Slim Gaillard
Jazz singer and comedian who invented his own language.
Bulee "Slim" Gaillard (January 9, 1911 – February 26, 1991), also called McVouty, was an American jazz singer and songwriter who played piano, guitar, vibraphone, and tenor saxophone. He became famous in the late 1930s as part of Slim and Slam, a duo with bassist Slam Stewart, known for hits like "Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy)" and "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti-Put-Ti)." Gaillard was known for his comedic scat singing and wordplay in a made-up language he called "Vout-o-Reenee," for which he even wrote a dictionary.
Beyond English, he spoke five other languages—Spanish, French, German, Greek, and Arabic—to varying degrees. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Forces. After resuming his music career in 1944, he performed with notable jazz figures like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dodo Marmarosa. In the 1960s and 1970s, he acted in films, sometimes playing himself, and had small roles on TV shows such as *Roots: The Next Generations*. He returned to touring European jazz festivals in the 1980s.
His early life is a tangle of conflicting details. Many sources say he was born in Detroit, Michigan, but Gaillard himself claimed he was born in Santa Clara, Cuba, to an Afro-Cuban mother named Maria and a German-Jewish father named Theophilus, a ship's steward. In a 1989 interview, he explained, "They all think I was born in Detroit because that was the first place I got into when I got to America." The 1920 census lists a "Beuler Gillard" in Pensacola, Florida, born April 1918 in Alabama. Researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc believe he was likely born in June 1918 in Claiborne, Alabama, where a "Theophilus Rothchild" had been raised. Other U.S. government documents give an earlier birth year: his 1940 draft card, signed by him, says January 4, 1911, in Pensacola; his WWII enlistment record also lists 1911; and the Social Security Death Index gives January 9, 1911.
At age 12, Gaillard traveled the world with his father and was accidentally left behind on Crete. In a 1989 TV documentary, he recalled, "When I was stranded in Crete, I was only 12 years old. I stayed there for four years. I traveled on the boats to Beirut and Syria and I learned to speak the language and the people's way of life." After picking up some Greek, he worked on the island making shoes and hats, then joined a ship working eastern Mediterranean ports, mainly Beirut, w
- born
- Disputed: January 9, 1911 (per Social Security Death Index) or other dates/locations including January 4, 1911 in Pensacola, Florida; possibly June 1918 in Claiborne, Alabama
- died
- February 26, 1991
- field
- Jazz singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Comedic vocalese, constructed language 'Vout-o-Reenee', hits 'Flat Foot Floogie' and 'Cement Mixer', duo Slim and Slam
Lore & Background
In the 1960s and 1970s, Gaillard acted in films and appeared in bit parts on television series such as *Roots: The Next Generations*, *Marcus Welby, M.D.*, and *Charlie's Angels*. By the early 1980s, he was touring the European jazz festival circuit, playing with musicians such as Arnett Cobb. He followed Dizzy Gillespie's advice to move to Europe and settled in London in 1983. Around Christmas 1985, he recorded the album *Siboney* at Gateway Studios.
Reader's Guide
Slim Gaillard's significance lies in his unique blend of jazz musicianship, comedy, and linguistic invention. His constructed language 'Vout-o-Reenee' and his stream-of-consciousness vocalese set him apart from contemporaries like Cab Calloway and Louis Jordan, making him a cult figure in jazz and Beat culture. His performances, celebrated in Jack Kerouac's On the Road, captured a hip, improvisatory spirit that influenced later generations. Gaillard's ability to play multiple instruments—piano, guitar, vibraphone, and tenor saxophone—and his comedic stage presence allowed him to cross over from jazz to popular entertainment, appearing in films and television. His legacy includes early recordings with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, as well as his enduring hits 'Flat Foot Floogie' and 'Cement Mixer'. Despite disputes over his birth details, Gaillard's impact as a musical entertainer and linguistic innovator remains recognized, with his work preserved in archives such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Did You Know?
- Gaillard wrote a dictionary for his constructed language "Vout-o-Reenee."
- Besides English, he spoke five other languages: Spanish, German, Greek, Arabic, and Yiddish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Slim Gaillard?
Bulee "Slim" Gaillard (1911–1991) was an American jazz vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who became a cult favorite in the late 1930s. He is best remembered for his wildly comedic, nonsense-language scat singing and his stage partnership with bassist Slam Stewart.
What is Vout-o-Reenee?
Vout-o-Reenee is a playful constructed language that Gaillard invented specifically to perform in during his vocal numbers. He went so far as to compile a dictionary of its vocabulary, and the made-up syllables became the defining gimmick of his entire stage persona.
What is Slim and Slam?
Slim and Slam was the comedy-music duo formed by Gaillard and bassist Slam Stewart in the late 1930s. Their act blended slapstick humor with jazz arrangements and produced the hits "Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy)" and "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti-Put-Ti)."
What made Slim Gaillard's vocalese style unique?
Rather than singing recognizable lyrics, Gaillard performed entirely in his invented tongue Vout-o-Reenee, turning scat into a full comedic character. He backed himself on piano, guitar, vibraphone, and tenor saxophone, making each number a one-man or two-man theatrical spectacle.
What are Slim Gaillard's most famous recordings?
His two biggest charting sides are "Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy)" and "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti-Put-Ti)," both cut with the Slim and Slam partnership. These tracks remain the standard reference points whenever his name comes up in jazz or vocalese discussions.
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