The very night that Duke and his band were scheduled to debut at the Cotton Club, they were already booked at the Standard Theater on South Street in Philadelphia, playing in a vaudeville show. The producer of the show, Clarence Robinson, refused to release Ellington from his obligation. Madden took control of the situation. He called Maxie “Boo Boo” Hoff, a powerful bootlegger in Philly who frequently did criminal business with Madden. The Cotton Club owner explained the situation to Hoff and stressed that it was urgent. Hoff sent a number of his underlings to visit Clarence Robinson. One of
...more
