Irving Fazola
Encyclopedia
Irving Fazola was an American
jazz
clarinet
ist.
as Irving Henry Prestopnik. He got the nickname
Fazola from his childhood skill at Solfege
("Fa-Sol-La"). He decided to use the nickname as his family name, and many fellow musicians were unaware that Fazola was not his birth name. Many people feel that he adopted the name "Fazola" from Louis Prima, when Faz toured with him. Prima would tell Faz that he was "Fazola" Italian for "Beans". That being Jazz talk for being cool.
Influenced early on by Leon Roppolo
, who Fazola continued to idolize throughout his life, Fazola was playing professionally by age 15. In his home city of New Orleans he worked with such bandleaders as Candy Candido
, Louis Prima
, Sharkey Bonano
, Armand Hug
, and Ellis Stratakos.
When the touring Ben Pollack
band came through New Orleans in 1935 Fazola joined the band and toured the country and played residencies in New York City
and Chicago with them. After brief stints with Gus Arnheim
, Glenn Miller
and time back in New Orleans he joined the Bob Crosby
band in 1938. His work with Crosby brought him national fame. He ranked first in the Down Beat
polls of 1940 and 1941 as the top hot clarinetist, winning out over such other greats as Benny Goodman
, Artie Shaw
, and Edmond Hall
.
It is clear, listening to Fazola's mature style in the late 1930s ("My Inspiration" with the Bob Crosby Orchestra, for instance), that his main influence by then was Jimmie Noone
. He played on the Glenn Miller
composition "Doin' the Jive
" which was released on Brunswick and Vocalion in 1938 by the first Glenn Miller Orchestra.
After leaving Crosby's band two years later he alternated between playing with various groups in New York, Chicago, and New Orleans (including a stint with George Brunies
at the Famous Door) before returning to New Orleans for good in 1943. While some of his fellow musicians urged Fazola that greater fame and fortune awaited him in the big cities up north, Fazola said he was more comfortable in his home town with its wonderful food (which he ate in great quantities, becoming ever more obese
).
In New Orleans he had a radio show on WWL, sometimes led his own band, and worked with bandleaders Tony Almerico and Louis Prima
. His playing was a major influence on Pete Fountain
. A young Pete Fountain sat in for Faz after he died. Pete Fountain has Faz's clarinet, but says that the odor of garlic that comes from the horn when it warms up makes it virtually impossible to play even after having been reconditioned by the factory.
Irving Fazola died of a heart attack
in New Orleans in 1949 at the age of 36.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
ist.
Biography
Fazola or Faz was born in New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
as Irving Henry Prestopnik. He got the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
Fazola from his childhood skill at Solfege
Solfege
In music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
("Fa-Sol-La"). He decided to use the nickname as his family name, and many fellow musicians were unaware that Fazola was not his birth name. Many people feel that he adopted the name "Fazola" from Louis Prima, when Faz toured with him. Prima would tell Faz that he was "Fazola" Italian for "Beans". That being Jazz talk for being cool.
Influenced early on by Leon Roppolo
Leon Roppolo
Leon Roppolo was a prominent early jazz clarinetist, best known for his playing with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. Roppolo also played saxophone and guitar. Roppolo married Mabel Alice Branchard on 17 May 1920 in New Orleans...
, who Fazola continued to idolize throughout his life, Fazola was playing professionally by age 15. In his home city of New Orleans he worked with such bandleaders as Candy Candido
Candy Candido
Candy Candido was an American radio performer, bass player, vocalist and animation voice actor, best remembered for his famous line, "I'm feeling mighty low."...
, Louis Prima
Louis Prima
Louis Prima was a Sicilian American singer, actor, songwriter, and trumpeter. Prima rode the musical trends of his time, starting with his seven-piece New Orleans style jazz band in the 1920s, then successively leading a swing combo in the 1930s, a big band in the 1940s, a Vegas lounge act in the...
, Sharkey Bonano
Sharkey Bonano
Joseph "Sharkey" Bonano was a jazz trumpeter, band leader, and vocalist....
, Armand Hug
Armand Hug
Armand Hug was an American jazz pianist.Hug was based out of New Orleans for most of his life, having begun playing professionally at age 13. He played with Harry Shields in 1926, with the New Orleans Owls in 1928, and with Sharkey Bonano in 1936...
, and Ellis Stratakos.
When the touring Ben Pollack
Ben Pollack
Ben Pollack was a drummer and bandleader from the mid 1920s through the swing era. His eye for talent led him to either discover or employ, at one time or another, musicians such as Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Glenn Miller, Jimmy McPartland and Harry James...
band came through New Orleans in 1935 Fazola joined the band and toured the country and played residencies in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Chicago with them. After brief stints with Gus Arnheim
Gus Arnheim
Gus Arnheim was an early popular band leader. He is noted for writing several songs with his first hit being "I Cried for You" from 1923. He was most popular in the 1920s and 1930s...
, Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
and time back in New Orleans he joined the Bob Crosby
Bob Crosby
George Robert "Bob" Crosby was an American dixieland bandleader and vocalist, best known for his group the Bob-Cats.-Family:...
band in 1938. His work with Crosby brought him national fame. He ranked first in the Down Beat
Down Beat
Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond" to indicate its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois...
polls of 1940 and 1941 as the top hot clarinetist, winning out over such other greats as Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
, Artie Shaw
Artie Shaw
Arthur Jacob Arshawsky , better known as Artie Shaw, was an American jazz clarinetist, composer, and bandleader. He was also the author of both fiction and non-fiction writings....
, and Edmond Hall
Edmond Hall
Edmond Hall was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader. His father Edward Blainey Hall and mother Caroline Duhe had eight children, Priscilla , Moretta , Viola , Robert , Edmond , Clarence , Edward and Herbert .-Early life:Born in Reserve, Louisiana, about...
.
It is clear, listening to Fazola's mature style in the late 1930s ("My Inspiration" with the Bob Crosby Orchestra, for instance), that his main influence by then was Jimmie Noone
Jimmie Noone
Jimmie Noone was an American jazz clarinetist.- Background :...
. He played on the Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
composition "Doin' the Jive
Doin' the Jive
Doin' the Jive is a 1938 song composed by Glenn Miller and pianist Chummy MacGregor. The song was released as a 78 single by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra on Brunswick....
" which was released on Brunswick and Vocalion in 1938 by the first Glenn Miller Orchestra.
After leaving Crosby's band two years later he alternated between playing with various groups in New York, Chicago, and New Orleans (including a stint with George Brunies
George Brunies
George Brunies, aka Georg Brunis, was a jazz trombonist who came to fame in the 1930s, and was part of the Dixieland revival. He was known as the "King of the Tailgate Trombone"....
at the Famous Door) before returning to New Orleans for good in 1943. While some of his fellow musicians urged Fazola that greater fame and fortune awaited him in the big cities up north, Fazola said he was more comfortable in his home town with its wonderful food (which he ate in great quantities, becoming ever more obese
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
).
In New Orleans he had a radio show on WWL, sometimes led his own band, and worked with bandleaders Tony Almerico and Louis Prima
Louis Prima
Louis Prima was a Sicilian American singer, actor, songwriter, and trumpeter. Prima rode the musical trends of his time, starting with his seven-piece New Orleans style jazz band in the 1920s, then successively leading a swing combo in the 1930s, a big band in the 1940s, a Vegas lounge act in the...
. His playing was a major influence on Pete Fountain
Pete Fountain
Pete Fountain , is an American clarinetist based in New Orleans. He has played jazz, Dixieland and Creole music.-Early life and education:...
. A young Pete Fountain sat in for Faz after he died. Pete Fountain has Faz's clarinet, but says that the odor of garlic that comes from the horn when it warms up makes it virtually impossible to play even after having been reconditioned by the factory.
Irving Fazola died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in New Orleans in 1949 at the age of 36.