Archive

1941

“Reles just went out the window!”

November 12, 2021
1941


“Coffee and Cakes”; Sam Donahue and his Orchestra; Robert Sour; Una Mae Carlisle; Frances Claire; Bluebird (B-11377-A), Publication date: November 12, 1941


PM, November 12, 1941

Abe Reles Leaps to His Death

Abe (Kid Twist) Reles, ex-leader of Brooklyn’s Murder, Inc. who turned informer, killed himself today by jumping from a window at Coney Island’s Half Moon Hotel…


“ST. JAMES INFIRMARY BLUES-Part 1”; Artie Shaw and his Orchestra; “Hop Lips” Page; Joe Primrose; RCA Victor (27895 A); November 12, 1941




Brooklyn Eagle, November 12, 1941

RELES DIES IN HOTEL PLUNGE AS ESCAPE ATTEMPT FAILS

Wire Breaks as He Slides to Freedom — Fear Held Cause


“ST. JAMES INFIRMARY BLUES-Part 2”; Artie Shaw and his Orchestra; “Hop Lips” Page; Joe Primrose; RCA Victor (27895-B); November 12, 1941



Long Isand Daily Press, November 12, 1941

Abe Reles Dies in Plunge From Window of Hotel

His ‘Singing’ Helped Smash ‘Murder, Inc.’

Abe (Kid Twist) Reles 37-year old Brooklyn killer turned “informer,” whose testimony already sent two men to their deaths in the electric chair, was killed today when he fell six floors in trying to escape from “protective custody” in the Half Moon Hotel at Coney Island…


“To a Broadway Rose”; Artie Shaw and his Orchestra; Ray Conniff; Victor (27838-A); November 12, 1941





New York Post, November 12, 1941

RELES IS KILLED WHILE ESCAPING

By Malcolm Logan

Abe Reles, the swarthy little murderer who sent two of his fellow members of Murder, Inc. to the electric chair, was killed between 6:45 and 7:10 a.m. today as he was trying to escape from a room on the sixth floor of the Half Moon Hotel in Coney Island…


“Deuces Wild”; Artie Shaw and his Orchestra; Margie Gibson; Victor (27838-B); November 12, 1941

80 years ago today: “Reles just went out the window!”… (Spoiler alert: It was a little premature to conclude that Reles leapt, jumped, was attempting to escape, or “killed himself.”)… What is true is that early on November 12, 1941 Reles went out a window and died on the Half Moon Hotel in Coney Island shortly before having to testify against Lepke…

“I told the truth about unions and the mob.”

November 11, 2021
1941


“I’M READING YOUR LETTER AGAIN, DEAR”; BOB ATCHER and BONNIE BLUE EYES; Jenkins’ Okeh (06495); November 11, 1941




The New York Times, November 11, 1941

LEPKE ‘FINGER MAN’
HUNTS JOB IN VAIN

Paul Berger Accuses Unions
of Barring Him From Work
for ‘Telling the Truth’


“LET’S START LIFE ALL OVER”; BOB ATCHER and BONNIE BLUE EYES; L. White; Okeh (06495); November 11, 1941




PM, November 11, 1941

Skeletons Dance At Lepke Trial


“Walking the Floor Over You”; Bob Atcher; Ernest Tubb; Columbia (37432); November 11, 1941


Washington Experts Feel War With Japan Is Definitely Possible Before Christmas


“SWEETHEARTS OR STRANGERS”; BOB ATCHER and BONNIE BLUE EYES; J. Davis; Columbia (37432); November 11, 1941

23 Years Have Passed, It’s Armistice Day Again


“Modern Design;” Johnny Messner And His Orchestra; Johnny Messner; Sammy Kaye; Ron Perry; Stanley Broadhurst; Decca (4086 B); November 11, 1941


PM, November 11, 1941

745 Moved to New Prison And Not One Was Lost


“Gotta Find My Baby”; Doctor Clayton; Joe Clayton; Bluebird (B-8901-B); November 11, 1941

“Finger Man”

November 8, 2021
1941


“FINGER BUSTER”; Jelly Roll Morton; Jazz Man (Number 12)


“Finger Tips”; Red Prysock; Mercury (70733); 1955


“Ring Around My Finger”; Tiny Topsy and The Charms; Roth; Bass; Federal (12309); 1957


“The Mark ‘Round My Finger”; Hawkshaw Hawkins; Alice Simms; Ira Rosloff; RCA Victor (20-5444); 1953


“YOU’VE GOT ME WRAPPED AROUND YOUR FINGER”; TEXAS JIM LEWIS And His Lone Star Cowboys; Ginger Snow; Lew Porter; Spade Cooley; Decca (46073 B); December 10, 1945


“THE FINGER OF SUSPICION POINTS AT YOU”; Bonnie Lou; Mann; Lewis; Parlophone (R 3989); 1955

“Magic Powers”

November 7, 2021
1941


“That Old Black Magic”; Dizzy Gillespie and his Orchestra; Johnny Hartman; Harold Arlen; Jimmy Mundy; RCA Victor (20-3481-A); July 1949


“It’s Magic”; Sarah Vaughn; Richard Maltby and his Orchestra; Styne; Cahn; Musicraft (557); August 1948


The New York Times, November 7, 1941


“THE MAGIC NAME”; ZINGONE; Zingone’s Recorded Card Tricks (NO. 2)

“Forty-eight.”

November 4, 2021
1941


“FORTY SIX WEST FIFTY TWO”; Chu Berry & his ‘Little Jazz’ Ensemble; Chu Berry; ‘Little Jazz’; Clyde Hart; Danny Barker; Artie Shapiro; Big Sidney Catlett; Leon Berry; Commodore (516A): January 1, 1938


“FAT AND FORTY”; Al HIBBLER and Orchestra; Chess (1569); 1953


“FROM FORTY TO SIXTY-FIVE”; The Masters Family; Purdom; B. Cox; Columbia (20888); June 1951


“Big and Fat and Forty-Four”; “Doc” Wheeler and his Sunset Orch.; “Doc” Wheeler and his Harway Four; Jesse Stone; Bluebird (B-11389-A); November 6, 1941


“Forty Days & Forty Nights”; Muddy Waters And His Guitar; Roth; Chess (1620); 1956


“LIFE BEGINS AT FORTY”; Sophie Tucker; Ted Shapiro; Yellen; Shapiro; Decca (23033 A); 1947


The New York Times, November 4, 1941


“FORTY CUPS OF COFFEE”; Bill Halley and His Comets; D. Overbea; Brunswick (05658); 1957

“Shlam”

October 31, 2021
1941


“Nightmare Boogie”; Pearl Traylor; Modern Music (No. 112-A); Publication date: September 1945


“Monster Party”; Bill Doggett; Henry Glover; King (5176); Publication date: December 1958


The New York Times, October 31, 1941


“Nightmare Boogie”; Hadda Brooks and her Sextette; Hadda Brooks; Modern Music (No. 112-A); Publication date: September 1945

“Mister, I went there each time to avoid murder…”

October 30, 2021
1941


“Just Kiddin’ Around”; Artie Shaw & his Orchestra; Ray Conniff; Victor (27806-B); Publication date: October 30, 1941


“Take Your Shoes Off, Baby (And Start Runnin’ Through My Mind)”; Artie Shaw & his Orchestra; Gene Austin; “Hot Lips” Page; Victor (27719-B); Publication date: October 30, 1941


“Nightmare”; Art Shaw and his New Music; Shaw; Vocalion (4306); Publication date: September 17, 1937


The New York Times, October 30, 1941


“Nightmare Blues”; Mari Jones; Johnny Moore’s 3 Blazers; Modern Hollywood (900); Publication date: 1953

“…self-styled eccentric assigned to carry out bizarre jobs…”

October 29, 2021
1941


“Melody of Love”; Wayne King and his Orchestra; Franklyn MacCormack; Hans Engleman; Mary Carolyn Davies; RCA Victor (27713-A); Publication date: October 29, 1941


“You Don’t Know What Love Is”; Harry James and his Orchestra; Dick Haymes; Raye; de Paul; Columbia (38586); Publication date: October 29, 1941


The New York Times, October 29, 1941


“Make Love To Me”; Harry James and his Orchestra; Helen Forrest; Gannon; Mann; Weiss; Columbia (38586); Publication date: October 29, 1941

“…was slain by members of the notorious Brooklyn murder syndicate because he knew too much…”

October 23, 2021
1941


“That Ain’t Right”; King Cole Trio; King Cole; Cole; Decca (8630 A); October 23, 1941


“Mama Long and Tall”; Erskine Butterfield And His Blue Boys; Erskine Butterfield; Joe Davis; Decca (8596 A); October 23, 1941


The New York Times, October 23, 1941; “…stared wided-eyed through the window of a Manhattan hotel…”


“If Money Grew on Trees”; Erskine Butterfield And His Blue Boys; Erskine Butterfield; Leon Rene; Decca (8596 B); October 23, 1941

“…underworld killers flee the scene of a crime…”

October 22, 2021
1941


“That Ain’t Right”; King Cole Trio; Nat King Cole; King Cole; Decca (25109 A); October 22, 1941


“Uncle Sammy Here I Am”; Clarence Williams’ Blue Five; Eva Taylor; Clarence Willaims; Miller; Williams; Johnson; Bluebird (B-11368-A); October 22, 1941


The New York Times, October 22, 1941


“Thriller Blues”; Clarence Williams’ Blue Five; Eva Taylor; Williams; Barlow; Harper; Bluebird (B-11368-B); October 22, 1941