C. Griffin
Gordon Claude "Chris" Griffin (October 31, 1915 – June 18, 2005) was an American jazz trumpeter. Griffin was born in Binghamton, New York, United States, but moved to White Plains when he was ten; he began playing trumpet at age twelve, and played in dance bands as a teenager. He worked with Charlie Barnet, Rudy Vallee, Miff Mole, Mildred Bailey, Teddy Wilson, and Joe Haymes in the mid-1930s, and did work as a studio musician for CBS radio broadcasting. In 1936 he joined Benny Goodman's big band, remaining with him until 1939. He appeared in several movies as a member of Goodman's ensemble, such as The Big Broadcast of 1937 and Hollywood Hotel, and was the last surviving member of Goodman's band to perform in the first major jazz event at Carnegie Hall which was recorded and later released as The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert. In 1940 he played with Jimmy Dorsey and occasionally returned to Goodman's band in the 1940s and 1950s, but primarily worked on staff at CBS from the late 1930s onward. He played trumpet for radio television soundtracks into the 1980s, including for The Ed Sullivan Show, The Jackie Gleason Show, Lucky Strike Hit Parade, The Philip Morris Playhouse, and Camel Caravan. Griffin and Pee Wee Erwin co-founded a trumpet education school which operated from 1966 to 1970, and toured with Warren Covington in Europe in 1974. He worked with Tex Beneke, Bud Freeman, and Warren Vaché Sr. later in his career. In the 1980s he led an ensemble of his own which included sidemen such as Marty Napoleon, Sonny Igoe, Jane Jarvis, and Major Holley. Griffin was married to vocalist Helen O'Brien for 60 years until her death in 2000. The couple had four sons, one of whom also died in 2000, and two daughters. He died aged 89 in 2005 of melanoma. |
Birth and Death Data: Born October 31, 1915 (Binghamton), Died June 18, 2005 (Danbury)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1937 - 1954
Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet
Notes: Birth name: Gordon Griffin.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 101-125 of 129 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decca | 85448 | 11/7/1953 | Creole | George Williams Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
Decca | 85449 | 11/7/1953 | The knocked out choo choo | George Williams Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
Decca | 85450 | 11/7/1953 | The rompin' stamper | George Williams Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
Decca | 86481 | 6/29/1954 | Soft touch | George Williams Orchestra ; Bart Varsalona | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
Decca | 86482 | 6/29/1954 | Block buster | George Williams Orchestra ; Bart Varsalona | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
Decca | 86483 | 6/29/1954 | You can't stop love | George Williams Orchestra ; Bart Varsalona | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
Decca | 86484 | 6/29/1954 | Saturday night function | George Williams Orchestra ; Bart Varsalona | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
Decca | 86982 | 10/29/1954 | [Unknown title(s)] | George Williams Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
Decca | 86983 | 10/29/1954 | Song from Desiree (We meet again) | George Williams Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
Decca | 86984 | 10/29/1954 | Tiger rag mambo | George Williams Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
Decca | 86985 | 10/29/1954 | [Unknown title(s)] | George Williams Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
Signature | SRC 189 | 10-in. | 1945 | 22 steps from the corner | Johnny Bothwell Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 190 | 10-in. | 1945 | Strange feeling | Johnny Bothwell Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 281 | 10-in. | 1946 | Etude Brutus | Will Bradley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 289 | 10-in. | 1946 | If I'm lucky | Will Bradley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 290 | 10-in. | 1946 | Sooner or later | Will Bradley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 291 | 10-in. | 1946 | Turn the knob on the left to the right | Will Bradley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 417 | 10-in. | 1947 | If there is someone lovelier | Will Bradley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 418 | 10-in. | 1947 | Celery stalks at midnight | Will Bradley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 419 | 10-in. | 1947 | Easy ride | Will Bradley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 514 | 10-in. | approximately 1947 | Lonely moments | Will Bradley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 515 | 10-in. | approximately 1947 | Bop 'n' boogie | Will Bradley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 564 | 10-in. | approximately 1947 | What is this thing called love? | Anita O'Day | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 565 | 10-in. | approximately 1947 | Hi ho trailus boot whip | Anita O'Day | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Signature | SRC 566 | 10-in. | approximately 1947 | I told ya I love ya | Anita O'Day | instrumentalist, trumpet |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Griffin, C.," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/112159.
Griffin, C.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/112159.
"Griffin, C.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Chris Griffin
Discogs: C. Griffin
Allmusic: C. Griffin
Grove: C. Griffin
IMDb: C. Griffin
Britannica: C. Griffin
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Griffin, Chris, 1915-2005 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2003053125
Wikidata: Chris Griffin - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1077247
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/348149294108080520870
MusicBrainz: Chris Griffin - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/e07f1817-76d6-46aa-b202-fc3d82f89a03
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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