Rudy Vallee and great tap dancers - From 1935

[AmericanYesteryear]

In regard to evaluating modern Jazz against that from the Jazz Age, I proudly join PJ and VJ on the other side of the century. No finer music was ever performed and recorded, especially between 1925-1935 ... and, to narrow it down even further: between 1929-1932. Says Who? Says You, Says I :-)

How appropriate! Rudy's "I'm Just a Vagabond Lover" is playing on Radio Dismuke as I type this!! Haha, so there!

[palmvictory]

If it hasn't been mentioned, this movie is "Sweet Music".

[JaGlRo]

Ann Dvorak is entertaining, but could not dance at all!

[sheetmusic1624]

As far as I know, TCM has only shown this movie one time, many years ago. I remembered this great number and am really glad to see it again. It was very popular at the time, and sold many, many sheet music copies of the song. Thanks!

[horizonvideo]

@sheetmusic1624, this movie has not been shown for 2 reasons. One, obviosusly, most people that remember this are dead. But more important is that it portays black people in subservient roles and TCM is trying to be politically correct. There is nothing wrong with this film. Just the liberal happy TCM that wants to remove those artifiacts from our past cultural heritage that does not fit with today's liberal standards.

[maudietriplett]

If Rudy is singing, I am listening... endlessly.

[albanybeardguy]

What truly incredible set design. Vallee is charming, though he was not at his best before the camera (though he improved) and was more at home delivering a ballad. Vallee had a tremendous effect on popular music, popularizing the smooth "Crooner" style- he and Bing Crosby were the models everyone imitated. Vallee wasn't the easiest man to work for- but he hired the best talent and displayed it on his radio show.

[perfectjazz78]

"Universities worldwide do not teach scores of students annually any enduring innovations created Mr Vallee. Case closed"

-An earmark of our poor education system. For me, true jazz innovation ended with the swing era. (And began with the likes of Jim Europe, ODJB, James P. Johnson, Rudy Weidoeft etc......etc....) Most of the rest (after 1945) were either copiers of the "jazz age" or "swing era" or purveyors of meaningless cacophony.

[MANFROMMARS46]

I agree with your comments. For me jazz ended when Fats Waller died in 1942.

[ecapital46]

Interesting....wonder who wrote this piece...maybe Harry Warren as a wild guess. Had to laugh at 5:54 when Vallee makes a lame attempt at imitating Cab Calloway scatting. Of course, Vallee (a popular alto sax player as well as singer) made the famous quote about Charlie Parker in 1945, after Bird and Diz made the famous trip to California to play Billy Berg's, making a preliminary promotional stop on Vallee's LA radio program: he seems like a nice chap, but he plays "out of tune."

[perfectjazz78]

Cool Vallee quote .... I'd have to agree with him on that !

[ecapital46]

Agree as you may "perfectjazz"78, but unfortunately for you and Rudy Vallee, music historians place both of you in a world of your own. Charlie Parker is recognized worldwide as one of the most innovative, influential and accomplished artists of American music, while Mr Vallee, magaphone and all, remains an insignificant also-ran of no relative historical musical importance. Universities worldwide do not teach scores of students annually any enduring innovations created Mr Vallee. Case closed.

[VictrolaJazz]

@ecapital46 You're missing the most important point. The point is that Rudy Vallee, by virtue of his birth in 1900 or 1901, was heir to the most exciting and tuneful decade of the 20th century, variously known as the Jazz Age, the Roaring 20's, the Age of Wonderful Nonsense. He was a lucky adult in the era of the Charleston, short skirts, flappers and real jazz. The assessment of modern collegians is meaningless. Their inheritance is STDs, drug dependency and a poor jobs market.

[ecapital46]

@VictrolaJazz lol, you live in a fantasy world. There ought to be a law against idiots yapping on here about music they know little about. But unfortunately without this law, you are free to write whatever nonsense you choose, regardless of how stupid it makes you look. Hope you gave thanks this past Thanksgiving to me and the other soldiers around the world who hourly secure your right to make a fool of yourself.

[perfectjazz78]

@ecapital46 You fail to realize that Hurbert Prior Vallee aka Rudy Vallee was the artistic and musical heir of Rudy Weidoeft, who invented and popularized the saxophone solo. Hate to burst your bubble, but without Rudy Weidoeft, there would be no Rudy Vallee and therefore no Charlie Parker !

[DreamsCumTrue469]

@perfectjazz78 you fail to know what your are talking about as well. Everybody (except you apparently) know the saxaphone was invented by Adolphe Sax in 1846, not Rudy Weidoeft, Rudy Vallee, or anyone else named Rudy. Weidoeft wasn't born until 1893. The idea that he "invented" saxophone soloing 60 years after the instrument was invented is asinine. He may have help popularize it thru the aid of the inventions of disc recordings and radio, but he didn't invent anything. Hate to educate you.

[perfectjazz78]

@DreamsCumTrue469 I didn't say he invanted the sax, nor sax solo per se. I will clarify my statment to say he invented the JAZZ sax solo or the improv sax solo.

[DreamsCumTrue469]

@perfectjazz78 congratulations...guess that makes you as equally idiotic as Vallee with respect to being competent at evaluating modern american jazz, lol

[perfectjazz78]

@DreamsCumTrue469 Well, If I'm an idiot, than at least I am a happy satisfied idiot and don't have to listen to the meaningless cacophonic racket that is modern American jazz. For me, Jazz died in 1949.

[DreamsCumTrue469]

@perfectjazz78 Jazz , like truth, can NEVER die. Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, the defense rests.

[perfectjazz78]

@DreamsCumTrue469 You are right. Jazz can never die. It lives on with modern bands playing in the 1920s and 1930s style. One local band here in DFW, The Singapore Slingers, keeps real jazz alive by performing the classics AND writing new, original tunes.

[nedsparks]

This never happens when I go to Grand Central Terminal.

From her disturbing portrayals, such as Vivian Revere in "Three On A Match" to frothy musicals, Ms. Dvorak was truly a versatile movie trouper.

[AnotherGoddess]

WONDDERFUL. I love this kinda stuff.

[85scampi]

A nice period piece. Very good.

[dancebandfan]

Such a treat to find this sitting here on a cold sunday morning!Many thanks.

[voglesque89]

and Ned Sparks!

[merrihew]

Wonderful art deco sets.

[ghbook]

Just imagine this number berkeleysed.....