Four-String Joe – 1973

Joe Venuti

The violinist demonstrates how to play four notes at once on the violin

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Joe Venuti (1903-78) was the first major jazz violinist and one of the very best.

His recordings in the 1920s, often with Eddie Lang on guitar, set the standard for jazz violin.

While he had a long off-period, Venuti made a full comeback in the late 1960s and was quite active during his final decade.

One of Venuti’s more innovative techniques was taking apart his bow and playing four strings on his violin at once, creating swinging chords.

This private film from 1973 has Venuti showing what he could do, ending with an uptempo blues.

-Scott Yanow

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