THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 4, 1996 TAG: 9602030118
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
``A Big Band Salute to Artie Shaw'' will be presented at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at Willett Hall, 3701 Willett Drive.
The show honors the late clarinet player and band leader who produced hits ranging from ``Stardust'' to ``Nightmare.''
Featured performers include Julius La Rosa, Johnny Smith's Ink Spots and clarinet virtuoso, Abe Most, conducting the band.
La Rosa was in the Navy when he began singing in enlisted men's and officer's club. Arthur Godfrey heard him sing in 1950 and featured him on his radio show. He became a regular on the Arthur Godfrey Television Show.
He worked in theatres and clubs and his first hit, Frank Loesser's ``Anywhere I Wander,'' was recorded in 1953. His biggest hit was ``E Cumpare.''
Johnny Smith is the one original member of the Ink Spots, a singing group that became popular in the 1940s, with hits like ``If I Didn't Care,'' ``I Don't Want to Set the World On Fire'' and ``Maybe.''
Their high tenor lead, choreographed gestures and deep-voiced spoken choruses played a large role in pioneering the black vocal group trends of the 1950s.
They performed on the radio and were in the 1940s films, ``The Great American Broadcast'' and ``Pardon My Sarong.''
Abe Most came on the Big Band scene, playing with orchestras from Tommy Dorsey's to Bob Crosby's famous ``Bob Cats.'' For 25 years, he was with 20th Century Fox, where he was the featured woodwind soloist.
He has performed with stars ranging from Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand to Julie Andrews and Liza Minelli.
He was recently honored at the Dixieland Jazz Festival in Sacramento. His current albums are ``Swing Low Clarinet'' and ``The Most - Abe, that Is.''
Tickets are $10 and are on sale at all Ticketmaster locations, including the Willett Hall Box Office. Tickets are $10 and all seats are reserved. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Johnny Smith's Ink Spots will be featured in the tribute at Willett
Hall.
Singer Julius La Rosa
Clarinetist Abe Most
by CNB