Unheard recordings of Bob Bain and friends
January 26, 2024 is the centenary of Bob's birth, and for our final podcast we'll take one last walk with him. No playlist could possibly capture the fullness of his career or his life and character, but here in less than an hour we'll hear both familiar and little-known highlights of his life in music and be reminded once again of his artistry, sophistication, taste, and humor. Listen not as background music, but rather to reflect upon the meaning and impact of Bob on each of us and our culture. Amour, Bob--you'll always belong to our hearts…
Here from 1962 is an early instance of the wonderful Clark Family Christmas Eve parties. Bob and Judi were in attendance and may or may not be audible, but what is audible is the youthful exuberance of the cousins and good cheer of all. Our emcee, Uncle Derf, is by turns funny, kind, and long-suffering. Christmas is for children, and surely every cousin had a happy Christmas...
Let's celebrate Bob's birthday this year by listening to some beautiful music he made with his dear friend Nelson Riddle. The pair met as young bucks on the stand with Tommy Dorsey, and were lifelong friends through the many ups and downs of their personal and professional lives.
In a box marked "Ann Terry's Xmas Taping" without date, titles or any other identification, we find this holiday greeting for us in 2022: four tunes sung by pros that Bob undoubtedly knew and worked with at very least. Though we may not know all of their names (or who wrote the charts), their cheer and conviviality is as apparent as their skills. A very merry Christmas to you wherever you may be this season, and may this be a reminder of finer things...
Today, April 28, is Ann Clark Terry's birthday! We celebrate our favorite lead singer with just a few examples of how she and Bob combined talents to create exceptional music.
Tommy Todd was a brilliant musician who loomed large in Bob's early career, but sadly little record remains of his inventive and unconventional approach to music. Here are some very rare recordings Bob made with him back in the day.
January 26 is Bob's birthday--and he shares it with legendary trombonist Dick Nash. Here's a toast to them both, with music that featured them both by Henry Mancini.
Wally Brady, ersatz music executive and perennial publishing also-ran, was active in the 1950's and 1960's in a series of joint ventures and acquisitions. Pooling dollars and pounds from backers, he sponsored a series of singles and LPs, forever in search of that one big hit. Utilizing the time honored trick of claiming 50% of the composing and running all the music publishing through his own company (Blackhawk Music), Brady sponsored a few recording sessions with Bob at the helm. Released on Brady's own Montclare Records, the black text-only cover proclaimed "Guitars A La Mod" "Montclare Records Presents 12 Original Instrumentals 12", with the song titles listed beneath (and the same thing on both sides of the jacket!). With no documentation available, it's speculation as to when the sides were recorded, or who the musicians are. Bob only confessed under duress that this commercial attempt was in fact he and his friends "fooling around" in a studio. If we presume these are the same players as heard on Bob's King Jordan "The Phantom Guitar" record (a leap of faith), it would be Plas Johnson on tenor, Paul Smith and/or Don Trenner on organ and piano, Joe Mondragon on bass, Frank Flynn on drums and percussion, and Bob driving the rhythm and detuning when the mood struck. King Jordan rides again!
Submitted without voiceover, here is yet another insight into Bob Bain's life. Today's podcast is a recording made by Bob at his home in 1965 for one of the epic Clark Family Christmas Eve parties. This cherished memory starts with Bob accompanying the Bain and Henderson kids on his composition “Relatives”, then Aunt Jean leads the Friley, Terry, Branson and Schwartz kids through “Frosted Windowpanes”, “Nan's Carol” (sung to the tune of Girl From Ipanema), and the legendary “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” (the Ting-A-Ling song). The recording paused, then picked up midway through the Clark Sisters incomparable version of “The Christmas Song” (regrettably, a noisy mic cable distracts here, but the performance is worth listening past that) and “Winter Wonderland”. Then we hear Pop Clark and Aunt Marguerite perform “Second Hand Rose” and “When It's Circus Day Back Home”. Note Pop's spot-on Fanny Brice accent, how cleverly he adapted the lyric gender, and his circus rap—pretty hip for a guy from North Dakota. Marguerite's chops as accompanist are first rate. The music extravaganza continues with Pop and Mom Terry in the remarkably anti-war song “Not Me” and Pop runs through a couple of risqué jokes that would've played very well in vaudeville. These are the voices and songs of people now in the past, presented here for us to remember.
Found in Bob's personal LP collection, this singular recording reprises the style of the radio show: girl singer with Bob, Jud De Naut on bass, and (in this case) Don Beamsley on piano and tack piano. Though an accomplished and busy club singer, our research found this recording and no others available, making this a rare touchstone to an era of torchy chanteuses. The liner notes mention "clever special material written exclusively for her" which must mean Jud's two tunes were written with her in mind. Bob's copy was signed on the back by everyone: "To Bob-With deep appreciation for your wonderful efforts for us. Love, June", and "For Robert [struck through] Furnace Furniss Bain. Frankly, I'm a little bored with the big reputation you have built for yourself in music. Actually to me you are nothing but a run of the mill genius. XXX Jud" and finally "Me Too. Don". Clearly they had a good time making this record. There were a pair of Gourmet Restaurants, in Hollywood and in Beverly Hills, and the owners took a gamble and opened a third restaurant adjacent to Disneyland as part of the Disneyland Hotel complex in 1956. June Rudell had a long engagement in the lounge (which sat 650), and so this recording may reflect her many solid hours of dates there. Gourmet lovers rejoice!
Cy Coleman wrote a great score for this big studio picture, and for the album soundtrack, Bob plays and orchestrates.
In 2020, these are troubled times. It has not been a good year (yet). Offered here as a ray of light are some of Bob's recordings with his friends Eddie Carver and Frank Flynn. They're a postcard from a different time, an era when optimism was not foolhardy. These musicians were not naive by any means, but with their skills they were able to craft recordings that called upon the better angels of our nature. From our jaded perspective, these tunes may seem... hokey, kitschy, even zany. Let go of your ultra-hipness and allow your inner innocence to smile and laugh with these fun sessions from The Players!
Here we go with Season Three, our chance to hear a whole variety of recordings that Bob was involved in. Here he is as jazz sideman for three tracks recorded in 1978. A whole lotta fun with some old friends...
Here's a radio transcription for which we know nothing at all, save what we hear. The disk had lost its label, and with it went the hope of knowing where it fell in the chronology of the show. It's the longer nearly fifteen minute format, and Bob used "Lady Be Good" as both the intro and outro (not very long into the series, he went with "Sweet Georgia Brown" for the intro), so potentially it's early in the scheme of things. Let's table that for now, and check it out: Bob leading the quartet, with Ray Sherman playing piano, Jud De Naut on bass, and Nick Fatool on drums. First up "The Continental", followed by our old friend Margo Powers to sing "Tico Tico". Back to the quartet for the instrumental combo of "All The Things You Are" with "Someone To Watch Over Me". Margo comes back to croon the sweet tune "Sposin'", with a great solo by Bob. The quartet closes the set out with "Anitra's Boogie". Bob's holiday bonus for us all!
Presented here as another bonus episode is one of the very earliest of the transcriptions. Time was not kind to the disk, and indeed it is a scratchy, tough listen (almost so tough we didn't release it). Brace yourself though, and listen past the poor quality to hear "The Bob Bain Trio" (!). It's Bob on guitar and vocals, with Sheldon Smith on piano and Jimmie Stutz on bass. We get to hear Bob's interpolation of "Lady Be Good" as an intro, and for the first and only time, the announcer tells us the title. Next up, Cole Porter's immortal "Night And Day". That's followed by a popular tune of the time, "Managua Nicaragua" which had been recorded by Freddy Martin, Guy Lombardo, and Kay Kaiser. "The Anniversary Song" follows, with yet another of Bob's clever arrangements. Then, "a hillbilly tune" with Bob singing "That's How Much I Love You". The trio brings it home and really shines on a bop blues tune, "Mop Mop". "Velvet melody" indeed, with apologies for the Oxnard grit...
This is the last of our regular dated air checks, but we are going out with a bang. Not only did this transcription disk yield the show, but on the other side of the disk was a great surprise! Side One presents our broadcast, starting off with the "Sweet Georgia Brown" intro. Bob, Ray Sherman on piano, Jud De Naut on bass, and Frank Flynn on drums and percussion make up our quartet, who give us another listen to "Anitra's Boogie" (also heard on Season 1 episode 8). Then, Ruth Martin is introduced to sing "You're Breaking My Heart". The quartet comes back with the Rodgers and Hart classic "Lover", which begins sedately but then doubles up and showcases Frank Flynn's amazing work on vibes. Ruth Martin comes back once more for "Just One Of Those Things" (compare to Season 2 episodes 5 & 13) before the quartet saunters off with "Lady Be Good". But wait, there's more... Lost to history is how or why Bob got to record the band rehearsing this very show, but indeed this one transcription disk had been cut on both sides. We hear a different voice standing in for the announcer (perhaps an engineer in a booth?) off-mic, but Bob, Ruth, and the guys are all very clear, if not slightly looser than during the broadcast. Here and there the booth voice speaks to the band, in the middle of a performance, and the band talks to one another as well. A sharp ear may detect the clinking of a glass (it may be nothing more than Ruth's glass of water...). A rare chance to hear Bob and the band informally!
Season Two is winding down for us, but Bob and the band just keep getting better. Ray Sherman really anchors things melodically on piano, Jud De Naut provides the steady bass, and Frank Flynn shows just how many percussive sounds one man can make. Our "Sweet Georgia Brown" theme is followed by a tune we've heard many times before, but "Brazil" here sounds as fresh and lively as ever. Ruth Martin, our song star for the duration, sings a lovely version of "I Can Dream, Can't I" with Frank providing a glowing accompaniment on vibraphone. The next tune is Bob's original be-bop riff, "Ooh Bop Shbam". So great to hear Bob's vocal, and listen to how tight he and Ray are! Ruth comes back for a great rendition of "Gypsy In My Soul", a tune Bob had recorded with André Previn months earlier. Another great show closes out with Bob's seductive version of "Lady Be Good".
It's lost to time what transpired between May and September of 1949 for Bob-but we can surmise he wasn't just camped out in the NBC parking lot. Record and movie dates were coming with greater frequency, and Bob's keen ears and deft touch made him very much in demand in Hollywood. When the third Monday in September finally allowed him time for another ten-minute broadcast, his ease and facility were sharper than ever. Another mystery from this date, though, is where did Margo Powers depart to: for the rest of the series, Ruth Martin takes over as "girl singer". After our customary "Sweet Georgia Brown" intro, the band revisits "Coca Roca", then Hal and Ruth introduce a new song from a contemporary Disney movie: "Katrina". With music by Don Raye and lyrics by Gene De Paul, this was sung by Bing Crosby with Jud Conlon and his Rhythmaires in the animated film The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Following this lovely tune is Frank Flynn's tour de force: "I Know That You Know". Ruth closes the set with "Where Are You When I Need You", before the quartet walks out with Bob's inversion of "Lady Be Good". Great radio!
The last of the existent consecutive radio shows for our perusal brings our familiar quartet (albeit in an also familiar truncated ten minute version): Bob, Jud De Naut on bass, Ray Sherman on piano and organ, and Ralph Collier on drums and percussion. Our "Sweet Georgia Brown" theme is followed the guys romping through "Hot Canary", with Jud playing arco bass for extra tone. John Storm introduces Margo Powers' sensitive second pass at "When Is Sometime" (with Ray switching over to organ and Ralph starting out on vibes before going back to the kit), then we get to hear Bob's spoken intro of Ray's "strictly moonlight arrangement" on Star Eyes (Ray's back to piano, but Ralph works the bongos and drums to great effect). Margo comes back to wrap our set with "Old Devil Moon" (Ralph switches back and forth effortlessly once again). Our "Lady Be Good" walkoff sounds extra soulful this week. Bob's collection of transcriptions has a gap following this show, the next air check is from September of '49. Likely his career was taking off and studio work proved more tempting than that ten-minute air slot. We'll hear the rest, plus other radio shows Bob was a part of, and sample recordings he made as both leader and featured sideman. Stay tuned!
"We're on the air!" says an anonymous voice right at the top, and so we are, once again. Bob took a couple of weeks off-recording in Les Paul's living room for one thing (more on that later!)-but he's back on his regular broadcast for at least a couple of weeks. We get a new announcer (John Storm?) but Bob, Ray Sherman, Ralph Collier, and Jud De Naut return once again, starting off with "Sweet Georgia Brown" and then into a samba, "Tymbales" with Ralph's propulsive percussion killing it on congas. Dear Margo Powers returns once again and this time sings a lovely new ballad, "Again", with Ray doubling on organ. The quartet plays the bop version of "Honeysuckle Rose" (and listen to Ralph on vibes!). Margo comes back for "A Wonderful Guy" (Ray back to the organ) to close out our ten minute piece of beauty. Soon Bob's career takes off and he will leave the comfy confines of the radio studio behind, but don't worry: we'll have a whole new season's worth of rare recordings, outtakes, acetates, and guest appearances. Stay tuned!
Well, Bob had a busy weekend (see the previous two episodes), but now, Monday night is here again and we're back to the shorter, ten minute segment on air. The guys from Saturday's gig are back (Ray Sherman on piano, Ralph Collier on drums, and Judy De Naut on bass), but tonight we get yet another staff announcer to make like funny with the gags and sidling up to Margo (this time it's Hal Gibney). Our format is familiar, and in fact all of the tunes had been played on air before, but without question, Bob's enthusiasm brings fresh perspective, and solos, to each. First off, after our "Sweet Georgia Brown" intro, the quartet plays "Coca Roca". Margo comes in and sings "Who Wouldn't Love You". We get to hear Bob's voice again, introducing "Perdido". Margo returns for "Always True To You" before the quartet saunters out on Bob's interpolation of "Lady Be Good". Short but indeed sweet!
The second of our two back-to-back expanded nights brings a new announcer, and our regular bass player: the voice introduces himself as “Archibald Cresby”. This may or may not be for real, but Bob Bain on guitar, Ray Sherman on piano, Ralph Collier playing drums, and Jud De Naut (once again getting his name mangled!) on bass are all very much the real deal. After the “Sweet Georgia Brown” intro, the quartet swings through “The Continental”, then Margo chimes in to sing “Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe”. Bob introduces Ray's arrangement of “Star Eyes” (with some great changes behind Bob's brilliant soloing). “Always True To You” is a good vehicle for Margo, and “Tenderly” the perfect showcase for the quartet's sensitivities. Margo returns with a brand new ballad called “My Ginny”. The quartet plays the moody “Miserlou” (with Ralph playing some very cool bongos). Margo brightens the mood with “Walkin' My Baby Back Home”, then the quartet races for home with Bob's great arrangement of the Mozart theme, renamed “Turkish Boogie”, a flag waver and perfect closer for our extended live radio date!
Imagine the call from the brass at NBC: “Bobby, you've been bouncing around on Monday and Tuesday Night, but we need you for next Friday and Saturday night-and we'll give you a half hour”. Well, that may not have been the way it went down, but indeed for reasons unknown, Bob's show did indeed get those coveted April nights, and was in fact bulked out to almost 25 minutes. Here's the Friday night show: Bob leading the quartet, with Ralph Collier on drums and percussion, redoubtable Ray Sherman on keyboards, and the new kid: Irving Eddy on bass. Who is Irving Eddy? He's good enough to sub for Jud De Naut for the evening (Jud will be back tomorrow night). So after our “Sweet Georgia Brown” intro, the guys play “Hot Canary”, written by Paul Nero and often used to show off chops whether on violin, trumpet, or right here on guitar. Bob keeps this canary as cool as can be. Next up, song star Margo Powers sings “At Long Last Love”, then the quartet (with Ray on organ) walks through “April In Paris”. After that, from South Pacific it's “Wonderful Guy”. Bob introduces two new tunes: “Need You” and “Butterfingers”. Margo returns with “Dreamer With A Penny”, then it's Bob's original tune “A Gal In Malibu”. Margo's final tune is “Fine And Dandy” before the quartet blazes through a bravura performance of “'S Wonderful”. 'S Wonderful to have Bob on the air for twenty-five minutes!
“Music in a style just a little bit different”: that's a nice summarization of today's episode, which starts with Bob playing his paraphrased “Lady Be Good” as intro. Ray Sherman eschews his standard piano to play primarily organ for the date. Ralph Collier and Jud De Naut hold forth on drums and bass. The quartet plays a great version of the standard “Fine and Dandy”, then song star Margo Powers lilts her way through “Dreamer With A Penny”. It's fun to hear Ray underscore Eddie's copy, introducing “Zeguener”. Margo returns (with Bob's encouragement) for “Just One Of Those Things”, and we hear Bob's great ability to both accompany and solo. Ray jumps over to the piano, that's a double! The quartet plays “Cumana” again, with Ray on both keyboards and Ralph displaying incredible virtuosity as well. Picanté!
Here we have another slightly abridged show, clocking in at ten minutes instead of fifteen, but Bob manages to cast a wide musical net nevertheless. After the "Sweet Georgia Brown" intro, the quartet (Bob, Ray Sherman on piano, Jud De Naut on bass, and Ralph Collier on drums and percussion) romps through a very picante "Coca Roca". Check out Ralph Collier's hot bongo work! Our song star Margo Powers calms things down with the rather nebulously titled "When Is Sometime", yet another example of Bob choosing contemporary tunes for his show. In this case, none other than Frank Sinatra had recorded this the same year of 1949 (but didn't make the charts with it). The next tune is again a cover-this time of Dizzy Gillespie's "Dynamo", which was the first release on Dial Records in 1946. Bob's bop chops are not to be missed. Finally, from 1947's Finian's Rainbow, it's the Lane/Harburg classic "Old Devil Moon", beautifully arranged by Bob. We end our very full ten minutes with Bob's interpolation of "Lady Be Good".
Lost to time is the reason why Bob's show went on hiatus for a month, and why it had been cut down to ten minutes instead of fifteen. But here for all time is yet one more example of young Bob and his quartet making great music, live, for broadcast. Despite the vagaries of the industry, Bob, Ray Sherman (piano), Jud De Naut (bass) and Ralph Collier (drums and percussion) held the bar high yet again in March of '49. After our "Sweet Georgia Brown" standard intro (with Bob's witty recovery at the end), the guys give a energetic rendition of "Crazy Rhythm", a tune that remained in Bob's repertoire for fifty years (we last heard it in Season 2 Episode 9). Dependable song star Margo Powers follows that with her mellow version of "Who Wouldn't Love You". The quartet debuts a Bob Bain original: "The Gal In Malibu" (we're just one Johnny Mercer lyric away from a classic). Margo returns for a confederate anthem "Dear Old Southland" (also heard in Season 2 Episode 9), before we wrap things up short and sweet with "Lady Be Good".
Ah yes, there must've been something special happening on the network on this Monday the 21st, because the show was reduced from the usual fifteen minutes down to ten. Nevertheless, our trusty quartet (Bob, Ray Sherman on piano, Jud De Naut on bass, and Ralph Collier on drums and percussion) manages to pack a full show of entertainment. Our "Sweet Georgia Brown" intro is followed by "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm", which the quartet performed less than a month before (Season 2 Episode 7). Our new announcer, John Storm, brings in song star Margo Powers for "I See Your Face Before Me", a tune that was Nelson Riddle's first arranging assignment eleven years prior. Bob and Margo team up for the tune they'd sung two weeks before (Season 2 Episode 8), "You Was". The quartet races for home with a familiar melody that Bob gave new life to (and hilariously credits the original composer): "Turkish Boogie" which is titled "Turkish March" in its original incarnation. It's a showcase for both Bob and Ray Sherman's chops-Wolfgang Amadeus never heard it so good!
Valentine's Day of 1949 brings us yet another confection, as Bob, Ray Sherman (piano), Jud De Naut (bass), and Ralph Collier (drums) perform both old standards and contemporary hits. After the "Sweet Georgia Brown" intro (and a Frank Barton lecture), the quartet launches into a song Tex Beneke would have success with, "Look Up". Then, song star Margo Powers steps to the mic for her rendition of "Far Away Places", a popular tune that in 1949 would have no less than four different performances on the air: Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, Margaret Whiting, and Perry Como all hit the charts with it. The quartet then smolders once again for "Misirlou" (they'd done it back in January on Episode 4). Margo returns for a tune from the '20's, "Dear Old Southland" before Bob and the guys close out with "Crazy Rhythm". This particular transcription has a little more fuzz, but listen past that and enjoy this Valentine's treat!
February of 1949 gets underway with our regular cast of characters: Bob on guitar, Ray Sherman at the piano, Jud De Naut on bass, and Ralph Collier on drums and percussion. "Sweet Georgia Brown" gets the Frank Barton voice over, and leads us into "Cumana". Bob summons a genie from a lamp (at what a cost!), and Margo Powers appears to sing "But Not For Me". The quartet then performs the Ellington classic "Just Squeeze Me", right in Bob's pocket. Margo comes back, but this time for a duet with Bob: a fun novelty number called "You Was". This is yet another example of Bob cherry-picking a contemporaneous hit to do on his show: in this case, the number had just been performed for Capitol Records by Dean Martin and Peggy Lee. So great to hear Bob smoothly croon like the best of 'em! The quartet closes out the show with the Cole Porter classic "What Is This Thing Called Love" before strolling out on "Lady Be Good". Who was so lucky to hear this? We was!
It's already the end of January, 1949. Frank Barton is back with some more shtick, and our steady foursome too: Bob, Ralph Collier on drums, Jud De Naut on bass, and Ray Sherman at the piano. The guys feel particularly in sync on tonight's show, right from the start of "Sweet Georgia Brown". Back on January 10, Los Angeles got a half inch of snow (the valley almost a foot!) in what remains an epic weather event in city history. Perhaps that provided inspiration for Bob to broadcast "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm", the Irving Berlin standard. Margo Powers steps in and si hable "Frenesi" very nicely. Bob cues in the guys for "Tenderly", in the original 3/4 time and Ralph doubling on vibes, before Margo returns once again for "This Can't Be Love". The quartet wraps the month with a very picante pass at "Dark Eyes", before walking out once again to "Lady Be Good".
Harry Truman's second term inauguration took place on January 20, and was the first televised presidential inauguration. Bob and the guys (Ralph Collier, Ray Sherman, and Jud De Naut) missed out on the gala this time around, but here they are with Margo Powers once again in tow. After the "Sweet Georgia Brown" intro, Frank Barton makes with the goofy copy and intros "Quanto Le Gusta". Bob gets in on the dialogue fun as well, then Margo croons her way through "At Long Last Love". The quartet (with Ralph Collier playing vibes) play the classic "Tenderly", then Margo returns for "Once In Love With Amy", yet another example of Bob picking up on a recent hit (Where's Charley was a big Broadway hit that debuted in October of 1948). The quartet wraps the post-inaugural gala with Juan Tizol's Ellington hit "Perdido".
The new year is already a few weeks old, and the guys are into a good groove: Bob, Ralph Collier on drums, Jud De Naut playing bass and Ray Sherman on piano. After our "Sweet Georgia Brown" intro, we hear all four guy's voices at one point or another, Bob's scripted reminiscence about Margo singing in his living room leads into "My Darling", then the quartet romps through "Brazil". Cole Porter's "Just One Of Those Things" is right up Margo's alley, and the quartet sounds great in the instrumental break, even playing in 3/4 at one point (Bob keeps those arrangements interesting). They close things out with the Ellington standard "Cotton Tail", Bob even quotes the famous Ben Webster lick for us. "Lady Be Good" takes us out for this episode, but stay tuned, we'll be right back in a week!
"Just a little bit different." A different announcer, with a different introduction to the show... but our regular four plus one are on hand: Bob, Ray Sherman on piano, Jud De Naut on bass and Ralph Collier on drums. Our "Sweet Georgia Brown" intro leads into a really hot version of "'S Wonderful", then Margo Powers tenderly croons "I'll Be Seeing You". Another difference as we again hear Bob explain the next track "Miserlou" (Bob refers to the Jan August piano solo version, which had been a hit record just a year or so before). Margo comes back for an old standard "If I Could Be With You". The show wraps up with some great soloing on "C Jam Blues", before and after which our announcer gets a little... different. Every show an adventure!
Happy New Year! Truman hasn't even been inaugurated for his full term yet, but here to make the new year a success are Bob, Ralph Collier, Ray Sherman, and Jud De Naut. After our traditional "Sweet Georgia Brown" intro, the guys ring in the new with a very tight version of "Jack Jack Jack". We get to hear young Bob banter back and forth with announcer Eddie to introduce Margo Powers, who torches up "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe". In Season 1 Episode 3, way back in 1948, we heard the quartet play "Dancing In The Dark/Small Hotel" but this time Bob switches it around, so we have "Small Hotel/Dancing In The Dark". From S1 E18, we hear "The Money Song" and Margo sounds more confident this time around. Just before Christmas (S1 E22) we first heard "Crazy Rhythm" and here Bob and the guys revisit it to great effect. Stick around, it's gonna be a great year!
Here is another possible pilot episode of the Bob Bain Quartet radio show-this one without the K-F sponsorship, and a different drummer (Nick Fatool) from the other bonus. Intriguingly, there are overlaps in song selection-this too has "Brazil" as the quartet opener, and both close with "Hooray For Love" with Margo Powers the featured vocalist. Even some of the announcer dialogue is used from the K-F version. But here, instead of the Kaiser-Frazer jingle, we start and with Bob's take of "Lady Be Good", a familiar theme by now. The documentation for these two bonuses is woefully lacking, but Hooray for the chance to hear this formative version of the Bob Bain Show!
Presented here without much validation is a possible template/pilot episode: this is the Bob Bain quartet (with Roy Harte on the drums, Jud De Naut playing bass and Ray Sherman on piano) with our song star Margo Powers. But, there's no date on the label and though the format is familiar, the sponsorship makes this unusual to be sure. Kaiser-Frazer was a post WWII auto manufacturing venture which was announced in 1945 and went into production sometime in 1946. Our announcer (Tom Murray) gives us a clue when he says that "a few months back, 26 to be exact, Kaiser-Frazer wasn't even in production". Math tells us that would make the air date somewhere in 1948, which is when our regular transcriptions started their run. So, easy does it-this could be the start of something big!
The final broadcast for 1948, just a few days before Christmas, brings the quartet back in top form. Bob, Jud De Naut, Ralph Collier, and Ray Sherman breeze through the Sweet Georgia Brown intro, and then play one of Bob's favorites, "Crazy Rhythm". Song star Margo Powers comes in to schmooze with announcer Eddie King before crooning "My Darling, My Darling". This is yet another instance of Bob seizing on a recent popular tune (Frank Loesser wrote it that year and it was in the charts for both Jo Stafford and Doris Day by the date of the broadcast). The quartet comes back for the instrumental "Bojangles" (they did this back in October, in our Episode 14) before Margo proudly introduces the debut of a new Christmas tune written by Bob: "I Want You For Christmas". Merry Christmas indeed! The quartet wraps the year and puts a bow on it with another of Bob's originals, "Hop The Ditty", before sauntering out of 1948 with "Lady Be Good". See you in the new year, stay tuned! We have a lot of great music ahead!
Ray Sherman returns for good, with Ralph Collier covering drums and percussion, and Jud De Naut the steady man on the bass. After our "Sweet Georgia Brown" intro, the guys salsa their way through "Brazil", then song star Margo Powers gives us our first holiday tune, the classic "The Christmas Song" (note Ray's alternating between celeste and piano). Bob and the guys then serve up an inventive, apt combination of "All The Things You Are" and "Someone To Watch Over Me". Margo comes back for the beautiful "Say It Isn't So" before the guys carry us out with "Blue Room" (Ray previously played it in Episode 13; Tommy Todd in Episode 18). Happy holidays indeed!
From the opening bars of the “Sweet Georgia Brown” intro, we can hear there's a new kid in town on piano: twenty-three year old Hal Schaefer logs his one and only appearance on The Bob Bain Show, holding his own alongside Bob, Jud DeNaut on bass and Ralph Collier playing drums. Schaefer would later go on to fame as arranger and vocal coach for (among others) Marilyn Monroe (and his liaison with her was the cause of an infamous “wrong door raid” perpetrated by Joe DiMaggio and Frank Sinatra). Here he plays mainly by the book and defers to Margo Powers for “Ah But It Happens” and giving Bob ample support on “Frenesi”. His skills as accompanist are plain in “At Long Last Love”, and for the closer “Dark Eyes”, his soloing chops are beyond dispute. Nice work for a sub! Next week Ray Sherman will return for nearly the duration of the show. Nice to hear you, Hal!
Our last episode for November of 1948 is also the last of four broadcasts with the estimable Tommy Todd (joined by Jud De Naut on bass and Ralph Collier on drums). Whether Tommy and Bob knew this was Tommy's last date is a detail lost to history, but the session heard here clearly shows why Bob held him in such high regard. His adventurous nature is evident right off the bat in the “Sweet Georgia Brown” intro. This night we've got a substitute announcer “Hal” (fret not, Eddie will be back next week) who ushers in “The Continental” (we heard Ray Sherman play this in Episode 11). Song star Margo Powers holds the torch in “Maybe You'll Be There” and acquits herself very nicely compared to the previous “NG” broadcast (our bonus of August 21, 1948). Next, a remarkable version of “I'll Remember April”-Bob and Tommy's interplay and Ralph Collier roaming from drums to percussion make this a standout. Margo comes back for “Lullaby Of Broadway”, which yet again shows off the band's dexterous capabilities. The finale is “Cumana” (we've heard it in Episodes 1, 3, and 10), and what a finale it is-Tommy's hypnotic, hyperkinetic solo, Ralph jumping from drums to percussion and back, and Bob's sure-handed, propulsive lead guitar driving this whirling dervish to its conclusion. Our “Lady Be Good” outro is feels like the cool down after a race… The last word on Tommy Todd, from Bob: “Tommy Todd was close to being as good a piano player I have ever worked with. We worked around Hollywood in various nightclubs in late 46 47 and were on the way to greater things when Tommy decided to take another path with Jack Daniels.”
November 22, 1948 brings another session with Bob, Tommy Todd on piano, Jud De Naut on bass, and Ralph Collier on drums. After the “Sweet Georgia Brown” intro, the quartet revisits “Cuanto Le Gusta” (heard in Episode 15), this time at a slightly brighter tempo. Margo Powers takes a pass at “Ah But It Happens” (perhaps her entrance is why Bob noted on the sleeve “No”), with Tommy alternating on celeste and piano to great effect. Just as we heard last week, Bob and one of the guys sing with Margo; this time “Sometimes I'm Happy”. Margo cashes in with “The Money Song” (written that year by Harold Rome for the show “That's The Ticket”, and recorded by Mel Tormé, The Andrews Sisters and Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis). The quartet's finale is another encore: “Blue Room”. Again, a slightly brighter tempo, and we can compare and contrast Tommy Todd's approach to Ray Sherman's (heard in Episode 13), as well as consider Ralph Collier vs. Nick Fatool. Bob and Tommy are clearly having fun on the outtro “Lady Be Good”.
Halfway through November we find Bob teamed up again with Tommy Todd on piano, Ralph Collier on drums, and Jud DeNaut anchoring on bass. Tommy's singular, adroit approach is evident throughout, right from the beginning “Sweet Georgia Brown” and on into “Brazil”, where Ralph plays both drums and maracas. Unctuous announcer Eddie brings in song star Margo Powers to sing “Everybody Loves Somebody”, with Tommy switching over to celeste. Bob and… Jud? Tommy? sing together opposite Margo in “I May Be Wrong” (previously Bob sang on his own in the debut episode). Margo is on her own in “Walkin' My Baby Back Home” (Nat Cole's iconic version was recorded later, in 1951). Tommy alternates on the celeste and piano for “When Dreams Come True”, giving Bob a great stage for his harmonic sensibilities. Engineer's note-the recording engineer for this broadcast ranks near the bottom for his cloth ears. Discerning listeners will wonder why Bob sounds so off-mic at the top, was Margo's mic really hot enough to hear her clearing her throat at the end of “Brazil”, is Bob using (and why are we hearing) a metronome for the last three tracks, why does Bob go off-and-on mic in “When Dreams Come True”. At least he got the NBC chime right! Sound gripes aside, this is fifteen minutes of bliss.
This bonus episode showcases highlights from one of Bob's most treasured recordings: Murray McEachern's Music For Sleepwalkers Only. The complete album is available at CDBaby.com as either a digital download or compact disc. No Bob Bain collection is complete without it, and remember, it makes a great gift for Mom, Dad, grad, and anyone who loves good music! https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/murraymceachern2
We skip along to November 1, 1948-the day before Dewey defeated Truman, and the day that Bob, Jud De Naut (bass), Ralph Collier (drums), and Tommy Todd (piano) first got together on the air. We can hear Todd's unique approach right away on the Sweet Georgia Brown intro. It may be that Tommy could have used one more rehearsal on “Cuanto Le Gusta”, a tune recorded by Carmen Miranda, Bing Crosby, and Jack Smith (with the Clark Sisters). Note how Ralph Collier deftly switches from maracas to brushes, then back to maracas and bongo. Our clever announcer Eddie sidles up to song star Margo Powers before she caresses the Gershwin classic “Someone To Watch Over Me”, with Tommy more than redeeming himself in accompaniment. Bob's bop tune “Hop The Ditty” showcases Todd and Bain's inventiveness and highlights the group's tight co-ordination. The rather more pedestrian “Slow Boat To China” swings well and Margo sounds great. The group closes out the show with “'S Wonderful” and Tommy Todd again displays the skills and promise which Bob saw in him.
The October 18, 1948 broadcast features the familiar lineup of Bob, Ray Sherman on piano, Jud De Naut on bass, and Nick Fatool on drums. They kick things off with a tight version of “Brazil”, then song star Margo Powers comes in for “The Man I Love”, enlivened by Bob's solo. The quartet swings through the Ellington tune “Bojangles”. Margo returns for a paean to shiftlessness written by Joe Venuti and Lee Jarvis: “Ain't Doin' Bad Doin' Nothin'”, but enterprising Bob closes out the date with a virtuosic version of “Dark Eyes”, with his harmonics and Ray Sherman's dexterous piano taking us out on a high note indeed!
Our new announcer, Eddie, cues up the quartet (Bob, Nick Fatool, Ray Sherman, and Jud De Naut) who play a brighter tempo version of “Lady Be Good” as intro. “Blue Room” was written by Rodgers & Hart back in the 1920's, and many versions (the Dorsey Brothers and Benny Goodman, as well as in The Big Sleep) had already been heard. Song star Margo Powers lilts through “Ghost Of A Chance” before the quartet performs Adios, with Nick Fatool playing maracas for variety. Bob sets down his guitar to croon “Love Somebody” with Margo, a stronger version than we heard in podcast Episode 5. The set closes out with the great “Sweet Georgia Brown”, with precise synchronicity between Bob and Ray, and Bob's alternate harmonics!
The show switches to Mondays, and the announcer changes the format slightly as well: "You like music? Then stick around, we have some for you" will be the new line to kick off the show. Bob leads Ray Sherman on piano, Jud De Naut on bass, and Nick Fatool on drums and they start off with "Hair Of Gold, Eyes Of Blue" with a distinctive bop flavor. Our new announcer, "Eddie" gags it up with our old friend Margo Powers before she sings "I Surrender Dear". Bob leads the quartet through an adventuresome arrangement of "Yours", which we heard in Episode 6, and which he would revisit on Latin Love. Margo comes back for "Slow Boat To China" before Bob and the guys close things out with his original bop composition "Hop The Ditty". Mondays never felt so good!
The quartet closes out the month of September with Nick Fatool on the drum set, Jud De Naut playing bass and Ray Sherman at the piano again. The show had originally aired Saturday nights, but this would be the last weekend broadcast and the next show NBC decided to move to Monday. After our Lady Be Good intro, the quartet dances through a version of "The Continental" that Astaire must have loved. Song star Margo Powers is back with a lovely ballad version of "Too Marvelous For Words", then the quartet strides through Bob's remarkable combination of "Easy To Love" blended with "Haunted Heart". Margo shows off her Spanish chops with "You Belong To My Heart" (Latin Love, anyone?) before the quartet wraps the show with an extraordinarily tight pass at "Dark Eyes". Stay tuned!
As the US heads towards the Truman vs Dewey election, Bob's show keeps the country on an even keel. Nick Fatool comes back to man the traps and a couple of the guys duet with Margo to sing "Sometimes I'm Happy". Margo takes over in the second tune with the rather old-fashioned perspective of "A Woman Always Understands" (with beautiful accompaniment by Bob). The quartet energetically revisits "Cumana", then Margo introduces us to a new ballad, titled "For Heaven's Sake". Bob gives this a gentle rhumba backing but ten years later Billie Holiday would sing this to a lush orchestral arrangement on her great album "Lady In Satin". The set closes out with a very hot version of "'S Wonderful". Stick around for the end of the "Lady Be Good" outro to hear Bob's musical wry grin. Engineers note: the balance on this show is definitely improved!
To celebrate Bob's birthday (today!), here are two tracks from his personal rough reference disks of his solo recordings on Capitol. First off from Guitar De Amor, the achingly beautiful Pavane composed by Maurice Ravel as part of his "Mother Goose Suite". Bob's affection for Ravel's music is well known and his tender acoustic performance here is spare and haunting. Then, from Latin Love, the classic Brazilian choro Tico Tico. Recorded by everyone from Charlie Parker to the Berlin Philharmonic, this infectious standard is given the classic Bain treatment-fluid acoustic rhythm with that soaring, unmistakable Telecaster lead. Happy Birthday Bob!
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