Gorni Kramer

Lore & Background

Gorni Kramer learned music at a very young age from his father, a musician, starting with the accordion and performing in his father's band as a child. He later studied double bass at the Parma Conservatory, earning his diploma in 1930. He began working in dance bands and formed his own jazz group in 1933 at age 20, despite jazz being forbidden by the Italian fascist regime; he learned the genre from fellow musicians who worked on transatlantic liners.

In the mid-1930s, he became a successful songwriter, composing 'Crapa pelada' (1936) and 'Pippo non lo sa' (1939), though his orchestra was boycotted by the state radio EIAR for playing jazz. During World War II, he worked with Natalino Otto, another singer banned for swing, and began a long collaboration with Quartetto Cetra, writing songs like 'Nella vecchia fattoria' and 'Concertino'.

From 1949, he wrote music for the impresario duo Garinei and Giovannini, producing musical comedies such as 'Gran Baldoria' and 'Attanasio cavallo vanesio'. He debuted on television in 1957 with 'Il Musichiere', composing its theme song. In the mid-1960s, he reduced public performances but continued as a music publisher and TV author until his death from a heart attack in Milan in 1995.

Reader's Guide

Gorni Kramer's significance lies in his role as a bridge between Italian popular music and American jazz during a repressive period. Despite the fascist regime's ban on jazz, he formed his own jazz group in 1933 and composed enduring hits that blended swing with Italian melody. His work with Quartetto Cetra and Garinei and Giovannini helped shape Italian musical comedy and television in the post-war era. His legacy includes songs like 'Crapa pelada' and 'Pippo non lo sa', which remain classics, and his perseverance in the face of state censorship highlights the resilience of artistic expression. By introducing jazz to Italian audiences and later contributing to TV music, he left a lasting imprint on Italian entertainment.

Did You Know?

• His middle name Kramer came from American cyclist Frank Kramer, who won the 1912 World Championship road race.
• He learned the accordion as a child and performed in his father's band.
• His jazz group was boycotted by the Italian state radio EIAR because they played jazz.
• He wrote the Italian remake of 'Old MacDonald Had a Farm' titled 'Nella vecchia fattoria'.