Gilbert Bowers

Tape #  Side

Time

                             Subject

1  a 

001-131 

Biographical, parents, family, employment

1  a 

132-325

Early interest in music, lessons, favorite bands, high school band, bands played with in teens

1  a 

326-339 

Friendship with Rod Cless

1  a 

340-405  

Husk O'Hare's Wolverines visit Des Moines

1  a 

406-426

Local bands in Des Moines

1  a 

427-518 

Move to Chicago, jobs, clubs

1  a 

519-648 

Listening to Jazz bands in Chicago, clubs, personnel, types of tunes played

1  a 

649-748 

Decision to move to New York, getting a job, Mike Speciale  Band, clubs, personnel, tunes

1  b

003-096

Rosemont Ballroom, Bert Stock Orchestra

1  b

097-190

Jefferson Ballroom, Detroit, first recording date

1  b

191-377

Return to New York, joining Ben Pollack

1  b

378-415 

Summit House, Baltimore

1  b

416-490

Hollywood Restaurant, Cleveland

1  b

491-554 

Band personnel and arrangers

1  b

555-567

Radio broadcasting

1  b

568-600

Playing with Pollack, hours, pay Pollack as a leader

1  b

601-626 

Special Friends in band

1  b

627-659 

First recording job with Pollack band

1  b

660-722

Interim jobs in New York

1  b

723-752 

Mastbaum Theater, Philadelphia

2  a 

003-055  

Mastbaum Theater, cont'd

2  a 

003-124

Forest Club, New Orleans

2  a 

125-173

Ray Bauduc

2  a 

174-208  

Other musicians in New Orleans

2  a 

209-242 

Review of Pollack Band personnel

2  a 

243-264  

Lowry Hotel, St. Paul, MN

2  a 

265-295

Chez Paree, Chicago

2  a 

374-399 

K-9, after-hours club

2  a 

400-405

Hines Band

2  a 

406-419

Other names that band worked under

2  a 

420-476

Creations of Dick Morgan

2  a 

477-504 

Other bands in Chicago

2  a 

505-532

Shows and musicians at Chez Paree

2  a 

533-572

Sophie Tucker

2  a 

573-604

Other acts at Chez Paree

2  a 

605-636 

Playing through Long Beach, Calif. earthquake

2  a 

637-648

Recreation outside of music

2  a 

649-661

Leaving Chicago, new personnel in band

2  a 

662-730 

Style of Pollack band, arrangements, solos, capabilities, individual musicians- Spivak, Rodin, Miller, Bose, Matlock

2  b  

003-055

Playing requests, improvising

2  b  

056-081 

Later Pollack bands

2  b  

082-137 

New York, recording, changes, band breaking up

2  b  

138-179 

Belle Rive Hotel, Kansas City

2  b  

180-203

Ben Thigpen (by Havens)

2  b  

204-238

Kansas City bands

2  b  

239-287

White Bear Lake, St. Paul

2  b  

288-370 

Billy Rose Casino, New York, 1934

2  b  

371-402 

Clubs and musicians in Harlem

2  b  

403-447

Charity benefits played in New York

2  b  

448-472

Smith and Dale comedy act, Gypsy Rose Lee

2  b  

473-494

Stride piano players

2  b  

495-562

Recording dates as back-up for vocalists, Judy Garland, Andrew Sisters

2  b  

563-611

Recording Date, 1934 with Wingy Manone, "Isle of Capri"

2  b  

612-630 

Additional recording as back-up for vocalists

2  b  

631-637

Gap

2  b  

638-694 

Other recording dates, musicians 1934

2  b  

695-738

Break-up of Pollack band, Fall 1934, Starting of Bob Crosby  band, return to New York

3  a

001-060

Return to New York cont'd

3  a

061-124 

Incorporation of "Clark Randall" Band; other names used in recording

3  a

125-172

Personnel of band

3  a

173-186

Substituting with Dorsey Brothers Orchestra

3  a

187-238 

Rockwell-O'Keefe agency; musicians who were clients

3  a

239-253 

Bob Crosby becomes leader or "front" man for band

3  a

254-271 

First money received as member of "Crosby" band

3  a

272-313  

Role of Crosby with band; how band was run

3  a

314-327 

Decisions on tunes played etc.

3  a

328-343

Vocalists with band

3  a

344-378 

Left Crosby band; study with Herman Wasserman; playing radio shows

3  a

379-422  

Cy Walter; forms two-piano team with NBC, clubs etc.

3  a

423-435 

pianists who followed Bowers with Crosby band

3  a

436-463

Recording work-NBC; with singers

3  a

464-486 

Marriage to Marian Manners, vocalist with Whiteman

3  a

487-514

With Abe Lyman Band

3  a

515-553

Pay for various jobs; saving money

3  a

554-604  

Abe Lyman Band, engagements, personnel

3  a

605-680

Swing-bands; big bands heard and worked with, Isham

3  a

681-722 

Jones Orchestra; Vincent Lopez; recording Travelingwith  Lyman

3  a

723-739 

Stay in Los Angeles; Mocambo Club with Eddie
   LeBaron

3  b

009-109

Billy Rose's Clubs; black performers

3  b

110-139

Lena Horne

3  b

140-233

Abe Lyman Orchestra 1940, New York City, Florida

3  b

234-311

Return to West Coast, tour to Huston, Peck Kelly Orchestra

3  b

312-354 

Los Angeles, early years, 1926; Harry Owens

3  b

355-437 

Los Angeles, 1940; Eddie Le Baron, San Ysidro Ranch, Harbor  Restaurant, Santa Barbar

3  b

438-458 

December 7, 1941; closing of Harbor Restauranta

3  b

459-512 

Los Angeles, Eddie Le Baron, clubs played

3  b

513-562  

Fox Studio preliminary call, late Fall 1941

3  b

563-664 

Permanent job at Fox Studios-staff pianist job description

3  b

665-715

Work on film-"Francis the Mule"

3  b

716-742 

Film-"Cover Girl"

4  a

005-055  

"Cover Girls" cont'd; synchronizing music to action

4  a

056-070 

Teaching finger motions for piano playing to stars-Betty Grable

4  a

071-184 

"Oklahoma" filming on location-Nogales, Ariz.

4  a

185-209

Filming "Mother Wore Tights"

4  a

210-224 

Synch for "Everything's Up to Date in Kansas City"

4  a

225-274

Job description-orchestrating, arranging, sketching out ideas for  musical numbers and scenes

4  a

275-294

Other studios-Eagle Lion, Universal

4  a

295-410

Filming "Can-Can"; rehearsal piano work; coordinating choreography; composing for special effects 1960-62

4  a

411-432

Composing for dancers-Ann Miller

4  a

433-474 

Short Musicals about bands-Universal, Lawrence Welk,    Armstrong, Teagarden, Bigard, Chubby Checker

4  a

475-488 

"Glenn Miller Story"

4  a

489-545

Working with Red Nichols, 1950's at Sardi's Restaurant personnel, tunes

4  a

546-588 

Marian's work during this period

4  a

589-665 

Other work outside studio; Hollywood Canteen, Joe Yukl

4  a

666-676  

Sneak previews-theaters

4  a

677-690

World premier, Dallas, "It's A Joke Son"

4  a

691-733

Artists and bands playing in Los Angeles on tour

4  a

734-750 

"Resident" bands in L.A.

4  b

005-062

Other bands heard in L.A.-Stan Kenton

4  b

063-123

Boyd Raeburn, Matty Malneck, Spike Jones

4  b

124-190 

Individual jazz players that Bowers heard or knew

4  b

191-284

With Ted Fiorito Orchestra early 50's; personnel

4  b

285-320 

Playing at Johnny Mathis' first show 1960 or 1961

4  b

321-350 b 

L.A. as entertainment center; moderate effect of Be-bop