Ross Gorman

John Ross Smeed Gorman (November 18, 1890 – February 27, 1953)[1] was an American jazz clarinetist, bandleader, and multi-instrumentalist. Gorman is best remembered for his work with Paul Whiteman, particularly his famous clarinet glissando for Rhapsody in Blue, on which he also played oboe, bass clarinet, and saxophone.[2] The glissando came as the result of an experiment by Gorman, who, according to Whiteman's violinist Kurt Dieterlie, was known for his ability to "make incredibly odd sounds with his instrument."[3]

Ross Gorman
Birth nameJohn Ross Smeed Gorman
BornNovember 18, 1890
Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedFebruary 27, 1953 (aged 62)
GenresJazz
InstrumentsClarinet

Career

In addition to his work with Whiteman, he also had his own band, which performed under various names such as "Ross Gorman and his Orchestra," "Ross Gorman and his Fire-Eaters," and "Gorman's Novelty Syncopators."[4] For recording purposes, this band included several Whiteman regulars such as Red Nichols, Miff Mole, and Jimmy Dorsey; they also recorded with Eddie Lang.[5] He is credited as a composer on various popular songs of the 1920s, including "Some Lonesome Night" and "Rose of the Rio Grande" (later recorded by Duke Ellington).[6][7][8]

His glissando was not his only innovation; the jazz writer Stuart Nicholson has argued that Gorman's experiments with the whole-tone scale on his song "Rhythm of the Day" "anticipated Fletcher Henderson's 'Queer Notions' by about eight years."[9]

References
  1. "Ross Gorman | SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  2. Shirley, Wayne D. (1985). "Scoring the Concerto in F: George Gershwin's First Orchestration". American Music. 3 (3): 277–298. doi:10.2307/3051471. ISSN 0734-4392.
  3. Levin, Floyd (2002). Classic jazz : a personal view of the music and the musicians. Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press. pp. 74–75. ISBN 9780520234635.
  4. Rust, Brian (1978). Jazz records, 1897–1942 (4th revised and enlarged ed.). New Rochelle, N.Y. ISBN 0870004042.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. The guitar in jazz : an anthology. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. 1996. p. 23. ISBN 9780803242500.
  6. Gorman, Ross, approximately 1890–1953; Hirsch, Walter, 1891–1967; Buffano, Jules, 1897–1960. "Some Lonesome Night: Fox Trot". Richmond-Robbins, Inc.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. Warren, Harry; Gorman, Ross; Leslie, Edgar (1922). "Rose of the Rio Grande". Stark and Cowan, Inc.
  8. Murray, Albert; Thomas, Greg (2016). "Murray Talks Music: Albert Murray on Jazz and Blues". University of Minnesota Press. doi:10.5749/j.ctt1bhkph9.22.
  9. Nicholson, Stuart (2014). Jazz and culture in a global age. Lebanon: Northeastern University Press. p. 216. ISBN 9781555538446.
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