Red Norvo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Red Norvo
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Red Norvo around February 1947, photo by William P. Gottlieb
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kenneth Norville |
| Born | March 31, 1908 Beardstown, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | April 6, 1999 (aged 91) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Vibraphone, marimba, xylophone |
| Associated acts | Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman, Charlie Barnet, Woody Herman, Mildred Bailey |
Red Norvo (born Kenneth Norville; March 31, 1908 – April 6, 1999) was an American musician. He was one of the first to play the vibraphone in jazz music. People often called him "Mr. Swing." He helped make instruments like the xylophone, marimba, and vibraphone popular in jazz. Some of his famous songs include "Dance of the Octopus" and "Knockin' on Wood."
Contents
Red Norvo's Musical Journey
Red Norvo was born in Beardstown, Illinois, in the United States. He started his music career in Chicago in 1925 with a band called "The Collegians." He played with many famous bands. These included an all-marimba band that performed in vaudeville shows. He also played with big names like Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman, Charlie Barnet, and Woody Herman.
Norvo recorded music with many great singers. These included Mildred Bailey, who was his wife for a time. They were known as "Mr. and Mrs. Swing." He also recorded with Billie Holiday, Dinah Shore, and Frank Sinatra. Red Norvo even appeared in a few movies. He was in Screaming Mimi (1958) and Ocean's 11. In Ocean's 11, he played music while Dean Martin sang "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"
Early Recordings and New Sounds
In 1933, Red Norvo made some recordings for Brunswick Records. His songs "Knockin' on Wood" and "Hole in the Wall" were a hit. This led to another recording session. During this session, he recorded two unique jazz pieces. These were "In a Mist" by Bix Beiderbecke and his own song, "Dance of the Octopus."
For these songs, he played the marimba instead of the xylophone. He was joined by Benny Goodman on bass clarinet, Dick McDonough on guitar, and Artie Bernstein on bass. These recordings were very modern for their time.
Leading a Swing Orchestra
From 1936 to 1942, Norvo led his own swing orchestra. They recorded many songs for different labels like Brunswick and Columbia. The music often featured special arrangements by Eddie Sauter. His wife, Mildred Bailey, was often the singer.
In 1938, Red Norvo and His Orchestra had two number-one hits. "Please Be Kind" was number one for two weeks. "Says My Heart," sung by Mildred Bailey, was number one for four weeks.
Exploring New Jazz Styles
In 1945, Red Norvo was playing with the Benny Goodman Sextet. He decided to record some new music with other musicians from Goodman's group. He also invited Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. These two musicians were known for a new style of jazz called bebop.
Norvo took a chance by playing with them. He said that jazz was always changing, and Parker and Gillespie were creating exciting new sounds. This showed Norvo's willingness to try different styles of music.
The Famous Trio
In 1949, Norvo formed a special trio. It had a unique combination of instruments: vibes, guitar, and bass. When the first players left, he found two musicians who later became very famous. Tal Farlow became a leading guitarist. Charles Mingus became a brilliant bass player.
This trio helped these musicians develop their skills. Mingus left in 1951, and Red Mitchell took his place. Farlow left in 1953, and Jimmy Raney became the new guitarist. This trio recorded several albums together.
Later Career and Retirement
In 1959, Red Norvo's group toured Australia with Frank Sinatra. They also appeared on The Dinah Shore Chevy Show on television.
Norvo continued to record and perform throughout his life. He played music until the mid-1980s. At that time, he had a stroke, which made him retire. He passed away in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 91.
Red Norvo's Compositions
Red Norvo wrote many instrumental songs. Some of his well-known compositions include:
- "Dance of the Octopus"
- "Bughouse" (written with Irving Mills and Teddy Wilson)
- "The Night is Blue"
- "A Cigarette and a Silhouette"
- "Congo Blues"
- "Seein' Red"
- "Hole in the Wall"
- "Knockin' on Wood"
Images for kids
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Red Norvo playing the vibraphone.
See also
In Spanish: Red Norvo para niños
