Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
40
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
JiieNewWangWangBlues
JULY 8, 1922
b
bu the same Writer.
!
PORTLAND ORDERING SHEET MUSIC
SUCCESS OF DITSON SONG TRY-OUTS
NEW JENKINS BLUES
Both Popular and Standard Numbers Selling
Well in the Oregon Metropolis
System Inaugurated by Boston Publishers for
Analyzing Songs Proves Value During First
Season—Affords Excellent Guide to Song Value
"Lonesome Mama Blues" Promises to Be Out-
standing Hit of Jenkins Catalog
PORTLAND, ORE., June 30.—Portland sheet music
dealers were visited the past week by Harry
Engel, of Richmond-Robbins, Inc., of New
York, who, in addition, paid his respects to all
of Portland's theatres, orchestras and wherever
music was featured. He was specially featuring
"Swanee Bluebird," "Old Fashioned Girl,"
"Marie" and "Love Dreams," an attractive waltz
number. He was favored with substantial orders
from the dealers, and on all their counters since
his visit can be found the three little booklets,
"Fifty Famous Favorites," "Pleasing Piano
Pieces" and "Musical Moments."
All of the Portland dealers report that the
Feist number, "Stumbling," is at the present time
the number that is in the greatest demand. Kath-
leen Benoit Campbell, manager of the sheet music
department of Lipman, Wolfe & Co., says that
all Feist numbers are good sellers, but the num-
bers classed among her best sellers are Remick's
"Nobody Lied," Sherman, Clay's "My Rainbow
Girl" and Forster's waltz number, "Moon River."
The popular numbers of Feist's catalog are in
great demand at "Peggy's Song Shop" on Broad-
way, and Miss Octavia Garrett (Peggy) has the
numbers attractively displayed on her counters in
gre»*" numbers and the covers attract customers
and. she has b'g sales of them, especially
"Stumbling," "Black Eyed Blues," "Tee-Pee
Blues," "Three O'Clock in the Morning," "Geor-
gia," "Swanee River Moon," "Goodby, Shanghai"
and "Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes."
The J. W. Jenkins' Sons Music Co., Kansas
City, Mo., which each season seems to give the
has had its last "try-out" of Ditson songs for trade at least one exceptionally active number,
the season. It will be recalled by readers of The has this year brought forward "Lonesome Mama
Review that this system of careful examination Blues." Here is an outstanding "blue" number
—really an analysis—of songs was inaugurated by whose popularity does not seem to wane. It is
James A. Smith, head of the retail department of being recorded by practically all the talking ma-
this large Boston house, early last Fall and there chine record and music roll manufacturing organ-
have been several such conferences since then. izations and there is an active demand for it in
The idea is not only to have the pieces sung, but sheet music form in all parts of the country. The
the staff of clerks are asked to give their unpreju- publishers have inaugurated a very active cam-
diced judgment of each piece, with a view to paign on "Lonesome Mama Blues" and the pro-
seeing just what are its greatest assets to be used fessional and band and orchestra departments
by a clerk as substantial selling data.
particularly are doing much to see that it is ex-
On this particular occasion Mr. Winslow, as ploited advantageously. The sheet music depart-
baritone, and Mrs. Bonelli, soprano, both local ment has issued a batch of material which can
singers, gladly gave their services, and, with be used effectively by retailers. It is expected
Charles F. Manney, of the Ditson house, to play that "Lonesome Mama Blues" will even have a
the accompaniments, a number of pieces were greater sale than "Dangerous Blues" or "The
carefully gone over. Among those present at Twelfth Street Rag," both of which are published
this final "try-out" also were Messrs. Flint, by the above house.
Hollis, Wilmot, Littlefield, Osgood and Smith
A few days later a list of eight songs was
FEATURING ^ROAMING"
sent over to Charles A. Ditson, these being com-
The McClure Music Co., of St. Paul, Minn.,
positions by Gretchaninoff, Proctor, Berwald,
recently released a song entitled "Roaming,"
Douty, Huerter, Smith and Manney. Of these
which has proved an exceptional success in dance
the commercial possibilities were reported under
form. Lately it was played by Harry Raderman's
the heads of "very good," "good," "fair" and, in
Orchestra for the Gennett records. It is also
one case, the report was "No one cared for this
featured nightly by the Famous Six Brown
song," this, perhaps better than anything else,
Brothers, now playing in a Chicago engagement.
showing the unbiased views expressed.
The number has good possibilities.
These try-outs have clearly shown that this
l|1!llimilMII|ll
Illlllll Mill
III I|II[HJ
1 lllltM IIIIM1UI1III'
plan certainly creates a stronger interest in the
Ditson publications and that as a result the sales-
"STUMBLING'VAHIT AS A SONG
people enjoy a more intimate knowledge of what
Repeating, in Vocal Form, Its Original Success the house is publishing. Accordingly they can
WATERSON,
sell a composition far more intelligently after one
as an Instrumental Number
BERLIN & SNYDER CO. 111
of these conferences than they could before. Mr.
The Leo Feist, Inc., number, "Stumbling," has Ditsou, it is understood, is most favorably im-
proved one of the biggest successes of the p-es- pressed with the idea started by Manager Smith.
By the Sapphire Sea
ent season, if not of many seasons. Another
Haunting Blues
•
;
demonstration of its large appeal is the fact that
JOE M'KIERNAN A FATHER
Dancing Fool
'
its original success was based upon its instru-
Mrs. Joseph McKiernan, formerly Miss Olga
Jimmy, I Love But You
mental value and it was played by practically
Cuddle Up Blues 4 n .
'
every orchestra and recorded by every talking Manning, of New York, presented her hus-
Lola L o
*•
V ••• *'
machine record and player roll company in that band, Joe McKiernan, the well-known songwrit-
Pick Me Up and Lay Me Down in
form. In recent weeks, however, it again demon- er, with a baby girl the other day. McKiernan
Dear Old Dixieland
strated its exceptional qualities by being pro- is writer of the hits "Cuban Moon, "Don't Take
Just Because You're You That's
gramed by a long list of vaudevillians in vocal Away Those Blues," "Now and Then," etc.
Why I Love You
form, and it is also announced that it is to ap-
NEW ISSUE OF^'STUMBLING"
Waikiki, I Hear You Calling Me
pear in the new Winter Garden show, "Spices of
1922," where it is to be sung by Grace and
Leo Feist, Inc., will shortly release an instru-
A Bunch of Keys
Burkes. It is also understood that practically all mental edition of "Stumbling" in the form of a
Fickle Flo
" v '. " : \ :.•? -
of the talking machine record companies are to piano paraphrase, for which there has been some
Little Thoughts
release "Stumbling" in vocal form.
demand since the popularity of this musical gem.
Published by
''
*]Q|
BOSTON, MASS., July 3.—The Oliver Ditson Co.
m
i1
I I
S-O-N-G H-I-T-S
I 1
I
I
I
I
Ask Your Jobber for
" MARION"
March, One-step: Piano, Orchestra, Band. Dedicated to President Harding by
I.UTIE HODDEB WHEELER
AJtTISTS' BETBEAT—Bio Grande Pub. Co., Albuquerque, New Mexico
I 1
I
I
1 m
1 I
1
I i i
1 m
1 i
i
or Order Direct from Publisher
1
1
1
WATERSON,
BERLIN & SNYDER CO.
Str»nd Theatre Bldg., New York City, N. Y.
i
8