Reg Kehoe & His Marimba Queens - A Study in Brown

[ifmusicbe49]

FrankieDee Your Dad must have been a hell of a bloke. Many thanks.

[ifmusicbe49]

You would have to be deaf not to hear that bass. Brilliant and exuberant playing, a perfect underscoring to the marimbas.

[xjne66]

Ese es un verdadero bajista!!

[MsPysanky]

I love-love-love this video. So many women during WWII joined touring bands in order to send money home to their families. Mr. Frankie Dee: Is it true the bass your dad is playing is actually made of steel? I read this elsewhere on the internet. Accordingly it's the reason why it can be heard/recorded. Yes-the original film is much better than the reversed negative ones. Such a fabulous film clip!

[toddhamby]

love this!

[TheFrankieDee]

this film was made at radio city music hall early 50's that was my dad on the bass he plated in hersheypark for 32 yrs. he passed away about 4 yrs.ago at age 93 still playing his all medalbass

frank di nunzio, jr.

hershey,pa.

[Aerotractor]

It takes incredibly talented people to make music sound this good on basically simple acoustic instruments like the xylophone. WOW!

[TheFrankieDee]

my dad on the bass had an ear like no one i ever knew the bass is metal he bought it in the late 40's he played that bass in hersheypark for 32 years as a young boy he took me with him all over the world the girls were beautiful and had talent..they also had great comedy skits that were so funny they should of received an award in comedy..i'm frank dinunzio jr. i have a son frank 3rd who plays out of atlantic city n.j. my dad passes in 2007 at 93 he was still booking jobs

[TheFrankieDee]

Fern kehoe passed away 2009 her daughter and reg's daughter karen died in a house fire 2009..wonderful people

frank dinunzio,jr

[TheFrankieDee]

I'm so proud of my dad on the bass..he's frank di nunzio,sr. from hershey pa.this video was shot in the late 40's at radio city music hall n. y.

frank di nunzio jr.

[jeffspirit11]

It is you see what you hear, and hear what you see. It's all about vibrations and this "hits" people all the way to the core of spirit, maybe a soul, who "feels" this along with the visual gentleness of sway (seeing the ladies sway and move to the music, then with that the bassist going 'wild' [opposing forces dynamic against the synchronized steady movement of the girls and the band leader] along with the changes in riffs, tones, overtones, melody, etc.

Truly as joyful moment in time.

[Passitivity]

@jeffspirit11 where can I get what you're on?

[jeffspirit11]

Great tune to hear and watch however they did it. Love the sound of marimba.

[Lunariouse]

I just recently learned all there names.

Left to Right:

Madee Greer, Polly Weiser, Joyce Shaw, Ruth Hauser, Janet Yonder, Fern Marie Kehoe, and Grace Bailey (maracas).

[buffalobill14108]

Reefer Madness!

[Lunariouse]

Whatever the bass player (Frank DeNunzio Sr.) can't be legal! Reg Kehoe married the lady next to the maraca player (Fern Marie), the maraca player is Grace Bailey, and the woman on the upper of the 3 2/3 octave marimba (F-c) I believe is Ruth Hauser. I'm still trying to find out the other 4 marimba queens' names. And what positions they played.

[Lunariouse]

I'm gonna try to record the strumming and bass parts on my piano and play the melody on my marimba.

[jpl123456]

no,he's not playing the bass... but he does have a great technique nonetheless!

[Docterry]

When the Soundies were recorded, they would do "takes" for sound quality AND "takes" for video quality and splice them......most of the players here play it note for note, but Frank was having fun....

He DID actually play this way, however, and continued to play until he died in 2005...

[ifmusicbe49]

@jpl123456 Yes! He is playing that bass, a decent pair of headphones would allow you to pick out the bass' driving beat from the marimba's syncopation.

[LyleGunderson]

Years ago, KBYU-TV used this to fill in a couple of minutes at the end of some show, late at night, and I happened to be watching. I was mesmerized. We'd just been given a set of vibes, and had been wondering what sort of music was played on them, who played them, etc. This was the answer! It was the only time I would see it until I found it tonight. I think I've watched it a dozen times! Now I've got to find a high-res version that, like this one, isn't reversed, and has the titles! Thanks!

[spobsmusic]

whenever I feel down I just watch this :)

[ewetoob100]

Not everyone can play the bass like that!

[piranhaseatpat]

He is not actually playing anything. It is a great comedy routine, however.

[dkaatz]

Looks and sounds to be really playing to me.

[ifmusicbe49]

@piranhaseatpat You're right it is a brilliantly exuberant routine. But! He is playing the bass it's just very low key, try a decent set of headphones and you'll pick out its beat.

[terrapyn99]

I wish that the women of today looked as glamorous as the "Marimba Queens"

[GILL999SMITH]

I laugh more very time I see this. I lOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! should be a Nobel prize for humour

[sandhgreen]

The girls who make up the "Marimba Queens" are all pretty! At least I think so!

[Avalecter]

masterpiece !

[Tamborr]

The Martians have landed