[Trombone-l] Sophie Tucker

[Stan Brager]

No, this is not off topic although many reading are not familiar with
Sophie's work. The interest may be in the description of her voice as well
as a famous trombonist who accompanied her on several recordings. The
following is from the liner notes of her latest CD (recorded many years
ago):

 Russian-born Sonia Kalish-Abuza (1884-1966) was, as "Sophie Tucker", one of
American vaudeville's greatest stars. With her brassy, flamboyant image and
vocal style she had charisma in abundance. Robust, raucous, dynamic, and of
generous proportions, it was said of her that "She hurls her songs like
projectiles in a very explosive manner". She was "A battleship with a voice
like 70 trombones". Living Era's The Last Of The Red Hot Mamas (as she was
known) presents a matchless survey of Sophie Tucker¹s most famous
recordings, opening with the million-seller she made with Ted Lewis in 1926,
Some Of These Days. Her four biggest pre-electric hits are included (You've
Got To See Mama Every Night . . .), as is the great quartet of 1927 tracks
backed by Miff Mole & his Molers (After You've Gone . . .). In all there are
14 chart hits (There'll Be Some Changes Made, The Lady Is A Tramp . . .)
including another million-seller in her heartfelt My Yiddishe Momme. She was
the mistress of the double entendre (just listen to He Hadn't Up 'Til
Yesterday), and she provided the theme for a mature generation in Life
Begins At Forty. In every sense, a great star! Theatregoers have been given
a recent reminder of the Sophie Tucker legend through the recent successful
show based on her colourful life story.

Stan
Stan Brager