Today I've chosen MANNY KLEIN, the trumpet player, who was born February 4, 1908 in New York.below, Manny playing the Good, the Bad and Ugly Theme
Manny was a student of the great artist and trumpet guru, Max Schlossberg as was one of my sentimental favourites, Max Kaminsky.
Klein played in boy's bands and he later played in New York's Junior Police Band.
Manny was so amazingly good, so young that he was freelancing from 1928 and worked with almost every important band of the day, from Roger Wolfe Khan's to Benny Goodman's, as well as Red Nichol's.
He also co-led a superb band with Frank Trumbauer in 1938.
Manny's career mostly consisted of studio work, all his life.
But, that is not to say that his talent was workmanlike. He moved to LA in 1937 where his artistic career was mostly based. He played powerful lead and very hot chouruses, as well as classical concertos. His longtime playing collegue was Conrad Gozzo.
His appearance in Bing Crosby's "This Side Of Heaven" was marvelous and he ghosted trumpet solos for Montgomery Clift in "From Here To Eternity". On the soundtrack of "The Bennv Goodman Story" he stood in for Ziggy Elman, who had become ill and couldn't play the gig.
In the 1970's Manny suffered a series of strokes and this left him dyslexic, so that he could no longer read music. That didn't hold him down though, because he still played brilliantly.
In the 1990's he retired. Manny was honored with the nickname, "GOMOTS'' which stood for Grand Old Man Of The Trumpet Section, a tribute indeed for a superb musician. His recordings were few. In fact, they could be counted on the valves of a trumpet.
But, look for Manny Klein And His Sextet [1959 Imperial] which, although it concentrates on selections from The Sound Of Music, not my favorite is interesting because of it's rarity.
Manny Klein playing the piccolo trumpet on the Good, The Bad and the Ugly Theme
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteThat's a great (and rare) shot of Mannie playing a "Cantabile" pocket trumpet which was made in Japan. Mannie brought back a few from Japan in the early 60s and most seem to have been sold in the LA area to friends. I own one that had belonged to Mannie, but I don't think it's exact one in the photo. Do you own the original of that photograph? Regards, Nick DeCarlis Gainesville, FL
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteThat's a great (and rare) shot of Mannie playing a "Cantabile" pocket trumpet which was made in Japan. Mannie brought back a few from Japan in the early 60s and most seem to have been sold in the LA area to friends. I own one that had belonged to Mannie, but I don't think it's exact one in the photo. Do you own the original of that photograph? Regards, Nick DeCarlis Gainesville, FL
Where might I find the sheet music for the trumpet/bugle solo played in the barrack square by Lee Prewitt aka Montgomery Clift.
ReplyDeleteManny Klein ghosted it
I believe.
Where can I find the sheet music for the trumpet/bugle solo played in the barrack square by Lee Prewitt aka Montgomery Clift.Manny Klein ghosted it
ReplyDelete