Mr. Trumpet: The Trials, Tribulations, and Triumph of Bunny Berigan
The life of jazz trumpeter Roland Bernard "Bunny" Berigan (1908-1942) resembles nothing less than an ancient Greek tragedy: a heroic figure who 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. Berigan 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, while the body of recorded work he left continues to evoke a wide range of emotions in those who hear it. Too often writings about the Swing Era skip over the interrelationship between the music business and the music that the giants of jazz created. In Mr. Trumpet: The Trials, Tribulations, and Triumph of Bunny Berigan, Michael 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 lives, Mr. Trumpet maps the great musician's role in what was a truly golden age of American popular music and jazz, offering close looks at some of his greatest performances and film work, comprehensive listings of all known broadcast recordings made by Berigan and his bands, as well as numerous previously unpublished photos of the great jazz artist.
1100475767
Mr. Trumpet: The Trials, Tribulations, and Triumph of Bunny Berigan
The life of jazz trumpeter Roland Bernard "Bunny" Berigan (1908-1942) resembles nothing less than an ancient Greek tragedy: a heroic figure who 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. Berigan 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, while the body of recorded work he left continues to evoke a wide range of emotions in those who hear it. Too often writings about the Swing Era skip over the interrelationship between the music business and the music that the giants of jazz created. In Mr. Trumpet: The Trials, Tribulations, and Triumph of Bunny Berigan, Michael 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 lives, Mr. Trumpet maps the great musician's role in what was a truly golden age of American popular music and jazz, offering close looks at some of his greatest performances and film work, comprehensive listings of all known broadcast recordings made by Berigan and his bands, as well as numerous previously unpublished photos of the great jazz artist.
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Mr. Trumpet: The Trials, Tribulations, and Triumph of Bunny Berigan
The life of jazz trumpeter Roland Bernard "Bunny" Berigan (1908-1942) resembles nothing less than an ancient Greek tragedy: a heroic figure who 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. Berigan 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, while the body of recorded work he left continues to evoke a wide range of emotions in those who hear it. Too often writings about the Swing Era skip over the interrelationship between the music business and the music that the giants of jazz created. In Mr. Trumpet: The Trials, Tribulations, and Triumph of Bunny Berigan, Michael 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 lives, Mr. Trumpet maps the great musician's role in what was a truly golden age of American popular music and jazz, offering close looks at some of his greatest performances and film work, comprehensive listings of all known broadcast recordings made by Berigan and his bands, as well as numerous previously unpublished photos of the great jazz artist.
Michael Zirpolo has been a practicing attorney since 1975. He has written numerous articles and presented many times on jazz musicians and the development of jazz from 1925 to 1960. He has served as a guest on radio programs and has digitally remastered vintage jazz recordings.
Table of Contents
Introduction ix
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 1 Aircheck Recordings by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra, 1937-1938 498
Appendix 2 Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra at the Paradise Restaurant 505
Appendix 3 1938 Thesaurus Radio Transcription Recordings by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra 507
Appendix 4 Aircheck Recordings by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra, 1939-1942 513
Appendix 5 Studio Talk 517
Appendix 6 Information Regarding the Film Syncopation 519
