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Tommy Gumina
Tommy Gumina
by Elliott Simon
It is the rare jazz instrumentalist who gains such a total understanding of their instrument that by technical innovation they change the way the instrument is played to achieve that elusive 'sound in their head.' Jazz accordionist Tommy Gumina is such an artist. When it comes to the accordion, Gumina's modifications and amplification development are on a par with Les Paul's guitar inventions and his polytonal voicings and advanced harmonics, though distinctly different, match in instrumental significance those of pianist ...
read moreBackgrounder: Buddy DeFranco & Tommy Gumina
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
In 1960, clarinetist Buddy DeFranco and accordionist Tommy Gumina got together with bass and drums to record the first of five albums—Pacific Standard (Swingin') Time. It was on Decca. The next four were on Mercury, including their first for the label—Presenting the Buddy DeFranco/Tommy Gumina Quartet, recorded in 1961. The tracks on Presenting were When Lights Are Low, Street of Dreams, Runaway, Never On Friday, Gone With the Wind, ´S Wonderful, On Green Dolphin Street, Scrapple From the Apple, Playin´ ...
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Buddy Defranco + Tommy Gumina
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Among the least known but most fascinating jazz recordings of the early 1960s are five albums recorded by a quartet co-led by clarinetist Buddy DeFranco and accordionist Tommy Gumina. The first album was recorded for Decca in 1960 while the balance were done for Mercury through 1964. For some odd reason, none of the albums have been reissued on CD, and mint copies of the LPs go for double-digits at eBay. [Pictured: Buddy DeFranco and Tommy Gumina, courtesy of Tommy ...
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