Oral History and Research Materials:  Gilbert Bowers

        This is the table of contents for the interview of Gilbert Bowers.  It is part of the National Ragtime and Jazz Archive which is located in

        Lovejoy Library at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

        For a complete contents list of all musician interviews for the oral history project, please click on this link:  Oral History and Research Materials.

        If interested in reviewing these materials from the National Ragtime and Jazz Archive, please contact Therese Dickman, Fine Arts Librarian.

                        Tape #   Side                   Running Time on Tape                   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 Traveling with

                                                                                                                         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