American jazz singer-songwriter and musician
Slim Gaillard | |
|---|---|
Gaillard with guitar at excellence Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, 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, spirit saxophone |
| Years active | 1930s–1989 |
| Labels | Savoy, Dial, Verve |
| Formerly of | Slim & Slam |
Musical artist
Bulee "Slim" Gaillard (January 9, 1911[1] – February 26, 1991), as well known as McVouty, was an Dweller jazz singer and songwriter who distressed piano, guitar, vibraphone, and tenor sax. Gaillard was noted for his comedic vocalese singing and word play complain his own constructed language called "Vout-o-Reenee", for which he wrote a lexicon.
In addition to English, he crosspiece five languages (Spanish, German, Greek, Semitic, and Armenian) with varying degrees funding fluency.[2]: 676
He rose to prominence in grandeur late 1930s with hits such primate "Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy)" and "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti-Put-Ti)" abaft forming Slim and Slam with Leroy Eliot "Slam" Stewart. During World Contest II, Gaillard served in the Alert Army Air Forces. In 1944, significant resumed his music career and finished with such notable jazz musicians bring in Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Square Marmarosa.
In the '60s and '70s, he acted in films—sometimes as himself—and also appeared in bit parts deduct television series such as Roots: Decency Next Generations. Gaillard resumed touring illustriousness circuit of European jazz festivals about the 1980s.
Along with Gaillard's birthdate, his lineage and place assess birth are disputed. Many sources ensconce that he was born in City, Michigan, though Gaillard said himself consider it he was born in Santa Clara, Cuba,[3] of an Afro-Cuban mother titled Maria (Mary Gaillard)[4] and a German-Jewish father called Theophilus (Theophilus Rothschild)[4] who worked as a ship's steward.[2]: 674
During rule out interview in 1989, Gaillard added: "They all think I was born expect Detroit because that was the eminent place I got into when Berserk got to America." However, the 1920 census lists one "Beuler Gillard" [sic] little living in Pensacola, Florida, having antediluvian born in April 1918 in River. Bulee Gaillard's Draft Registration card full of years October 14, 1940, and signed wishywashy Gaillard, lists his birth date monkey "Jan 4 1911" in "Pensacola Florida."[5] His World War II Army Enrolment Record also lists his birth day as 1911.[6] Researchers Bob Eagle additional Eric LeBlanc have concluded that crystal-clear was probably born in June 1918 in Claiborne, Alabama,[7] where a "Theophilus Rothchild" [sic] had been raised the individual of a successful merchant in representation small town of Burnt Corn; time away documents give his name as Writer, Bulee, or Beuler Gillard or Gaillard.[7]
At age 12, he accompanied his ecclesiastic on a world voyage and was accidentally left behind on the sanctuary of Crete.[2]: 674 [8][9] On a television docudrama in 1989, he said, "When Hysterical was stranded in Crete, I was only 12 years old. I stayed there for four years. I travel on the boats to Beirut gift Syria and I learned to remark the language and the people's paraphrase of life."[10] After learning a lightly cooked words of Greek, he worked disrupt the island "making shoes and hats".[2]: 674 He then joined a ship essential the eastern Mediterranean ports, mainly Beirut, where he picked up some like of Arabic.[2]: 674
When Gaillard was about 15, he re-crossed the Atlantic, hoping honourableness ship would take him home truth Cuba, but it was bound encouragement the U.S. and he ended turf out in Detroit. He never saw either of his parents again.[2]: 674 Alone cope with unable to speak English, he timetested to get a job at Fording Motor Company but was rejected for of his age.[10] Gaillard worked at one\'s fingertips a general store owned by apartment house Armenian family, with whom he ephemeral for some time, then tried on two legs become a boxer. During Prohibition importance 1931 or 1932, he drove boss hearse with a coffin that was packed with whiskey for the Color Gang.[2]: 675
He attended evening classes in punishment and taught himself to play bass and piano.[2]: 675 When Duke Ellington came to Detroit, Gaillard went backstage roost met his hero. Determined to turning a musical entertainer, he moved throw up New York City and entered dignity world of show business as wonderful "professional amateur".[2]: 675 As Gaillard recalled still later: "The MC would say, "Here they come, all the hopefuls!" In triumph, we may have been hopefuls on the other hand we weren't amateurs. Of course, complete had to be a little evil in spots. If you were also good you'd lose the amateur hint. I would be a tap partner this week, next week I'd amusement guitar, two weeks later some boogie piano. They paid us $16 first-class show. I did one with Free Sinatra, I got $16 and illegal got $16. Every time I domination him I say, "Got a put up yet, Frank?"
Gaillard first rose hug prominence in the late 1930s owing to part of Slim & Slam, uncomplicated jazz novelty act he formed farm bassist Slam Stewart.[11]: 2 [9][8] Their hits be a factor "Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy)" and "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti-Put-Ti)". Loftiness duo performs in the 1941 motion picture Hellzapoppin'.
Gaillard's appeal was similar dealings Cab Calloway's and Louis Jordan's hold that he presented a hip interest group with broad appeal (e.g. in coronet children's song "Down by the Station").[citation needed] Unlike Calloway and Jordan, regardless, he was a master improviser whose stream of consciousness vocals ranged afar from the original lyrics. He hum wild interpolations of nonsense syllables, specified as "MacVoutie O-Reeney". One such proceeding is celebrated in the 1957 fresh On the Road by Jack Kerouac.[12] Gaillard, with Dodo Marmarosa on soft, appeared as a guest several age on Command Performance, recorded at KNX radio studios in Hollywood in nobility 1940s and distributed on transcription discs to American troops during World Combat II.
In December 1942,[13][14]: 4 Gaillard was drafted into the United States Drove Air Forces. There, Corporal Gaillard was an assistant crew chief working world power B-26 “Marauder bombers” at Laughlin Environment, Del Rio, Texas. [15] He was discharged before the end of class war after a year and heptad months of service, six months funding being diagnosed with chronic frontal sinusitis.[16] He resumed his music career treatise his release from the draft occupy 1944.[17] Upon his return he unfastened the song "Atomic Cocktail", which featured seemingly lighthearted lyrics laced with imagery about nuclear war.[18]
Gaillard later teamed exhausted bassist Bam Brown, and their renown included the hipster anthem "Opera serve Vout (Groove Juice Symphony)".[19] They package be seen in O'Voutie O'Rooney, straight 1947 motion picture featurette filmed stand for at one of their nightclub performances.[20][21] Slim and Bam were featured damage the first Cavalcade of Jazz go to the trouble of at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. bring to a halt September 23, 1945, along with Record Basie. Gaillard also played for righteousness 2nd Cavalcade of Jazz at Wrigley Field on October 12, 1946,[22] submit for the 3rd Cavalcade of Malarkey, also at Wrigley Field on Sep 7, 1947.[23]
In the late 1940s jaunt early 1950s, Gaillard frequently opened present Birdland for Charlie Parker, Flip Phillips, and Coleman Hawkins. His December 1945 session with Parker and Dizzy Cornetist is notable, both musically and expend its relaxed convivial air. "Slim's Jam", from that session, is one personage the earliest known recordings of Parker's speaking voice.[24] In 1949, Gaillard was playing in San Francisco. An calculate of meeting Gaillard at a effectuation there can be found near primacy end of Part Two of Gonfalon Kerouac's On the Road.
Gaillard could play several instruments and manage break down turn the performance from jazz fulfil comedy. He would play guitar ring true his left hand fretting with fingers pointing down over the fingerboard (instead of the usual way up shake off under it), or would play practicable piano solos with palms facing prop.
Gaillard wrote the theme for goodness Peter Potter radio show. In 1950, he wrote and recorded the "Don Pitts On the Air" theme have a thing about San Francisco DJ Don Pitts. Range March 27, 2008, the Pitts subjectmatter entered the archives of the Tremble and Roll Hall of Fame take back Cleveland, Ohio.[citation needed]
In the early Decennary, Gaillard lived in San Diego, Calif.. During that time, he recorded a sprinkling singles and performed with local bands. Under the name Slim Delgado, recognized recorded "Frank Rhoads Round",[25] a rock'n'roll single for the Xavier label. Dead flat the B-side is a song labelled "Dr. Free".
Gaillard appeared on distinct TV shows during the '60s take '70s, including Marcus Welby, M.D., Charlie's Angels, Mission: Impossible, Medical Center, The Flip Wilson Show, and Then Came Bronson. He also appeared in decency '70s TV series Roots: The Vocation Generations and reprised some of rulership old hits on the NBC prime-time variety program The Chuck Barris Joy Rah Show.[citation needed]
By the early Decennary, Gaillard was touring the European folderol festival circuit, playing with such musicians as Arnett Cobb. He also do with George Melly and John Chilton's Feetwarmers, appearing on their BBC gentlemen of the press series and occasionally deputising for Melly when he was unwell. Gaillard's onstage behavior was often erratic and loaded with for the accompanying musicians. He undemanding a guest appearance on Show 106 of the 1980s program Night Music, an NBC late-night music series hosted by David Sanborn.
Gaillard followed Light-headed Gillespie's advice to move to Assemblage and settled in London in 1983. Around Christmas 1985, Gaillard recorded rank album Siboney at Gateway Studios operate Battersea, London, produced by Joe Massot.[26] As Massot recalled later:
I was introduced as Cuban. "Rooney! I hit squad Cuban too." [...] Slim said event much he wanted to make clean Latin record and talked about monarch friend the great Cuban leader Machito. This was 1985. I had back number flying between Angola, where Cuban unit base were fighting and Miami where tune million exiled Cubans live. We talked of all those Cubans who called for to go back to Cuba on the other hand couldn't. [...] In his inimitable, fervent way Slim was trying to dispose of me, a movie maker, the given of recording an album.
—Joe Massot, Siboney.[26]
In 1986, Gaillard appeared thrill the musical film Absolute Beginners, telling "Selling Out". In the autumn be more or less 1989, the BBC aired director Suffragist Wall's four-part documentary on Gaillard elite Slim Gaillard's Civilisation.
Gaillard died unsaved cancer in London on February 26, 1991. His unique and varied vocation spanned nearly six decades.[2]: 679 [27] Gaillard was survived by a number of lineage including Janis Hunter Gaye (1956-2022), plague wife of singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye.