Definitions or the word 'ebullient' include "cheerful and full of energy".
It's a word that comes up often in describing the piano style of
Joe Bushkin (1916 - 2004).
During the big band era he played with many of the greats, some while still in his teens.
He joined Bunny Berigan's band at the age of 19, after having played with Berigan and Artie Shaw on some of vocalist Billie Holiday's earliest recordings.
He played with Mugsy Spanier and was a member of Eddie Condon's band from 1936 - '38.
The high point of his early career was his stretch with Tommy Dorsey's orchestra that began in 1939.
Bushkin played on over 100 recordings with the Dorsey band, including plenty of sessions with Frank Sinatra and drummer Buddy Rich.
In 1942 he entered the Army Air Corps, switching from piano over to trumpet in the Air Corps Band during WWII.
Post-war Bushkin worked a bit with David Rose, and with Benny Goodman before Goodman broke up his orchestra to concentrate on small groups.
Club gigs and studio playing followed, as well as a short stint on Broadway.
His first solo LP's were recorded in the early 1950's.
Upon moving to the Capitol label he struck up a working relationship with arranger Kenyon Hopkins, a collaboration that would continue over the course of several of Bushkin's albums.
The liner notes from this 1958 instrumental tribute to Cole Porter's music tell us that Gleb Derujinsky's cover photograph shows Mr. Bushkin perched atop a Grumman Navy Cougar (F9F-8T), which was purportedly airborne with Joe a few moments later...
From Joe Bushkin's
'I Get A Kick Out of Porter' LP,
(Capitol Records LP, 1958), Listen to:
I Get A Kick Out Of You
I've Got You Under My Skin
Night And Day
Begin The Beguine
Get Out Of Town
In The Still Of The Night
So In Love
Love For Sale
Let's Do It
Where Have You Been
What Is This Thing Called Love?
Just One Of Those Things
(click for audio)
- - OR download all 12 tracks in one 27.4 Mb zipfile.
See also:
- A thorough profile of Joe Bushkin Space Age Pop
- Joe Bushkin's 1957 LP, 'A Fellow Needs A Girl'
was recently featured at Singin' & Swingin'.
From Joe Bushkin's
See also:
