George Wright.

[Jay999]

Hey guys and gals. I'm a new member to the Forum, but I've been around the Theatre Organ world for a long time. What I can't understand is that no one has any posts about George Wright in this particular place. I think I'm posting this in the right place; to talk about theatre organists and their music, am I right?</P>


Anyway, I read in the classical section about the great organists; who was greater, who was lesser, etc. So here, in the theatre organ section, no posts about the great George Wright?</P>


Yes, we have wonderful, very thrilling new artists in the Theatre Organ world. But I'm sure they would openly admit that many of their registrations, and a great deal of their arrangingis based on a solid foundation of George Wright's musical offerings he made through his recordings.</P>


Doesn't anyone want to contribute someinsight into his individual, unforgettable, arrangements of..."Roller Coaster", "Jealousy", music from "Show Boat", and "Aunt Blanche'sBoogie"? Who could ever forget the great dynamo of sparkling energy behind his playing of "No Business Like Show Business"?</P>


For me; if Jesse Crawford figured out how to make atheatre organ play great music, (and he did!), George Wright picked up that mantle and made theatre organ playing an Art! </P>

[Guest]

Re: George Wright.



He was mentioned in this thread by me:</p>

http://organforum.com/forums/thread/37611.aspx</p>

I have two George Wright CDs that I treasure! Hopefully AndyG will have more to say... he really knows about this stuff...
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[andyg]

Re: George Wright.



I think you'll find a few GW mentions in the Organists / Legends section, Jay, rather than Theatre Organs.</P>


I love his playing and also have a couple of LP's, but there's not so much available on this side of the pond. Most owners seem to want to hold on to their copies. Time for a bit of international ebaying, but I'm a bit wary of ordering an LP from the States. Just thinking of what might happen to it on its way across!</P>


Andy</P>

[Jay999]

Re: George Wright.



Geez! I thought I was posting in the right place.</P>


I think Banda is beginning to re-issue a lot of Wright's music on CD's. Does that ship overseas OK?</P>
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[Tibia and Vox]

Re: George Wright.



No doubt about it... GW was the KING, both technique-wise and innovation-wise. Virtually every American theatre organist has learned (or copied) from him, whether they even know it or not.
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I have a few CD's, and lots of LP's that have sat around for years because I have no means of playing them.</p>

One of my LP's is from before the Hi-Fidelity Records period, recorded on the NY Paramount organ... Terrific record; haven't been able to listen to it for years... One of these days, I'll find some practical, reasonably inexpensive way of converting the LP's to mp3 or CD or whatever...</p>

One question... I thought I'd heard EVERYTHING of GW's by now! "Aunt Blanche's Boogie"???? Never heard THAT one...
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[Guest]

Re: George Wright.



Interesting this thread. A friend out here worked for George for a number of years andlearned to play in the Wright style.</P>


Kinda fun to listen to him play but he's more of a mechanic and tuner, probably voicer too. I guess George was always</P>


experimenting to get different sounds and his Philharmonic waslittered with various pipes and gadgets.</P>


I'll ask if he has any tales that can be shared.George even published some sheet music.</P>


I have his arrangement of "quiet village". I wonder if any of you have any of his music?</P>


Al </P>

[Jay999]

Re: George Wright.



Hi Al, and Tibia and Vox. Aunt Blanch's Boogie: Don't hold me to it, but I think that was George Wright's first Conn organ album. I think the front of the jacket is blue color. I'll have to dig it out, but I will look for it. It was the one I picked up by ear....everybody just loves it when I play it. It's a real good "toe tapper".</P>


Al, the published music...I'd love to know what was published, and possibly the publishing house. I have access to an expert sleuth in finding old music. So please let me know if you find these published pieces. Thank you very much!</P>

[madorganplayer]

I have an LP of george (actually i have loads of his) but this one i just cant find any reference to anywhere.Its called `At home with George Wright` played on the Conn 651 and the front cover shows his lounge (i presume) with a Conn in the forground and piano and a big poodle in the background (with black and white flooring).
The back cover has a picture of him leaning against a Vintage car with his house behind.Songs like `Dancing Tambourin`,Ah sweet Mystery of Life,Dansero,Close your Eyes,Quando,What are you waiting for Mary?,Tambourine Chinois and a few others.
Anybody got a copy of this?
Adrian

[DMK]

I saw, and bid on that LP on eBay but I didn't win it. I have tried to find reference to it but have had no luck. Would love to find a copy for my collection.
Don

[indianajo]

I've got HIFIRECORD album no R--712 George Wright Plays the Conn Electronic Organ. Has blue tube schematics on the front and GW in a crew cut & tux. Has a 32 pedal Conn on the back with Leslie.

[Guest]

I love some of his old multi-track recordings. Listen to his rendition of "Caravan" -it is such a vivid picture of sound!

[indianajo]

George Wright was first on &quot;Quiet Village&quot;!

George Wright was first on "Quiet Village !
I have Liberty Records LRP3122 with Martin Denny's "Quiet Village". I heard and enjoyed this on the AM radio probably in 1959 when it was #2 on the pop charts after Dick Clark had promoted it. Wikipedia says Martin Denny first recorded this in mono on the Exotica LP in 1957.
I just listened to George Wright HiFI Records LP R-702 George Wright Encore!, which has "Quiet Village" on it with piano intro, bird calls and all. The George Wright discography www.tibia.us/main/gwdisc.htm says this album was released in 1956. However, I've never heard the George Wright version on the radio; only on this album I received with the Dr. Fuchs collection.
At least Mr. Wright had the couth to credit Les Baxter for the song on the record label. The Liberty LP doesn't credit anybody. I don't know if the Les Baxter version had bird calls, I don't collect 78's and don't have any way to play them.

[psrick]

No bird calls in Lex Baxter's 1951 recording.

[andyg]

Funny this title should come up, I've just (re)started work on my arrangement of Quiet Village. I have bird calls and jungle sounds along with Hammond, grand piano and rhythm section. Two thirds is now finished, just the last section to write and then play in to make the recording complete. I did think about using virtual theatre organ rather than Hammond but that would have been too much like the inimitable Mr G's version, so I thought it best not to imitate! :)