Swing to Sweet

When Powel Crosley Jr., radio-manufacturer and operator of a network built around Cincinnati's big Station WLW. started out singlehanded 15 years ago. he put a chamber music record on the air as his first musical broadcast. In succeeding years WLW has been the proving ground of many a U. S. jazz orchestra, including such hot ones as Thomas ("Fats") Waller's. Something of a pioneer in putting swing music on the air, Towel Crosley last week was revealed as something of a pioneer in taking it off. He had, it appeared, become irritated when he heard a simple tune swing so wide that he could not recognize its melody. Denying reports that WLW and WSAI, its companion Cincinnati station, had placed an absolute ban on hot jazz, Owner Crosley nevertheless declared that such music would be limited to "a reasonable amount." meaning considerably less than before. Reason: "There is a tendency back to the simpler things. . . . Careful surveys have indicated that listeners prefer bands of the Wayne King, Guy Lombardo and Lucky Strike Hit Parade type. . . ." Result last week was that, with WLW picking up the smooth ("sweet") hotel and nightclub music wherever there is a choice, the Crosley stations not only passed up hot Tommy Dorsey's hot Brother Jimmy's Orchestra, playing in a Cincinnati hotel, but let NBC use Crosley equipment to put it on the NBC network.

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