Meyer Weinberg

Meyer "Pudgy" Weinberg (October 8, 1914—September 29, 1970) was an American jazz musician who played alto saxophone and clarinet. Active in the 1930s, he was involved in nine recording sessions between 1936 and 1939.

Meyer "Pudgy" Weinberg was born Geneve Meyer on October 8, 1914, in New Orleans, Louisiana, into a Jewish family.

Weinberg began his musical career in New Orleans with Red Bolman's Pennsylvanians, with trombonist Julian Laine and drummer Monk Hazel.

Later, he relocated to Chicago, Illinois, where he worked with Sharkey Bonano. With Bonano, he recorded "Everybody Loves My Baby" and "Yes, She Do - No, She Don't", playing clarinet and alto saxophone alongside Bill Bourjois (banjo, guitar), Ray Bonitas (bass), Augie Schellange (drums), Armand Hug (piano), Dave Winstein(tenor saxophone), and Julian Laine (trombone).

In 1937, he worked with Santo Pecora and His Backroom Boys in Los Angeles, California. The two recordings with Pecora were "Magnolia Blues" and "I Never Knew What A Gal Could Do", accompanied by Thurman Teague (double bass), Riley Scott (drums), Frank Frederico (guitar), Stan Wrightsman (piano), and Shorty Sherock (trumpet). The recordings are available on the album The Reed Album Volume Two (Meritt Record Society label). It also features songs by Muggsy Spanier, Rod Cless, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Ella Logan, Claude Thornhill, Irving Fazola, Bud Freeman, Benny Goodman, Adrian Rollini, Fud Livingston, and Artie Shaw.

In 1937, Weinberg played with Louis Prima's ensemble "Prima and his New Orleans Gang". The following year, he appeared in a short musical video titled Swing Cat's Jamboree. Directed by Roy Mack and produced by Samuel Sax, the video featured songs by Louis Prima and his jazz quintet accompanied by various singers and dancers, including Shirley Lloyd, Ted Gary, and Mitzi Dahl.

"Swing Cats Jamboree" with Louis Prima

Weinberg died on September 29, 1970, in Dallas, Texas, at age 56.

1. ↑ Wolfgang Lamprecht: The Blue Notes of Klezmer. Die Holzblasinstrumente und der jüdische Ton im Jazz. Berlin 2016, S. 45, 97
2. ↑ Andrew Simons Jews of New Orleans: an archival guide New Orleans 1998, S. 172. Vgl. auch Michael H. Kater: Gewagtes Spiel. Jazz im Nationalsozialismus. Kiepenheuer und Witsch, Köln 1995, ISBN 3-462-02409-4, S. 140
3. ↑ New Orleans & Chicago jazz: a pamphlet published for the Discographical Society, hrsg. von Discographical Society Clifford Jones, 1947, S. 4
4. ↑ Mit in der Band waren Riley Scott (Gesang), Shorty Sherock (Trompete), Stan Wrightsman (Piano), Frank Frederico (Gitarre) und der Kontrabassist Thurman Teague. Vgl. Calle & Dave Lindholm bei TUM Records
5. ↑ Rebecca D. Clear: Jazz on Film and Video in the Library of Congress. 1993, S. 128
6. ↑ Tom Lord: The Jazz Discography (online, abgerufen 19. September 2016)
7. ↑ Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter, Bände 17–19, hrsg. von der Association of Jewish Libraries, Teaneck, 1998