#638 (Week of 10/31/09 - 11/6/09)

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"Get The Gold"/"Alexander's Ragtime Band"
by The Three Peppers
on Variety VA 523
released in 1937

Above: Clipping of The Three Peppers (L-R) Roy Branker (piano), Bob bell (guitar), and Walter Williams (bass fiddle). The Variety label releases may have had Oliver "Toy" Wilson on piano. Branker is known to be in the group at least from mid-1938 until their demise.

From Billboard - March 14, 1942:
 
"Three Peppers"
 
Reviewed Monday, 11:30-11:45 p.m. Style—Swing Trio. Sponsor—Frank Palumbo, Philadelphia.
Agency—Aaron & Brown, Philadelphia. Station—KYW (Philadelphia).
 
This nightly stanza makes the first time that a local nitery op has shelled out for a regular commercial. Instead of the usual dance remote, Frank Palumbo goes into the studio and across the board to belly the banquet and fun facilities of his Palumbo's Cafe and his New 20th Century Club.
 
Three Peppers, sepia swing trio who headline the entertainment at both of Palumbo's niteries, have plenty on the ball for radio. Reminding much of radio's one-time Three Keys, both in format and performance, it's an unusual vocal and instrumental blend of guitar, piano and bass.
 
Selections are entirely on the jive side, steeped deep in the Harlem tradition, making the quarter hour a swingy and zingy session. Couple their original compos with current song faves. A vocal for each bit, with guitarist Bob Bell sandwiching in a solo song. Get in four selections for the quarter hour, and, with the Peppers stronger on the vocal side, it all adds up to a pleasant dialing.
 
Also commendable and meaning much in maintaining the pace for the show is the copy scribbled by Milt Shapiro, publicist for the Palumbo niteries. Wordage is in keeping with the spirit of the jive songs, and the commercials are punchy and in good taste. Emphasize the banquet and party facilities at Palumbo's Cafe and the swing atmosphere prevailing at the New 20th Century Club.
 
Stanza should go far in building patronage for the niteries. If it does the selling job it's a cinch the town's other nitery ops will start blossoming out as radio sponsors. In the past, nitery ops have bought spot announcements, but, this is the first time that a floorshow feature is coupled with the out-and-out commercial appeal.

PHILADELPHIA, May 9, 1942 — The Three Peppers, Decca recording artists, are among the busiest of entertainment personages these days. They have just completed a six month engagement of double-up performances at Philadelphia's Palumbo and Twentieth Century niteries. Yes, they were big hits at both clubs.

ALSO:
From Billboard - March 7, 1942:
Local Act Proves It Can Make Dough
PHILADELPHIA — Three Peppers, sepia instrumental-vocal act, makes nitery history here, proving there's big money in this city for acts that can make the grade. Since the season's start, set has been doubling between Palumbo's Cafe and New Twentieth Century Club, both operated by Frank Palumbo, at $650 weekly. Picking up options, Palumbo is continuing the act until the season's end in June.
 
Peppers added another $350 weekly, to make it an even $1000, Wednesday (25). Act started a nightly commercial program on KYW, bank-rolled by Palumbo, to advertise his string of after-dark spots. Earnings set a new high here for local acts.
 
Peppers, booked by Jolly Joyce here, are skedded to summer at the Martinique Cafe, Wildwood, N. J.

Above: Label image of Variety VA 523 recorded on 2/27/37 and released in April 1937. The flip side is an Irving Berlin composition. This is The Three Peppers' first record. They had releases on Variety (1937), Decca (1939-41, 47), and Gotham (1949-51). They backed Sally Gooding on one Variety release. Vocalion reissued five of their Variety sides in late 1937.

Listen to this week's selections by The Three Peppers on Variety VA 523 from 1937:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...             1. Get The Gold           2. Alexander's Ragtime Band             BOTH played in sequence      B. Download RealAudio...             1. Get The Gold           2. Alexander's Ragtime Band      C. Stream/Download Media Player...             1. Get The Gold           2. Alexander's Ragtime Band           [To download audio files, right-click on link           and then click "Save (Link) Target As..."]

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