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Slim Gaillard

Bulee "Slim" Gaillard (January 9, 1911 – February 26, 1991), also known as McVouty, was an American jazz singer and songwriter who played piano, guitar, vibraphone, and tenor saxophone. Gaillard was noted for his comedic vocalese singing and word play in his own constructed language called "Vout-o-Reenee", for which he wrote a dictionary.

In addition to English, he spoke five languages (Spanish, German, Greek, Arabic, and Armenian) with varying degrees of fluency.

He rose to prominence in the late 1930s with hits such as "Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy)" and "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti-Put-Ti)" after forming Slim and Slam with Leroy Eliot "Slam" Stewart. During World War II, Gaillard served in the US Army Air Forces. In 1944, he resumed his music career and performed with such notable jazz musicians as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dodo Marmarosa.

In the 1960s and 1970s, he acted in films—sometimes as himself—and also appeared in bit parts in television series such as Roots: The Next Generations. Gaillard resumed touring the circuit of European jazz festivals during the 1980s.

Birth and Death Data: Born Detroit, Died February 26, 1991 (London)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1937 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, songwriter, composer

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-023419 10-in. 5/23/1938 The flat foot floogee Wingy Manone Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-023518 10-in. 5/31/1938 The flat foot floogee Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal ensemble songwriter  
Victor BS-026646 10-in. 8/25/1938 Tutti frutti Bon Bon ; Harry Roberts ; Jan Savitt ; Top Hatters Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet songwriter  
Victor BS-033903 10-in. 2/24/1939 Jump session Charlie Barnet Orchestra Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor BS-035081 10-in. 3/23/1939 Jump session Don Redman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet songwriter  
Victor BS-038204 10-in. 6/28/1939 Vas vilst du gaily star Mildred Craig ; Emery Deutsch Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and vocal ensemble songwriter  
Victor BS-042613 10-in. 8/28/1939 Vol vistu gaily star Clambake Seven ; Tommy Dorsey Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-042945 10-in. 10/12/1939 Vol vistu gaily star Smoothies Mixed vocal trio, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D8VB-4056 10-in. 12/15/1948 Down by the station Denny Dennis ; Lucy Ann Polk ; Sentimentalists ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Female-male vocal duet, with vocal group and jazz/dance band songwriter  
Mercury C519 10-in. 1951 Laughing in rhythm Slim Gaillard's Peruvians vocalist, composer  
Mercury C520 10-in. 1951 Soony roony Slim Gaillard's Peruvians vocalist, composer  
ARC 22318 10-in. 1/20/1938 Flat fleet floogie Slim and Slam Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, songwriter  
ARC 22319 10-in. 1/19/1938 Chinatown, my Chinatown Slim and Slam Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
ARC 22320 10-in. 1/20/1938 That's what you call romance Slim and Slam Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, songwriter  
ARC 22321 10-in. Oh! Lady be good Slim Gaillard vocalist  
ARC 22441 10-in. 2/17/1938 Ti-pi-tin Slim and Slam Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
ARC 22847 10-in. 5/3/1938 8, 9 and 10 Slim and Slam Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, songwriter  
ARC 22848 10-in. 5/3/1938 Dancing on the beach Slim and Slam Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, songwriter  
ARC 22849 10-in. 5/3/1938 Oh, lady be good Slim and Slam Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
ARC 22850 10-in. 5/3/1938 Ferdinand the Bull Slim and Slam Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Master M404 10-in. 4/15/1937 There's no two ways about it Frankie Newton Uptown Serenaders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Master M405 10-in. 4/15/1937 Cause my baby say's it's so Frankie Newton Uptown Serenaders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gaillard, Slim," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106973.

Gaillard, Slim. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106973.

"Gaillard, Slim." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106973

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