[78-L] Not So Quiet, Please - F. Marks?

[Taylor Bowie]

One of my all-time favorite records is the 8000-series  Brunswick by Toots 
Mondello and his Orch of  "Thanks For the Memory" b/w "Let That Be A Lesson 
To You."  Besides being a great,  great record played by a group of some of 
the very best NY studio players,  the arrangements are very distinctive and 
really find a nice groove of what I'd call "mainstream swing."

Rust credits the arranger for these sides as Franklyn Marks,  and what I've 
found out about his makes me want to learn more.  He worked for Disney at 
one time,  and also for Stan Kenton.  Not only that  but he taught arranging 
and musical theory,  and there is a nice on-line interview with Buddy 
Collette who talks about going to school on the G-I bill after WW2, and how 
much he learned from  Marks.

So...anybody have any other info about him...did he ever do stock 
arrangements for dance bands in the 30s and 40s.  I don't recall seeing his 
name printed on any of the thousands  I've seen but that may be because I 
wasn't looking for it at the time...Jef Sultanof,  are you listening?  I'm 
hoping  maybe you had some contact with Marks at one time

As always,  any info appreciated.  And...if you have that Modello record of 
"Thanks for the Memories,"  do yourself a favor and play it...it was 
recorded in late '37 and it's almost the last gasp of the "studio bands" 
which were put together to cover pop tunes (I'm not counting cover stuff on 
18 Top Hits and the like).  And if that is about the last of it,  the studio 
band concept sure ended with some great music.


Thanks from

Taylor