Jan Savitt

Jan Savitt and His Top Hatters emerged as one of the country’s leading orchestras during the late 1930s. Savitt, who was classically trained, had no background in jazz, but his use of a musical device called “shuffle rhythm” allowed his group to swing with the best of them. This device, which featured a piano playing double time, gave the orchestra a relatively fresh sound in comparison to many of the dedicated swing outfits and earned them engagements at some of the country’s top spots.

Born in Russia, where his father had been a drummer in the Imperial Regimental Band of Tsar Nicholas II, Savitt’s family immigrated to the United States while he was a toddler. Hailed as a child prodigy on the violin, he won several scholarships to the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, and at age 16 he became the youngest person to perform with the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra.

Early Band

In 1936, Savitt organized his own string quartet, which earned a spot on a national radio series and won the Philharmonic Society’s Gold Medal Award. These achievements caught the attention of local Philadelphia radio station KYW, where Savitt was offered employment as musical director. There he formed the Top Hatters and began to focus on jazz, which he called “the finest musical expression we have ever perfected in this nation.” The orchestra later moved to WCAU and was broadcast across the country on CBS.^[1]

As vocalists, Savitt brought in CBS radio singer Carlotta Dale and local African-American singer Bon Bon, who had been a member of the popular Three Keys earlier in the decade. Harry Roberts also sang. During one show in 1937, Dale sang on the band’s program from her hospital room while the orchestra circled overhead in an airplane. The orchestra recorded first on the Variety label in 1936 before moving to Bluebird in 1937.

In early 1938, Savitt decided to take his band on the road. Most of his musicians refused to travel, and Savitt was forced to put together an almost completely new orchestra. Already well-known from his radio show and recordings, Savitt quickly began to draw crowds on the theater and ballroom circuit. The group’s most popular early hit, written by Savitt and sang by Bon Bon, was the highly swinging “720 in the Books,” so named because that was the song’s number in the band’s catalogue.

As one of the first black vocalists to tour with a white band, Bon Bon faced much discrimination on the road. He often pretended to be the band manager’s valet in order to stay in the same hotel as the others. He refused to go much further, however, and didn’t tolerate the racism he came up against. During a performance in Kentucky, after he was refused service by the ballroom’s soda stand, he boycotted the show, only appearing on stage to sing during the thirty minutes of the band’s national radio broadcast.

Along with Bon Bon and Dale, vocalist Dorsey Anderson also sang with the band in early and mid-1938. The vocalists combined together on some numbers as The Three Toppers. When Dale fell ill in late August 1939, Savitt’s personal secretary, Barbara Stillwell, volunteered to fill in for her with the band. Savitt was so surprised at how well Stillwell could sing that he considered keeping her on as co-vocalist when Dale returned. That may or may not have had any bearing on Dale’s decision to leave the orchestra in September.^[2] Peggy McCall briefly sang after Dale departed. Savitt’s vocalist department became a revolving door starting in late 1939, with many different singers coming and going. The orchestra often had three or even four vocalists at one time, some of them musicians out of the band.^[3]

1940 to 1942

In 1939, Savitt left Bluebird and signed with Decca, abandoning his shuffle rhythm gimmick. He began to pick up top jazz musicians, including, in early 1940, former Artie Shaw saxophonist Georgie Auld along with arrangers Dean Kincaide and Paul Weston. He also hired African-American arrangers Eddie Durham and William Moore Jr. Auld left in early July after an altercation with Savitt, in which Savitt accused him of “blowing too damned loud in the section”.

Savitt was disliked by many of his musicians and vocalists, which led to the Top Hatters having a high turnover. Bon Bon became infamous for quitting and rejoining Savitt’s orchestra numerous times. Singer Allan DeWitt subbed for Bon Bon in early 1940, when the singer took leave due to “hemorrhoid trouble.” DeWitt stayed only shortly, however, before joining Vic Schoen’s orchestra in April, leaving Savitt without a male singer until Bon Bon returned. DeWitt had rejoined Savitt by June, however, where he shared vocal duties with Bon Bon for the next few months. The Quintones sang with the band in early 1940 but did not record. Savitt had no female vocalist at that time.

The Top Hatters were at the height of their popularity in 1940, with Savitt making the cover of Billboard on September 21 of that year. That same month, Bon Bon left, along with Durham.^[4] When Savitt’s Decca contract expired in late 1940, he signed with Victor, making his first sides for the label in March 1941. In early 1941, Savitt featured a vocal quartet called The Toppers. In July, the quartet’s girl singer, Jane Ward, slipped and fell, breaking her ankle while getting on a horse.^[5]

Savitt returned to his shuffle rhythm gimmick in mid-1941. Jack Palmer was vocalist from at least April to June of that year. Guitarist Dick Wharton also sang at some point before August 1941. DeWitt left in October. Bon Bon then returned, staying only a few months before leaving in February 1942. Joe Martin was vocalist by April. Dancer turned chirper Jeanne Blanche sang in early 1942, leaving in April to return to dancing.

Later Bands

Savitt reorganized in mid-1942 and added a string section to his band. The changed earned him another Billboard cover on June 27. Martin, also a violinist, remained on male vocals and sometimes played with the band. Actress Gloria DeHaven, then an unknown, sang in July 1942. Lorraine Benson joined Savitt in November 1942 but quickly left, replaced by Eugenie Baird, who stayed until early 1943. Betty Bonney took her place, leaving in May. Sax player Buddy Welcome also sang. Martin remained as male vocalist until at least March. Elisse Cooper replaced Bonney. Shortly after she arrived, Cooper announced her plans to marry and retire as soon as Savitt found a suitable replacement. Her husband-to-be, however, ended up in the army, and she put off her plans, saying she would stay with Savitt for six months and then go solo. Jerry Perkins was male vocalist in September.

In October 1943, Savitt disbanded in anticipation of a USO overseas tour, with expectation that he would settle into a musical director’s position at CBS on his return. When he discovered that the USO would only allowed him an eight-piece band on the trip, he called it off and reorganized his orchestra. Vocalists in mid-1944 included Welcome, drummer Harry Ferraro, balladeer Bob Lyons and female singer Kathleen Reagan. Two of Savitt’s violinists were female. In September 1945, Jo Ann Ryan replaced Helen Warren as female vocalist and Harry Warren became male vocalist.

Savitt continued leading orchestras into the late 1940s, though his popularity dropped off after 1943. When the American Federation of Musician’s recording ban, which had begun in August 1942, ended in November 1944, Savitt’s band did not have a recording contract, and they didn’t enter the studio again until 1946, when they signed to the ARA label. Vocalist at that time was Bob D’Andrea. In 1947, the band was featured on the Old Gold radio program.

In 1948, Savitt found himself in debt to the IRS. In need of money to pay off his taxes, he cut his band to eight members, calling it a “swing chamber music” unit, and went on a series of one-night performances on the lucrative hotel circuit. Diane Richards was vocalist. Unfortunately, Savitt’s life was cut short during that tour when he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in October while traveling to a show in Sacramento. He was said to be 39 years old.^[6] Down Beat reported that Savitt’s estate was worth $4,500 at the time of his death.

Notes