when was this recorded? I actually thought he lived to be 76 and this was pretty much right before he died. He still could swing. His comment regarding Grapelli - "That F*ckin' F*****, he has no respect for the melody" . I love Grapelli and Stuff Smight, but Venuti was the trailblazer - he invented the shuffle that fiddlers use today, as well as the 4 string joe technique. And - what an ear.
Interesting thing here: the bassist is the great Milt Hinton. In Chicago in the late '20s and early '30s, Hinton played (and made recordings) with Eddie South, "The Dark Angel of the Violin", a classically-trained Black violinist who couldn't get a classical gig, so he turned to jazz. Never see South mentioned much these days. But there's The Judge, Milt Hinton acting as the link....
@Finkldorkin - Many of the early jazz musicians claimed they were younger than they actually were. I guess they thought it made them cooler somehow. In his later life Joe claimed he was born in Italy in 1896 and that he came to the U.S. in 1906.
I can`t say I enjoyed this one! The accompaniment piano, base, & drums drowned out the violin. I see this often in bands so loud one can`t hear a singer. Are you listening, band players??
I wish my father could have seen this clip! My father graduated from High School in 1942, Joe Venuti gave a commencement speech. My father was in the Arts program, a trumpet and piano player. My father was a North Jersey transplant, he moved from Newark, NJ to South Philadelphia in 1939. South Philly is where Joe Venuti was born and raised. My Dad was correct, this guy was the king no doubt!
C'mon guys out there in cyber "space" you Can not "compare" artists of jazz , all are individuals ,separate,and important.!your personal opinions of them you are allowed only,then stop,please!
You don't know jack, I heard Stuff, and seen a few old performances, he was good, but no Venuti or Grapelli, he was somewhat unsophisticated in his style, yet good!
Yes, I heard Venuti could be a very mean guy. Lucky my husband recorded this off the Tv on his old beta machine years ago. Don't know if you knew this or have heard it but a collector told me a guy named Tom Stewart recorded hundreds of hours of jazz live at clubs and off the radio on a wire recorder and his kids threw them all out after he died because they had no way to play them. The guys wire recorder had broken and he he threw it out years ago but he kept all the wire spools.
Joe Venuti was not mean in any way shape or form! Mr. Venuti was if anything a prankster all the way. I met a gentleman that studied with him in Philadelphia, this man was a friend of my fathers, he was way older than Dad to. He told of one story, it took place at The Earl Theater( Philadelphia), Joe was in the pit, and the guests were Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Trigger! Well, as legend goes, Joe decided to tickle triggers balls with his bow, the curtain opened and!!!, LOL!
i had heard a similar story referring to Grapelli, at a variety show in Europe. (not with Trigger, though.. a different horse). Wonder which one it was? Too funny regardless of who it was........
Another story about Venut, this took place in New York, Venuti called the musicians local, and requested a base player, he asked that they be dispatched to a street corner, after disguising his voice several times with the local, he watched from a hotel room across the street, watching all the base players gather! I do not recall how many he actually spoofed !
This makes me remember a live 1957 recording of the same tune by Stuff Smith at Salle Pleyel with Oscar Peterson (p), Herb Ellis (g), Ray Brown and Jo Jones (d). The ending melody was Charlie Parker's "Ornithology" (Parker composed "Ornithology" with the "How high the moon" chord changes).
This sounds quite modern, but is a great performance.
I knew a guy who knew Joe Venuti pretty well, and said that he was a pretty mean man. His practical jokes are legendary, but they could also be cruel and just in conversation, he was not very nice. I find that hard to believe, but I never knew Mr. Venuti. I saw him twice. Jazzgirl1920s, I don't know WHERE you get your material, but I love your stuff, and also, very much, the videos in which you sing and dance. I'd like to meet you some day. Keep it up.
I got to meet Joe Venuti's wife Sally about 25 years ago. She lived in an apartment about 10 miles from where I live. She never said anything bad about Joe but I too have heard from another musician he was not a very nice person. I try to separate the personal things of a musician from their musical ability which is what I appreciate when I listen to them. Fortunately there are those musicians like Louis Armstrong who probably personally was one of the nicest persons who ever lived.
when was this recorded? I actually thought he lived to be 76 and this was pretty much right before he died. He still could swing. His comment regarding Grapelli - "That F*ckin' F*****, he has no respect for the melody" . I love Grapelli and Stuff Smight, but Venuti was the trailblazer - he invented the shuffle that fiddlers use today, as well as the 4 string joe technique. And - what an ear.
masalsburg 2 weeks ago
"How High is The Moon"
zorrderschnitter2 2 months ago
Interesting thing here: the bassist is the great Milt Hinton. In Chicago in the late '20s and early '30s, Hinton played (and made recordings) with Eddie South, "The Dark Angel of the Violin", a classically-trained Black violinist who couldn't get a classical gig, so he turned to jazz. Never see South mentioned much these days. But there's The Judge, Milt Hinton acting as the link....
hmengland41 2 months ago
OK.
Joe Venuti, Born in 1903, Died in 1978.... and he is performing here
at the age of 81?
Am I the only on who sees something wrong here?
Finkldorkin 1 year ago
@Finkldorkin - Many of the early jazz musicians claimed they were younger than they actually were. I guess they thought it made them cooler somehow. In his later life Joe claimed he was born in Italy in 1896 and that he came to the U.S. in 1906.
TuberOnTheLoose 8 months ago
Priceless!!!!!
ArkRed1 1 year ago
I can`t say I enjoyed this one! The accompaniment piano, base, & drums drowned out the violin. I see this often in bands so loud one can`t hear a singer. Are you listening, band players??
guambetty 1 year ago
I wish my father could have seen this clip! My father graduated from High School in 1942, Joe Venuti gave a commencement speech. My father was in the Arts program, a trumpet and piano player. My father was a North Jersey transplant, he moved from Newark, NJ to South Philadelphia in 1939. South Philly is where Joe Venuti was born and raised. My Dad was correct, this guy was the king no doubt!
italobambino43 1 year ago
Defaming Venuti's character. Wow! Take your clap trap down and do us all a favor.
wendelin1 2 years ago
wow what bowing!!
fiddlenut24 2 years ago
C'mon guys out there in cyber "space" you Can not "compare" artists of jazz , all are individuals ,separate,and important.!your personal opinions of them you are allowed only,then stop,please!
musicblew69 2 years ago
Unrivalled king of Jazz Violin. Venuti was great. But Stuff Smith was greater.
jibsmokestack1 2 years ago
I have heard Stuff Smith too and he is a tremendous improviser. I have heard him play very complex improvisations on very simple melodies.
jazzgirl1920s 2 years ago
stuff was also one of the few jazz players of the time that didnt try to copy venuti
fiddlenut24 2 years ago
I love Joe's playing, but my favorite is Stepane Grappelli.
ChiTown7721 2 years ago
@ChiTown7721
Grapelli took the "Q" from Venuti! My father loved both!
italobambino43 1 year ago
@jibsmokestack1
You don't know jack, I heard Stuff, and seen a few old performances, he was good, but no Venuti or Grapelli, he was somewhat unsophisticated in his style, yet good!
italobambino43 1 year ago
@jibsmokestack1 I'm italian, so I can be very proud of Joe Venuti, but Stuff Smith is simply amazing. Here in Italy nobody knows him...
Methotrexat3 4 months ago
I hate to imagine where we would be without him & Grappelli.
Morahman7vnNo2 2 years ago
Thank you, I love Joe's style!
robertensevilla 2 years ago
What a great clip, thanks so much for putting it up!
I don't know when Joe finally beat the bottle, that perhaps might have something to do with the way he treated some people.
ziggyelman 3 years ago
Yes, I heard Venuti could be a very mean guy. Lucky my husband recorded this off the Tv on his old beta machine years ago. Don't know if you knew this or have heard it but a collector told me a guy named Tom Stewart recorded hundreds of hours of jazz live at clubs and off the radio on a wire recorder and his kids threw them all out after he died because they had no way to play them. The guys wire recorder had broken and he he threw it out years ago but he kept all the wire spools.
jazzgirl1920s 2 years ago
@jazzgirl1920s
Joe Venuti was not mean in any way shape or form! Mr. Venuti was if anything a prankster all the way. I met a gentleman that studied with him in Philadelphia, this man was a friend of my fathers, he was way older than Dad to. He told of one story, it took place at The Earl Theater( Philadelphia), Joe was in the pit, and the guests were Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Trigger! Well, as legend goes, Joe decided to tickle triggers balls with his bow, the curtain opened and!!!, LOL!
italobambino43 1 year ago
@italobambino43
i had heard a similar story referring to Grapelli, at a variety show in Europe. (not with Trigger, though.. a different horse). Wonder which one it was? Too funny regardless of who it was........
skipdawg1 1 year ago
@skipdawg1
Another story about Venut, this took place in New York, Venuti called the musicians local, and requested a base player, he asked that they be dispatched to a street corner, after disguising his voice several times with the local, he watched from a hotel room across the street, watching all the base players gather! I do not recall how many he actually spoofed !
italobambino43 1 year ago
Thank you.
It is a wonderful image.
It feels the attractiveness of JOE VENUTI.
mikio1201 3 years ago
This makes me remember a live 1957 recording of the same tune by Stuff Smith at Salle Pleyel with Oscar Peterson (p), Herb Ellis (g), Ray Brown and Jo Jones (d). The ending melody was Charlie Parker's "Ornithology" (Parker composed "Ornithology" with the "How high the moon" chord changes).
This sounds quite modern, but is a great performance.
Thanks!
OscarPetersonFan 3 years ago
I knew a guy who knew Joe Venuti pretty well, and said that he was a pretty mean man. His practical jokes are legendary, but they could also be cruel and just in conversation, he was not very nice. I find that hard to believe, but I never knew Mr. Venuti. I saw him twice. Jazzgirl1920s, I don't know WHERE you get your material, but I love your stuff, and also, very much, the videos in which you sing and dance. I'd like to meet you some day. Keep it up.
-- Bob Carroll
Wallerfan 3 years ago
I got to meet Joe Venuti's wife Sally about 25 years ago. She lived in an apartment about 10 miles from where I live. She never said anything bad about Joe but I too have heard from another musician he was not a very nice person. I try to separate the personal things of a musician from their musical ability which is what I appreciate when I listen to them. Fortunately there are those musicians like Louis Armstrong who probably personally was one of the nicest persons who ever lived.
jazzgirl1920s 3 years ago