Irving Fazola

, Also called Henry Irving Fazola " Faz ", ( born December 10, 1912 in New Orleans as " Henry Irving Prestopnik "; † March 20, 1949 ) was an American jazz clarinetist of Traditional Jazz and Swing.

Life and work

Fazola learned clarinet by Jean Paquay, a Belgian clarinetist of the French Opera in New Orleans, began with 15 to play professionally and it was influenced by Leon Roppolo, a lifelong role model. He worked in New Orleans with Candy Candido, Louis Prima ( 1927 ), Sharkey Bonano, Armand Hug and Ellis Stratakos. In 1935, he joined the band of Ben Pollack, as this station made ​​in New Orleans, and went with her to New York and Chicago. After brief periods at Gus Arnheim ( 1936), Glenn Miller (1937 /8) and a trip to his hometown in 1938, he joined Bob Crosby. Here he became known as a clarinetist, reaching 1940 and 1941, the top of the Downbeat polls, ahead of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw.

After the end of his engagement at Crosby 1940 he played alternately in New Orleans, New York (including the Famous Door with George Brunies ) and Chicago, among other things, with Claude Thornhill, Muggsy Spanier 1941/2, Teddy Powell 1942/3 and Horace Heidt. From 1943, but he remained permanently in New Orleans - not least because of the domestic kitchen, but also because of health problems. He had a radio show on WWL sometimes led his own bands or played at Tony Almerico or Louis Prima. Fazola was affected at the height of his career, especially by Jimmy Noone and influenced in turn (through its plates) Pete Fountain, who also has his clarinet. In 1949, he died in New Orleans of a heart attack. He was married but had no children.