Category Archives: Music

Matt Weinstock — January 12, 1959

Posted on January 12, 2009 by lmharnisch

Taxing Times A young lady singer is very angry at the Internal Revenue Service. Her federal income tax last year came to around $380. She had paid all but about $70. Christmas week the revenuers attached the amount from her … Continue reading →

Posted in classical music, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Matt Weinstock, Music | Comments Off on Matt Weinstock — January 12, 1959

Demonstators protest arrival of Soviet leader; Dodger turns to acting, January 11, 1959

Posted on January 11, 2009 by lmharnisch

Soviet Deputy Prime Minister Mikoyan provokes demonstrations in San Francisco en route to his visit to Los Angeles. Recall that Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev will come to Los Angeles later in the year. And a federal court strikes down a … Continue reading →

Posted in #Jazz, broadcasting, Dodgers, Downtown, Front Pages, Hollywood, Music, Television | 1 Comment

‘Hair’ cast kicked out of Mexico; Stars lost in darkness, January 9, 1969

Posted on January 9, 2009 by lmharnisch

The ABA and LA should have been a good fit. The game was wide open, with lots of dunks and three-pointers. The team even had a perfect name for the town–the Stars. Definitely a better match than the previous season … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Sports, Stage | Comments Off on ‘Hair’ cast kicked out of Mexico; Stars lost in darkness, January 9, 1969

Stocks suffer worst day in 19 months; Rams rehire Allen, January 7, 1969

Posted on January 7, 2009 by lmharnisch

A 15-point drop in the Dow is Page 1 news in 1969. I wonder what they would think of today’s economic meltdown. Today in Baby Boomer nostalgia: Gordon Lightfoot makes his debut in Los Angeles. It took the Rams 12 … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Columnists, Current Affairs, Front Pages, Music, Politics, Sports | 1 Comment

Voices — Freddie Hubbard, 1938 – 2008

Posted on December 29, 2008 by lmharnisch

Freddie Hubbard tells Leonard Feather: "I’ve worked very hard to get as far as I have. I think the turning point came when I toured in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in the early ’60s. Art spotlighted all his soloists, gave … Continue reading →

Posted in #Jazz, Music, Obituaries | 7 Comments

Found on EBay — Williams and Walker

Posted on December 28, 2008 by lmharnisch

Sheet music of "I May Be Crazy but I Ain’t No Fool," by Alex Rogers, sung by Bert Williams. Listed on EBay starting at $25.

Posted in Music, Stage | Comments Off on Found on EBay — Williams and Walker

December 28, 1958: Movie stars to watch in the new year, tribute to Archie Moore

Posted on December 28, 2008 by lmharnisch

Hedda Hopper’s predictions for the next crop of movie stars somehow bypasses the cast of “7th Voyage of Sinbad.” (Listen to the orchestration in Bernard Herrmann’s score for the sword fight with the skeleton: tuba, xylophone and something rattley, like … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Music | Comments Off on December 28, 1958: Movie stars to watch in the new year, tribute to Archie Moore

Retro holiday gift — Earl Carroll’s Theatre

Posted on December 21, 2008 by lmharnisch

The facade of Earl Carroll’s in Hollywood A frame grab of the nightclub’s neon. This is the best shot I’ve seen of the signatures that used to be outside Earl Carroll’s nightclub at 6230 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. Listed on … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Music, Nightclubs | Comments Off on Retro holiday gift — Earl Carroll’s Theatre

Found on EBay — Williams and Walker

Posted on December 20, 2008 by lmharnisch

"Ephraham," a 1904 song by Vincent Bryan and J.B. Mullen, with a cover illustration of George Walker, is listed on EBay with bidding starting at $19.99. Walker later teamed up  with Bert Williams.

Posted in Music, Stage | Comments Off on Found on EBay — Williams and Walker

Retro holiday gift — Archive of Met broadcasts

Posted on December 19, 2008 by lmharnisch

What can only be described as a massive archive of opera broadcasts has turned up on EBay. The reel-to-reel recordings are mostly Met performances, with a few from Bayreuth, Salzburg and Spoleto. This collection has all the familiar names of … Continue reading →

Posted in classical music, Music | 1 Comment

Found on EBay — Rachmaninoff in Los Angeles

Posted on December 15, 2008 by lmharnisch

Above, an autographed program from Rachmaninoff’s 1933 concert at the Philharmonic Auditorium on EBay. It’s listed as Buy It Now for $671.40. According to The Times review, Rachmaninoff played six encores, including works by Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov as well as … Continue reading →

Posted in classical music, Downtown, Music, Stage | Comments Off on Found on EBay — Rachmaninoff in Los Angeles

December 14, 1908: Mahler’s farewell concert with the New York Philharmonic

Posted on December 14, 2008 by lmharnisch

I stumbled across–guess what–a daily history blog at the New York Times, headed by William S. Niederkorn. Here’s the New York Times’ review of “Mr. Mahler’s Last Concert.” But wait, what’s this? Overemphasis of the brass? (gasp) … Untunefulness in … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, classical music, Front Pages, Music | 1 Comment

Vandals paint swastika on Hollywood synagogue, December 12, 1938

Posted on December 12, 2008 by lmharnisch

Vandals paint a swastika on Temple Beth El, 1508 N. Wilton. Nazi police censor sermons of Vienna’s Catholic priests. The former temple photographed by Nathan Marsak, who wrote a wonderful post on the 1947 project. Today’s edition of The Times … Continue reading →

Posted in broadcasting, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Music, Religion, Sports | Comments Off on Vandals paint swastika on Hollywood synagogue, December 12, 1938

Stunt man dies in John Wayne film, December 6, 1958

Posted on December 6, 2008 by lmharnisch

  File this under quaint notions of the 1950s: Highway officials taking control of speeding cars and forcing them to slow down. U.S. moon launch fails. http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/k6UQe8Upiz1lVusxuj&related=1&canvas=mediumTHE HORSE SOLDIERS TRAILER At left, stuntman Fred Kennedy is killed when he takes … Continue reading →

Posted in classical music, Film, Freeways, Front Pages, Hollywood, Music, Obituaries, Sports, Stage, Transportation | 1 Comment

Voices — Odetta, 1930 – 2008

Posted on December 2, 2008 by lmharnisch

Odetta at the Hollywood Bowl, 1961. I have to admit, Dean Jones on a bill with Odetta is not something I ever imagined. Versatile Odetta Found Her Folk Roots and a Message Music: Now she feels a necessity to perpetuate … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Obituaries | Comments Off on Voices — Odetta, 1930 – 2008

Poison gas kills Disney’s mother, November 27, 1938

Posted on November 27, 2008 by lmharnisch

  Above, Walt Disney gave his parents a home at 4605 Placidia Ave., Toluca Lake, for their golden wedding anniversary. According to The Times, a faulty furnace connection let carbon monoxide into the house. Disney’s father, Elias, was found unconscious … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Blues, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Music, Religion, Sports | 2 Comments

Rams win over Giants, November 25, 1968

Posted on November 25, 2008 by lmharnisch

  The Rams pulled out a 24-21 victory over the New York Giants with some old and new tricks. Bruce Gossett’s field goal with only four seconds left kept the Rams (9-1-1) within striking distance of the division leading Baltimore … Continue reading →

Posted in Front Pages, Music, Rock 'n' Roll, Sports | 3 Comments

Southern California in flames, November 25, 1938

Posted on November 25, 2008 by lmharnisch

This photograph is 70 years old but it could have been taken last week.   The Times’ L.D. Hotchkiss takes on Pulitzer-winning columnist Westbrook Pegler. Fire damage –10,000 acres in Topanga and Rustic canyons –4,000 acres in San Bernardino County. … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Music, Sports, Stage | Comments Off on Southern California in flames, November 25, 1938

Found on EBay — Williams and Walker

Posted on November 19, 2008 by lmharnisch

Here’s another item by the vaudeville team of Williams and Walker on EBay. Bidding has reached $26.55. Here’s a recording of "She’s Getting More Like the White Folks Every Day."            

Posted in art and artists, Music, Stage | 1 Comment

Found on EBay — Williams and Walker

Posted on November 10, 2008 by lmharnisch

Sheet music of a song performed by Bert Williams and George Walker turned up on EBay. Bidding starts at $24.99, which seems a bit steep to me, but I don’t follow prices on old sheet music. Then again, maybe not. … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Stage | Comments Off on Found on EBay — Williams and Walker