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Irving Berlin posing with cast members from Yip Yip Yaphank

Yip Yip Yaphank is a musical revue composed and produced by Irving Berlin in 1918 while he was a recruit during WW I in the U.S. Army at Camp Upton in Yaphank, New York.

Shaking the Blues Away (words and music by Irving Berlin, 1927)

“Shaking the Blues Away”, words and music by Irving Berlin (1927), introduced by Ruth Etting in the stage revue Ziegfeld Follies of 1927. The song was #4 in the charts in 1927 and revived by Ann Miller in Easter Parade (1948). The illustration was probably of Ruth Etting even though she is not mentioned. Eddie Cantor was the established star, so he is mentioned, even though it wasn’t his song.

The Paul Whiteman Orchestra

The Paul Whiteman Orchestra, augmented for the historic 1924 Aeolian Hall concert in which George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” premiered.

Bing Crosby and Marion Davies

Bing Crosby serenades Marion Davies in the 1933 film, Going Hollywood.

Ethel Waters

Ethel Waters in March of 1933 on NBC radio.

Ethel Waters and Tommy Dorsey around 1935

Night Life (magazine courtesy: Peter Mintun)

A vintage magazine cover from Peter Mintun’s collection of 2500 periodicals from the early 1900s. (courtesy: Peter Mintun)

Sheet music for the 1936 MGM film, Born to Dance

The King of Jazz

Way back in the distance is Whiteman, leading the orchestra in the 1930 film musical, The King of Jazz.” They don’t make musicals like that anymore.

Cole Porter’s, “Kiss Me Kate”

Alfred Dreake gives Patricia Morison reason to sing “I Hate Men” in Kiss Me, Kate.

Frank Sinatra performs at New York’s Paramount Theater on Times Square

Sinatra’s big move came when he left Tommy Dorsey in 1942 (owing Dorsey thousands on his contract), and, from that point on, his career soared. He launched his solo career in a spectacular way, with a week of appearances with Benny Goodman’s orchestra at New York’s Paramount Theater on Times Square. We know now that some of the fans may have been paid to scream—but thousands of girls swooned for free during the weeklong engagement that anointed Sinatra the greatest popular singer of the day. His sense of humor, sex appeal, slight whiff of danger, and those mesmerizing blue eyes—not to mention the carefully chosen songs that resonated with his audience—made him an instant favorite of the bobby-soxers.

Ethel Merman performs in Matt Dubey and Harold Karr’s Happy Hunting

Lilo and Peter Cookson in “Can-Can”

Lilo and Peter Cookson in front of Jo Mielziner’s magnificent backdrop for “Can-Can.” The drop was so stupendous, Cole Porter was inspired to write “I Love Paris” after seeing it.

Nat King Cole, “Ballads of the Day”

Nat King Cole’s recording, Ballads of the Day, had an original release date of 1956. The recording includes: “A Blossom Fell”; “Unbelievable”; “Blue Gardenia”; “Angel Eyes”; “It Happens To Be Me”; “Smile”; “Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup”; “Alone Too Long”; “My One Sin”; “Return to Paradise”; “If Love Is Good to Me”; “The Sand and the Sea." Orchestra conducted by Nelson Riddle; by Billy May on “Angel Eyes."

The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra on stage

Tommy Dorsey on stage at the Astor Hotel on Times Square on July 15, 1950.

Whatever Will Be, Will Be (sheet music)

Jay Livingston and Ray Evans wrote “Que Sera Sera” but the Oscar rules forced them to change the title to “Whatever Will Be, Will Be.”

Composer Henry Mancini and Lyricist Johnny Mercer

Composer Henry Mancini and lyricist Johnny Mercer, who wrote the academy award winning song “Moon River” for the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s at work together in the early 1960s. (photo appears courtesy of the Henry Mancini Estate)

Jule Styne, Barbra Streisand, and Sidney Chaplin

Jule Styne plays the songs from the new musical Funny Girl for stars Barbra Streisand and Sidney Chaplin

Lyricist Ira Gershwin and Michael Feinstein

Michael Feinstein was hired by the Gershwin family to catalog the Gershwin Collection of Recordings in 1976.

Roy Bishop and Alice Faye at the Los Feliz Theater, Hollywood

Harold Jacobs with Songwriter Doris Fisher at a Sheet Music Luncheon

Harold Jacobs, Roy Bishop, and Beverly Hamer. (photo: Sandy Marrone)

Harold Jacobs and Roy Bishop in their living room with music dealer Beverly Hamer. (photo: Sandy Marrone)

The Sinatra Project

Michael Feinstein performs songs from his “Sinatra Project” CD in London, with a seventeen-piece big band conducted by arranger Bill Elliott.

Harold Jacobs in His Sheet Music Closet (photo: Roy Bishop)

Jerry Herman teaches Michael Feinstein one of his songs.

Broadway composer/lyricist Jerry Herman teaches Michael Feinstein one of his unpublished, unrecorded “trunk” songs.

Michael Feinstein and Hugh Hefner

Michael Feinstein and Hugh Hefner check out Hef’s vintage Wurlitzer jukebox in the Playboy Mansion’s fabled “Game House.”

Michael Feinstein visits with entertainer Rose Marie

Michael Feinstein visits with entertainer Rose Marie, who literally opened in Las Vegas in 1947, at the first big casino/nightclub, The Flamingo.

Michael plays one of Liberace’s rhinestone encrusted pianos

Michael plays one of Liberace’s rhinestone encrusted pianos in the now-closed Liberace Museum in Las Vegas. Liberace used to travel with his own glazier who was responsible for re-gluing all the rhinestones on his pianos and cars that were damaged in transport.