw composed with Irene Higginbotham music
       "NO PAD TO BE HAD", Music by Dan Fisher and Irene Higginbotham.
       "IT S MAD MAD MAD", Performer: Duke Ellington.
       "I GOT NEWS FOR YOU", Performer: Nat "King" Cole

Among the songs that Shaw co-composed with Alex Fogarty music:
       "LOVELY THINGS YOU DO"
       "I JUST DON T WANT TO BE ME"
       "WILL I FIND MY LOVE TODAY", tune was sung by: Golden Gate Quartet, B. Lea, and Johnny Mathis.

Among the songs that Shaw composed with Otis G. Clements music:
       "ONCE"
       "WHY NOT"

Among the songs that Shaw co-composed with still others include:
       "DON'T COMMIT THE CRIME", co-composed with Lena Horne music. Performers: Lena Horne
       "WITH SOMEONE YOU LOVE", with Jimmy Krondes music.
       "YOU DESERVE THE BEST", with Paul Selden music.
       "FRIEND OF MINE", with Gratien V. Ouellette music
       "I VE TAKEN A FANCY TO YOU", with Sherman Edwards music
       "NEW ROMANCE IN OLD ROMA", with Ulpio Minucci music.
       "CHRISTMAS EVE", with Allyn Ferguson musicperformer: Johnny Mathis

"INTERNATIONAL DETECTIVE", co-composed with Alvin Leroy Holmes music.
It was the theme song for a British show of the same name.The star (detective) was Art Fleming, who later became host of the original American TV show Jeopardy!.Fleming will always beremembered as the original host of Jeopardy!, still he did have a musical background. In his early years, Fleming had played drums in the 'Gus Arnheim and His Cocoanut Grove Orchestra', which also featured Fred MacMurray on tenor sax. MacMurray later found fame in Hollywood, as an actor.

In his later years, Fleming served as an usher at the wedding of Julie Nixon and David Eisenhower, son and daughter of the two American presidents. Fleming had roles in the films Airplane II, and The Twilight Zone, in which he had self-mocking appearances of himself as the Jeopardy! host He also appeared in'Weird Al Yankovic's' video "I Lost on Jeopardy!". In the 1980s, Fleming worked as the "morning man" on Radio Station KMOX in St. Louis.In the early 1990s, he was the host of a syndicated radio series onradio's golden age. Fleming died in 1995.

In 1960, "International Detective" was recorded by the Buddy Morrow Orchestra. ("Double Impact". RCA-Victor LPM/LSP-2180. arranger: by Ray Martin) In 1998, the album was re-issued by RCA (RCA/BMG (Spain) 74321 609932)

   Ren Shields
b. 1868,d. 1913
Currently No Information available
In 1902, George 'Honey' Evans (one of the last minstrels), Blanche Evans (a musical comedy star) and lyricist Ren Shields were in a Brighton Beach (Brooklyn) restaurant. Evans said "Give me the good old summertime, anytime." At Blanche's suggestion, Shields wrote the words to music by Honey Evans. In 1903, Shields and Evans tried to break the calendar jinx with a song entitled, "In the Merry Month of June", but without success this time.

   Al Sherman
b. Sept. 7, 1897 Kiev, Russia,d.Sept. 15, 1973, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Currently no information available.
(Also see the Al Lewis entry)
Lyricist Al Sherman wrote with composer Abner Silver, and collaborated with other lyricists including Al Bryan and Al Lewis.
Some of his songs include
1928 "Wear A Hat With A Silver Lining", with Al Bryan lyric collab.
1929 "Good Morning, Good Evening, Good Night", with composer Abner Silver and lyricist Al Lewis.
1934 "The Santa Claus Express", with Al Lewis and Abner Silver.
1935 "Every Now and Then", with Al Lewis and Abner Silver.
1936 "On The Beach at Bali Bali", with Jack Meskill and Abner Silver

   Tak Shindo
b. Nov. 11, 1922, Sacramento, CA
Overview
Shindo is still another of those hard to define composers/arrangers active during the 'Easy-Listening' era (1960's). While many of Shindo's recordings utilized a standard studio band with some Oriental instrumentation included, the tunes he picked were usually standard Western tunes such as "Caravan" and "Wagon Wheels." A fine musicologist by education, Tak Shindo's recordings are good examples of that music we now called 'Exotica'. He even found ways to include exotic instrumentation in the recordings.

During WW2, Shindo, served in the U.S. Army Intelligence service as a Japanese language instructor.After his Army discharge, he used his G.I. Bill education benefits to attend UCLA (then called Los Angeles State College), matriculating with a Bachelor of Music degree.

During the following decade, he was a full time working studio composer, while also doing post-graduate study, at the Univ. of Southern California, and earned his Master's degree. Among his instructors was famed film composer Miklos Rozsa.He worked at CBS Television during this same period, where, among other works, he composed the themes for 'The Ed Sullivan Show', 'Wagon Train', and 'Adventure'.

Probably due to his ethnic background, Shindo was an avid Orientalist, collecting Japanese instruments, lecturing on the music of the East, and even writing a book on the history of Japanese music. Because of his great knowledge of Japanese music, Shindo was often called upon to score 'Oriental' films such as 'Dawn of Asia', 'Sayonara', and 'Stop Over Tokyo'. In the mid-1960s, Shindo quit the studio system to join the UCLA faculty, his old Alma Mater.

Among his Recordings are:
Accent on Bamboo, Capitol T-1433
Brass and Bamboo, Capitol ST-1345
Mgana! Primitive Sounds, Edison International 100
Tak Shindo: Far East Goes Western, Mercury PPS 2031
Tak Shindo Goes Western, Capitol LP

   Maurice Sigler
Currently No Information available.
Among other songs, this lyricist help with:
1934 "We've Gotta Give Credit To Love", co-lyric Al Goodheart, Al Hoffman
1936 "Where There's You, There's Me", Co-lyric Al Goodheart, Al Hoffman
1935 "Stay A While", Co-lyric Al Goodheart; Al Hoffman tune.

   Carl Sigman
b. Sept. 24. 1909, New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA.d. Sept. 26, 2000,Manhasset, NY, USA. Age: 91
Overview
Carl, a composer-lyricist, was most active during the late 1940's and 1950's. He teamed up with many others as can be seen from a perusal of his works below.Sigman is among the lesser mentioned songwriters, and curiously, few people realize how many of his songs were hits for every period of Frank Sinatra's career from the early Dorsey period to the Duets album.

Among his best remembered songs, are:
1940 "Love Lies" (Carl Sigman-Ralph Freed-Joseph Mayer) (rec. July 17, 1940, with Tommy Dorsey)
1947
"Ballerina", (Bob Russel - Carl Sigman)
Civilization"
1948 "Enjoy Yourself-It's Later Than You Think"
1949 "Careless Hands", (Bob Hilliard - Carl Sigman)
1950
"My Heart Cries for You"
"Love Means Love"(Bonnie Lake - Carl Sigman)
"Feet of Clay" (Bob Hilliard - Carl Sigman)
1951
"It's All in the Game"
"Don't Ever Be Afraid To Go Home", (Bob Hilliard - Carl Sigman)
1953 "Ebb Tide", (Robert Maxwell - Carl Sigman)
"I Could Have Told You", (Arthur Williams - Carl Sigman)
1954
"Answer Me, My Love"
"It Worries Me"(Fritz Schultz-Reichelt-Carl Sigman)
1957 "Till"
1966 "What Now My Love", (Gilbert Becaud - Carl Sigman)
1967 "The World We Knew", (Bert Kaempfert; Herbert Rehbein; Carl Sigman)
1968 "My Way of Life", (Bert Kaempfert; Herbert Rehbein; Carl Sigman)
1969 "A Day In The Life of a Fool", (Luiz Bonfa - Carl Sigman)
1974 "The Saddest Thing of All", (Michel Legrand; Eddy Barclay; Carl Sigman)
1993 "What Now My Love"

Among his other works are:
"Arrivederci, Roma", featured in the 1958 Hollywood musical "Seven Hills of Rome"
       Music by Renato Ranucci with Italian lyrics by Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini English lyrics
       by Carl Sigman
"Dream Along With Me (I'm On My Way to a Star)", Words and Music by Carl Sigman
"Dreams and Memories (Toselli's Serenade)", Music by Enrico Toselli with English lyrics by Carl Sigman
"Goodbye to Rome (Arrivederci Roma)", featured in the 1958 Hollywood musical "Seven Hills of Rome"
       Music by Renato Ranucci with Italian lyrics by Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini English lyrics
       by Carl Sigman
"There Is No Christmas Like A Home Christmas", Words and Music by Carl Sigman and Mickey J. Addy
"Souvenir d'Italie", Music by Lelio Luttazzi and English lyrics by Carl Sigman.
       Original Italian lyrics by Giulio Scarnicca and Renzo Tarabusi, 1957. This tune was sung in the
       the Italian film "Souvenir d'Italie" and, the British film "Danger, Girl at Play"
"There Is No Christmas Like A Home Christmas", Words and Music by Carl Sigman and Mickey J. Addy
"Toselli's Serenade",Music by Enrico Toselli with English lyrics by Carl Sigman
"Where Do I Begin", (from "Love Story") Music by Francis Lai and lyrics by Carl Sigman, 1970
Few people realize that Sigman, in colllaboration with violinist/bandleader    Jerry Gray, also composed the song "Pennsylvania 6-5000", which was a worldwide hit release for the Glenn Miller orchestra.

Sigman is a member of the Songwriters' Hall of Fame.

   Frank Signorelli
b. May 2, 1901, New York, NY, USA, d. Dec. 9, 1975, New York, NY, USA
This Pianist and composer first studied Piano as a very young child with his cousin Pasquale Signorelli. As a young man, he and his good friend Phil Napoleon played in local dance bands, - mainly in New York City's Coney Island beach resort area. Then, in 1917, Frank and Phil Napoleon formed their own band, The Original Memphis Five which, beside Frank (piano) and Phil (Trumpet),includedMiff Mole (Trombone), Jack Roth (Drums), and Ray Kitchingham (Banjo).Interestingly, none of the band members were from Memphis or anywhere else in the south. They had chosen to name the band after W.C. Handy's song "Memphis Blues".Of all the early White Jazz bands, they may have been one of the most prolific. At various times, singers George White and Anna Myers,trombonist Charles Panelli, saxist Loring MacMurray and clarinetist Jimmy Lytell also appeared with the band.

By 1921, Frank was playing in Nick LaRocca's famed 'Original Dixieland Jazz Band'.In 1926, he worked with both Joe Venuti and Adrian Rollini's New Yorker Band.In 1926, Signorelli returned to the Original Memphis Five. They actually made their first recording under the "Original Dixieland Jazz Band' name, - with the approval of Nick LaRocca, who had just suffered a nervous breakdown.Signorelli and the Original Memphis Five continued to record up till 1931 under a great variety ofnames includingLadd's Black Aces , Jazzbo's Carolina SerenadersBailey's Lucky Seven , The Southland Six, and The Cotton Pickers.Other Jazz musicians such asRed Nichols, and Miff Mole, and Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey also ocassionally joined the band for recording sessions.

During the 1927 though '31 years, he recorded with Venuti (1927-31), as a duo with Eddie Lang (1927-'28), and with Frankie Trumbauer and Bix Beiderbecke (1927). In 1936, he re-joined the Original Dixieland Jazz Band after its re-formation. In 1938, he played with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. In 1946, he recorded -both- as a leader and as a sideman with Phil Napoleon. In the late 1940s, he was playing in Nick's, a famous Jazz cafe in New York City.In the late 1950s he re-formed a group named the Original Memphis Five for occasional performances on radio and television. He also continued solo performances, - mostly in New York's Greenwich Village area clubs.In 1956, he recorded with Connee Boswell, and in 1958 with Miff Mole.

Throughout his long career, Signorelli was an active composer, with some huge hits to his credit. Where no co-composer/lyricist name(s) appear, the song is credited solely to Signorelli.

  And Then Your Lips Met Mine, - Matt Malneck, Ozzie Nelson. (Played by Ozzie Nelson.)
  Anything - Phil Napoleon. (Recorded by Tommy Dorsey's Orch., with Frank Sinatra vocal.)
  Baby This Is It,- Lester O'Keefe
  Big town(played by Teddy Wilson.)
  Blues Serenade, A -Vincent Grande, Jimmy Lytell, Mitchell Parrish.
      Recorded by:
   The Airlines
   Jan August
   Frankie Carle
   Russ Case
   Frank Chacksfield
   Duke Ellington
   Ted Heath
   Johnny Hodges (1938)
   Miyuki Koga
   Enoch Light
   Glenn Miller
   Tony Mottola
   Jimmie Rodgers
   Sarah Vaughan
   Lawremce Welk
  Bonnie's Boogie
  Bump on The Head Brown
  Caprice Futuristic - Matt Malneck
  Deep Harlem - Matt Malneck, Irving Mills
  Downtown Rag, The
  Fool That I Am - Matt Malneck, Johnny Mercer
  Go Joe Go - Phil Napoleon
  Gypsy - L. Wolfe Gilbert, Matt Malneck
  Holiday Express - Domenico Savino
  Hot Cargo - Jimmy Lytell
  I'll Never Be The Same - Gus Kahn, Matt Malneck. (rec'd Billie Holiday/Teddy Wilson, 1937)
      Performed By:
   George Barnes
   Frankie Carle
   Nat King Cole Trio
   Dorothy Collins
   "Lockjaw" Davis
   Django Reinhardt
   Stan Getz
   Benny Goodman
   Matt Hartman
   Billie Holiday
   Dick Hyman
   Guy Lombardo Orch.
   Rayh Mitchell
   John Pizzarelli
   Artie Shaw
   Frank Sinatra
   Kate Smith
   Sarah Vaughan
   Joe Venuti
   Paul Whiteman Orch.
  Just Hot - Jimmy McHugh, Phil Napoleon.
      Performed by:
   Fletcher Henderson
   Billy Maxted
   Phil Napoleon
  Just Plain Lazy
  Love - Matt Malneck
  Lovers Fantasy, A
  Manhattan Lullaby - Deane Robert Kincaide
  Manhattan Rag - Deane Robert Kincaide
  Midnight Reflections - Matt Malneck
  Midnite On The East Side - Deane Robert Kincaide
  My Rainbow Song - Matt Malneck,Mitchell Parrish   Park Avenue Fantasy - Matt Malneck
  Rockin The Bass - Deane Robert Kincaide. Recorded by the Ray McKinley Orch.
  Seventh Day
  Sioux City Sue - Walter Donaldson, Phil Napoleon, and Al Siegel.
      Performedby The Kendalls
  So At Last Its Come To This - Gus Kahn, Matt Malneck
  Stairway To The Stars - Matt Malneck, Mitchell Parrish.
      Performers:
   Laurindo Almeida
   Babe's Blues
   C. Baker
   Blue Oyster Cult
   Bobby Hackett
   Natalie Cole
   John Coltrane
   Ferrante and Teicher Twin Pianos
   Ella Fitzgerald(1939)
   Jan Garber
   Johnny Hartman
   Milt Jackson
   Sammy Kaye Orchestra
   Stan Kenton Orch.
   Barney Kessel
   Henry Mancini
   Mantovani
   Johnny Mathis
   Dave McKenna
   Ray McKinley
   Glenn Miller
   Oscar Peterson
   Pied Pipers
   Martha Raye
   Frank Sinatra
   Starlight Strings
   Sarah Vaughan
   Dinah Washington
   Teddy Wilson
  Swing In b Flat Minor - Jimmy Lytell
  That Kinda Love is Not For Me - Moe Jaffe
  Thunder In My Dreams - Edward Heyman,Phil Napoleon
  Waiting For The Evening While I Dream of You - Mitchell Parrish
  Worryin' The Life Out Of Me - Bob Russell (Singer Bob Russell's name may have been added
        as "payola".)

   Abner Silver
b. Dec. 28, 1899, New York, NY, USA,d. Nov. 24, 1966, New York, NY, USA.
Currently no information available
Overview
This composer gave us 5 decades of fine music, starting with 1921's "I'm Going South"; "Chasing Shadows" in 1925; to 1940's tune "How'de He Look?". He frequently teamed with lyricists Al Sherman and Al Lewis.

1921
For Broadway show 'Bombo', starring Al Jolson,
"I'm Going South", with composer Harry Woods.
1925 "Chasing Shadows"
1927 "Barbara" with Billy Rose Lyric.
1928 "Mary Ann", music by Silver, lyric by Benny Davis.
1929 "Bashful Baby", collaborated with Cliff Friend
1929 "Good Morning, Good Evening, Good Night", collaborated with Al Lewis and with Al Sherman.
1932 "Please Mr. Hemingway", collab with Walter Kent; Milton Drake.
1935 "Every Now and Then", Al Sherman and Al Lewis lyrics
1934 "The Santa Claus Express", with Al Sherman and Al Lewis.
1940 "How'de He Look"

   Louis Silvers
b. Sept. 6, 1889, New York, New York, USA, d. March 26, 1954, Hollywood, California, USA. (heart ailment)
Often credited As:Lou Silvers
Currently no information available. Toured the vaudeville circuit with lyricist Arthur Freed, one of their big hits was:"April Showers".Silvers also scored the first talking picture, "The Jazz Singer" (1927), and later was the music director for "Lux Radio Theater" for most of its long run.

   Howard Simon
Currently no information available on this composer.
ca. 1924 "Gonna Get A Girl", with lyric by Al Lewis.

   Moises Simons
Currently no information available.
In the early 1930's, a number of this Cuban composer's songs became hits in the U.S.A.Among them were:
"The Peanut Vendor".
Herbert E. Marks, son of music publisher Edward B. Marks, heard this melody while on his honeymoon in Cuba. He brought it back to the U.S., where L. Wolfe Gilbert worked up an American lyric in collaboration with Marion Sunshine, the wife of Cuban bandleader Don Azpiazu.
"Marta". Arthur Tracy, 'The Street Singer', used this tune as the opening and closing theme of his popular radio program.

   Seymour Simons
b. Jan. 14, 1896, Detroit MI, d. Feb. 12, 1949 Detroit, MI
Currently no information available.
Overview
Simons was active from the 'teens through the 1930's. Among his songs are:
"All of Me", with Gerald Marks music.
"Sweetheart of My Student Days", written with Gus Kahn.

   Noble Sissle
b. July 10, 1889, Indianapolis, IN, USA.d. Dec. 17, 1975
See Also entry for Eubie Blake
Currently no further information available.
Overview
Born 1889. In 1915, he and Eubie Blake got together and formed a band. They worked together until 1928, when Sissle formed his own Band, although remaining very friendly with Eubie and continued to work with him from time to time. Sissle led bands into the 1950's.He died in 1975.

   Hal Shaper
b:Muizenberg, South Africa
Lyricist, Publisher, writer
Here's a photo of Ha Shaper, who was originally trained to be a lawyer, but early on pursued a dream of being a songwriter. Shaper emigrated to London, England where he would fulfill that dream. Ten years after arriving, he formed his own firm, Sparta Music Publishing Company

In 1959, Hal received the prestigious Ivor Novello Award and a number of his tunes were recorded a great many stars including Ronnie Hilton, Mario Lanza, Diana Dors, Petula Clark, Cilia Black, Bobby Rydell, Joan Regan, Malcolm Vaughan, Bryan Johnston, and The Brook Brothers. It was the 1962 tune "Softly As I Leave You" (vocalist Matt Monroe hit) that brought Shaper wide fame. He had added the English lyric to an Italian melody. Since then his tunes have been been sung by such superstars Bing Crosby, Barbra Streisand, Jack Jones, Vikki Carr, Astrud Gilberto, Paul Anka, Elaine Paige and Dusty Springfield.

Among his works are: "Softly..." (His biggest hit.Recorded by Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey, Elvis Presley, Lena Home, Bobby Darin, Howard Keel and others. The royalty checks from this song allowed Hal to form Sparta.)
   "Aranjuez Mon Amour" (The Adagio Movement Of The Concerto De Aranjuez)
   "Paris Was Made For Lovers"
   "Tell Her You Love Her"
   "The Way A Woman Loves"
   "C'est Ton Nom"
   "Canary Twist"
   "Eye Cues"
   "In the Arms of My Love"
   "My Friend the Sea" (a hit for Petula Clark and Nana Mouskouri)
   "It's Great To Be Single"
   "There Goes My Lover"
   "Tell Her You Love Her"
   "The Mysterious People"
   "El Bimbo" (1975 disco tune)
And, perhaps 50 or 60 others.

Shaper has contributed to a great many films, including:
"The Penthouse" (1967. He was lyricist for the song "World Full Of Lonely Men")
"Don't Raise The Bridge - Lower The River" (1967 - Lyricist for title song)
"Sebastian"(1968 - lyricist)
"Nice Girl Like Me" (1969 - lyricist for the Title song.)
"Summer Night Fever" (1978)
"Papillon", (theme song "Free As The Wind" was hit for both Andy Williams and Engelbert
     Humperdinck.)
"From Denver To L.A." (Elton John recorded it.)
"First Blood" starring Sylvester Stallone's

   Mercedes Simone
b: April 21, 1904, Villa Elisa (nr. La Plata), Argentina d: Oct. 2, 1990, d: Bs As, Argentina
Singer, Lyricist, Composer.
Overview
Mercedes Simone, was an authentic symbol of the Tango in the 1920s. Together with such other ladies as Ada Falcon, Rosita Quiroga, Azuzena Maizani, and Libertad Lamarque, she was an integral part of the 'Golden Age' of the Argentine Tango. Perhaps it was her mezzo-soprano register, slow rhythm and perfect diction perhaps that set her apart asthe most universal feminine Tango vocalist, and earned her the title "La Dama del Tango". Simone composed the Tangos "Oiga Agente", "Inocencia", and "Zapatos Blancos", and wrote both the lyrics and music for the Tangos "Cantando", "Incertidumbre" and "Tu Llegada", among others.

At age 6 years, she was singing in her school choir. In her teenage years, she found work as a dressmaker's assistant, and in a bookbinder's workshop, where she met and married one of the other workers, Pablo Rodriguez. Pablo was a guitarist/singer who toured the province on his weekends to make a little extra money. In 1925, the duo made their first public appearance in the southern town of Bahia Blanca at the Los Dos Chinos Salon de Te (The Two Chinamen Tea Room). Here's another photo of Mercedes, in those days. They later played at the Odeon Theater. Alfredo Pelaia, one half of the very popular radio performing duo of Pelaia-ltalo, heard them, and convinced Pablo that Mercedes could become a star. Pablo agreed and assumed the roles of agent, secretary and guitarist, for Mercedes, who now became a soloist in her own right.

In 1927, she joined the Julio F. Escobar vaudeville troupe, andmade her Buenos Aires debut at the Opera Theater. Soon, other impresarios were calling her to perform, and she found work in various Buenos Aires venues, and such theaters as the Maipo, the Florida, the Porteo and the Hindu, --always accompanied by two guitarists: husband Pablo, and Reinaldo Baudino. Also in 1927, she found work in the studios of Radio Nacional (later called Radio Belgrano) remaining there for six years. On December 15, 1927,encouraged by the celebrated singer Rosita Quiroga, she made her first recording (for the Victor label) with the Tangos "Estampa Rea" and "El Morito",-still accompanied by the two guitars.

Simone was also seen acting (and singing "Cantando", -her own composition) in the 1933 film "Tango" (the first "Talking Picture" in Argentina), and in the 1935 films "Sombras Portenas", and "La Vuelta de Rocha". During her long career, Simone recorded over 240 songs for several companies including Victor, Odeon, Sonolux (from Colombia), TK and "H and R". Such later recordings as "Celosa" "La Pollita", "Inocencia", "La Florista" and others, brought her fame across all of Latin-America, and she was particularly popular in Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Chile and Brazil.

Among her best recordings are:
   1932 "La Marcha Nupcial" and "Milonga Sentimental"
   1933 "La ultima Cita", "Mia", and "Cuatro Plabras"
   1934 "Esta Noche me Disfrazo" and "Esquinas porteas"
   1936 "Ser Una Noche" and the waltz "Nufrago"
   1937 "Milonga Triste"
   1938 "Abandono", "Caricias", "Carnaval de mi Barrio", "Vieja Amiga", "Media Vida"
   1942 "Claudinette"
   1943 "Barrio de Tango" and "Garua"
   1944 "Cada Da te Extrao Ms", "Verdemar", "Motivo Sentimental" and "Otra Noche".

Among her recordings and radio broadcasts, Simone had been accompanied by members of the Orquesta Tipica Victor, the Trio Tipico (directed bySebastián Piana), and the Juan Carlos Cambón, Cristóbal Herrero( in Colombia), Emilio Brameri, Francisco Lomuto and Adolfo Carabelli orchestras.

   Gladys Shelley
Lyricist Gladys Shelley was married to Irving Rosenthal, who owned The Palisades Amusement Park, a New York City area pool and theme park (just across the Hudson River in the neighboring state of New Jersey). Gladys wrote the Park's theme song "Come On Over" (Steve Clayton sang it),which was heard on all the Park's radio advertisements.

Among the tunes for which she contributed lyrics are:
   "There Shall Be No Night", written early on her career, and recorded by Duke Ellington with Herb Jeffries.
1936
   "Tappin' The Time", music byFred Astaire.
   "Rise and Shine", music by Fred Astaire.
1938
   "Pavane", with music by Morton Gould.
1940
Perhaps her best known song was "How Did He Look (and did he ask about me" (music by Abner Silver). The biggest hit version of the tune was that sung by Joan Merrill.Later, singer Eydie Gorme also had a hit release. Still other 1940 tunes by Gladys include:
   "I Wonder Who My Mother Is?"
   "For a little while", composed with Buddy Greco.
   "Sing Me A Tune"
   "All I Want",(written with Steve Clayton). Frank Sinatra sang it.
   "There Shall Be No Night"(Gladys Shelley- Abner Silver tune.)
   "Sweet Sorrow", music: Fred Astaire. Rec'd: Buddy Bregman Orch, 30 March 1956
   "Just Like Taking Candy From A Baby", m: Fred Astaire. Rec'd: Benny Goodman
   "Sunnin' In The Summer Sun", music was by Irving Gellers and Otis Spencer. for 'The Palisades Amusement Park 1940 Revue'

1941
   "A Merry American Christmas".Words & Music by Gladys Shelley and Ruth Cleary. Bing Crosby sang it.

   "My World Is You",(sung by Toni Arden)
   "I Wonder Who My Child Is",(Don Dellair recorded it)
   "The Feeling Doesn't Go Away", later sung by Kay Starr.
1944
   "Powder Blue", (with Paul McGrane, Harry Moss - 1944) Vincent Lopez Orch.
1946 The Broadway Musical The Duchess Misbehaves,with music by Dr. Frank Black; had book and lyrics by Gladys Shelley; (additional dialogue by Joe Bigelow)The show opened on Feb. 13, 1946 and closed on Feb. 16, 1946, after three performances.

1947
       "Engagement Waltz", -Shelley with Gus Kahn.(Based on Brahms' Waltz In A-flat)
1949
   "Amusement Park Waltz", (Gladys Shelley)
   "Get It Right", written by Gladys Shelley
1953
   "A Little Lie", (Gladys Shelley)
1955
   "Experience Unnecessary", (Shelley, Whitman, Peretti & Creatore.)
1956
   "Lovely Melody", music by Fred Astaire.
1961
   "Little Miss America", composed for the popular "Little Miss America" pageants. The conest was started in 1961 and was open to girls between the ages of five and ten.
1964 "Leave It To The Girls", (vocalist 'Hildegard' sang it). Gladys composed this tune for Senator Margaret Chase Smith's 1964 Presidential campaign.

1965
       "Clown Town" (sung by Shirley Bassey) achieved some popularity.

Her last song was "Dancing Again". The lyric told of a widow, who after her grief, pulls herself together and rediscovers sex.This song was also recorded by Joan Merrill who previously had a hit with "How Did He Look" (and who was also widowed).