Tommy Gumina

Thomas Joseph Gumina (May 20, 1931 in Milwaukee – October 28, 2013) was an American jazz accordionist and musical instrument builder.

Gumina began playing accordion at age eleven, and took lessons on the instrument in Chicago throughout the second half of the 1940s. He began working with Harry James on television in 1952 as an accompanist for popular tunes, and in 1955 Gumina began working on his own, both solo and with an ensemble. He recorded with Buddy DeFranco and Willie Smith in the 1960s, and began experimenting with modifying an electric accordion, whose amplified sound resembled that of an electronic organ. He was occasionally active as a performer in the 1970s (e.g., with Art Pepper in 1974), but increasingly concentrated on his amplifier manufacturing business, Polytone Musical Instruments, which was based in North Hollywood, California. He and Joe Pass co-founded Polytone Records in 1987.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 20, 1931 (Milwaukee), Died October 28, 2013 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1956 - 1960

Roles Represented in DAHR: accordion

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 52 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 100539 8/28/1956 Softly as in a morning sunrise Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100540 8/28/1956 Cherokee Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100541 8/28/1956 If I loved you Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100542 8/28/1956 Theme from Pagliacci Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100543 8/28/1956 What's new Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100544 8/28/1956 How high the moon Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100545 8/29/1956 Come back to Sorrento Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100546 8/28/1956 The man I love Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100547 8/26/1956 Runaway Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100548 8/29/1956 Waltz in C sharp minor Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100549 8/29/1956 Lover Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100550 8/29/1956 Flight of the bumble bee Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100551 8/29/1956 Motorcycle polka Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca 100552 8/29/1956 Cumana Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 10287 6/19/1957 Believe in mi (Credimi) Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 10288 6/19/1957 Non dimenticar (Don't forget) Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 10289 6/19/1957 Summertime in Venice Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 10290 6/19/1957 Malasierra Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 10291 6/19/1957 Autumn in Rome Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 10292 6/19/1957 I only know I love you Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 10293 6/19/1957 Woman of the river Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 10294 6/19/1957 Munasterio 'e Santa Chiara Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 10295 6/19/1957 Souvenir d'Italie Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 10296 6/20/1957 Maria mia Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 10297 6/20/1957 Giovanette balamo (Dance young .. ) Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
(Results 1-25 of 52 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gumina, Tommy," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/319317.

Gumina, Tommy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/319317.

"Gumina, Tommy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/319317

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