Terry Gibbs

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Terry Gibbs, one of the greatest vibraphonists of all time, had a very long career starting as a child in the 1930s and continuing until his retirement more than 80 years later.

A high-energy player who was inspired by bebop, Gibbs (in addition to working with Woody Herman and Benny Goodman) led many groups through the years including his Dream Band, and combos that he co-led with clarinetist Buddy DeFranco.

One of his favorite groups was the quartet that he had during 1953-57 that featured pianist Terry Pollard (1931-2009) and several bassists and drummers.

Pollard, who could also play vibes, was quite talented but dropped out of fulltime music in the late 1950s to raise a family although she continued playing on a part-time basis in the Detroit area for decades.

In 1956, the Terry Gibbs Quartet performed on the Tonight Show (hosted by Steve Allen); the group at the time also included bassist Herman Wright, and drummer Jerry Segal.

After they perform the original “Gibberish,” Pollard joins Gibbs on the vibes during an uptempo version of “Now’s The Time” (with Steve Allen sitting in on piano).

Pollard proves to be Gibbs’ equal on vibes as they battle it out during a humorous and exciting tradeoff.

-Scott Yanow

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