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Oral History and Research Materials: Gilbert Bowers

This is the table of contents for the interview of Gilbert Bowers. It is part of the National Ragtime and Jazz Archive which is located in Lovejoy Library at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

For a complete contents list of all musician interviews for the oral history project, please click on this link: Oral History and Research Materials.


If interested in reviewing these materials from the National Ragtime and Jazz Archive, please contact Therese Dickman, Fine Arts Librarian.

Tape # Side

Time

Subject

1 a

001-131

Biographical, parents, family, employment

1 a

132-325

Early interest in music, lessons, favorite bands, high school band, bands played with in teens

1 a

326-339

Friendship with Rod Cless

1 a

340-405

Husk O'Hare's Wolverines visit Des Moines

1 a

406-426

Local bands in Des Moines

1 a

427-518

Move to Chicago, jobs, clubs

1 a

519-648

Listening to Jazz bands in Chicago, clubs, personnel, types of tunes played

1 a

649-748

Decision to move to New York, getting a job, Mike Speciale Band, clubs, personnel, tunes

1 b

003-096

Rosemont Ballroom, Bert Stock Orchestra

1 b

097-190

Jefferson Ballroom, Detroit, first recording date

1 b

191-377

Return to New York, joining Ben Pollack

1 b

378-415

Summit House, Baltimore

1 b

416-490

Hollywood Restaurant, Cleveland

1 b

491-554

Band personnel and arrangers

1 b

555-567

Radio broadcasting

1 b

568-600

Playing with Pollack, hours, pay Pollack as a leader

1 b

601-626

Special Friends in band

1 b

627-659

First recording job with Pollack band

1 b

660-722

Interim jobs in New York

1 b

723-752

Mastbaum Theater, Philadelphia

2 a

003-055

Mastbaum Theater, cont'd

2 a

003-124

Forest Club, New Orleans

2 a

125-173

Ray Bauduc

2 a

174-208

Other musicians in New Orleans

2 a

209-242

Review of Pollack Band personnel

2 a

243-264

Lowry Hotel, St. Paul, MN

2 a

265-295

Chez Paree, Chicago

2 a

374-399

K-9, after-hours club

2 a

400-405

Hines Band

2 a

406-419

Other names that band worked under

2 a

420-476

Creations of Dick Morgan

2 a

477-504

Other bands in Chicago

2 a

505-532

Shows and musicians at Chez Paree

2 a

533-572

Sophie Tucker

2 a

573-604

Other acts at Chez Paree

2 a

605-636

Playing through Long Beach, Calif. earthquake

2 a

637-648

Recreation outside of music

2 a

649-661

Leaving Chicago, new personnel in band

2 a

662-730

Style of Pollack band, arrangements, solos, capabilities, individual musicians- Spivak, Rodin, Miller, Bose, Matlock

2 b

003-055

Playing requests, improvising

2 b

056-081

Later Pollack bands

2 b

082-137

New York, recording, changes, band breaking up

2 b

138-179

Belle Rive Hotel, Kansas City

2 b

180-203

Ben Thigpen (by Havens)

2 b

204-238

Kansas City bands

2 b

239-287

White Bear Lake, St. Paul

2 b

288-370

Billy Rose Casino, New York, 1934

2 b

371-402

Clubs and musicians in Harlem

2 b

403-447

Charity benefits played in New York

2 b

448-472

Smith and Dale comedy act, Gypsy Rose Lee

2 b

473-494

Stride piano players

2 b

495-562

Recording dates as back-up for vocalists, Judy Garland, Andrew Sisters

2 b

563-611

Recording Date, 1934 with Wingy Manone, "Isle of Capri"

2 b

612-630

Additional recording as back-up for vocalists

2 b

631-637

Gap

2 b

638-694

Other recording dates, musicians 1934

2 b

695-738

Break-up of Pollack band, Fall 1934, Starting of Bob Crosby band, return to New York

3 a

001-060

Return to New York cont'd

3 a

061-124

Incorporation of "Clark Randall" Band; other names used in recording

3 a

125-172

Personnel of band

3 a

173-186

Substituting with Dorsey Brothers Orchestra

3 a

187-238

Rockwell-O'Keefe agency; musicians who were clients

3 a

239-253

Bob Crosby becomes leader or "front" man for band

3 a

254-271

First money received as member of "Crosby" band

3 a

272-313

Role of Crosby with band; how band was run

3 a

314-327

Decisions on tunes played etc.

3 a

328-343

Vocalists with band

3 a

344-378

Left Crosby band; study with Herman Wasserman; playing radio shows

3 a

379-422

Cy Walter; forms two-piano team with NBC, clubs etc.

3 a

423-435

pianists who followed Bowers with Crosby band

3 a

436-463

Recording work-NBC; with singers

3 a

464-486

Marriage to Marian Manners, vocalist with Whiteman

3 a

487-514

With Abe Lyman Band

3 a

515-553

Pay for various jobs; saving money

3 a

554-604

Abe Lyman Band, engagements, personnel

3 a

605-680

Swing-bands; big bands heard and worked with, Isham

3 a

681-722

Jones Orchestra; Vincent Lopez; recording Travelingwith Lyman

3 a

723-739

Stay in Los Angeles; Mocambo Club with Eddie
LeBaron

3 b

009-109

Billy Rose's Clubs; black performers

3 b

110-139

Lena Horne

3 b

140-233

Abe Lyman Orchestra 1940, New York City, Florida

3 b

234-311

Return to West Coast, tour to Huston, Peck Kelly Orchestra

3 b

312-354

Los Angeles, early years, 1926; Harry Owens

3 b

355-437

Los Angeles, 1940; Eddie Le Baron, San Ysidro Ranch, Harbor Restaurant, Santa Barbar

3 b

438-458

December 7, 1941; closing of Harbor Restauranta

3 b

459-512

Los Angeles, Eddie Le Baron, clubs played

3 b

513-562

Fox Studio preliminary call, late Fall 1941

3 b

563-664

Permanent job at Fox Studios-staff pianist job description

3 b

665-715

Work on film-"Francis the Mule"

3 b

716-742

Film-"Cover Girl"

4 a

005-055

"Cover Girls" cont'd; synchronizing music to action

4 a

056-070

Teaching finger motions for piano playing to stars-Betty Grable

4 a

071-184

"Oklahoma" filming on location-Nogales, Ariz.

4 a

185-209

Filming "Mother Wore Tights"

4 a

210-224

Synch for "Everything's Up to Date in Kansas City"

4 a

225-274

Job description-orchestrating, arranging, sketching out ideas for musical numbers and scenes

4 a

275-294

Other studios-Eagle Lion, Universal

4 a

295-410

Filming "Can-Can"; rehearsal piano work; coordinating choreography; composing for special effects 1960-62

4 a

411-432

Composing for dancers-Ann Miller

4 a

433-474

Short Musicals about bands-Universal, Lawrence Welk, Armstrong, Teagarden, Bigard, Chubby Checker

4 a

475-488

"Glenn Miller Story"

4 a

489-545

Working with Red Nichols, 1950's at Sardi's Restaurant personnel, tunes

4 a

546-588

Marian's work during this period

4 a

589-665

Other work outside studio; Hollywood Canteen, Joe Yukl

4 a

666-676

Sneak previews-theaters

4 a

677-690

World premier, Dallas, "It's A Joke Son"

4 a

691-733

Artists and bands playing in Los Angeles on tour

4 a

734-750

"Resident" bands in L.A.

4 b

005-062

Other bands heard in L.A.-Stan Kenton

4 b

063-123

Boyd Raeburn, Matty Malneck, Spike Jones

4 b

124-190

Individual jazz players that Bowers heard or knew

4 b

191-284

With Ted Fiorito Orchestra early 50's; personnel

4 b

285-320

Playing at Johnny Mathis' first show 1960 or 1961

4 b

321-350 b

L.A. as entertainment center; moderate effect of Be-bop


E-mail comments and inquiries about the National Ragtime and Jazz Archive to Therese Dickman at tdickma@siue.edu or call 618-650-2695.
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