George Wettling

George Godfrey Wettling ( born November 28, 1907 in Topeka, Kansas, † June 6, 1968 in New York City ) was an important white Dixieland and swing drummer of the Chicago - style, who made a name for himself as a painter.

Wettling came to jazz after he heard the early 1920s in Chicago, where he moved in 1921 with his family, the King Oliver band, particularly impressed him Baby Dodds on drums, his later role model. He was part of the Chicago scene and made the mid -1930s, first recording with Paul Mares. In 1935 he went to New York for the Jack Hylton Orchestra. He played in the big bands of Artie Shaw ( 1936), Bunny Berigan (1937 ), Red Norvo and 1938-40 with Paul Whiteman.

After that, he played primarily in smaller groups, eg with Muggsy Spanier, in a trio with Bud Freeman and Jess Stacy (from 1938), Eddie Condon ( at the Town Hall Concerts and broadcast in the club), Jimmy McPartland and Wingy Manone. In 1942 he was a member of the Chico Marx Orchestra. His main job was from 1943 to 1952 worked as a studio musician at ABC. Wettling also worked with Benny Goodman, Sidney Bechet and Billie Holiday; Furthermore, he took on some 78s for Black & White Records. In the 1950s, he was known primarily as an abstract ( cubist ) painter and popular (his pictures hang in museums ). Occasionally, he also wrote reviews in Down Beat and Playboy.