Gus Arnhem
Gus Arnheim (born September 4, 1897 in Philadelphia , † January 19, 1955 in Los Angeles ) was an American pianist, composer , arranger and bandleader of swing and popular music .
Gus Arnheim was a popular band leader in the late 1920s and 1930s; In 1923 he composed the hit "I Cried for You", which he wrote with Arthur Freed and later "Sweet and Lovely". After first performing as a pianist with Abe Lyman at the Sunset Inn in Santa Monica , California, he founded his own band in 1926; In 1929 he went on a European tour for the first time. In 1930/31 Arnhem had a longer engagement at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles.
In 1930/31 a number of later known musicians and singers worked in Arnhem's dance band, such as Fred MacMurray , who played the clarinet and tenor saxophone and also sang ("All I Want Is Just One" 1930) or Russ Columbo , who in 1930 called "A Peach Of A Pair ”sang. Eddie Cantor and Joan Crawford recorded with Arnhem in 1931; Crawford's title ("How Long Will It Last?") Was not published. Other musicians who played temporarily in his band were Irving Fazola (1936), Jimmy Grier , Woody Herman , Stan Kenton , Sterling Young .
After Paul Whiteman finished filming his film The King of Jazz , his singers decided to join vocal trio The Rhythm Boys , which consisted of Bing Crosby , Harry Barris and Al Rinker , to stay in California and work with Arnhem's band. With the Rhythm Boys he only recorded one song, " Them There Eyes ", which then became the Rhythm Boys' last recording . Gus Arnheim's orchestra then accompanied Bing Crosby on a series of titles that he recorded for Victor Records in 1931 , which marked his artistic breakthrough.
In the 1940s he continued to work with orchestras, including Art Pepper . After the end of the Second World War, Arnhem finally disbanded the band and concentrated on his work as a composer for the film studios. He died of a heart attack in his Beverly Hills home in January 1955 .
Web links
swell
- George T. Simon: The Golden Era of Big Bands ("The Big bands"). Hannibal-Verlag, Höfen 2004, ISBN 3-85445-243-8 .
- Leo Walker: The Big Band Almanac . Ward Ritchie Press, Pasadena. 1978
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Arnhem, Gus |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American composer and big band leader |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 4, 1897 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Philadelphia |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 19, 1955 |
| Place of death | los Angeles |