(Originally published by the Daily News on January 19, 1944. This story was written by David Quirk.)
The hepcats had their night at the staid old Met last night and paid $650,000 in war bonds for the privilege. A 10-piece all-star swing band, selected by Esquire magazine, shook the august walls with its hot licks and about 3,400 alligators beat it out through every number.
The imposing opera house never before housed such an audience. Just picture swinging shoulders, cat-calls, squeals, screeching whistles and a rhythmic tattoo of hands while Sir Thomas Beecham was conducting, say, “Rigoletto.”
The surprised ghosts of Caruso and others must have rattled their bones as the sound waves of this modern music beat on their eardrums in the other world.
Star Miles Away.
But the star of the show wasn’t even there. He was more than 3,000 miles away in Hollywood. That was Benny Goodman and his clarinet, brought to the Met audience by a national hookup. Then the swing fans really went wild.
Picked as the best on their respective instruments, kings acted like sober monarchs. They were too sedate, failing to get into the groove that has marked appearances of some of them in other jazz concerts and jam sessions.
Perhaps they were awed by the fact they were playing in the tradition-filled Met. At any rate, they were too dignified and it showed in their work.
Armstrong a Stand-out.
Outstanding of the performers were Louis Armstrong with his trumpet and a few husky vocals, Jack Teagarden with his trombone and also a few vocals and Mildred Bailey, the queen of blues sings, with her inimitable “Rocking Chair.” Billie Holiday, too put a little life into the proceedings with her “I’ll Get By.”
The best number of the evening for us was a 20-year-old favorite, featuring Armstrong – “Muskrat Ramble.”
The band was made up of Armstrong and Roy Eldridge, trumpets; Barney Bigard, clarinet; Sidney Catlett, drums; Al Casey, guitar; Coleman Hawkins, sax; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Art Tatum, piano; Red Norvo, xylophone; Lionel Hampton, vibraharp, and Teagarden, trombone. Norvo and Hampton alternated.
The event was sponsored by the National Women’s Council of the Navy League of the United States.
