Red Norvo on being a leader.

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Red Norvo on playing the vibes.

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Red Norvo takes an overview on his career.

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Q: “You’re actually one of the first people not to play vibes because you played xylophone all through the thirties, didn’t you? It wasn’t until the forties really, that you picked up on vibes…”

A: “I always played vibes. I played them before they had the pedal on them with Victor Young and Go Kid Orchestra. He'd used them behind strings, but I played the four hammers with no pedal you had to stop them with your arms, the notes. You count how long that they were supposed to be held and then stop it. But I played so much on xylophone or marimba that people don’t want to hear me play vibra, it’s strange. But if I was doing a date in a studio in Chicago, they’d say, "Don’t play that instrument, play that one or use it behind background for this or something." So I did.