Duke Ellington said ‘Jazz is a great barometer of freedom.’

Likewise, the Jazz community has always been compassionate to those in distress, as was demonstrated this month by the Jazz Relief for Japan event held Upstairs at Vitello’s in Studio City, California.

The 12-hour marathon fundraiser was the brainchild of Flip Manne, widow of drum legend Shelly Manne, who, at almost 90 years, continues to head up The Los Angeles Jazz Society.

Judy McHugh, grand-daughter of Jimmy McHugh says, “Flip Mann is an amazing woman, a little dynamo and just as stunning as ever. Flip is dedicated to keeping jazz alive. That’s what it’s about. ‘Keeping jazz alive in LA’- it’s what we do!”

Attending the day-long benefit along with Judy was jazz pianist & vocalist John Proulx.


Los Angeles Jazz Society www.lajazz.org

SONG SPOTTING: When My Sugar Walks Down the Street

In his authoritative biography of Jimmy McHugh, author Alyn Shipton writes, “The extraordinary success of When My Sugar Walks Down The Street (1925) gave McHugh his first taste of what it felt like to write a truly popular hit. A melody that was hummed on every street corner.”

We just uncovered this rarely seen clip of Judy Garland performing the song in a scene that was shot for 1954’s A Star Is Born.

The song was intended to be part of Judy’s legendary ‘Born In A Trunk’ sequence.

It was cut out due to intense pressure from Warner Brothers Studios to make the film shorter (so exhibitors could squeeze in more showings each day).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Star_Is_Born_%281954_film%29