Red Norvo

Red Norvo
Red Norvo c. February 1947, photo by William P. Gottlieb
Background information
Birth name	Kenneth Norville
Born	(1908-03-31)31 March 1908
Origin	Beardstown, Illinois, U.S.
Died	6 April 1999(1999-04-06) (aged 91)
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Vibraphone, marimba, xylophone
Associated acts	Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman, Charlie Barnet, Woody Herman

Red Norvo (born Kenneth Norville, March 31, 1908 – April 6, 1999) was one of jazz's early vibraphonists, known as "Mr. Swing". He helped establish the xylophone, marimba, and vibraphone as jazz instruments. His recordings included "Dance of the Octopus", "Bughouse", "Knockin' on Wood", "Congo Blues", and "Hole in the Wall".

Red Norvo was born in Beardstown, Illinois. His career began in Chicago with a band called "The Collegians" in 1925. He played with many other bands, including an all-marimba band on the vaudeville circuit, and the bands of Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman, Charlie Barnet, and Woody Herman. He recorded with Mildred Bailey (his wife), Billie Holiday, Dinah Shore and Frank Sinatra. Norvo and his wife were known as "Mr. and Mrs. Swing." He appeared as himself in the film Screaming Mimi (1958) and in Ocean's 11, accompanying Dean Martin while he sang "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?".

In 1933 he recorded two sessions for Brunswick under his own name. The first, "Knockin' on Wood" and "Hole in the Wall", pleased Brunswick's recording director Jack Kapp, and Norvo was booked for another session. This time, Kapp was out of town and Norvo went ahead and recorded two early pieces of chamber jazz: "In a Mist" by Bix Beiderbecke's and Norvo's own "Dance of the Octopus". He played marimba instead of xylophone in the second session, accompanied by Benny Goodman in a rare performance at bass clarinet,Dick McDonough on guitar, and Artie Bernstein on double bass. Kapp was outraged when he heard the recordings and tore up Norvo's contract. Nevertheless, this modern record remained in print through the 1930s.