Mr. Trumpet : the trials, tribulations, and triumph of Bunny Berigan / Michael P. Zirpolo.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Zirpolo, Michael P.

Series:

Studies in jazz ; no. 64.

Studies in jazz ; no. 64

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Berigan, Bunny, 1908-1942.

Berigan, Bunny.

Jazz musicians--United States--Biography.

Jazz musicians.

United States.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

xii, 551 pages, 24 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press, 2011.

Summary:

The life of jazz trumpeter Roland Bernard "Bunny" Berigan (1908-1942) resembles an ancient Greek tragedy: a heroic figure rises from obscurity to dizzying heights, touches greatness, becomes ensnared by circumstances, and comes to a disastrous early end. Berigan was intimately involved in the commercial music business of the 1930s and 1940s in New York City. He was a charismatic performer, one of the few musicians in the history of jazz to advance the art. His trumpet artistry made a deep and lasting impression on almost everyone who heard him play, and his repertoire continues to evoke a wide range of emotions.

Too often writings about the Swing Era skip over the interrelationship between the music business and the music of jazz giants. In Mr. Trumpet: The Trials, Tribulations, and Triumph of Bunny Berigan, Michael P. Zirpolo takes on this difficult task, exploring connections between the business of music and contemporary music makers and the culture of social dancing that drove it all. Through detailed research and insightful analysis, Zirpolo rectifies many heretofore misunderstood events in Berigan's life and in the Swing Era more generally.

In this panoramic examination of Berigan's personal and professional life, Mr. Trumpet maps the great musician's role in what was truly a golden age of American popular music and jazz, offering a close look at some of his greatest performances and film work, comprehensive listings of all known broadcast recordings made by Berigan and his bands, and numerous previously unpublished photos of the great jazz artist. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Beginnings: Home and Family 1

2 Madison 9

3 First Bite of the Apple 17

4 Moving into the Big League 23

5 The Next Step: Hal Kemp 29

6 Manhattan Musical Merry-Go-Round 34

7 Building a Reputation 40

8 Whiteman Sideman 53

9 The Birth of the Swing Era 72

10 The Kingdom of Swing 86

11 Swing Street 108

12 Making it in Manhattan 124

13 Big Band Berigan 151

14 Balancing Act 179

15 The Business of Success 199

16 Maintenance 225

17 Golden Boy 241

18 Bad Boys and Bad Luck 267

19 Enigma Variations: Part One 288

20 Enigma Variations: Part Two 332

21 Interlude 365

22 On the Road for MCA 401

23 The Last Roundup 426

24 No Exit 451

25 The Legend Begins 477

Appendix One: Aircheck Recordings by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra, 1937-1938 498

Appendix Two: Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra at the Paradise Restaurant 505

Appendix Three: 1938 Thesaurus Radio Transcription Recordings by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra 507

Appendix Four: Aircheck Recordings by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra, 1939-1942 513

Appendix Five: Studio Talk 517

Appendix Six: Information Regarding the Film Syncopation 519.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references, discographies and indexes.

ISBN:

9780810881525

0810881527

OCLC:

715288708