Gus Bivona

This reed player — covering a variety of clarinets, saxophones, and flute — had not been only a busy fellow on the height from the big group era. Following Globe Battle II, he was an employee musician for MGM, playing on countless soundtracks and periods, and afterwards became a well-known sidekick of pianist, composer, comedian, and tv web host Steve Allen. In the past due ’50s and early ’60s, Gus Bivona started leading his very own band, launching albums under his very own name for brands such as for example Mercury and Warner Bros., like the ambitious Bivona Offers in Large numbers. He got his musical begin beneath the close eyesight of is certainly parents, both of whom had been also music artists. His mom was a pianist, and understanding how to obey her instructions no doubt arranged Bivona up for adequate later human relationships with Allen and also other key pad giants such as for example Teddy Wilson and Duke Ellington. Bivona’s dad was a guitarist, but not on the amount of Charlie Christian, whom the saxophonist would reach record with later on. The lad’s 1st device was violin, but he turned to a combined mix of alto saxophone and clarinet at age 16. His professional debut is at a music group led by Spider Johnson, accompanied by dates throughout New Britain in Leo Scalzi’s Brunswick Orchestra. Bivona will need to have been an instant study in the horns, since these engagements are reported as having occurred not much greater than a calendar year after he turned from violin. In 1935, Bivona started an extended stint using the Jimmy Monaco Orchestra, structured out of NEW YORK, and also caused the Hudson-DeLange Orchestra. Almost a year with Bunny Berigan in 1938 symbolized the first materials that could thicken the best container of stew that’s Bivona’s discography. Through the finish from the ’30s, he also caused bandleaders such as for example Will Hudson and Teddy Powell. The to begin Bivona’s rings under his very own name arrived in 1940, but are a sideman in competent bands appeared to be even more what he was after. This included an interval with Benny Goodman from nov 1940 with the springtime of 1941, simply in time to complement wits using the sizzling guitar solos of Christian. Ahead of signing up for the Naval Surroundings Force Music group, Bivona gigged with Jan Savitt and Les Dark brown & His Music group of Renown, though within the last mentioned case it had been hardly long more than enough to become known, aside from renown. Some high-profile gigs with Tommy Dorsey and Bob Crosby implemented the end from the battle, and in 1947 Bivona agreed upon on with MGM. Many studio room periods and freelance recordings had been the result, having on in to the ’50s. Once he linked to Allen, both would occasionally strike the concert path, including an extended club residency on the Roundtable in NEW YORK. Music for Swingers: Gus Bivona Has the Music of Steve Allen is certainly one delightful records of this romantic relationship, originally released in 1958 on Mercury. The set collaborated on a great many other recordings, constantly together with lots of the best jazz players within the Los Angeles picture. Bivona is an excellent example of a new player who appeared to have no issue keeping occupied with music as he got old, with both motivation and motivation to carefully turn in inspired shows on ’70s recordings with vibraphonist Terry Gibbs and vocalist and guitarist Geoff Muldaur.