Chicago Tribune, United States - Jul 5, 2007… can improvise a little jazz, read around corners, play anything that's put in front of him," said
, a longtime jazz radio host in Chicago.
another great one gone --
Chicago -- Legendary Chicago
jazz musician Johnny Frigo, who famously switched from bass to
violin late in his career, has died at the age of 90.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Frigo played with Jimmy and
Tommy Dorsey and with an orchestra led by Chico Marx, one of
Hollywood's Marx Brothers.
He also performed in clubs all over the world, played background music for
commercials and co-wrote songs like, "Detour Ahead" and "I Told Ya I Love Ya, Now Get Out!"
His most memorable hit, however, was "Hey, Hey, Holy Mackerel," an anthem in honor of the 1969 Chicago Cubs, the Tribune said.
Born on Chicago's South Side, Frigo was planning to play festivals in Italy and Holland when he fell in the lobby of his
condo two weeks ago. He went to the hospital with fractured vertebrae and a broken pelvis and never recovered, The Tribune said.
He died Wednesday. Frigo was preceded in death by his son, Derek, a rock
guitarist who died in 2004.
Besides his wife, Brittney, survivors include a son, Rick, a jazz drummer; and a sister, Dolly Bray.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International. retrieved from: Jazz legend Johnny Frigo dead at 90, by
MT Bureau - July 6, 2007,
Visit Johnny Frigo Website,
http://www.johnnyfrigo.com/index.htm?AddInterest=1105Johnny Frigo was born in 1916 on the south side of Chicago. His earliest gigs were playing string bass and tuba in nightclubs and amusement parks. In the early 1940's, Johnny played bass in the Chico Marx Orchestra.
"I think it was 1941. The Marx Brothers were between movies and Chico Marx took a big band out on a theater tour. I joined him in Kansas City. Chico heard that besides bass, I played violin so he told me to bring my violin to the next performance...he called me up with my fiddle and started asking me questions; I gave him answers. Some of them turned out funny and, after two or three cities, we had a routine. But then I saw one of the Marx Brothers' movies. There was this actor named Leon Bellasco...he was a continental-type head waiter--he played all those parts--and he also played violin. While I was watching this movie I realized that Leon was doing all the little routines I had created with Chico."
During WWII, Johnny joined the Coast Guard and played with Al Haig and Kai Windig. After the war, Johnny was called to play with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. Afterward, he formed a group to play at the Stuyvesant Hotel in Buffalo, the Soft Winds Trio with Herb Ellis on guitar and Lou Carter on piano.
"That became a phenomenal trio. We were all single, rehearsing like crazy, and were playing that George Shearing sound before George even had it. We wrote songs like "I Told Ya I Love Ya, Now Get Out!" Cybill Shepard later sang that in the season opening episode of Moonlighting. And I wrote "Detour Ahead" that became a jazz standard."
I just can't help it: though a Texas mutt; I'm converted Cubs Fan, and a Buckley .jpg)
man.. add to that -- google and a side of beef -- and that's a legacy I believe. >eatup
October 20, 2007, Post no Bills
Today’s Tribune has a pair of stories related to WBEZ’s decision to eliminate music programming in January. The better of the two is a fascinating
profile of long-time jazz DJ
Dick Buckley, 82, whose deep knowledge of early jazz remains unparalleled in town. According to the article, station management recently proposed a one-hour jazz program that would be cohosted by Buckley and fellow jazz personality Dan Bindert. But like an increasing amount of the station’s programming, music would be secondary to yapping -- in the form of interviews with “jazz artists, aficionados, and historians.” Buckley says he “isn’t thrilled” with the idea.
PHILANTHROPY
Here I am playing Ace of Base, thinking about what I will eat tomorrow for breakfast.
AA
[CAMERON KERRY / pretend PHOTO
5.7
another great one gone --
.jpg)
man.. add to that -- google and a side of beef -- and that's a legacy I believe. >eatup
Today’s Tribune has a pair of stories related to WBEZ’s decision to eliminate music programming in January. The better of the two is a fascinating profile of long-time jazz DJ Dick Buckley, 82, whose deep knowledge of early jazz remains unparalleled in town. According to the article, station management recently proposed a one-hour jazz program that would be cohosted by Buckley and fellow jazz personality Dan Bindert. But like an increasing amount of the station’s programming, music would be secondary to yapping -- in the form of interviews with “jazz artists, aficionados, and historians.” Buckley says he “isn’t thrilled” with the idea. 
