A Mel Bay Publications, Inc. Webzine
December 2006 · Bimonthly
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In this issue: The World is Waiting for the Sunrise | Playing in a Band | The Georgia Boys |
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The World is Waiting for the Sunriseby Beth Mead The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise. A familiar ballad written in 1918 with lyrics by Gene Lockhart and music by the concert pianist Ernest Seitz who had conceived the refrain when he was only 12. Seitz, embarrassed about writing popular music, used the pseudonym Raymond Roberts when the song was first published in 1919 by by Chappell. At first the song's hopeful sentiment appealed to post-war North America and was recorded by both singers and instrumentalists, including Morton Downey, Fritz Kreisler, Ted Lewis, and John Steel. Later, as a popular vehicle for improvisation, it was recorded by many jazz musicians, among them Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Mel Powell, Jess Stacy, and Jack Teagarden. Les Paul and Mary Ford recorded it in 1949 for Capitol and sold over a million copies. Canadian jazz musicians to record the song include Bert Niosi (1946), Peter Appleyard (1957), Ed Bickert (1979), and Oscar Peterson (1980). Over the years more than 100 versions have been recorded. The song's lyricist, Lockhart, was an actor with the travelling Pierrot Players at the time and had a successful career on Broadway and later in Hollywood. He wrote and directed the Broadway musical revue Bunk of 1926.   About the Author Beth Mead is a Banjoist, Singer and teacher who hails from Scotch Plains, New Jersey by way of Levelland, Texas. Ms. Mead is acclaimed as one of todays leading banjoists, as well as a talented vocalist. She has worked with such artists as Fred's Mobile Homes, Beats Walkin', Two of a Kind, Steve Schonwald and many others. She performs regularly and is featured in concerts and at festivals nationwide, from New York's Lincoln Center to Sunset Park. She has an excellent voice, and brings the sound of the Southwest to her music. Her Band, BigBandjo plays an exciting mix of Swing and Tin Pan Alley favorites led by a lively banjo sound. The melodies are familiar to American audiences of all ages, and include standards by Irving Berlin, Lerner and Lowe, Bob Wills, George Gershwin and other great American composers. Beth has released two solo CDs, Big Bandjo and Big Bandjo Rides Again, featuring five-string banjo arrangements of Swing Era classics. A third volume with collaborators including Alan Munde, Gerald Jones, Larry Cohen, Dawn Watson and Fred's Mobile Homes, is scheduled to release this Spring.You can contact Beth at: bigbandjos@yahoo.com [ top ]
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