Slim Gaillard

During the 1930s and 40s Bulee "Slim" Gaillard (1916 - 1991) was a popular small band leader, pianist, guitarist and novelty song writer. He worked as a duo with bassist Leroy "Slam" Stewart as "Slim and Slam," in the late '30s recording hit songs with lyrics written in there own hipster slanguage, which they called "Voutie." Flat Foot Floogie With the Floy Floy, Cement Mixer, Yip Roc, Hereesy were a few of their titles.

Slam Stewart, classically trained at the Boston Conservatory went on to a long career as a bassist for Lester Young, Fats Waller, Coleman Hawkins, Art Tatum, Johnny Guarnieri, Red Norvo and Benny Goodman. Slim Gaillard became an actor, appearing in films and television. He returned to music in the 1980s, mostly in Europe. He died in England in 1991.

Here is a soundie film of Slim Gaillard with a trio in the 1940s, singing a song in "Voutie." Slam Stewart's place had been taken by a new man, dubbed by Slim "Bam Brown."



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Keywords: gypsy jazz, novelty tunes, Slim Gaillard, Slim and Slam, voutie

Champion Jack DuPree: Chicken Shack Blues

William Thomas "Champion Jack" Dupree, 1908? - 1992

Champion Jack earned his nickname as a boxer. He fought 107 bouts under the tutelage of his boxing mentor, Joe Louis, and won a golden gloves championship. Dupree, orphaned at age two, grew up in the New Orleans Colored Waifs Home, where he learned to play piano. He was about ten years behind Louis Armstrong in the same institution. In addition to careers in boxing and music Jack Dupree was a chef, specializing in New Orleans cuisine. He lived in Europe for many years, earning his living as a chef as well as a performer.

Here is a clip from an appearance on the BBC in 1964.

Brooks Tegler Sextet: Sad Sack

I had the opportunity to meet jazz drummer and bandleader, Brooks Tegler, recently. Tegler told me that he is writing a book about jazz musicians in the military during World War II. He's been working on the book for several years and expects it to take some years more to complete. His involvement in WWII history is so extensive that, according to Marc Myers' JazzWax, Tegler's face appears in the bas relief by Raymond Kaskey on the National WWII memorial.


Tegler is a scholar of the music and musicians of the WWII era, leading a big band, as sell as small ensembles, playing the music in a historically accurate yet original way. As I understand it, none of the bands of the time would have copied each others charts. Tegler's bands play their own arrangements and interpretations of the music, just as the bands of the era did.

This video, from the Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park near Bethesda Maryland, is of a small group led by Brooks Tegler, which includes Joe Midiri on clarinet, Paul Midiri on vibes, Don Lerman on tenor sax, Robert Redd on piano and Tommy Cecil on bass. The song is Sad Sack and was originally recorded by Artie Shaw and his Gramercy Five. The title does not refer to George Baker's comic strip. Both are derived from a slang phrase in common use in the WWII military, which refers to a person of bumbling incompetence.

I hope you enjoy this Memorial Day tribute to the greatest generation.


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keywords: jazz, small group jazz, Artie Shaw, Brooks Tegler

Lena Horne: Stormy Weather

The song Stormy Weather was written in 1933 by Harold Arlen and Ted Kohler and first performed by Ethel Waters at New York's Cotton Club. Ten years later the song was used in a musical loosely based on the life of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, in which Horne played the part of Robinson's love interest, Selena Rogers. Stormy Weather became the title of the film, one of only two 1943 films with all African American casts. Bill Robinson played Bill Williamson, a character based upon himself. Lena Horne also starred in that other 1943 film Cabin In The Sky.

Here is Lena Horne in the film Stormy Weather, singing the title song, with is a very stylized dance sequence featuring Katherine Dunham and her dance troop.


Imagine my surprise after posting this yesterday, when turning on my radio this morning, to hear Lena Horne singing Stormy Weather and then an announcement of her death last night at the age of 92. Rest in peace Lena.