While bassist "Slam" Steward composed several songs with "jive" lyrics, the only one that gained national fame was "Flat Foot Floogee". "Slim" later formed his own small Combo in which his role was as Comedian-Leader. He appeared in several films including, 'Star Spangled Rhythm', Sweetheart of Sigma Chi', 'Go Man Go', and 'Almost Married'. Curiously, while not a "Jazzman", he never-the-less had such musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie "Yardbird" Parker in the band in the '40s, and these sidemen can be heard in his band on a number of records Slim cut for some small labels in the mid-'40s.
Some of his musical collborators included James Van Heusen, Jerry Livingston, Peter DeRose, David Rose, Guy Wood, Steve Allen, Elmer Albrecht, Rube Bloom, David Saxon, Howard Steiner, Chester Conn, and Milton Delugg.
Among his best known hits, are:
Garcia next found work in a theater orchestra, and then went on to the radio and film studios. He worked first for RCA's NBC radio division, and later in the film studios of the Warner Brothers, Disney, and others. Garcia also worked for various record labels freelancing for vocalists Anita O'Day and Frances Faye as well as some Jazz performers. His movie credits include scores for such films as "The Time Machine," "Atlantis," and "The Pad and How to Use It", His television crdits include contributing music to both the "Rawhide" and "The Virginian" shows. In the late 1960's, Garcia, an avid sailor, and his wife sailed around the Pacific in a catamaran and eventually settled in a small town on New Zealand's North Island.
Garcia's Recordings include:
In the 1930s, he joined Bobby Neal ('31). During 1932-'36, Garland was chief arranger of the Mills Blue Rhythm Band (Lucky Millinder was the leader part of the time). In 1937, he was a member of the Edgar Hayes band, then in 1938 he joined Don Redman. During the 1939-'42 period, he served as Louis Armstrong's musical director.
Nothing is really known of Percy's childhood. We know that he was the musical director for the touring Barry and Fay Theatrical troupe. But, his career becomes notable when in 1883, he got the musical directorship for the Charles H. Hoyt company. In the same year, he worked on his first Hoyt production, A Bunch of Keys, produced at the San Francisco Opera House. In 1893, he wrote a successful song called "Love Me Little, Love Me Long", to his own lyrics.
Over the following decade, he not only conducted the pit orchestra, but also was one of the principal composers for Hoyt shows, including:
In 1894, Gaunt left the musical stages to write an opera, his lifelong ambition.
Ill health hampered his efforts, and he ran out of money, too. The next year,
1895, his friends held a benefit for him, and Hoyt gave him back his old job.
But Gaunt was too ill. He never rejoined Hoyt, and died the next year, 1896.
Gay was a child prodigy. Educated at the Wakefield Cathedral School, he was often deputized for the cathedral organist. Starting in 1913, he began studies at London's Royal College of Music; later becoming director of Music and organist at the St. Anne's Church in Soho. He completed 4 years of study for his B.A., and B.Mus. at Christ's Church College, Cambridge, and then became music director and organist at the St. Anne's Church in London's Soho section.
He might have been destined for a career in a University or a Cathedral. But, while attending school at Cambridge, his interest in musical comedy was awakened, and he began writing popular songs. He did contribute some material to the 'Stop Press' revue, after which his career blossomed when he was commissioned to write the score for the 'Charlot Show of 1926'. He was also the principal composer for still another show called 'Clowns In Clover', which starred Cecily Courtneidge and Jack Hulbert. It was around this time that he took the stage name of Noel Gay, thus avoiding embarassing the church authorities.
During the 1930's, Gay wrote complete scores and also contributed to shows, including:
For Andre Charlot's revue 'Folly To Be Wise',
His first musical show, 'Hold My Hand' (1931 collaborated with lyricist Desmond Carter). Songs included:
Other 1930's, shows that Gay scored included:
In the 1940's, Gay wrote for shows with lyrics mostly by Frank Eyton, including:
'Light's Up' (Let The People Sing), with songs:
His songs for films include:
1935 For the film 'Me And Marlborough':
For film, 'Feather Your Nest', the song:
For film, 'The Camels Are Coming', the song:
For film, 'Sleepless Nights', the song:
For film, 'Sailors Three', the song:
Gay also composed "Tondeleyo" for the film 'White Cargo' (starring Hedy Lamarr.) It has been reported that this was the first song synchronized into a British talking picture.
Some of the many other songs Gay composed are:
In the 1950's, Gay was mostly inactive, writing little.
Gay had been going deaf for some years and now had to wear a hearing aid. In 1938, Gay had formed a publishing commpany - Noel Gay Music - and after his death in 1954, his son, Richard Armitage (b. Aug. 12, 1928, Wakefield, UK, d. Nov. 17, 1986) took over the comapany and published one more Noel
Gay song "Love Me Now". Richard expanded and developed the company into one of the largest television and talent agencies in Europe.
Bulee "Slim" Gaillard
b. Jan. 4, 1916 Detroit, MI, USA.
Instruments: Guitar, Piano, Vibes, Vocals
Overview.
'Slim and Slam' (Bulee "Slim" Gaillard and Leroy "Slam" Stewart) formed a small combo band. Though basically band musicians, they are included here only because of their hit recording of their own tune "Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy)", which was a huge 1938 novelty tune success. The lyric was by Bud Green, lyricist.
Sammy Gallop
b. March 16, 1915, Duluth, Minnesota, USA. d. 1971, Hollywood, California, USA.
Currently no information available.
Lyricist Sammy Gallop, was most active during the 1940's and 1950's. He composed for such New York city Broadway revues as the "Latin Quarter", and he also contributed songs for the Broadway musicals "Star and Garter", "John Murray Anderson's Almanac" and "All For Love". Some of his songs (mainly "Elmer's Tune") were interpolated into several Hollywood films. Little recalled now, but Sammy was the co-composer (with David Rose) for the instrumental song "Holliday For String".
1941 "Elmer's Tune", music by Elmer Albrecht. (See Dick Jurgens' Orch. entry).
1943 "Holiday for Strings" music by David Rose.
1946 "Shoofly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy"
1955 "Wake the Town and Tell the People"
1952 "Somewhere Along The Way" music by Kurt Adams.
1957? "Maybe You'll Be There", music by Rube Bloom.
Kim Gannon
b. 1900, Brooklyn, NY, USA. d. 1974, Lake Worth, Florida, USA.
né: James Kimble Gannon
Overview
Lyricist Kim Gannon was most active during the 1940's and 1950's. Probably
his best known lyrics are:
1942 "Moonlight Cocktail"
1943 "I'll Be Home for Christmas"
1953 "Under Paris Skies"
Russ Garcia
b. April 12, 1916, Oakland, CA, USA.
Garcia matriculated from San Francisco State University, He then moved to Los Angeles and enrolled in UCLA where he studied composition with Castelnuovo-Tedesco. He began his career as a professional arranger and composer for such bands as Horace Heidt and Al Donahue.
Fantastica!, Liberty LST 7005
Four Horns and a Lush Life, Bethlehem BCP-46
Half-Time: University Brass Band, Liberty LST 7115
I'll Never Forget What's Her Name, Bethlehem 6044
Jazz Music for the Birds and the Hep Cats, Bethlehem 6039
Listen to the Music of Russ Garcia, Kapp KL-1050
Modern Jazz Gallery, Kapp Records
Sleepy Lagoon (featured Si Zentner), Liberty LRP-3055
Sounds in the Night, AAMCO Records ALPS-76
Sounds In The Night, AAMCO ALP 309 (Marni Nixon on vocal)
The Johnny EverGreens, ABC-Paramount ABC-147
The Torch is Burning, Liberty LST 7086
Joe Garland
b. 1903, Norfolk, Virginia, USA. d. 1977
Overview
Garland is best remembered today as a sideman/arranger in the bigbands of the 1920's, 1930's and 1940's. He was a fine sideman playing all the reeds equally well. Garland is included here mostly for two tunes that he composed:
"In The Mood", A huge 1939 hit for the Glenn Miller Orch.
"Leap Frog", The Les Brown Orch. theme song.
Garland studied music at the Aeolian Conservatory in Baltimore and at Shaw University. In 1924, he became a member of Graham Jackson's Seminole Syncopators (even recorded with them). Before that, he had only played classical music. In 1925, he was a member of the Elmer Snowden band, then with Joe Steele, Henri Saporo, Leon Abbey (he was with the band on their South American tour), and Charlie Skeete. He then joined the Jelly Roll Morton band after which he returned again to Steele.
Clarence Gaskill
b. 1892, Philadelphia, PA, USA. d. 1947, Fort Hill, NY, USA.
Lyricist Clarence Gaskill had a very limited output of songs, but now and then he composed a hit. His most remembered songs are:
1919's "Sweet Adeline", music be Jerome Kern.
1924's "Doo-Wacka-Doo"
1927's "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me", music by Jimmy McHugh
1931's "Prisoner of Love", music by Con Conrad.
Percy Gaunt
b. 1852, Philadelphia, PA, USA. d. Sept 5, 1896, Palenville, NY, USA.
At he turn of the century, that is, the late 1800's, there were a number of 'burlesque' shows touring the country. Two examples are the Harrigan and Hart shows and the Charles H. Hoyt shows. These were not 'girlie' shows, but rather abbreviated versions that often mocked the full scale original Broadway productions. Percy Gaunt's career is tied up with the Charles H. Hoyt shows.
A Parlor Match
A Brass Monkey
A Rag Baby
A Hole in the Ground
A Tin Soldier
A Midnight Belle (Maude Adams made her debut here.)
A Trip to Chinatown (This show toured for a year, then came to the
Madison Square Theater in N.Y.C., where it played for 650
performances. It had the longest run of any play up to that time.
Gaunt had three hit songs in this show: "The Bowery"; "Reuben
Reuben"; "Push Dem Clouds Away". "The Bowery" is still a popular
song to this day. Some other songs were interpolated into the
show, notably "After the Ball", words and music by Charles K.
Harris. The was also the first show to earn a fair income from
the sale of sheet music.
A Runaway Colt
A Contented Woman
A Texas Steer
A Black Sheep
Byron Gay
Currently no information available on this Lyricist.
He contributed to at least one Hollywood motion picture: Penguin Parade, The (1938)
Credited for lyric on song "Four Or Five Times", music by Byron Gay. Tune was recorded by The Chancolate Dandies, the Jimmy Luncford Orch, and others.
Noel Gay
b. July 15, 1898, Wakefield, Yorkshire, England, U.K.
d. March 3, 1954, London, England, U. K.
né: Reginald Armitage
Overview
This prolific composer and lyricist, was responsible for many of the most popular and memorable songs in the U.K. during the 1930's and 1940's.
"The King's Horses", (in collaboration with Harry Graham)
"Pied Piper"
"What's In A Kiss"
"Hold My Hand"
"Turn On The Music"
'She Couln't Say no'
'That's A Pretty Thing'
'Jack O'Diamonds'
'Love Laughs!'
'O-Kay For Sound', first of the famous Crazy Gang music hall-type revues
at the London Palladium. This play had the hit song "The Fleet's In Port Again", a Bud Flanagan vocal.
'Wild Oats'
'Me and my Girl' (1937), book and lyric L. Arthur Rose. This show
featured the hit song "The Lambeth Walk". When the show was filmed in 1929, the film was called 'The Lambeth Walk'.
'The Little Dog Laughed' (1939), another Crazy Gang revue.
"Run Rabbit Run" was the hit song, again sung by Bud Flanagan.
"Only A Glass of Champagne"
"You've Done Something To My Heart"
'Present Arms'
'La-Di-Di-Di-Da'
'The Love Racket'
'Meet Me Victoria'
'Sweetheart Mine'
'Bob's Your Uncle' (1948)
"All For A Shilling A Day"
"There's Something About A Soldier", Courtneidge vocal.
"Leaning On A Lamp Post", George Formby vocal.
"Who's Been Polishing The Sun", Jack Hulbert vocal.
"I Don't Want To Go To Bed", Lupino Lane vocal.
"All Over The Place"
"All For The Love Of A Lady"
"Are We Downhearted?; No!"
"Happy Days Happy Months"
"Hey Little Hen"
"I Took My Harp To A Party" - Gracie Fields hit vocal.
"I'll Always Love You"
"Just A Little Fond Affection"
"Let's Have A Tiddley At the Milk Bar"
"Love Makes The World Go Round"
"Me And My Girl"
"My Thanks To You" (Co-written with Norman Newell)
"Red, White and Blue"
"Round The Marble Arch"
"The Birthday of the Little Princess"
"The Girl Who Loves A Soldier"
"The Moment I Saw You", lyric Gordon Clifford (1933).
"The Moon Remembered, But You Forgot"
"When Alice Blue Gown Met Little Boy Blue"
"I Was Much Better Off In The Army"
"You Smile At Everyone But Me"