This is the birthday of two men who had significant effects on jazz and popular music. Bing Crosby was born on May 3, 1903 in Spokane, Washington, John Lewis seventeen years later in LaGrange, Illinois shortly before his family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he grew up.
Crosby became the world’s best-selling recording artist, a title he holds 40 years after his death. According to his Wikipedia biography, Crosby has sold around the world more than one billion records, tapes, CDs and digital downloads. More important, his relaxed musicianship and charm…and his movie stardom…made him him one of the most influential performers during the period when jazz and American popular music were developing more or less in tandem.
Pianist Lewis came under the influence of an aunt who exposed him to her collection of jazz
recordings. He went on to major in music and anthropology at the University of New Mexico. During Army service in World War Two, drummer Kenny Clarke, a fellow soldier, convinced Lewis to move to New York when the war ended. Both men joined Dizzy Gillespie’s big band in 1945, and Lewis later recorded with vibraharpist Milt Jackson, Clarke and bassist Ray Brown when Jackson formed his own quartet. After Percy Heath replaced Brown on bass, the group changed its name to the Modern Jazz Quartet.
Crosby and Lewis no doubt recorded many of the same songs in various contexts. Happily for our little birthday observance, the pieces include one of the Gershwin brothers’ most charming, durable and adaptable creations.
The Crosby recording is available as part of that classic Decca Gershwin Songbook album. The Modern Jazz Quartet’s version of “But Not For Me” is on their 1953/54 Django album remastered in 2006 by the late Rudy Van Gelder.
Thanks for educating us so much on musical history. I had no idea that Bing Crosby was the best- selling recording artist of all time. It’s the same song, but it sounds so different in the hands of different musicians. The history is greatly appreciated especially by someone like me who knows nothing about music.
I always thought Bing was born in Tacoma Washington, home of Corky Corcoran, Buzz Bridgeford, Red Kelly and where I grew up and where I first heard Duke’s band with Jimmie Blanton.
Dean,
I goofed. Crosby was born in Tacoma. He attended law school at Gonzaga University in Spokane before forming a vocal duo with Al Rinker, and soon joined Paul Whitman’s orchestra in Los Angeles. Whiteman teamed them with a third singer, Harry Barris, and the three became The Rhythm Boys, effectively launching Crosby’s career. Thanks for catching the mistake.
New jazz people and others should go back and listen to Bing’s records circa 1929-1940, when he was one of the purest jazz singers extant. The first time that I heard John Lewis was as a sideman with the immortal Charlie Parker on a Tune entitled “Parkers Mood.” Lewis was a fine pianist but an even better writer. I guess I can call this Don’s early recollections.
“Parker’s Mood” is from September, 1948. The rhythm section was Lewis, bassist Curly Russell and drummer Max Roach. All of the tune’s takes, including false starts, are included in this indispensable eight-CD collection: Charlie Parker—The Complete Savoy and Dial Studio Recordings 1944-1948.