Who was Slim Gaillard? Remembering Slim Gaillard.

Multifaceted musician and artist, protagonist of eccentric demonstrations of his skills – he tap danced while he could play the guitar, or play the piano with his palms facing upwards – Slim Gaillard, (January 4, 1916 – England, January 26 February 1991), he stood out above all, as a singer and composer of songs with crazy texts, parodic lyrics, and with a language full of slang and absurd words that even caused him more than one displeasure with American censorship. Singer with a diverse style where there was a mixture of Boogie Woogie and the vocabulary known as “jive.” Slim Gaillard is one of those many musicians forgotten by history and belonged to that select group of rhythm and blues prophets – like Bab Gonzáles or Louis Jordan – who anticipated the appearance of musicians like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.

His golden age was in the early years of the 1930s when he formed a duo with his brother, the double bassist, Slam Stewart, in a humorous-musical formation that even recalled the Marx Brothers group. When his military service ended, he signed a contract with Billy Berg’s club, the Hollywood Boulevard club, and from 1945 he began recording frequently with prominent jazz instrumentalists such as the pianist, Dodo Marmarosa, or the drummer, Zutty Zingleton. Even the sporadic and casual meeting between the bebop couple, Parker-Gillespie and our protagonist in a recording the following year is notable.

In the 1950s, Slim Gaillard was part of the circuit organized by promoter Norman Granz, who under the name “Jazz at the Philharmonic” was responsible for spreading American jazz throughout the world. That gave him the opportunity to reach Europe, specifically the United Kingdom where he arrived for the first time in 1958. He returned to London again, to settle permanently in 1983. Cinema also crossed his life and he filmed a cult film in 1986 titled “Absolute Beginners” for the BBC and a special work titled: “The World of Slim Gaillard” in 1989. In 1991, cancer ended his life in the London capital.

Slim and Slam – Jump session

The eccentric Slim Gaillard invented a surreal and absurd language: The ‘vout.’ In 1937 he teamed up with double bassist Slam Stewart, forming the famous duo until 1942. They were in their time one of the most vital combos of the swing era.

Slim & Slam was a musical partnership in the late 1930s and early 1940s consisting of Bulee “Slim” Gaillard (vocals, guitar, vibes and piano) and Leroy Elliott “Slam” Stewart (bass and vocals). They produced novelty jazz numbers featuring Slim’s distinctive vocal style with vocalese and scats, hipster argot and nonce words.

Sam Allen played piano and Pompey “Gus” Dobson played drums on most of their early recordings. Their biggest hits were “Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy)”, “Cement Mixer (Puti Puti)” and “The Groove Juice Special (Opera in Vout)”. Other musicians who recorded with Slim & Slam included Charlie Parker, Ben Webster, Jimmy Rowles, Kenny Clarke, Al Killian, Chico Hamilton, Leo Watson and Garvin Bushel.

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Hellzapoppin’ (1941) – Slim Gaillard & Slam Stewart – The Harlem Congeroos

Slim Gaillard – piano, guitar Slam Stewart – bass Rex Stewart – trumpet Elmer Fane – clarinet Jap Jones – trombone CP Jonstone – drums

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