Month: October 2012

‘T.A.M.I’ ELECTRONOVISION’S LATEST GETS N.Y. SHOWING . . . NOVEMBER 21, 1964

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964

MEDIA, PRESS, TEENERS GETS BIG EYEFUL PREVIEW

 

 

 

 

 

NEW YORK — Electronovision debuted its second theater film presentation and the first specifically for teen audiences at a special press preview Wednesday, November 11.  It provided a stirring emotional experience, presenting 12 top record acts for one hour and 40 minutes.

THE 1964 T.A.M.I Show theater wall poster (click on image for larger view).

The Electronovision process was first used to capture Richard Burton’s  Broadway performance of “Hamlet,” which was later shown in theaters during a special two-day period. The process utilizes cameras, up to ten at a time, that looks like TV cameras. The images received are fed into a master control room where a director chooses the image he selects to edit on a master tape. From this tape, a commercial motion picture film is produced and prints of the film is marketed for general theater view.

The latest production is called “The T.A.M.I Show” and features Jan and Dean, who will host the show with performances by Chuck Berry, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Lesley Gore, the Beach Boys, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, the Supremes, the Barbarians, James Brown and the Flames, and, the Rolling Stones.

CHUCK BERRY performed on the T.A.M.I Show at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, filmed in “Electronovision” for theatrical release in late 1964
THE BEACH BOYS on stage before a live audience for the T.A.M.I Show, filmed October 28 and 29, 1964. The best footage (or acts) of these two concert dates were edited into the film, which was released nationally on December 29, 1964. (Wikipedia)

TAMI stands for Teen-Age Music International, an international non-profit organization set up “to understand teen-agers, to recognize their needs, their wants, their attitudes and their principles . . . to help them establish a position of respect in their communities, and in our total society.” TAMI proposes to accomplish these goals through almost the universal teen-age interest in music. This show indicates that the people involved clearly have their finger on the pulse of the teenager.

The film opens at a wild pace with five minutes of fast-moving action showing the performers en route to the Santa Monica, Calif., Civic Auditorium. The acts are in buses, taxis, trucks, motor scooters and even on sidewalk skate boards. Film credit appears over the action.

The pace never slackens and the crowds of teen-agers in the audience rarely let up with their din of adulatory cacophony. It adds aural impact and spurs performers to give frenetic performances. James Brown stands out with a fabulous performance that will enhance his position as an artist and open new vistas of opportunity. The press applauded at the end of his stint.

LESLEY GORE on T.A.M.I, headlined the show in 1964 (click on image for larger view)

Lesley Gore came across in a warm, sincere manner. Teen-agers obviously adore her as an artist and it looks as though though this gal can bridge the gap to the adult market, if her performance serves as any criteria.

Record dealers in cities where the T.A.M.I show will be screened should experience record sales by the dozen artists highlighting the film. Many excellent tie-ins should be advantageous as well between the dealers and the theater owners.Both could stand to gain. The only showings to be made, except the premiere, will be during the holidays, December 19 through January 3, 1965.

At least 1,000 prints of the film will be in circulation in the U. S. during the holiday season, with some “bicycled” between showing from one theater to another. World-wide distribution, showing will require another additional  1,200 prints.

JAMES BROWN electrified the T.A.M.I. audience with his live performance during filming at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in ’64. (click on image for larger view)

Los Angeles was slated to have the world premiere of the film on Saturday, November 14, in 33 theaters. The premiere comes 16 days after theater filming in Santa Monica. The print shown to the press came only 13 days after the live performance, giving an indication of how the Electronovision process can be utilized to capture people and events (such as this film process suggests) in more present timeline fashion. William Sargent, Jr., president of Electronovision, Inc., plans a feature every month, beginning in early 1965. The process is so good and so was the direction by Steven Binder, credit musical direction by Jack Nitsche and David Winters was behind the choreography behind the film. Al Ham of Joy Records served as music consultant and his deft touches are apparent in the film’s score.

Sargent told Billboard that his firm is presently in contact with record companies to whom the artists are under contract, relative to securing approval for a soundtrack album to be released by his firm. He is not interested in singles. “The album could be bigger than the picture, couldn’t it?” he commented. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; November 21, 1964)

Addendum: For more information on the 1964 filming, production, and the bio/story behind ‘The TAMI Show,’ go here.

In 2009, the much sought-after film ‘The TAMI Show,’ was finally released on DVD. The 2009 DVD edition was entirely remastered in HD sound and picture quality. For more info and current availability of this 2009 ShoutFactory DVD release, go here to Amazon.com.

For more sensational ‘TAMI Show’ videos on YouTube go here.

Also, check out this USA Today article Concert film ‘TAMI Show’ captures rock in its 1964 glory (dated March 19, 2010) on the TAMI Show Collector’s Edition DVD release.

DETROIT FREE PRESS METRO EDITION: A T.A.M.I. Show review. Wednesday, December 30, 1964. (For largest viewing tip, tap image to second window. (Click on or stretch fingers across image for enlarged view).
LESLEY GORE takes lead during the 1964 T.A.M.I Show live on stage.

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RECORD LABELS FLIPPING OVER ‘ALFIE’… AUGUST 13, 1966

A MCRFB news brief:

POPULAR FILM SONG PLACES BACHARACH-DAVID COMPOSITION ON TOP, HOT RECORDING DEMAND

 

 

 

 

NEW YORK — Eddie Wolpin, vice-president of Famous Music, has lined up one of the biggest advance disk spreads on a film song in recent years. The song, title-tune of the British-made film “Alfie,” already has nine recorded versions on the market. The movie will have it’s U. S. premiere on Thursday, August 25.

Leading the list on recordings is Cher on Imperial Records, which is the No. 41 spot on Billboard’s “Hot 100” chart this week. Also getting spins are Jack Jones (Kapp), Cilla Black (Capitol), Dionne Warwick (Scepter), Joannie Summers (Columbia), Carmen McRae (Mainstream), Billy Vaughn (Dot), Tony Martin (Dot), and Vicki Carr (Liberty).  Cher sings the song, which was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for the film’s soundtrack. END.

Composers Burt Bacharach and Hal David in 1965.

(Information and news source: Billboard; August 13, 1966).

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R&B WCHB TAKE RATINGS LEAD IN BANNER YEAR . . . AUGUST 13, 1966

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1966

R&B Stations Ride High in Frequency Across Major U. S. Radio Markets

 

 

 

 

DETROIT — R&B radio stations are having a banner year and many have turned into powerhouses in major markets in general. For example, WCHB here in Detroit is No. 3 during the daytime in the general market and and after 6 p. m. goes to No. 1. The ratings success story of WOL in Washington in the past year has been the talk of the radio industry. All over the nation, modern R&B stations in general are doing great and program directors point to two factors as having an influence on this — the growing popularity of R&B music among whites as well as Negroes, plus the up-dating of the programming and production at these stations.

Bill Curtis, program director of WCHB here in Detroit, recently commented that, “This station has been building up over the past two years. It’s owned by two Negro doctors who’ve been extremely involved in community affairs, so people look to us as leaders in the community.

Detroit WCHB-AM 1440 “Soul Radio” personalities circa 1966 (click on image for larger view)

“Too, our sound is as good or better as any station in town. We have strong deejays: Bill Williams is one of the best in the country, a top 40 type of personality. And we have Martha Jean Steinberg. All of our personalities are just as smooth, as competent as any jock on any station.”

Like other program directors, Curtis felt the over-all status of the R&B deejay has made tremendous progress in the past year. And one reason why they have achieved status in the community, he said, “is that in the old days the stereotyped R&B deejay said anything that came to mind. It often offended people or was distasteful. Today, with modern production and tight programming, the deejay only have time for news, temperature, announcing the time, and playing records. There is very little time left in possibly saying the wrong thing.”

KYOK in Houston is another station achieving success. Program director Al Garner said that R&B radio “period” is looking better in Houston. Sitting in for vacationing deejays during the past few weeks, Garner said he noticed that his station was picking up a growing number of Latin listeners, as well as white kids. The station runs third and fourth now in the general market, he said, and competes on the general market level for advertising.

Lucky Cordell, program director of WVON in Chicago, said the status of R&B deejays, at least, was improving. “E. Rodney Jones and Pervis Spann own a nightclub. Herb Kent has just opened a ballroom for record hops. It’s now a prestige factor to be an R&B deejay. Deejays are respected in the community.”

He likened the success of R&B stations in the past few months with the civil rights movement — “We’ve become more and more a source of information. We’re doing a much better job of reporting the news that involves Negroes than the other station in now. Whereas R&B stations used to be mostly for the kids, this is no longer true.” The station, he said, helped “a good deal in settling the people down during a recent flare up.”

George Wilson, program director of WHAT in Philadelphia, said there’s no question about the status of the R&B deejay improving. The National Association of Radio Announcers, he said, had helped enormously. “There’s a growing substance to the organization and it’s making an influence.

“Nowadays, the successful R&B radio stations are the ones with the hip young guys who understand what radio is all about or the older deejays who were intelligent enough to adjust and grow with the times. The quality of deejays on R&B stations have improved. Here, for example, our regular weekly meetings are intelligent discussion sessions. I can bring up a matter and get an intelligent response; we come up with a workable solution.”

He felt that all R&B stations have shown audience increases this summer despite issues of racial problems, but believed they would keep this audience this fall and not lose them. WHAT is playing, records by Frank Sinatra, Dusty Springfield and Chris Montez . . . “any record the Negro people want to hear. He picks up the information at local Negro nightclubs, which he makes it a point to visit once or twice a week to listen to the tunes being played most on jukeboxes.”

WVKO in Columbus, Ohio, has made tremendous strides commercially, said program director Bill Moss. He felt there was a general “uplift” attitude throughout Negro radio. “This is one of the things NARA is preaching and and those stations that are already not in style are at least becoming aware of the progress being made by the better radio stations.” R&B radio stations now have to assume a role of leadership that “we didn’t before. We must assume the responsibility of uplifting the kids.”

WDIA in Memphis sets an enviable position; it has been No. 1 in the market for about 17 years, said program director Bob McDowell, largely through community involvement. The station supports 145 baseball teams with equipment, provides two buses to take handicapped children to school daily, supports a school for crippled children, plus other goodwill projects. McDowell said he felt the status on R&B deejays have improved. “I can tell by the quality of the men who’ve come here in the past three years; they’re good, high quality personalities which is one reason why we’re on top.”

The popularity of R&B music is growing, he said, “even here,” in Memphis, considered to be one of the leading R&B markets of the nation. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 13, 1966)

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R&B RIDING CREST IN HIGH RECORD CHART NUMBERS . . . AUGUST 13, 1966

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1966

R&B Influential Popularity On Rise In Mainstream Pop Here and The U. K.

 

 

 

O P I N I O N

 

Chicago — In 1966, Rhythm and Blues has achieved a peak position as a powerful influence on the total music business. A study of the Hot 100 chart will show that dozens of top selling records are R&B oriented, and this fact has not been lost upon the manufacturers. Key labels — major and independents — are making every attempt to improve their stance in the R&B field.

Examples are many: Capitol Records in recent months has been adding personnel with the distinct aim of improving that label’s image in the R&B market. United Artists Records has revived it’s Veep label as an R&B vehicle. Mercury Records here in Chicago, is making a determined push to solidify their brand in the R&B field. It is known as well that RCA Records plans a more greater, expanded field in current R&B activities with their sound.

But the phenomenon does not stop here. R&B is very big overseas — particularly in England. In addition to R&B records selling strongly there, the British record business currently mirrors a strong influence in pop market preference for the current R&B popularity.

This is all to the good, for it represents on the part of the music-record business an awareness that R&B is one of the great streams of American music.

The R&B idiom encompasses blues in all it’s variety, and blues is the bedrock of much of jazz; it encompasses the gospel, or “church” sound; it encompasses  rock and roll; and via the blues strains it includes much of American folk music. In brief, R&B has brought to the music industry a vitality and depth which can derive only from the roots.

That this is now so fully understood reflects credit on the record industry and the record buyer. It is to the credit of NARA (National Association of Radio Announcers) and its members that there is now a keen awareness of the importance of the field.

Finally, it must be pointed out that success entails a burden or obligation which is willingly borne by those who are dedicated.  It is NARA’s obligation to do all it’s power to maintenance the excellence of R&B music; to foster it’s growth on all cultural and economical levels. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 13, 1966)

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R&B MUSIC HOT ON CHARTS FOR 1966 . . . AUGUST 13, 1966

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1966

R&B MAKING DENT IN HOT 100 OUTLETS, INCLUDING KHJ LOS ANGELES, WKNR DETROIT, WMCA NEW YORK

 

 

 

 

NEW YORK — If anything dramatizes the vast popularity of R&B music today, it’s the increasing use of R&B records for programming by the nation’s Hot 100 format stations. The estimates of R&B play on pop rock ‘n’ roll stations range anywhere from between 10-15 percent in Denver to “close to 50 per cent” in Miami.

WSGN, in Birmingham, has a playlist featuring 30-40 per cent R&B oriented records,, said music director Dave Roddy. Dutch Holland, music director of WFUN in Miami, who considers the Supremes as R&B artists, says WFUN’s programming is close to 50 per cent R&B oriented records because “these records seems to be what’s happening at this time.” The Miami market has two R&B stations that influence the popularity of these records.

TEN SOUL HITS comprised the WKNR playlist for August 1, 1966. “You Can’t Hurry Love,” Supremes, debuted at #27. (Click on image for larger view)

WKNR in Detroit has six or seven records on its top 31 playlist that are R&B in nature, said deejay Scott Regen. This was considered a fairly representative week’s playlist. However, WKNR and most Hot 100 stations across the nation consider such artists as the Supremes as pop artists; they’re no longer strictly R&B artists, they say because their sales are mostly in the pop field. So stations such as KHJ in Los Angeles, the No. 1 Hot 100 format station there, may be playing more R&B oriented records than the 15 per cent now estimated. Program director Ron Jacobs said he felt that the popularity of R&B music is growing.

KIMN in Denver is playing 10-15 per cent in R&B oriented records and program director Ted Adkins said this represents an unusual display of the popularity of the music as only about 5 per cent of the population in Denver is Negro. Even some of the monster hits in the R&B field in previous years never got off the ground in Denver, he said. But this year thus far, in 1966, has seen more R&B oriented records happening in Denver than ever before.

WMCA, New York, had a playlist last week on which about 20 per cent of the tunes were R&B oriented. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 13, 1966)

R&B soul great Otis Redding performing live on stage in L.A. at the Whiskey A-Go-Go in 1966.
Motown Supremes “You Can’t Hurry Love” single from 1966.

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WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: CKLW WXYZ . . . MAY 24, 1947

From the MCRFB radio news scrapbook:

Detroit Jock Switch; Chase to CKLW, Slagle to WXYZ

 

 

 

 

 

DETROIT, May 17 — A major switch of local disk jockeys is slated for tomorrow, with Eddie Chase, famed for his Make Believe Ballroom for the past five years on WXYZ, moving to CKLW, with Johnny Slagle returning from New York to WXYZ to take his place.

Chase has developed one of the top jockey reputations in this territory and the move is a major surprise, although it comes after a few weeks after some speculation and rumors–vigorously denied–of a switch involving Russ Mulholland instead, a WJR jock.

New Twist for Slagle

Billboard May 24, 1947

Slagle, a former top staff announcer at WXYZ, left a year ago to work on network shows in New York. This is his debut as a jockey.

Chase’s opening on CKLW involves a heavy program, including a 75-90-minute afternoon period, a late Saturday night and a Sunday morning show. His advent is being well publicized by the station, notably in a series of recordings by such top orchestra band leaders as Carmen Cavallaro and Sammy Kaye, advising listeners that they would meet Chase on the new station Sunday. The Make Believe title of the show moves over to CKLW with Chase, who has long featured special recordings and direct guest appearances by recording artists on his shows. END.

(Information and news source: Billboard; May 24, 1947)

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