Henry Jerome

Henry Jerome (né Henry Jerome Pasnik; 12 November 1917 New York City — 23 March 2011 Plantation, Florida) was an American big band leader, trumpeter, arranger, composer, and record company executive.^[1] Jerome formed his first dance band in 1932 in Norwich, Connecticut. His bands flourished throughout the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s. Jerome went on to become A&R director at Decca Records in 1959 and A&R director for Coral Records, a Decca subsidiary, in the late 1960s.^[2][3][4]

Formal education

Jerome attended primary and secondary schools in Norwich, public for the former and Norwich Free Academy for the latter. He also attended the Juilliard School of Music, studying trumpet with Max Schlossberg (1873–1936) and composition and orchestration with William Vacchiano.^[5][6]

Career

Early days

Jerome formed his first professional orchestra while in the eighth grade — in 1931, when he was 14.

First passenger ship

While in high school Jerome received an offer from the American Export Lines for his orchestra to perform on a ship sailing from New York to Europe. Without quitting school, Jerome secured permission from the Norwich Free Academy to accept the job.^[7]

1932 to 1937

In addition to performing aboard passenger ships, Henry Jerome and His Orchestra performed at clubs, hotels, ballrooms, and theaters throughout the United States, and began performing on radio and TV in 1940.

Dinner at the Green Room

On February 28, 1948, Henry Jerome and His Orchestra were booked at the Green Room of the Hotel Edison, in New York, to fill a 9-day gap between Claudia Carroll's closing and Alvy West–Buddy Greco's opening on March 26.^[8] From then on,^[9] Henry Jerome and His Orchestra performed regularly there. In 1952, ABC Radio Network began broadcasting the show, weekly, calling it, Dinner At The Green Room.^[10][7] Songs such as "Homing Pigeon," "I Love My Mama," "Nice People," "Night Is Gone," "Until Six," and "Oh, How I Need You, Joe" became staples of East Coast airwaves. According to a review in the December 11, 1948, issue of Billboard, Jerome had perfected the style of Hal Kemp, a more mellow, soft, and sweet style that suited many hotels.^[11] The Billboard reporter, Hal Webman (1923–2004), went on to become an A&R executive with Jerome's future employer, Decca.^[12]

Executive roles in recording

Jerome was A&R director at Coral Records, Decca Records, and MCA Records from 1959 to 1968. He became A&R director of United Artists Records from 1968 to 1970. In 1971, he became president of Green Menu Music Factory, collaborating with Kim Gannon, Leonard Whitcup, Bobbi Martin, Norman Simon, Angelo Musulino.^[5]

Selected compositions

Music <div= style="-moz-column-width:30em; column-width:30em; font-size:95%;">

• "Stay With Me"
• "For the Love of Him," words & music by Bobbi Martin & Al Mortimer, United Artists Music (1970) OCLC 744467615
• "Have a Good Day"
• "Oh How I Need You Joe"
• "There Are No Rules"
• "Nice People"
• "Night Is Gone"
• "I Love You So"
• "I Love My Mama"
• "Song of Exodus" ("Let My People Go")
• "Even a Clown Can Cry"
• "Singing a Happy Song"
• "Kiss Me Goodnight"
• "Rock Billy Boogie"
• "The Christmas Party of the Eight Reindeer"
• "I Think of You"
• "Tomorrow"
• "John F. Kennedy Was His Name"
• "The Game of Life" ("It's the Only Game in Town")
• "Give a Woman Love"
• "Your Baby Blue Eyes," music & lyrics by Johnny Burnette, Dorsey Burnette, Paul Burlison, & Al Mortimer OCLC 498787874
• "You're Undecided"

Lyrics <div= style="-moz-column-width:30em; column-width:30em; font-size:95%;">

• "You Are Mine" (canto alia vita)

Instrumental Works <div= style="-moz-column-width:30em; column-width:30em; font-size:95%;">

• "Brazen Brass" (theme)
• "Tipica Serenada"
• "Until Six"
• "Soupy's Theme"
• "The Soupy Shuffle"
• "Lullaby in Dixieland"
• "Henry's Trumpets"

Pseudonyms

Henry Jerome used two pseudonyms: Van Grayson and Al Mortimer, both published as co-composer as a way of getting a royalty cut for musicians that he put on salary.

Notable songs that credit Al Mortimer

• "For the Love of Him"
• "Lonesome Tears in My Eyes"

Awards

Notable members of Henry Jerome's Orchestra

• Alan Greenspan (1944)^[13][14]
• Leonard Garment^[15][14]
• Clyde Reasinger (1960)
• Joe Harnell (1944)^[16]

Selected discography

In the early 1960s, Henry Jerome and His Orchestra recorded eleven albums under the name, "Brazen Brass," from which four singles reached the top 10, worldwide — Jerome conceived the idea and Dick Jacobs did the arrangements.^[1] Some music historians attribute Jerome's inspiration for Brazen Brass to Billy May's Big Fat Brass album that won a 1959 Grammy, for Best Performance by an Orchestra or Instrumentalist with Orchestra.^[17]

• Brazen Brass, Decca DL 4056 & 74056 (1957) OCLC 14216233
• Brazen Brass Plays Songs Everybody Knows, Decca DL 4106 & 74106 (1961) OCLC 13036833
• Brazen Brass Goes Hollywood, Decca DL 4085 & 74085 (1961) OCLC 13031099
• Brazen Brass Brings Back the Bands! Decca DL 4125 & 74125 (1961) OCLC 12261131
• Brazen Brass Features Saxes, Decca DL 4127 & 74127 (1961) OCLC 15548677
• Brazen brass Zings the Strings, Decca DL 4187 & 74187 (1961) OCLC 13030901
• Brazen Brass Goes Latin, Decca DL 4226 & 74226 (1961) OCLC 24624512
• Brazen Brass: New sounds in Folk Music, Decca DL 4344 & 74344 (1961) OCLC 761582619 and 657589374
• Brazen Brass: Strings in Dixieland, Decca DL 4307 & 74307 (1961) OCLC 657589375 and 761582621
• Brazen Brass Legends of Lounge, Decca (1961)
• Cocktail Brazen Brass, Brunswick (1965)
• Brazen Brass Hi-Lites, Decca SDL 3001

Selected radio broadcasts

Henry Jerome and His Orchestra

<div= style="-moz-column-width:50em; column-width:50em; font-size:90%;"> Treasury Varieties

• 63035: May 28, 1948, Mutual

1. "The Third Man Theme," Frank H. Waldecker (1909–1995) (announcer), Hal Barton (vocal), Joe Grimm (Joe Grimaldi) (vocal), Maurie Allen (vocal), The Three Jays. 29:50^[18]

One Night Stand

• 9762: June 24, 1952, Program #2946, AFRS, remote broadcast from the Green Room of the Hotel Edison, New York City, Ray Divino (vocal), Joe Greer (vocal), 1/2 hour^[18]

Manhattan Melodies

• 33492: October 21, 1957, Program #141, 15 minutes^[18]
• 33545: 1960, Program #300

1. "Stompin' at the Savoy" (date is approximate), 15 minutes^[18]

• 44680: Program #9, from the Blue Room of the Hotel Edison, New York City, Mark Hamilton (announcer) OCLC 475716440^[18]

Army Bandstand

• 32987: 1961, Program #129

1. "Ciribiribin" (date is approximate)^[18]

Here's To Veterans

• 56286: 1950, Program #189

1. "Button, Button, Who's Got The Button?" (date is approximate), 14:23 OCLC 451130168^[18]

• 31770: Program #1026

1. "Walking My Baby Back Home," 15 minutes^[18]

• 51653: Program #865. Veterans Administration syndication. "Henry Jerome's Brazen Brass"

1. "In The Mood," 14:26^[18]

Miscellaneous

• 35929: Program #1489, Lang-Worth transcription:

1. "Would I Still Be The One In Your Heart" ("If I Pretend You're Not On My Mind?"), Hal Barton (vocal)
2. "How's The Little Woman?" Hal Barton (vocal)
3. "But Me, I Love You," Jolly Joe Grimm (Joe Grimaldi) (vocal; ensemble, trio)
4. "Lyin' Kisses," Jolly Joe Grimm ( Joe Grimaldi) (vocal, ensemble)
5. "Don't Say Goodbye," Hal Barton (vocal)

12:32^[18]

• 35930: Program #1474, Lang-Worth transcription

1. "Did Anyone Ever Tell You Mrs. Murphy?"
2. "Everything They Said Came True"
3. Medley:

"You Walk By"

"It's The Little Things"

"I Must Have Done Something Wonderful"

4. "Daddy's Little Girl"

Hal Barton (vocals with ensemble), 12:10^[18]

• 35931: Henry Jerome and His Orchestra, Program #AS-658, Lang-Worth transcription

1. "Dearie," Jolly Joe Grimm (Joe Grimaldi) (vocal, trio, ensemble)
2. "Canasta Song," Jolly Joe Grimm (Joe Grimaldi) (vocal, trio, ensemble)
3. "Shawl of Galway Grey" (vocal-Hal Barton, ensemble)
4. Medley:

"Yesterday's Roses"

"A Cow A Plow And a Frau"

"With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming"

With Hal Barton, Jolly Joe Grimm (Joe Grimaldi) (vocals) 12:32^[18]

• Army Show 2-66, "In The Mood" OCLC 690273263

Affiliations

• Jerome became a member of ASCAP in 1951.^[5]

References