Giuseppe (Joe) Venuti (September 16, 1903 – August 14, 1978) was a U.S. jazz musician and violinist. Venuti claimed to have been born aboard a ship as his parents emigrated from Italy, though many believe he was simply born in Philadelphia. Considered the father of jazz violin, he pioneered the use of string instruments in jazz along with the guitarist Eddie Lang, a childhood friend of his. Through the 1920s and early 1930s, Venuti produced many recordings. He worked with Benny Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers, Bing Crosby, the Boswell Sisters and most of the other important white jazz and semi-jazz figures of the late 1920s and early 1930s. However, following Lang's early death in 1933, he began to slip off the radar. After a period of relative obscurity in the 1940s and 1950s, he was 'rediscovered' in the late 1960s and established a musical relationship with tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims, that was almost as fruitful as his previous collaboration with Lang. Venuti and Sims produced a number of very exciting recordings in 1974/75: an appropriate coda to the great violinist's career. September 16 is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years). ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... August 14 is the 226th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (227th in leap years), with 139 days remaining. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Jazz is an original American musical art form that originated around the start of the 20th century in New Orleans, rooted in African American musical styles blended with Western music technique and theory. ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ... A violinist is an instrumentalist who plays the violin. ... Jazz guitar is the use of guitar in jazz music. ... Eddie Lang (October 25, 1902 – March 26, 1933) was a jazz guitarist, considered by many the finest of his era. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... Benny Goodman, born BenÅ‘ Guttman, (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American jazz musician, known as King of Swing, Patriarch of the Clarinet, The Professor, and Swings Senior Statesman. // Goodman was born in Chicago, the son of poor Jewish immigrants from Hungary who lived in the Maxwell... The Dorsey Brothers consisted of the dynamic duo Big Band musicians Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey who found fame in the 1940s playing with great Big Band favorites Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman among others. ... Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ... The Boswell Sisters on the cover of the reissue album collection Thats How Rhythm Was Born The Boswell Sisters were a close harmony singing group that attained national prominence in the USA in the 1930s. ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... John Haley Zoot Sims was an American jazz musician. ...

In the mid-1970s, Venuti performed and recorded, again in the limelight: good examples of his latter-day recordings are the Chiaroscuro CD's Joe Venuti and Zoot Sims (CR(D) 142) and Joe & Zoot & More (CR(D)126). He died in Seattle, Washington. 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Nickname: The Emerald City Location of Seattle in King County and Washington Coordinates: Country United States State Washington County King Incorporated December 2, 1869 Mayor Greg Nickels (D) Area    - City 369. ...

Venuti was also a legendary practical joker. ^[1]

References

1. ^ Crow, Bill (1990). Jazz Anecdotes. New York: Oxford University Press.

Sources

• Sudhalter, Richard M. Lost Chords: White Musicians and their Contribution to Jazz, 1915-1945. Oxford, 1999. ISBN 0-19-514838-X
• Baxter, James. The Blue Violin - privately published 1953 biography of Joe Venuti (acquired by AB Fable Archive in March 2001).
• “Violin Rhythm, a School of Modern Rhythmic Violin Playing” by Joe Venuti, edited by the Dutch composer Eddy Noordijk, published by Robbins Music Corp, 1937.