Elliot Lawrence

Elliot Lawrence started at the top as a Broadway conductor. His first show as music director was Bye, Bye Birdie, and he won a Tony for his second - How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. But before director Gower Champion chose him for Birdie, the 35-year-old Lawrence had already spent 15 years as a bandleader.

Lawrence died early this month at age 96. To celebrate his life, this post will present his first-ever LP, dating from 1950, back when he was one of the most popular bandleaders on the nation's campuses and in its ballrooms. Then I will point you to the singles blog, where I am uploading a few of his 1951 records for King, where he surprisingly recorded a cover of "Sixty Minute Man" and a country tune with Cowboy Copas. 

You can find my earlier posts of Lawrence's music here, and a remembrance on this site.

College Prom

One of my earlier Lawrence offerings involved his Decca album Moonlight on the Campus. It was actually the bandleader's second release for that label; the first was today's subject, the 10-inch College Prom LP.

Johnny Mandel

It's quickly apparent from listening as to why Lawrence was a campus favorite. It's hard to imagine smoother, more danceable music. The arrangements are by another notable and long-lived musician, Johnny Mandel, who died just last year. (My tribute to Mandel and an upload of his The Americanization of Emily score is here.)

Mandel spent few years as Lawrence's staff arranger after several years as a trombonist in the bands of the time. Even then he was composing; his composition "Hershey Bar" was recorded by Stan Getz, also in 1950.

The College Prom music is not jazz, although Lawrence's band included such musicians as Herbie Steward, Phil Urso and Ollie Wilson. That said, you can hear Steward's obbligatos in some songs, and Lawrence solos on piano throughout - politely, of course. Mandel does manage to work some boppish turns of phase into "I Can't Get Started."

Rosalind Patton

Vocalist Rosalind Patton, who had been with Lawrence since his high school band, can be heard on five of the eight songs. She was a good singer, although her phrasing here was not without some of the affectations of the time.

The LP, which comes from my collection, is very well recorded.

Singles on King

Following his two Decca LPs - and singles drawn from their contents - Lawrence moved on to the King label, mainly known for country and R&B fare. And perhaps predictably, the king of King Syd Nathan had him cross over into those styles.

More about those records on the singles blog.

Elliot Lawrence leads the band, circa 1950

Elliot Lawrence Special

There was a very positive reaction to my previous Elliot Lawrence post, so today I'll double down by presenting two of his LPs.

My friend Mindy, a show music fanatic, asked me if I had "Jazz Goes Broadway" in response to the earlier Lawrence offering. I had to tell her that I didn't - but as sometimes happens, I came across a copy of the desired LP a few days later, and here it is as our first selection.

"Jazz Goes Broadway" is not, strictly speaking, a Lawrence LP, even though he conducted it, plays piano, arranged half the songs, and appears on the cover in a pose that suggests he is in charge of the proceedings. Vik did not list the LP as being "by" anyone on the spine, back cover or labels, although it is clearly Lawrence's effort in all but name. I can tell you that the other two fellows on the cover are Jimmy Cleveland playing the trombone, and Al Cohn on the baritone sax. (Al was legally required to be on every big band LP made in the 50s.) I cannot tell you why Al and Jimmy are serenading a fire hydrant.

The tunes were selected from shows that were then (this was 1957) on Broadway, or had been recently. A look at the posters behind the musicians shows the amazing quality of the productions at that time. Today, the least known is Happy Hunting, an Ethel Merman vehicle that ran for a year.

The record is all very enjoyable, as you might expect considering the quality of personnel involved.

The other LP is a 10-incher from several years earlier, showcasing Lawrence's working band that was striving for popularity on the nation's campuses, as denoted by this college-themed program with the title "Moonlight on the Campus." This ensemble was decidedly more of a dance band than the one Lawrence fronted on the Vik LP.

Rosalind Patton

Lawrence, who was 25 when these songs were taped in 1950-51, was already a veteran bandleader, having formed his first band in high school. The Elliot Broza Orchestra (his full name is Elliot Lawrence Broza) had Rosalind Patton (Roselyn Mae Piccurelli), heard here, as the vocalist. (The male vocalist of his high school band was Al Alberts, later of the Four Aces.)

I love this kind of mid-century dance band sound - just don't expect to hear jazz solos and you won't be disappointed.