Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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MARMAROSA, Dodo

(b Michael Marmarosa, 12 December 1925, Pittsburgh PA; d there 17 Sept. 2002) Pianist. Studied classical piano, discovered jazz influenced by Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson, worked for Gene Krupa '42-3, Charlie Barnet '44-5 ('The Moose' a standout track), then Artie Shaw: six tracks with the Gramercy Five sextet early '45 in NYC included 'Mysterioso' (not Monk's tune), 'Hop, Skip And Jump'. To the West Coast '45; recorded with Boyd Raeburn (tracks on Savoy include 'Boyd Meets Stravinsky', George Handy's 'Dalvatore Sally'; also Standard Transcriptions '45-6 collected on a Hep CD), played with Charlie Parker. Dodo Marmarosa On Dial: The Complete Recordings on Spotlite include two solos '46, 'Bird Lore' with a Parker septet, four tracks with a Howard McGhee sextet, five tracks by a trio with Harry Babasin on cello and drummer Jackie Mills (d 22 March 2010 aged 88; played with Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey and Harry James, had the Larrabee Sound Studio on the West Coast), and privately (and badly) recorded solo improvisations 'Inventions I' and 'II', anticipating the 'free jazz' of more than a decade later; the CD also includes eight alternative takes. There were more obscure tracks on Atomic '46, Jazz Showcase, Live Dodo on Swing House, trio tracks on Phoenix House (later on Fresh Sound CD Dodo's Bounce), four trio tracks on Savoy '50.
      The melodic inventiveness in his right hand was unique; with Al Haig he was one of the first white pianists to be recognized as an innovator in bop. (Haig followed him into the Barnet band and into Parker's combo.) But he lacked confidence, sure that his hands were too small; and like other white boppers may have suffered from the Crow Jim syndrome when playing with black musicians. He was inactive after 1950 except for '61-2: there were albums Dodo's Back! on Argo and Jug And Dodo on Prestige with Gene Ammons, plus trio tracks on Prestige once issued on a double LP with Jug And Dodo. He had been reclassified from 4-F and drafted '54; the U.S. Army gave him shock treatments and discharged him after three months. Pittsburgh 1958 on Uptown compiled trio recordings from the Midway Lounge, plus small-group tracks from '56-7 and from a TV broadcast '62. He was discovered in the '90s living quietly, happy to talk about old times but not looking for fame.