Nacio Herb Brown

Composer Harvey Schmidt and his writing partner, Tom Jones, created some of our most iconic musicals. Their first, "The Fantasticks", is a perfect musical and one of the most performed pieces in the United States and throughout the world.

Born Mildred Rinker in Tekoa, Washington, Bailey retained the last name of her first husband, Ted Bailey, when she moved to Seattle to bolster her singing career. With the help of her second husband, Benny Stafford, she became an established blues and jazz singer on the east coast. in 1925 she secured work for her brother, Al Rinker and his partner Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby. Crosby helped Bailey in turn by introducing her to Paul Whiteman. She sang with Paul Whiteman's band 1929 to 1933. In the mid 1930s, she recorded with her third husband Red Norvo. A dynamic couple, they earned the nicknames "Mr. and Mrs. Swing." Despite her divorce from Red, she and her third husband would continue to record together in until 1945. Suffering from diabetes and depression, she only made a few recordings following the Second World War. She died in Poughkeepsie, New York of heart failure, which was chiefly due to her diabetes.

Listen to the heartbeat of Africa and South American continents, to the pulsing jazz beat of the most mysterious land, and share the excitement of this, LES BAXTER S thrilling adventure in stereo sound: African and Jungle Jazz. Les Baxter s music here echoes the basic ceremonial and message patterns of tribes throughout Africa, using the basic rhythms, tribal chants, drums, even the Watusi nanigo rhythms of their ceremonial rites as the beginning for a dozen original, Africa-inspired compositions. In this series of vivid impressions, he employs the talents of some outstanding jazz virtuosos, including Larry Bunker on vibraphone, xylophone, and marimba, Milt Bernhart on trombone, with the great Plas Johnson on tenor. It is all part of the Les Baxter genius for creating the rich, singular, arresting kind of music in AFRICAN JAZZ. On Jungle Jazz, he captures the teeming, steaming excitement of South America s jungles in twelve of his original compositions. His vibrant orchestrations present the wild, exotic sounds of the primitive forest in striking contrast to singularly arresting jazz interpretations featuring Plas Johnson alternating on tenor sax and alto flute. This is the music of high adventure with a beat exotically presented in a Baxter blend of JUNGLE JAZZ.