REVIEW POTPOURRI: Al Jolson

by Peter Cates

Al Jolson

Al Jolson – Tell That To The Marines (recorded September 10, 1918); Arthur Fields – You Can’t Beat Us (If It Takes Ten Million More, recorded September 19, 1918). Columbia A2657, ten-inch acoustic shellac disc.

Al Jolson

Born in Lithuania to a Jewish family, Asa Yoelson (1886-1950), better known as Al Jolson, was a singer who had extraordinary stage presence, vocal power and delivery, and would become extremely successful through stage, film, radio, records and touring.

His mid-’40s Decca 78s were my first exposure to him back during the early ‘60s, in particular his feisty renditions of George and Ira Gershwin’s classic song Swanee River, and Back In Your Own Backyard.

I also have memories of Jolson’s appearance in a 1939 biopic of songwriter Stephen Foster, also titled Swanee River, with Don Ameche.

Jolson starred in the 1927 film, Jazz Singer, which was the first talkie. His frequent appearances in blackface ironically generated respect from African-Americans, a controversy that will not be addressed here.

Tell That To The Marines was also written by Jolson and it is a very enjoyable example of World War I patriotic music, similar to George M. Cohan’s classic Over There.

After a grueling series of concerts entertaining troops overseas fighting in the Korean War, Al Jolson died of a massive heart attack while playing cards with friends at his New York City hotel suite. He was 64.

Side 2’s You Can’t Beat Us is also a stirring WWI ditty. Born Abraham Finkelstein in Philadelphia, baritone Arthur Fields (1884-1953) started recording in 1914 and was the first white singer to perform with an African-American band when he was hired ragtime pianist Ford Dabney.

After a generally successful career, Fields suffered a stroke in early 1953 and was living in a Florida nursing home, in Largo, Florida, where a fire broke out and he and several others perished.

Both selections are available on YouTube.

Christmas Music

Christmas Organ and Chimes – Merlin; Grand Prix KX-4, 12-inch LP, recorded circa 1960.

Usually a little bit of Christmas music on the pop organ and chimes goes a long way. This particular LP from well over 60 years ago and from one of the 87-cent dimestore labels has musicianship, character and intelligence, O Holy Night, Joy To The World and Come All Ye Faithful being given a nicely arranged exquisite treatment.

Information on the very good organist Merlin seems to be non-existent.

Joanna Cassidy

Joanna Cassidy

Still living at 79, actress Joanna Cassidy did good work in a recurring role as Mena Pride, mother of the lead investigator Dewayne Pride between 2019 and 2021, who is suffering from dementia. The range of detail Cassidy brought to her role, including ladylike poise, elegance, dignity, distress, anger and despair was one powerful example of how to craft a performance on film.

Maine Speaks

The anthology Maine Speaks has a poem, Aye! No Monuments, by Rita Joe (1932-2007) who was designated Poet Laureate of the native American Micmacs, who have over 1,500 members residing in Aroostook County (Miss Joe lived most of her life in Nova Scotia.).

It celebrates the wondrous majesty of the Maine and Eastern Canada landscape where so many of her ancestors lived and worked:

“Aye! no Monuments,
No literature,
No scrolls or canvas-drawn pictures
Relate the wonders of our yesterday.

How frustrated the searching
of the educators.

Let them find
Land names,
Titles of seas,
Rivers;
Wipe them not from memory.
These are our monuments.

Breathtaking views-
Waterfalls on a mountain,
Fast flowing rivers.
These are our sketches
Committed to our memory.
Scholars, you will find our art
In names and scenery,
Betrothed to the Indian
since time began.”