Eddy Duchin

About

American jazz pianist and bandleader. Born : April 01, 1909 (or) April 10, 1910 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Died : February 09, 1951 in New York City, New York. Eddy Duchin (his first name sometimes spelled ''Eddie'') began his career in 1928 with Leo Reisman's orchestra at New York's Central Park Casino, the most elegant society nightspot in the city. Though part of a team with fellow pianist Nat Brandywynne, Duchin's flashy style and suave demeanor quickly made him the most popular member of the group, and in 1931 he took over Reisman's place as leader at the Casino. His ten-piece orchestra played seven nights a week to a packed house. Duchin's trademark was crossing his hands and playing the lower register with only one finger. He was not well trained musically, a fact that often frustrated his musicians. His stage personality, though, more than made up for his lack of artistic discipline. He mesmerized his audience. One of his sideman commented, ''He was the only musician I've ever known who could play a thirty-two bar solo with thirty-two mistakes and get an ovation for it afterwards.'' In the late 1930s Duchin modernized his sound. The new orchestra was well-received, appearing in top spots throughout North and South America. Duchin's 1938 release of the Louis Armstrong song "Ol' Man Mose" (Brunswick Records 8155) with vocal by Patricia Norman caused a minor scandal at the time with the lyric "bucket" being heard as "fuck it." Some listeners conclude that there is no vulgarism uttered, while others are convinced that Norman does say "fuck" (which would explain one of the band members laughing delightedly after Norman seems to chirp, "Awww, fuck it... fuck-fuck-fuck it!"). The "scandalous" lyrics caused the record to zoom to #2 on the Billboard charts, resulting in sales of 170,000 copies when sales of 20,000 were considered a blockbuster. The song was banned after its release in Great Britain. The notorious number can be heard on a British novelty CD, Beat the Band to the Bar. During WWII Duchin served in the Navy as a lieutenant, his military career a serious one and not involved in music. After the war he formed a new orchestra, considered by many critics to be his most musical. In the late 1940s, however, he was forced to cut back on activities as his leukemia began to worsen. He died in 1951. His life story was brought to big screen in the 1956 movie The Eddy Duchin Story, which starred Tyrone Power in the title role. His son Peter Duchin became a pianist and society bandleader.