Jack Robbins & Tin Pan Alley

In 1967, Billboard Magazine devoted much of its September 2nd issue to acknowledging the 70th anniversary of Robbins-Feist-Miller Music Publishers, known in the music industry then as "the Big Three". Due to copyright, we can't link to that original Billboard Magazine September 1967 issue or provide a look back at The Big Three.  Its roots began in 1897, when Leo Feist opened an office in New York City to print his own songs after publishers turned him away.  In 1916, Jack Robbins arrived in New York City and joined his uncle, Maurice Richmond, a music industry pioneer.  In a short time, Robbins, a tiger of Tin Pan Alley, became a driving force in musical publishing, building an ever-growing roster of talent. Jack Robbins later merged and absorbed other music publishing businesses, leading to his close involvement with MGM and the placement of musical talent & scores in the motion pictures of the day.

 In 1935, a young Judy Garland auditioned for  Ida Koverman, Louis B. Mayer's influential secretary, and  Jack Robbins, MGM's talent chief. After hearing her, they brought in the studio rehearsal pianist, Roger Edens, and sent for Louis B. Mayer, head of MGM Studios, to hear her. He listened quietly, and after she finished singing, he immediately said, "Please prepare a contract for the services of Judy Garland as an actress."  Other sources state Burton Lane brought "Frances Gumm aka Judy Garland" in to see Jack Robbins that day.

Billboard Magazine published an article in its July 8th, 1946 issue based on a letter it received from Mr. Robbins.  His letter & remarks refer to the May 25 issue, which contained a review of the Machito Orchestra and arranger John Bartee.

Because of Billboard's copyright, I will let the article & letter from Mr. Robbins' letter, along with the original review of Machito, speak for themselves.  (NOTE - click on the word  page in the document to see the complete review)

John's arranging work for Machito is further noted on page 5, "New York Doings," in the Nov/Dec 1945 newsletter  The Score of ASMA  (American Society of Music Arrangers), now known as ASMAC American Society of Music Composers & Arrangers.

JOHN BARTEE scored a Columbia short
for Noro Morales and is making up .arrangements
for Pepi Campellio's new band, while
still continuing his regular arranging for Machito's
Orchestra, of the London Club

The "Sound" of Machito was important, for it fused Big Band Swing/Jazz with Cuban/Latin elements. This became the basis for much of modern-day "Latin" music, or, as Mr. Mario Bauza preferred to term it, "Afro-Cuban" music. Another overlooked individual who was a decade ahead of others in this fusion was Don Aspiazu, who always envisioned Cuban music intermarrying with American music, as it later did with the mambo. He returned to Cuba around 1940, and in 1943 he died in obscurity.

On December 17, 2001, in Gallup, New Mexico... John Bartee also died in obscurity.  

Given Mr. Robbins' longtime involvement & place in music industry history.  I find his review of the facts as they existed in 1946, compared to the recognition John Lewis Bartee receives today, very out of balance, given the weight of Mr. Robbins' words.

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