MGM, MICKEY AND THE MUSEUM

We attended the Arlington Museum of Art's Annual Art Auction and Gala last night. The theme this year was "Black and White" and the place looked wonderful, as did all the guests.The party started with an invitation only reception with champage, strawberries and chocolates which provided select guests to meet the artists who participated in the live auction and visit with them.

There was a larger crowd than usual this year and the Museum looked amazing as everything was black, white and crystal. The table arrangements were lovely and very tastefully done. I would say that the place had an air of understated elegance about it with the tall, cylindrical vases with white lillies on the tables and the simplistic decorations. Less is more always works! Each table also had a black and white photograph of scenes from old movies to carry out the theme.There were old black and white movies being shown on each of the walls of the museum for our enjoyment and it was so much fun to watch Mickey Rooney as Andy Hardy up to his antics with Judy Garland. They were SOOOO young!

One of the films they showed was "Strike up the Band" starring Paul Whiteman and his orchestra. When I was a little girl, I rode in his car in a parade in Fort Worth in the late 30's with Paul Whiteman and also danced on the stage while his orchestra was playing (this was at his invitation), so this really was a fun movie for me to watch.
For those of you too young to remember who Paul Whiteman was, here is a little information on him. Paul Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was a popular American orchestral leader.

He was born in Denver, Colorado. After a start as a classical violinist and violist, Whiteman then led a jazz-influenced dance band, which became locally popular in San Francisco, California in 1918. In 1920 he moved his band to New York City where they started making recordings for Victor Records which propelled Whiteman and his band to national prominence. Whiteman became the most popular band leader of the decade. In May, 1928, he signed with Columbia Records, only to return to Victor September, 1931, where he stayed until March, 1937.
In the 1920s, Whiteman controversially dubbed himself The King of Jazz. He recorded Hoagy Carmichael singing and playing Washboard Blues to the accompaniment of his orchestra in 1927.
While today most fans of jazz consider improvisation to be essential to the musical style, Whiteman thought the music could be improved by scoring the best of it. At the time he was popular, his recordings were critically popular and commercially successful at the time. Whiteman's music was often the first jazz of any form that some people heard.
Duke Ellington wrote in his autobiography: "Paul Whiteman was known as the King of Jazz, and no one as yet has come near carrying that title with more certainty and dignity."
Whiteman commissioned George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, which was premiered by Whiteman's Orchestra with Gershwin at the piano in 1924. Another familiar piece in Whiteman's repertoire: Grand Canyon Suite by Ferde Grofé (much of which was used in the score of A Christmas Story).
Whiteman hired many of the best white jazz men for his band, including Bix Beiderbecke, Frankie Trumbauer, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Steve Brown, Mike Pingitore, Gussie Mueller, Wilbur Hall, Jack Teagarden, and Bunny Berigan. He also signed a young Bing Crosby in late 1926.
For over 30 years, he sought out and encouraged musicians, vocalists, composers, arrangers and entertainers who looked promising. It is worth repeating that Whiteman not only premiered George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" in 1924, but commissioned him to write it, much to Gershwin's surprise at the time.
Both Bing Crosby and Mildred Bailey got their start singing with the Whiteman Orchestra. In 1931, Whiteman married motion picture actress Margaret Livingston.
After he disbanded his Orchestra, in the 1940s and 1950s Whiteman worked as a music director for the ABC Radio Network. He also hosted several television programs and continued to appear as guest conductor for many concerts.
Paul Whiteman died at the age of 77 in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

There was much socializing before dinner was served and as you can see, it was a full house.The walls of the Museum were covered with the art that was to be auctioned and the crowd was ready to party. We had Martinis and Cosmopolitans before dinner and wine with dinner. The meal was provided by SNAP! Caterers and the food was delicious. All in all, everyone had a wonderful time and hopefully, a lot of money was raised for the Museum. We are so blessed to have this facility in our town.

We attended early church today as usual and Frank and I served at the Altar. We went to breakfast with 10 other church members and we are now home waiting for the big game. To me, the Super Bowl is not as significant as it would have been if the Cowboys had been playing. Oh well, there's always next year.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Until then...

XOXO, Pcasso