Matthew Michael "Matty" Malneck (December 9, 1903 – February 25, 1981) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

violinist, songwriter, and arranger.

Career

Paul Whiteman Orchestra - Motion Picture, June 1930

Born in 1903, Malneck's career as a violinist began when he was age 16. He was a member of the

Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s, W ...

orchestra from 1926 to 1937 and during the same period recorded with

Mildred Bailey Mildred Bailey (born Mildred Rinker; February 27, 1907 – December 12, 1951) was a Native American jazz singer during the 1930s, known as "The Queen of Swing", "The Rockin' Chair Lady" and "Mrs. Swing". She recorded the songs " For Sentimenta ...

Annette Hanshaw Catherine Annette Hanshaw (October 18, 1901 – March 13, 1985) was an American Jazz Age singer. She was one of the most popular radio stars of the late 1920s and early 1930s. Over four million of her records had been sold by 1934. In her ten-y ...

Frank Signorelli Frank Signorelli (May 24, 1901 – December 9, 1975) was an American jazz pianist. Biography Signorelli was born to an Italian Sicilian family in New York City, New York. Signorelli was a founding member of the Original Memphis Five in 1917, ...

, and

Frankie Trumbauer Orie Frank Trumbauer (May 30, 1901 – June 11, 1956) was an American jazz saxophonist of the 1920s and 1930s. His main instrument was the C-melody saxophone, a now-uncommon instrument between an alto and tenor saxophone in size and pitch. He a ...

. He led a big band that recorded for Brunswick, Columbia, and

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in W ...

. His orchestra provided music for '' The Charlotte Greenwood Show'' on radio in the mid-1940s and '' Campana Serenade'' in 1942–1943. A newspaper article published September 19, 1938, noted that having only one brass instrument in Malneck's eight-instrument group was "unique for swing" as were the $3,000 harp and a drummer who played on "an old piece of corrugated paper box". The group played in the film ''

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...

'' (1939) and ''

You're in the Army Now ''You're in the Army Now'' is a 1941 comedy film directed by Lewis Seiler and starring Jimmy Durante, Phil Silvers, Jane Wyman, and Regis Toomey. It featured the longest kiss in film (lasting three minutes and five seconds), between Toomey and ...

'' (1941). Malneck announced he was changing the group's name to Matty Malneck and His St. Louis Blues Orchestra. Malneck's credits as a songwriter have overshadowed his contributions as a performer. He composed songs which became hits, such as "Eeny Meeny Miney Mo" (1935) and "

Goody Goody "Goody Goody" is a 1936 popular music, popular song composed by Matty Malneck, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. First recording of the song was by Ted Wallace and His Swing Kings (vocal refrain by male trio) luebird, B-6252-B, 1936 The song is r ...

" (1936; both with lyrics by Johnny Mercer), "

I'll Never Be the Same "I'll Never Be The Same" is a popular song based on an instrumental called "Little Buttercup" written by Matty Malneck and Frank Signorelli. After several musicians had recorded the instrumental version, lyrics were written by Gus Kahn. The co ...

" (1932; music by Malneck &

, lyrics by

Gus Kahn Gustav Gerson Kahn (November 6, 1886October 8, 1941) was an American lyricist who contributed a number of songs to the Great American Songbook, including " Pretty Baby", " Ain't We Got Fun?", " Carolina in the Morning", " Toot, Toot, Tootsie (Goo ...

), and "I'm Thru With Love" (1931; music by Malneck &

Fud Livingston Joseph Anthony "Fud" Livingston (April 10, 1906 – March 25, 1957) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, arranger, and composer. Career In the 1920s, he performed with Ben Pollack and served as his arranger (to summer 1925, and again ...

, lyrics by Kahn).

References

External links

Matty Malneck recordings
at the Discography of American Historical Recordings {{DEFAULTSORT:Malneck, Matty 1903 births 1981 deaths Musicians from Newark, New Jersey American jazz violinists American male violinists Songwriters from New Jersey 20th-century American violinists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians American male songwriters