OPEN POST: Manor Music Monday With The Vivacious Ivie Anderson!
When I did a search to find pictures of her, it seemed like she was always laughing, or making others laugh. Below, she's having a fine old time with the fabulously named jazz trumpeter, Hot Lips Page. And, yes, I would have.
Ivie knew how to put on a show. Born in Gilroy, California, she was orphaned as a child and raised in Catholic convents. Luckily, it was at those same convents where her voice was noticed by a few smart-cookie nuns, first at St. Mary's Convent, and from 6 years-old onward, she was studying voice, then singing in glee clubs and choral societies till she was 15 years-old. From there on, you couldn't hold her back. Having further honed her skills at Harlem's Cotton Club in the 1920s, she next toured the nation as a highlighted performer with the immensely popular "Shuffle Along," the groundbreaking Broadway revue which attracted enthusiastic audiences of all races (some even credited it with uniting the white and Black jazz communities).
But Ivie wasn't meant to part of a mere ensemble, no matter how stellar. With her innate sense of rhythm, irresistible stage presence and sensational scat improvisations, it wasn't long before she attracted the attention of major jazz and swing talents, like Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and many others, all of whom wanted her to front their bands. But it was Ellington with whom she was most associated with. Hailed as "The Voice of Ellington," she was with him for eleven years, longer than any other singer. Together, they had countless, indelible, now classic hits, including "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" and "All God's Children Got Rhythm."
Unfortunately, Ivie later found her career derailed by chronic asthma, and in the early 1940s, she retired from performing entirely. Yet from there she started a second career: restauranteur and beguiling hostess-with-the mostest. With her husband, Marque Beal, she owned and operated "Ivie's Chicken Shack" on Los Angeles' Central Avenue - or "The West Coast's Harlem," as it was known - perfectly situated amidst renowned jazz clubs, like Club Alabam.
Naturally, her restaurant was the place to be for local and visiting jazz legends and more. According to Bobby Short, it was "very tasteful, very well done inside. And she had some wonderful piano players there. She also had Charles Brown as a young man, who'd just begun his career, In the evening, you found a lot of the so-called upper crust sitting in there. She welcomed the white trade. All these big shot Hollywood types..."
Ivie died early at age 45 from asthma related diseases, and as much as Ellington is remembered to this day - deservedly so - not enough people know the name Ivie Anderson, much less of her joyous talents. Maybe because her style of swingin' jazz vocals makes everything sound so-o-o easy (it's not) (obviously). When I listen to her, nearly every song she performs feels like a party, my favorites including her swingtime bliss-out, "Chocolate Shake."
What are you listening to this week? DJ Li'l Scratch wants to know.
Till next time...purr, bitches, purr! 🐾
Naturally, her restaurant was the place to be for local and visiting jazz legends and more. According to Bobby Short, it was "very tasteful, very well done inside. And she had some wonderful piano players there. She also had Charles Brown as a young man, who'd just begun his career, In the evening, you found a lot of the so-called upper crust sitting in there. She welcomed the white trade. All these big shot Hollywood types..."
Ivie died early at age 45 from asthma related diseases, and as much as Ellington is remembered to this day - deservedly so - not enough people know the name Ivie Anderson, much less of her joyous talents. Maybe because her style of swingin' jazz vocals makes everything sound so-o-o easy (it's not) (obviously). When I listen to her, nearly every song she performs feels like a party, my favorites including her swingtime bliss-out, "Chocolate Shake."
Her version of "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm," featured in The Marx Brothers 1937 feature, "Day at the Races" just builds and builds to insane highs. I can't watch this too often or my head will pop off (it's unfortunate that the Brothers do Blackface in the final seconds, but otherwise, Ivie shines).
Want to hear more Ivie? Of course you do! You can stream her RIGHT HERE or RIGHT HERE!
What are you listening to this week? DJ Li'l Scratch wants to know.
Till next time...purr, bitches, purr! 🐾
Photo Credits: Associated Press, Getty Images
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