By Marilyn Lester . . .
If you’re a bandleader specializing in the music of the 1920s and 30s, there’s a surefire way to grab attention right off the bat, and that’s to open with Duke Ellington. That’s exactly what Alex Mendham did at Chelsea Table + Stage in his New York City debut with his orchestra. Back in 1929 when Ellington was finishing up his run as the house band at the Cotton Club, he wrote, with Harry Carney and Johnny Hodges, “The Cotton Club Stomp.” When his music is played, people sit up and listen— a phenomenon that came to be called “The Ellington Effect.” Thus did Mendham straight away have the audience in the palm of his hand.
A newcomer to these shores, Mendham is a Brit who’s got an extensive repertoire from the American and English Songbooks. Baton in hand, tuxedo just so, you can imagine being transported to London’s Savoy Ballroom just as much as to the Harlem counterpart or midtown at Roseland. Mendham has the look, the moves and the musical chops for authenticity, with a very subtle modern flair. Plus, he sings. What’s also exciting about the Mendham experience is that it’s about dancing. It’s only been a post WW2 phenomenon that big bands are concert bands. Previously, it was about dancing, which is why so many record labels of the time (and band arrangements) bear the word “Foxtrot.” The crowd at Chelsea Table + Stage, therefore, had no trouble getting up to two-step, with some of us content to boogie down in our seats.
What Mendham understands is that there are plenty of Songbook gems little heard these days but nonetheless delightful, such as 1934’s “Pop Goes Your Heart” (Mort Dixon, Allie Wrubel) introduced by Dick Powell in the film, Happiness Ahead. In fact, if you check out the YouTube recording of the tune, you’ll hear a lot of Mendham there in Powell’s vocal tone and delivery—a pleasant light baritone that’s full of upbeat energy. Also, from 1934 and from the British catalog, is Carroll Gibbons’ “Better Think Twice,” recorded by his Savoy Hotel Opheans. And there was a wholly American tune associated with a British superstar of the era, Al Bowlly—“You Ought to Be in Pictures” (Dana Suesse, Edward Heyman), introduced in 1934’s Ziegfeld Follies revue.
Of course, every big band of the era had a girl singer (or crooner, or both) and for Alex Mendham and His Orchestra, that role was beautifully represented in Allison Young. Following “All Dressed Up with a Broken Heart” (Claude Reese, Fred Patrick, Jack Val), she launched into the familiar “Georgia on My Mind” (Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell), a blues recorded with the great cornet player, Bix Beiderbecke in 1930. Plus points to Mendham and Young for including the song’s verse, hardly ever heard. The tune especially suited Young, who possesses a honied alto-range vocal tone. Among her other contributions was a sensitive and more modern interpretation of “Over the Rainbow” (Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg).
As the evening progressed, it was clear that variety was a sure part of the set list, making for a zesty, lively program. Mendham the historian provided a succinct history for each song, many of which defaulted to tribute status. Honoring pianist and bandleader Eddie Duchin, for example, there was “Dust on the Moon” aka “Canto Indio” (Ernesto Lecuona, English lyric by Stanley Adams) with Afro-Cuban beat and Mendham providing rhythm with maracas. West Coast/LA orchestras were paid tribute to via Gus Arnheim and His Orchestra, who played at the famed Coconut Grove; his 1931 recording of “Out of Nowhere” (Johnny Green, Edward Heyman) featured Bing Crosby in his pre-crooner, jazz singer days. Mendham’s dynamic rendition of the tune revealed his own excellent jazz phrasing ability.
Tipping another hat to Ellington, the band played the Maestro’s 1928 masterpiece, “The Mooche,” which some Ellington scholars consider one of his finest works. The Mooche is a C-minor 16-bar blues arranged for a high reed trio (in this case three clarinets) and a muted trumpet. The inventive, haunting arrangement and orchestration combined with complex harmonics make it a standout and Mendham’s players did it more than justice. Another high point was the joyfully syncopated “Lulu’s Back in Town” (Harry Warren, Al Dubin), much covered by musicians and vocalists from Fats Waller, Bert Ambrose and Thelonius Monk to Leon Redbone, Dick Powell and Bobby Short, among others.
The very appropriate play-out brought us back to the Savoy Ballroom in London with the British Songbook standard “Goodnight Sweetheart” (Ray Noble, Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly), made popular in 1931 by Al Bowlly with the Ray Noble Orchestra. This beautiful ballad was sung fluidly by Mendham and included a short spoken few bars, making for a perfect romantic ending.
And what of the Alex Mendham Orchestra? This New York iteration contained first-rate jazz players all, featuring Bryan Reeder (piano), Audrey Hayes (violin), Mike Davis (trumpet), and reed players Will Anderson, Peter Anderson and Ricky Alexander.
Photos: Marilyn Lester
