Slim Gaillard

about

Bulee "Slim" Gaillard (January 4, 1911 or 1916 – February 26, 1991) was an American jazz singer, songwriter, pianist, and guitarist, noted for his scat singing and word play. Despite record company publicity accounts that Gaillard was born in Santa Clara, Cuba of a Greek father and an Afro-Cuban mother, he was born in Pensacola, Florida to a german immigrant named Theopolous Rothschild and an African-American woman named Liza Gaillard. He grew up in Detroit and moved to New York City in the 1930s. Gaillard first rose to prominence in the late 1930s as part of Slim & Slam, a jazz novelty act he formed with bassist Slam Stewart. Their hits included "Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy)", "Cement Mixer (Puti Puti)" and the hipster anthem, "The Groove Juice Special (Opera in Vout)". Vout was Gaillard's private term for the hip argot. The duo perform in the 1941 movie Hellzapoppin'. A later duo teamed him with bassist Bam Brown. His 1945 session with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie is notable, both musically and for its relaxed convivial air. In the late forties and early fifties, he frequently opened at Birdland, for such greats as Charlie Parker, Flip Phillips, and Coleman Hawkins. Gaillard could play several instruments, and always managed to turn the performance from hip jazz to comedy: he would play the guitar with his left hand fretting from the top of the neck, or would play credible piano solos with his palms facing up. Gaillard's appeal was similar to Cab Calloway

top songs

albums

Groove Juice: The Norman Granz Recordings + More

Laughing In Rhythm: The Best Of The Verve Years

Here comes... Slim Gaillard

Blues Boogie

Slim Gaillard Rides Again

Complete Jazz Series 1937 - 1938

Vout For Voutoreenes

Complete Jazz Series 1947 - 1951

On The Road [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

Anthology: The Complete McVouty (Remastered)

Slim Gaillard Cavorts

Presenting Slim Gaillard

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