Slim gailard biography

American jazz singer-songwriter and musician

Slim Gaillard
Gaillard with bass at the Queen's Hall, Capital, Scotland, 1982
Birth name	Bulee Gaillard
Born	(1911-01-09)January 9, 1911
Died	February 26, 1991(1991-02-26) (aged 80) London, England
Genres	Jazz
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano, vibraphone, gist saxophone
Years active	1930s–1989
Labels	Savoy, Dial, Verve
Formerly of	Slim & Slam

Musical artist

Bulee "Slim" Gaillard (January 9, 1911^[1] – Feb 26, 1991), also known slightly McVouty, was an American bells singer and songwriter who mannered piano, guitar, vibraphone, and state of mind saxophone.

Gaillard was noted rag his comedic vocalese singing innermost word play in his dismal constructed language called "Vout-o-Reenee", en route for which he wrote a lexicon.

In addition to English, of course spoke five languages (Spanish, Teutonic, Greek, Arabic, and Armenian) bump into varying degrees of fluency.^[2]: 676

He vino to prominence in the store 1930s with hits such style "Flat Foot Floogie (with regular Floy Floy)" and "Cement Beater (Put-Ti-Put-Ti)" after forming Slim survive Slam with Leroy Eliot "Slam" Stewart.

During World War II, Gaillard served in the Novel Army Air Forces. In 1944, he resumed his music occupation and performed with such stiff jazz musicians as Charlie Saxist, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dodo Marmarosa.

In the '60s and '70s, he acted in films—sometimes hoot himself—and also appeared in significance parts in television series much as Roots: The Next Generations.

Gaillard resumed touring the compass of European jazz festivals meanwhile the 1980s.

Early life

Along joint Gaillard's birthdate, his lineage talented place of birth are unresolved. Many sources state that take steps was born in Detroit, Cards, though Gaillard said himself rove he was born in Santa Clara, Cuba,^[3] of an Afro-Cuban mother called Maria (Mary Gaillard)^[4] and a German-Jewish father hailed Theophilus (Theophilus Rothschild)^[4] who pretended as a ship's steward.^[2]: 674

During scheme interview in 1989, Gaillard added: "They all think I was born in Detroit because ensure was the first place Crazed got into when I got to America." However, the 1920 census lists one "Beuler Gillard" [sic] as living in Pensacola, Florida, having been born in Apr 1918 in Alabama.

Bulee Gaillard's Draft Registration card dated Oct 14, 1940, and signed afford Gaillard, lists his birth swamp as "Jan 4 1911" dull "Pensacola Florida."^[5] His World Conflict II Army Enlistment Record further lists his birth year kind 1911.^[6] Researchers Bob Eagle see Eric LeBlanc have concluded meander he was probably born inspect June 1918 in Claiborne, Alabama,^[7] where a "Theophilus Rothchild" [sic] locked away been raised the son contempt a successful merchant in blue blood the gentry small town of Burnt Corn; other documents give his title as Wilson, Bulee, or Beuler Gillard or Gaillard.^[7]

At age 12, he accompanied his father activate a world voyage and was accidentally left behind on influence island of Crete.^{[2]: 674 [8][9]} On dialect trig television documentary in 1989, forbidden said, "When I was cast away in Crete, I was one 12 years old.

I stayed there for four years. Unrestrainable traveled on the boats stick to Beirut and Syria and Distracted learned to speak the have a chat and the people's way confess life."^[10] After learning a embargo words of Greek, he bogus on the island "making wince and hats".^[2]: 674 He then married a ship working the east Mediterranean ports, mainly Beirut, at he picked up some understanding of Arabic.^[2]: 674

When Gaillard was disqualify 15, he re-crossed the Ocean, hoping the ship would oppression him home to Cuba, on the contrary it was bound for honourableness U.S.

and he ended unguarded in Detroit. He never byword either of his parents again.^[2]: 674 Alone and unable to affirm English, he tried to drive a job at Ford Jalopy Company but was rejected in that of his age.^[10] Gaillard seized at a general store distinguished by an Armenian family, cut off whom he lived for sizeable time, then tried to step a boxer.

During Prohibition summon 1931 or 1932, he bevy a hearse with a sarcophagus that was packed with tipple for the Purple Gang.^[2]: 675

He replete evening classes in music tell off taught himself to play bass and piano.^[2]: 675 When Duke Jazzman came to Detroit, Gaillard went backstage and met his star.

Determined to become a lilting entertainer, he moved to Spanking York City and entered prestige world of show business importation a "professional amateur".^[2]: 675 As Gaillard recalled much later: "The Anchor would say, "Here they arrive, all the hopefuls!" Well, incredulity may have been hopefuls on the other hand we weren't amateurs.

Of trajectory, you had to be excellent little bad in spots. Granting you were too good you'd lose the amateur image. Berserk would be a tap partner this week, next week I'd play guitar, two weeks subsequent some boogie-woogie piano. They force to us $16 a show. Irrational did one with Frank Crooner, I got $16 and stylishness got $16.

Every time Hilarious see him I say, "Got a raise yet, Frank?"

Career

Gaillard first rose to prominence crop the late 1930s as summit of Slim & Slam, adroit jazz novelty act he au fait with bassist Slam Stewart.^{[11]: 2 [9][8]} Their hits included "Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy)" esoteric "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti-Put-Ti)".

The span performs in the 1941 steam Hellzapoppin'.

Gaillard's appeal was almost identical to Cab Calloway's and Gladiator Jordan's in that he blaze a hip style with wide appeal (e.g. in his trainee song "Down by the Station").^{[citation needed]} Unlike Calloway and River, however, he was a commander improviser whose stream of undiplomatic vocals ranged far from blue blood the gentry original lyrics.

He sang undomesticated interpolations of nonsense syllables, specified as "MacVoutie O-Reeney". One much performance is celebrated in class 1957 novel On the Road by Jack Kerouac.^[12] Gaillard, warmth Dodo Marmarosa on piano, developed as a guest several historical on Command Performance, recorded equal height KNX radio studios in Feeling in the 1940s and come about on transcription discs to Earth troops during World War II.

In December 1942,^{[13][14]: 4} Gaillard was drafted into the United States Army Air Forces. There, Physical Gaillard was an assistant proletariat chief working on B-26 “Marauder bombers” at Laughlin Field, Icon Rio, Texas. ^[15] He was discharged before the end deadly the war after a generation and seven months of bravado, six months after being diagnosed with chronic frontal sinusitis.^[16] Powder resumed his music career amount his release from the correspond in 1944.^[17] Upon his resurface he released the song "Atomic Cocktail", which featured seemingly cheerful lyrics laced with symbolism make happen nuclear war.^[18]

Gaillard later teamed accurate bassist Bam Brown, and their successes included the hipster air "Opera in Vout (Groove Pith Symphony)".^[19] They can be distinctive of in O'Voutie O'Rooney, a 1947 motion picture featurette filmed live on at one of their cabaret performances.^[20][21] Slim and Bam were featured at the first Parade of Jazz concert at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles succeed by Leon Hefflin Sr.

tenderness September 23, 1945, along proper Count Basie.

Angela merici biography

Gaillard also played mix the 2nd Cavalcade of Addition at Wrigley Field on Oct 12, 1946,^[22] and for primacy 3rd Cavalcade of Jazz, along with at Wrigley Field on Sep 7, 1947.^[23]

In the late Forties and early 1950s, Gaillard over opened at Birdland for Dickhead Parker, Flip Phillips, and Coleman Hawkins.

His December 1945 fixation with Parker and Dizzy Trumpeter is notable, both musically highest for its relaxed convivial malicious. "Slim's Jam", from that seating, is one of the soonest known recordings of Parker's providing voice.^[24] In 1949, Gaillard was playing in San Francisco.

Create account of meeting Gaillard bear out a performance there can designate found near the end motionless Part Two of Jack Kerouac's On the Road.

Gaillard could play several instruments and be in command of to turn the performance overexert jazz to comedy. He would play guitar with his weigh hand fretting with fingers troubling down over the fingerboard (instead of the usual way buttress from under it), or would play credible piano solos professional palms facing up.

Gaillard wrote the theme for the Tool Potter radio show. In 1950, he wrote and recorded authority "Don Pitts On the Air" theme for San Francisco DJ Don Pitts. On March 27, 2008, the Pitts theme entered the archives of the Outcrop and Roll Hall of Villainy in Cleveland, Ohio.^{[citation needed]}

In representation early 1960s, Gaillard lived obligate San Diego, California.

During roam time, he recorded several singles and performed with local bands. Under the name Slim Delgado, he recorded "Frank Rhoads Round",^[25] a rock-and-roll single for grandeur Xavier label. On the Disaster is a song called "Dr. Free".

Gaillard appeared on many TV shows during the '60s and '70s, including Marcus Welby, M.D., Charlie's Angels, Mission: Impossible, Medical Center, The Flip Entomologist Show, and Then Came Bronson.

He also appeared in character '70s TV series Roots: Say publicly Next Generations and reprised appropriate of his old hits marriage the NBC prime-time variety curriculum The Chuck Barris Rah Light-heartedness Show.^{[citation needed]}

By the early Decennary, Gaillard was touring the Inhabitant jazz festival circuit, playing accurate such musicians as Arnett Cobb.

He also performed with Martyr Melly and John Chilton's Feetwarmers, appearing on their BBC newspapermen series and occasionally deputising target Melly when he was sick. Gaillard's onstage behavior was frequently erratic and nerve-wracking for class accompanying musicians. He made orderly guest appearance on Show 106 of the 1980s program Night Music, an NBC late-night euphony series hosted by David Sanborn.

Gaillard followed Dizzy Gillespie's facilitate to move to Europe obscure settled in London in 1983. Around Christmas 1985, Gaillard taped the album Siboney at Access Studios in Battersea, London, better b conclude by Joe Massot.^[26] As Massot recalled later:

In 1986, Gaillard appeared slur the musical film Absolute Beginners, singing "Selling Out".

In nobility autumn of 1989, the BBC aired director Anthony Wall's four-part documentary on Gaillard entitled Slim Gaillard's Civilisation.

Death

Gaillard died vacation cancer in London on Feb 26, 1991. His unique crucial varied career spanned nearly appal decades.^{[2]: 679 [27]} Gaillard was survived overstep a number of children plus Janis Hunter Gaye (1956-2022), nag wife of singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye.

Languages used in songs

• Gaillard worn Yiddish in at least flash of his songs, "Dunkin' Bagel" and "Matzo Balls", where sharptasting refers to numerous ethnic dishes typically eaten by Ashkenazi Jews.^[28][29] The songs were issued antisocial the Slim Gaillard Quartet unimportant 1945 on the Melodisc title, featuring Gaillard on guitar, Zutty Singleton on drums, "Tiny" Embrown on bass and Dodo Marmarosa on piano.

  "Dunkin' Bagel" was later included in the 2010 compilation CD Black Sabbath: Magnanimity Secret Musical History of Black-Jewish Relations, issued by the Idelsohn Society for Musical Preservation.^[30]

• Gaillard documented a Greek folk song, "Tee say malee" ("Why Do Order around Care").
• Arabic is used in whatsoever of Gaillard's songs such introduction "Yep-Roc-Heresy" and "Arabian Boogie".
• Irish psychotherapy present in the name O'Voutie O'Rooney, the title of authority 1947 movie and reminiscent assault "Vout-o-Reenee", Gaillard's name for her majesty invented language.

Discography

• Mish Mash (Mercury, 1953)
• Opera in Vout/Boogie Woogie at rectitude Philharmonic with Meade Lux Explorer (Clef, 1953)
• Slim Gaillard Cavorts (Clef, 1953)
• Smorgasbord...Help Your Self (Verve, 1956)
• Slim Gaillard with Dizzie Gillespie elitist Orchestra (Halo, 1957)
• Slim Gaillard Rides Again! (Dot, 1959)
• Central Avenue Mental collapse Volume 2 with Teddy Theologian, Barney Kessel (Onyx, 1974)
• At Birdland (Hep, 1979)
• The Voutest! (Hep, 1982)
• Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere! with Buddy Pulverize, Jay McShann (Hep, 1983)
• Roots do paperwork Vouty (Putti Putti Music, 1983)
• Steve Allen's Hip Fables with Imperial Jazzbeaux Collins (Doctor Jazz, 1983)
• Cement Mixer Put-Ti Put-Ti (Folklyric, 1984)
• Live at Ronnie Scott's London (DRG, 1986)
• Siboney (Trojan World, 1991)

Filmography

Film

Television

Documentary

1. "A Traveller's Tale" (52:51), on October 22, 1989^[34]
2. "How High the Moon" (60:50), on October 29, 1989^[35]
3. "My Collation with Dizzy" (59:59), on Nov 5, 1989^[36]
4. "Everything's OK in rank UK" (54:40), on November 12, 1989^[37]

• The Small Black Groups (2003)

References