Jerry Mengo born 17 April 1911

Jerry Mengo , born Joseph Gaëton Menegozzi  (17 April 1911 - 23 April 1979 Paris) was a French jazz drummer, guitarist, bandleader, composer and arranger. Also known as Giuseppe Mengozzi.

Jerry Mengo was a prolific band leader and film composer who was active for several decades in France. He had massive popularity throughout France and Europe and was widely regarded by American musicians who visited and worked in Paris during the pre-war and post-war periods. 


L-R Marcel Bianchi, Django, Stephane Grappelli, Jerry Mengo, Coleman Hawkins & Andre Dupont.

Jerry was of Italian origin. Born in Nice, France yet raised in England .While studying in Paris, he played drums in his spare time and performed as a singer and recoded with Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli in 1935. (Lily Belle My June, Continental and Sweet Sue, Just You ) for the Ultra Phone label.  In the 1930’s and 40’s he played as a drummer and guitarist in the bands of Alix Combelle , Bill Coleman (1937) , Danny Polo and Noël Chiboust before performing with his own bands.  In 1943 he worked with the singer Martha Love. From the early 1940s he recorded under his own name on the Swing label. (Blues du matin) and the Telefunken label (Jerry's Boogie).  In 1945 he was instrumental in the first recording session of the Blue Star label with Eddie Barclay.

     

                          

In the 1960’s Mengo focused on Easy Listening dance music. With his orchestra he produced a series of LPs (Club De Danse), EPs

(as Samba Fantastico) and singles for labels like Columbia and Ducretet-Thomson einzuspielen.  Jerry also recorded for Columbia

under the name of Teddy Martin. He also used the pseudonym of Jao Pandeiro for a couple of Bossa Nova EPs.

He also worked as a film composer and musician for movies like Hafengasse (1951) Night in Paris (1954)  Also two  Jean-Pierre Melville films - Two Men in Manhattan (1959) and L'aîné of Ferchaux (1963), he was also seen as a supporting actor.

With his orchestra or as an arranger and composer, he has worked with singers like Bourvil (Les Sourires De Paris 1961 Pathé ), Pierre Perrin , Giuseppe Torre Bruno, France Gall, Dalida and or Caterina Valente. Mengo wrote the original “Twistin´ the Twist” ( or “Lecon de Twist” in France) that was covered by many artist all around the world. 

The latter part of his career was nearly entirely devoted to Library Music. He was a prominent figure in the French musical scene until his death in Paris 23 April 1979.

(Info scarce but mainly edited from Wikipedia translation)


The clip features four musicians who performed and recorded with Django Reinhardt - Loulou Gasté, Jerry Mengo, Louis Vola & Philippe Brun. Paul Misraki, the composer of "Insensiblement" appears at the beginning and the singer is André Dassary.