Joe Venuti "FLIP" (1939)

FLIP
Composed by Joe Venuti
Performed by Joe Venuti and His Orchestra
Recorded January 25, 1939

Personnel:
Joe Venuti - violin, director
Glenn Rohlfing, Bob Stockwell - trumpet
Charlie Dahlsten - trombone
Wayne Songer, Charlie Spero - alto sax
Clark Galehouse, Elmer Beechler - tenor sax
Mel Grant - piano
Frank Victor - guitar
George Horvath - string bass
Barrett Deems - drums

Joe Venuti (1903 - 1978) all-time great jazz violinist from early 1920s into the 1970s. Beautiful tone, remarkable intonation and technique, great rhythmic sence. Earliest jazz violinist, grew up in Philadelphia, formed early association with pioneer jazz guitarist Eddie Lang in Atlantic City band. They co-led at Silver Slipper there off and on during 1920s. With Jean Goldkette 1924-27, Roger Wolfe Kahn, 1927-28, did theater jobs with Don Voorhees and joined Paul Whiteman from mid-1929 to 1930. Appeared in the movie "King of Jazz".

He worked with Benny Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers, Bing Crosby, Bix Beiderbecke, Jack Teagarden, the Boswell Sisters and most of the other important white jazz and semi-jazz figures of the late 1920s and early 1930s. Venuti and Lang recorded a series of milestone jazz records for the OKeh label during the 1920s. However, following Lang's early death in 1933, his career began to wane, though he continued performing through the 1930s, recording a series of excellent commercial dance records (usually containing a Venuti violin solo) for the dime store labels, OKeh, Columbia and Decca, as well as the occasional jazz small group sessions. He was also a strong early influence on western swing players like Cecil Brower, not to mention the fact that Lang and Venuti were the primary influences of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli.

Venuti was also a legendary practical joker. According to one source, every Christmas he sent Wingy Manone, a one-armed trumpet player, the same gift--one cufflink. He is said to have chewed up a violin he borrowed from bandleader Paul Whiteman, when still on stage after his own performance with Whiteman's band had finished.

After a period of relative obscurity in the 1940s and 1950s, he was 'rediscovered' in the late 1960s. In the 1970s, he established a musical relationship with tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims that resulted in three recordings. He also recorded an entire album with country-jazz musicians including mandolinist Jethro Burns (of Homer & Jethro), pedal steel guitarist Curly Chalker and former Bob Wills sideman and guitarist Eldon Shamblin. Venuti died in Seattle, Washington, Bing Crosby's home town.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• flip
• Joe Venuti
• 1939
• 78rpm
• hot
• jazz
• violin
• swing
• dance
• Paul Whiteman
• King of Jazz
• rhythm

[cvwtzhaar]

Man this Venuti side is great!!!!!!!!!

[bsgs98]

The reverse side of "Flip" is "Flop". You can sure tell Venuti had a sense of humor! I intend to post the flip-side of "Flip"

[genatzvalee]

Though I'm not so much into swing, this one I love! Especially the violin & guitar ;) Marvelous!

[bsgs98]

I also prefer the 1920s era, but this was Venuti adapting to the swing era and you have to love that rhythm!

[RatPfink66]

BTW folks, that's the great Barrett Deems on the drum solos - probably the first record he ever made.

[RatPfink66]

The other coupling form the date: "Something" and "Nothing."

Both are pretty rare - Joe's name didn't mean much during the swing era, sadly enough. I think these were his only recordings for years.

[seerider45]

Masterpiece ! 5*****