Sy Oliver Writing Style

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Sy Oliver Sy Oliver,Melvin James Oliver, was born on December 17,1910 in Battle Creek Michigan. Sy’s mother taught piano and his father knew how to play every instrument and they taught a music class in Ohio. Sy’s father used to help the leading company of saxophones sell in the early 1900s in America. His father also was known locally for his choir, he would write their music and there Sy first saw that writing music was possible. Sy grew up all around music, he was only bound to be in the music industry. When his father became ill, Sy being the oldest of six children had to finish school and support the family. In order to complete his duties of being the “man of the house” he first needed a way to make money, his fast and easy solution…show more content…
The Lunceford band was surprisingly a hit! He played in openings for bands and in places throughout New York. Although Sy still never got around to going to school, he loved playing music. Then Sy became an arranger to write the music for the bands and help get them gigs. He began helping people like Trummy Young, Ted Buckner and Willie Smith and with helping people like them; he created what people called the Sy Oliver style. After all this occurred, Oliver made his way to the Tommy Dorsey. He wanted to keep his music writing style in the picture but he was going into a band that was “Dixieland-orientated” but Dorsey wanted a Swing band. Sy explained “swing music is not an intellectual exercise; you can’t do it with your mind alone”. He later joined the service; after the service he became a band director of the Zanzibar Club. After leaving the Olympia Theatre in Paris during 1968 he retired to go to school, just like before when he ended up joining numerous bands. Sy finally knew that he wanted to go to the The New School in New York where you get to select what subjects to take. He took philosophy, psychology and some humanities classes. He had dreamed of being of lawyer but realized his age and then ended up going back to the

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