Biography: A proper and fitting epitaph is something nobody should be without. "I loaned Charlie Parker my saxophone" might be the best one for this musician, born Andrew Gardner and nicknamed "Goon" becausewell, maybe because he loaned Charlie Parker his saxophone. After all, anyone who has read a biography of Parker, nicknamed "Bird," will know that it wasn't smart to lend him anything, particularly a saxophone, since chances were good he would pawn the object to get drug money. Gardner was not the guy who loaned Bird a sax back before the latter man really knew how to play and wound up getting a cymbal thrown at his head, a crucial Bird legend. No, the Gardner loan to Bird happened later, during a gig in Chicago. As reported in Richard Simon's biography of Parker, "the shabby teenager (Bird) made his way to the bandstand and asked to play altoist Goon Gardner's horn, reports are that his playing was stunning. He was clothed and fed, even given a clarinet, by Gardner, but before long he'd pawned the horn (having long since pawned his own) and caught a bus for New York." According to trumpeter and bandleader King Kolax, with whom Gardner frequently gigged, Bird also stole Gardner's shoes when he left town. Gone as well was Gardner's rep as the baddest sax player in town, now that Bird had been heard. Certainly not on the same inspirational level as Bird, although nobody had better comment that "he isn't even good enough to lend his sax to Charlie Parker," Gardner was a respected player on the Chicago scene who worked in a variety of swing and blues bands. He played with the big bands of Earl Hines and Horace Henderson prior to joining the Navy in World War II. In the former outfit, he was surrounded by budding boppers, including both Bird and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. The military itself proved to be a hotbed of musical talent and Gardner made contact with many fine players, such as the altoist Gigi Gryce, with whom he shared initials as well as instruments, and the influence of Charlie Parker. In the late '40s, Gardner was part of a house group at the Ritz Cafe backing up the great vocalist Dinah Washington and Baby Lawrence, a fantastic tap dancer. In the early '50s, he played with a similar unit at the Regal Theater, a combo that developed into one of the most important integrated bands in the Windy City. This group included Roy Grant on alto sax, Wesley Landers on drums, the obviously progressive John Avant on trombone, Murray Watson on trumpet, and last but not least, the hard-blowing Gene Ammons on tenor sax. Gardner might not have liked losing his sax to Bird, but he didn't seem to have had any problems dealing with the man's music, as he remained under the spell of Parker's bebop inventions throughout his career. On sessions with blues artists such as T-Bone Walker, Arbee Stidham, or fellow saxophonist Buster Bennett, it is invariably Gardner who is the one pushing at the edges of what might be acceptable for a saxophone player to blow before it doesn't sound like a blues record anymore. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide
Goon Gardner biography anyone who has read a biography of Parker, nicknamed "Bird," will the bandstand and asked to play altoist Goon Gardner's horn, Goon Gardner biography anyone who has read a biography of Parker, nicknamed "Bird," will the bandstand and asked to play altoist Goon Gardner's horn, Gio Red. Artist Main. Rating affects your music played in LAUNCHcast and Music Videos. more Gio Red downloads > Risk O Electro. Yahoo! Music Worldwide: Gio Red Downloads - Sign up now for a Free 14 Day Trial and get unrestricted legal access to the entire 4,000,000+ song Rhapsody catalog. Download, listen and burn allShop for Red O'gio Crunch Duffel at Shop.com. $32.45 - large main compartment and a shoe side Red O'gio Crunch Duffel,shop Red O'gio Crunch Duffel,Travel, Shop for Risk O Electro at Target. Choose from a wide range of Music. Expect More, Pay Less at Target.comO'GIO Crunch. Shop for O'GIO and other great Duffels, Gym Bags, Sports Bags at Shoebuy.com. Free shipping, returns and no sales tax!Find great prices on O'GIO 55 Liter - Red at Become.com. Features a large U-shaped opening and an adjustable padded shoulder strap. Plastic molded interlockingLarge main compartment and a shoe side pocket.Adjustable padded shoulder strap and plastic molded interlocking handle.Front faced zippered pocket and side storage Find Eurofase Red Gio Wall Sconce and Other Home & Garden Products at NexTag.com. Read NexTag Reviews for This and More Products.Shop for Eurofase wall sconces like the Eurofase Red Gio Wall Sconce at Lighting By Gregory, a premier contemporary and architectural lighting distributor.Shop at eBay for great deals on Gio Ibanez Guitar items. Ibanez Gio Red 4 String Electric Bass Guitar, ends Feb-12 06:16 pm PST. Psyshop.com - Candyflip Records: Gio Red Risk O Electro; cd 1. Here I Am 2. Display 3. Need A Spin 4. Angel Dust 5. Risk O ElectroGIO RED 9. Twisted Trickpad FLAM ON FIRE : For one more time Dj Stratos has chosen nine tracks from well known international and Greek producers.bio Gio Red George Kokkinos a.k.a. GIO RED was born in 1980 in Thessaloniki (Greece). He started as a dj in 1998 and has played at numerous events with well known artists from all gio redNarrow Results for O'GIO Red Get updates on new products & special offers. Enter your e-mail here Risk O Electro by Gio Red ( Audio CD - 2006) - Import: Buy new : $16.49 from $12.82: Get it by Friday, Jan 11 if you order in the next 11 hours and choose one-day shipping.Band Members: Stratos, Doc, Nuc, Zoi, Arara, Dima, Gio Red: Sounds Like: Airbus Modular, True Lies, Gio Red, Drone, Flame On FIre, Kukan Dub Lagan,Healer,12Moons, Motion, D-nox & Beckers DZGNDG007 Gio Red - Tigerfish E.P. Out on January, 20th Part 7 for Dezign Music passes control to greek producer Gio Red. He gives a techno perspective on things with 2 fresh tracksD.Mag and Gio Red are showing their techno perspective and united as drone deliver their sound directly into your mind. More info on the releases section.hot new mix from the man Rich, check this business: episode 8! A friend of mine turned me on to Gio Red a couple of weeks ago when he slipped me the CD, “Risk.O Electro