Marty Grosz
Birth nameMartin Oliver Grosz
Born (1930-02-28) February 28, 1930
Berlin, Germany
GenresJazz, dixieland, swing
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Guitar, banjo, vocals
Years active1950–present
LabelsJazzology, Riverside, Stomp Off, Arbors
Websitewww.martygrosz.com

Martin Oliver Grosz (born February 28, 1930)[1] is an American jazz guitarist, banjoist, vocalist, and composer born in Berlin, Germany, the son of artist George Grosz. He performed with Bob Wilber and wrote arrangements for him.[2] He has also worked with Kenny Davern, Dick Sudhalter, and Keith Ingham.

Marty Grosz is influenced by the Jazz guitarists of the 1930s, particularly Carl Kress, and uses a lower Banjo derived tuning for his guitar similar to that used by Kress. This produces a much more robust sound for both rhythm playing and chord solo breaks.

Grosz is also known as a witty raconteur often introducing songs with long amusing anecdotes.

Career

Grosz was born in Berlin, Germany, but became resident in the United States by the age of three.[1] In Chicago during the 1950s, Grosz recorded with Dave Remington and Art Hodes.[3] In the 1970s, he was a vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the Soprano Summit[3] In the 1980s, he was a member of the Classic Jazz Quartet with Dick Wellstood.[3] He played, sang, and wrote most of the group's arrangements. He has also performed at concerts with Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, and Charlie Byrd.[4]

Discography

As leader

  • Hooray for Bix! (Riverside, 1957)
  • The End of Innocence with Ephie Resnick (Silver Crest, 1964)
  • Let Your Fingers Do the Walking with Wayne Wright (Aviva, 1977)
  • Take Me to the Land of Jazz with Dick Wellstood (Aviva, 1978)
  • Goody Goody with Wayne Wright (Aviva, 1979)
  • I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music (Aviva, 1982)
  • The Classic Jazz Quartet (Jazzology, 1985)
  • MCMLXXXVI with the Classic Jazz Quartet (Stomp Off, 1986)
  • Marty Grosz and the Keepers of the Flame (and the Imps) (Stomp Off, 1987)
  • Sings of Love and Other Matters (Statiras, 1987)
  • Swing It! (Jazzology, 1988)
  • Extra (Jazzology, 1989)
  • Laughing at Life (Stomp Off, 1991)
  • Unsaturated Fats with Keith Ingham (Stomp Off, 1991)
  • Donaldson Redux with Keith Ingham (Stomp Off, 1992)
  • Songs I Learned at My Mothers Knee and Other Low Joints (Jazzology, 1993)
  • Ring Dem Bells (Nagel-Heyer, 1995)
  • Just Imagine with Keith Ingham (Stomp Off, 1995)
  • Thanks (Jazzology, 1997)
  • Just for Fun! (Nagel Heyer, 1997)
  • Going Hollywood with Keith Ingham (Stomp Off, 1997)
  • Rhythm for Sale (Jazzology, 1997)
  • At Bob Barnard's Jazz Party 1999 (Nif Nuf, 1999)
  • Left to His Own Devices (Jazzology, 2000)
  • Rhythm Is Our Business (Sackville, 2003)
  • Stringin' the Blues: A Tribute to Eddie Lang with Bucky Pizzarelli, Frank Vignola, Howard Alden, Al Viola (Jazzology, 2003)
  • Chasin' the Spots (Jump, 2005)
  • Acoustic Heat with Mike Peters (Sackville, 2006)
  • Marty Grosz and His Hot Combination (Arbors, 2006)
  • The James P. Johnson Songbook (Arbors, 2011)
  • Keep a Song in Your Soul (Jazzology, 2014)

As sideman or guest

With Randy Sandke and the New York All Stars

  • Stampede (Jazzology, 1992)
  • Play Jazz Favorites (Nagel-Heyer, 1993)
  • The Bix Beiderbecke Era (Nagel-Heyer, 1993)
  • Randy Sandke Meets Bix Beiderbecke (Nagel-Heyer, 2002)

With Soprano Summit

  • Soprano Summit in Concert (Concord Jazz, 1976)
  • Chalumeau Blue (Chiaroscuro, 1976)
  • Soprano Summit Live at the Big Horn Jazzfest (Jazzology, 1976)
  • Crazy Rhythm (Chiaroscuro, 1977)
  • Live at Concord '77 (Concord Jazz, 1978)
  • Soprano Summit (Chiaroscuro, 1994)
  • Recorded Live at Illiana Jazz Club, November 7, 1978 (Storyville, 1996)
  • 1975...and More! (Arbors, 2008)

With others

References

  1. 1 2 Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 175. ISBN 0-85112-580-8.
  2. ↑ Yanow, Scott. "Marty Grosz". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 Yanow, Scott (2000). Swing. San Francisco: Miller Freeman Books. p. 355. ISBN 978-0-87930-600-7.
  4. ↑ "Marty Grosz at All About Jazz". Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
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