The Trials, Tribulations and Triumph of Bunny Berigan
"Goodbye" Composed and arranged by Gordon Jenkins. Recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra for Victor on September 27, 1935 in Los Angeles, California. Benny Goodman, clarinet, directing: Bunny Berigan, Ralph Muzzillo and Nate Kazebier, trumpets; Jack Lacey and Red Ballard, trombones; Hymie Shertzer and Bill DePew, alto saxophones; Dick Clark and Arthur Rollini, tenor... Continue Reading →
"Shanghai Shuffle" Composed by Larry Conley and Gene Rodemich; arranged by Fletcher Henderson. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra live from the Paradise Restaurant in New York City on April 10, 1938. Bunny Berigan first and solo trumpet; directing: Steve Lipkins, Irving Goodman, trumpets; Sonny Lee, first trombone; Al George, trombone; Mike Doty first... Continue Reading →
"I Can't Get Started" (Small group version.) Composed by Vernon Duke (music) and Ira Gershwin (lyric). Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Boys for Vocalion on April 13, 1936 in New York City. Bunny Berigan, trumpet and singing, directing: Artie Shaw, clarinet; Forrest Crawford, tenor sax; Joe Bushkin, piano; Morty Stulmaker, bass; Stan King, drums.... Continue Reading →
"Flat Foot Floogie" Composed by Bulee "Slim" Gaillard, Leroy "Slam" Stewart, and Bud Green. Probably arranged by Andy Phillips. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for the Thesaurus Radio Transcription ... Continue Reading →
"Downstream" Composed by H. Lawrence, B. Neison and Jay Milton; arranged by Joe Lippman. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for Victor on March 15, 1938. Bunny Berigan, trumpet, directing: Steve Lipkins and Irving Goodman, trumpets; Sonny Lee and Al George, trombones; Mike Doty, Joe Dixon, Georgie Auld and Clyde Rounds, saxophones; Graham Forbes,... Continue Reading →
This is the first in a series of exciting Berigan recordings taken off the air from radio broadcasts emanating from the Paradise Restaurant, located in the Brill Building in Manhattan, in the spring of 1938. Many more will follow. All have been digitally remastered by me to ensure the best possible sound. "Royal Garden Blues"... Continue Reading →
"Trees" Composed by Oscar Rasbach, arranged by Abe (later Glenn) Osser. Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for Victor on December 23, 1937 in New York. Bunny Berigan, first and solo trumpet; directing: Steve Lipkins and Irving Goodman, trumpets; Sonny Lee, first trombone; Al George, trombone; Mike Doty, first alto saxophone; Joe Dixon, alto... Continue Reading →
Terry Teachout has written many articles and books about jazz and jazz musicians. I have read and admired his biographies of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Most recently, on May 17, 2017, he published a piece on Bunny Berigan in Commentary. It is entitled "The Tragic Trumpeter...a Jazz Casualty." Although I do not agree with everything Mr.... Continue Reading →
In the years since I wrote "Mr. Trumpet...the Trials, Tribulations and Triumph of Bunny Berigan," I have been asked by people all over the USA to make presentations about Bunny Berigan's life and music. I recently returned from doing just that for three separate audiences at the 2017 Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee, which was presented... Continue Reading →
"High Society" Composed by Porter Steele and Walter Melrose; arranged by Joe Lippman. Recorded on September 13, 1938 by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra for Victor in New York City. Roland B. "Bunny" Berigan, solo trumpet; directing: Steve Lipkins, first trumpet, Irving Goodman, trumpet; Nat Lobovsky, first trombone, Ray Conniff, trombone; George "Gigi" Bohn, first... Continue Reading →