MAY 31

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1951 - Recording under the name The Maynard Ferguson Orchestra, Ferguson directs, and plays trumpet with, members of the Stan Kenton Orchestra (Alfred "Chico" Alvarez, John Howell, Shorty Rogers, Jimmy Salko also on trumpet; Milt Bernhart, Harry Betts, Bob Fitzpatrick, Dick Kenney on trombone; Paul Weigand on bass trombone; Art Pepper, Bud Shank on alto saxophone; Bart Caldarell, Jimmy Giuffre on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Ralph Blaze on guitar;, Stan Kenton on piano; Don Bagley on bass; and Shelly Manne on drums), as they record the tracks "What’s New" (arranged by Shorty Rogers), and "The Hot Canary" (arranged by Pete Rugolo) at Capitol Record's Melrose studio in Hollywood, California. The tracks will be released as a single on Capitol. At the same session Art Pepper, on alto saxophone, will be featured on the track "Jump For Joe" that will be released as the flip side of Stan Kenton and His Orchestra's single "Laura".
1956 - The Four Freshman (Bob Flanigan on vocals, trombone and bass; Don Barbour on vocals and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocals and drum; Ken Albers on volcals, trumpet, mellophone, and bass), with arranger Dick Reynolds conducting Buddy Childers, Pete Candoli, Uan Rasey, Ray Triscari on trumpets; Geoff Carslon on piano; Al Hendrickson, Jack Marshall on guitar; Don Simpson on bass; Frank Carlson on drums, record the tracks "Goodbye" "Give Me The Simple Life" for the album "The Four Freshman and Five Trumpets" and, with the addition of Ralph Hansell on tympani, record "Theme From The Proud Ones" which will be released as a Nelson Riddle single, with "The Love Of Genevieve" on the flip side, at The Capitol Records Studios in Hollywood, California
1976 - The Beatles' single "Got To Get You Into My Life" with "Helter Skelter" on the flip side is released with a picture sleeve in the U.S.
1978 - Paul McCartney and Wings finish sessions for their album "London Town" in Record Plant's mobile studio aboard the yacht "Fair Carol" in waters off the Virgin Islands

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1790 - George Washington signs into law the 1790 copyright act, the United States' first copyright law, which gave protection for 14 years, with the right of renewal for another 14 years, to "the author and authors of any map, chart, book or books already printed within these United States, being a citizen or citizens thereof....shall have the sole right and liberty of printing, reprinting, publishing and vending such map, chart, book or books....". There's a reproduction of the law, as it appeared in the July 17, 1790 edition of the Columbian Centinel on earlyamerica.com.
1930 - Actor, singer and Jazz pianist Clint Eastwood is born Clinton Eastwood, Jr. in San Francisco, California
1967 - Pianist and composer ("Lush Life", "Take The 'A' Train") Billy Strayhorn dies of cancer of the esophagus at the age of 51 at the Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York City, New York
1994 - Capitol's sister label, Blue Note Records, who controls the acquired Roulette Records catalog, issues an expanded version of Count Basie's album "The Atomic Mr. Bassie" with 5 extra tracks, and remastered back to it's intended monophonic sound, under the title "The Complete Atomic Basie"
1996 - Dr. Timothy Francis Leary, who participated in the live recording of John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance", dies in Beverly Hills, California at age 75 of prostate cancer