Manny Klein

Manny Klein

Source: NBJ

Born on 4 February 1908 in New York City, swing trumpeter and bandleader, Mannie (Manny) Klein, ostensibly began his career at age fourteen replacing Phil Napoleon at trumpet in the Original Memphis Five (OMF) on a couple of tracks. Though the matter seems open to discussion as late as 2007 [Tapatalk below], both Tom Lord and Brian Rust have Klein with that outfit on 11 September 1922 toward 'I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate'/'Got to Cool My Doggies Now' (Pathe Actuelle 020825 / Perfect 14051). That was issued in October the same year per SHS.

Multiple sources including Discogs have Klein with the Ambassadors in 1924. Lord finds him recording 'Pleasure Mad' with that operation in July (Vocalion 14851). Sessions in August and September with vocalist, Isabella Patricola, yielded 'Doddle Doo Doo', 'No-One Knows What It's All About' and "That's Georgia' (all Vocalion 14866). From there he supported a host of outfits into 1928 including those of Roger Wolfe Kahn, Sam Lanin and Red Nichols until arriving to the Paul Whiteman Orchestra in 1928. Lord has Klein w Whiteman on December 22 that year for 'Makin' Whoopie' (Columbia 1683). Further tracks w Roger Wolfe Kahn went down that year as well to include 'Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella' (Victor 21233) and 'Say Yes Today' (Victor 21507). Personnel on tracks below is often incomplete. Data (largely) gleaned from Tom Lord is often per session rather than title alone. Discrepancies aside, herein is a nice trip through several decades of jazz along Klein's path, more an historic walk through the bands with which he performed than Klein alone since he often plays a supportive role.

Music: James Hanley 1917   Lyrics: Ballard MacDonald

Klein had remained with Kahn into early 1929, after which he continued a career of contributing trumpet to countless orchestras, beginning with Fred Rich, with whom he laid a number of tracks in 1930. Among the more important musicians with whom Klein performed during his early career were Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and Frank Trumbauer. Klein's magic with a trumpet was in high demand as a studio musician for several decades, backing numerous vocalists from Bing Crosby and Lee Wiley in 1933, to Frankie Laine on 'That's My Desire' in early 1947 by Klein's All Stars, to actress, Mitzi Gaynor, in 1959.

With well above 700 sessions to his name, Klein led relatively few in his own name. Touching upon his own operations, Discogs has him releasing 'Hot Spell' / 'Juba' (Brunswick 7606) as Manny Kline and His Orchestra in 1936. He led 'Malihini Mele' in 1938 as Mannie Klein and his Swing-A-Hulas. Come 'Maori Brown Eyes' in 1945 as Manny Klein's Hawaiians. He released a number of titles in 1946 w his All Stars including 'Bei Mir Bistu Schoen' on Keynote K631. Come the Manny Klein Orchestra for 'San' in December 1947 toward release on Coral 60032. It was Klein and his Sextet in 1959 for a jazz version of the Rodgers-Hammerstein musical, 'Sound of Music', issued on album by Imperial.

'If I Had a Talking Picture of You'   Annette Hanshaw & Her Three Blue Streaks

Recorded 4 Dec 1929 in NYC   Harmony 1066-H

Three Blue Streaks: Trumpet: Klein   Piano: James P. Johnson / Clarence Williams

Composition: Buddy De Sylva / Lew Brown / Ray Henderson

'St. James Infirmary Blues'   Klein w Rube Bloom & His Bayou Boys

Recorded 16 Jan 1930 in NYC   Columbia 2103-D

Trumpet: Mannie Klein   Trombone: Tommy Dorsey

Bass sax: Adrian Rollini   Clarinet: Benny Goodman

Piano: Rube Bloom   Drums: Stan King   Vocal: Roy Evans

Composition: Joe Primrose (Irving Mills)

'There's No Depression in Love'   Klein w Ben Selvin and His Orchestra

Recorded 21 July 1931 in NYC   Harmony 1356-H

Trumpet: Mannie Klein   Trombone: Tommy Dorsey (?)

Clarinet / alto sax: Benny Goodman   Tenor sax: Herman Wolfson

Composition: Dan Dougherty / Jack Yellen

'Don't Tell a Soul (We're in Love)'   Harold Van Emburgh & His Orchestra led by Russ Carlson

Recorded July-August 1932 in NYC   Crown 3361

Trumpet: Mannie Klein   Trombone: Miff Mole

Clarinet: Tony Parenti   Tenor sax: Larry Binyon

Piano: Russ Carlson   Vocal: Harold Van Emburgh

Composition: Pepper

Medley in 'The Yacht Party'   Roger Wolf Kahn & His Orchestra   Film

Vitaphone short film (9 minutes) directed by Roy Mack    Released 29 Sep 1932

Trumpet: Charlie Teagarden / Mannie Klein   Clarinet: Artie Shaw

Bass: Ward Lay   Drums: Chauncey Morehouse

'Hoohihi Oe Ke Ike Mai'   Manny Klein & his Swing-A-Hulas

Recorded 2 May 1938 in Los Angeles   Vocalion 4170

Trumpet: Mannie Klein   Guitar: Andy Bright   Steel guitar: Sol K. Bright

Vocals: Andy Bright / Sol K. Bright   Composition: Charles E. King