Eddie Duchin

about

Edwin Frank Duchin was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sources are divided as to whether his birth occurred on 1 April 1909 or 10 April 1910. Was an American popular pianist and bandleader of the 1930s and 1940s, famous for his engaging onstage personality, his elegant piano style, and his courageous fight against leukemia. He first became a pharmacist before turning full-time to music and beginning his new career with Leo Reisman's orchestra at the Central Park Casino in New York, an elegant nightclub where he became hugely popular in his own right and eventually became the Reisman orchestra's leader by 1932. Playing what later came to be called "sweet" music rather than jazz, Duchin's success opened a new gate for similarly styled, piano-playing sweet bandleaders such as Henry King, Joe Reichman, Nat Brandwynne, Dick Gasparre, Little Jack Little, and particularly Carmen Cavallaro (who acknowledged Duchin's influence) to compete with the large jazz bands for radio time and record sales. Duchin had no formal music training but he developed a style rooted in classical music that some believe the forerunner of Liberace's ornate, gaudy approach. Still, there were understatements in Duchin's music that were beyond Liberace's self-conscious glitz. By no means was Duchin a perfect pianist, but he was easy to listen to without being rote or entirely predictable. He was a pleasing stage presence whose favourite technique was to play his piano cross-handed, using only one finger on

top songs

albums

▥

Eddie Duchin and His Central Park Casino Orchestra

▥

Best Of The Essential Years: Eddie Duchin

▥

grimriper2u@yahoo.com

▥

The Eddy Duchin Story: 1933-38 Original Mono Recordings

▥

The Very Best of Eddie Duchin (Nostalgic Memories Volume 124)

▥

Vintage Love Classics

▥

Nostalgic Memories-The Very Best Of Eddie Duchin-Vol. 124

Looking Back

▥

Eddy Duchin Story: 24 Vintage Tracks

▥

Swing That Music

▥

Melodia Inmortal

▥

Greatest Hits

similar artists