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 1-25 of 112 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor PBS-019406 10-in. 7/7/1938 So help me (If I don't love you) Elmer Feldkamp ; Freddy Martin Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-019407 10-in. 7/7/1938 Confidentially Elmer Feldkamp ; Freddy Martin Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-019408 10-in. 7/7/1938 Love is where you find it Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Gene Walsh Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-019409 10-in. 7/7/1938 There's a brand new picture in my picture frame Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Gene Walsh Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-019410 10-in. 7/7/1938 Wolverine blues Freddy Martin Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-019411 10-in. 7/7/1938 Milenberg joys Freddy Martin Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor PBS-026229 10-in. 11/6/1938 Jaywalk Freddy Martin Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor PBS-026230 10-in. 11/6/1938 These funny old hills Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor PBS-026231 10-in. 11/6/1938 Joobalai Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Gene Walsh Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor PBS-026232 10-in. 11/6/1938 Bye-lo-bye lullaby Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor BS-034965 10-in. 6/9/1939 Let's make memories tonight Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor BS-034966 10-in. 6/9/1939 A boy named Lem (And a girl named Sue) Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Fran Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor BS-034967 10-in. 6/9/1939 There's only one in love (And yet there should be two) Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor BS-034968 10-in. 6/9/1939 An old fashioned tune always is new Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor BS-034969 10-in. 6/9/1939 It seems like old times Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor BS-034970 10-in. 6/9/1939 Cuba-duba-doo Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Fran Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor BS-040237 10-in. 7/3/1939 Let's disappear Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor BS-040238 10-in. 7/3/1939 Running through my mind Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor BS-040239 10-in. 7/3/1939 Let's trade a diamond for a heart Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Fran Rogers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor BS-040240 10-in. 7/3/1939 The thrill of a new romance Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor BS-040241 10-in. 7/3/1939 You're the moment in my life Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor BS-040242 10-in. 7/3/1939 Winter blossoms Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor PBS-042125 10-in. 9/18/1939 Mama's gone, good bye Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Glenn Hughes Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal trio instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor PBS-042126 10-in. 9/18/1939 Violets Freddy Martin Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
Victor PBS-042127 10-in. 9/18/1939 The sweetheart of Sigma Chi Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Bill Stoker Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, electric organ  
(Results 1-25 of 112 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Fina, Jack," accessed March 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110096.

Fina, Jack. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110096.

"Fina, Jack." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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