Jack Fina

Jack Fina (August 13, 1913 – May 14, 1970) was a bandleader, songwriter, and pianist.

Fina was born in Passaic, New Jersey, and educated at the New York College of Music and was a student of August Fraemcke and Elsa Nicilini. He started out playing piano in Clyde McCoy's band sometime in the 1930s, but it wasn't until he joined Freddy Martin’s band in 1936 that he gained real fame, when he was featured on Martin’s famous recording of "Tonight We Love".

In 1946, Jack Fina formed his own 16-piece band, with Freddy Martin's blessing and financial backing. His first appearance was at the Claremont Hotel. The vocals were handled by Harry Prime and Gil Lewis. With good air time and good recordings, Fina became a national figure. Following up on the success of "Tonight We Love," Fina again turned to the classics and composed a boogie-woogie variation on Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee." Fina's version, "Bumble Boogie", became a huge hit; Fina performed it as a solo piano specialty in the 1946 Columbia Pictures musical It's Great to Be Young.

Fina appeared at some of the top venues in the country, including the Waldorf-Astoria, the Aragon Ballroom, and the famous illegal gambling casino/night club in Galveston, the Balinese Room. He also appeared in several films, including Melody Time (Bumble Boogie sequence, 1948) and Disc Jockey (1951). A noted songwriter, his credits included Dream Sonata (his theme song), Chango and Piano Portraits.

In the 1950s, he reduced the size of his band and settled in San Francisco. He also operated a talent agency called the Concerto Music & Entertainment Agency with his manager Al King. In the early 1960s he appeared as a single on Dick Sinclair’s television show. In 1962 Fina joined the staff of the Beverly Hills Hotel in Sherman Oaks, California, where he led a small band for eight successful years. The engagement was curtailed by his death at age 56, from a heart attack. He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Hollywood Hills.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 13, 1913 (Passaic), Died May 14, 1970 (California)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1938 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, electric organ, songwriter, composer, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 112 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor PBS-042128 10-in. 9/18/1939 A penthouse for rent Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor PBS-042129 10-in. 9/18/1939 Scatter-brain Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Glenn Hughes Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor PBS-042130 10-in. 9/18/1939 Early in the morning Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor PBS-Test-042288 10-in. 12/11/1939 Princess Poopooly Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Eddie Stone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-042289 10-in. 12/11/1939 My rosary of broken dreams Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-042290 10-in. 12/11/1939 One cigarette for two Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Eddie Stone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-042291 10-in. 12/11/1939 Apple blossoms and chapel bells Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-042292 10-in. 12/11/1939 Am I proud Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Eddie Stone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-042293 10-in. 12/11/1939 Sand Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-042294 10-in. 12/11/1939 Oh! What a lovely dream Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Eddie Stone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-049129 10-in. 4/23/1940 It's a lovely day tomorrow Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Clyde Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-049130 10-in. 4/23/1940 You can't brush me off Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Glenn Hughes Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-049131 10-in. 4/23/1940 Gypsy tears Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Clyde Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-049132 10-in. 4/23/1940 I made my manners to a sweet young thing Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Eddie Stone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-049137 10-in. 4/23/1940 Goodnight moonlight Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Clyde Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-049138 10-in. 4/23/1940 Sunnin' in the summer sun Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Eddie Stone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-055113 10-in. 10/21/1940 All or nothing at all Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Clyde Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-055114 10-in. 10/21/1940 I should have known you years ago Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Eddie Stone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-055115 10-in. 10/21/1940 It's a great day for the Irish Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Eddie Stone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-055116 10-in. 10/21/1940 You say the sweetest things, baby Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Eddie Stone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-055117 10-in. 10/21/1940 Harbor of my heart Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Clyde Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-055118 10-in. 10/21/1940 My mother would love you Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Clyde Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-055262 10-in. 1/27/1941 Breakfast for two Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Clyde Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-055263 10-in. 1/27/1941 Shadows in the night Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Clyde Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-055264 10-in. 1/27/1941 Corn silk Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Eddie Stone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 26-50 of 112 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Fina, Jack," accessed May 7, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110096.

Fina, Jack. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 7, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110096.

"Fina, Jack." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110096

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