Tommy Gumina

Thomas Joseph Gumina (May 20, 1931 in Milwaukee – October 28, 2013) was an American jazz accordionist and musical instrument builder.

Gumina began playing accordion at age eleven, and took lessons on the instrument in Chicago throughout the second half of the 1940s. He began working with Harry James on television in 1952 as an accompanist for popular tunes, and in 1955 Gumina began working on his own, both solo and with an ensemble. He recorded with Buddy DeFranco and Willie Smith in the 1960s, and began experimenting with modifying an electric accordion, whose amplified sound resembled that of an electronic organ. He was occasionally active as a performer in the 1970s (e.g., with Art Pepper in 1974), but increasingly concentrated on his amplifier manufacturing business, Polytone Musical Instruments, which was based in North Hollywood, California. He and Joe Pass co-founded Polytone Records in 1987.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 20, 1931 (Milwaukee), Died October 28, 2013 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1956 - 1960

Roles Represented in DAHR: accordion

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 52 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca L 10298 6/20/1957 Love theme from La Strada Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11250 11/25/1958 Bach preludes No.10 & No.9 Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11251 11/25/1958 March of the dwarfs Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11252 11/25/1958 Polonaise in A flat Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11253 12/5/1958 Perpetual motion Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11254 12/5/1958 Hora staccato Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11255 11/26/1958 Seriramide Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11256 11/26/1958 Ritual fire dance Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11257 11/26/1958 Malaguena Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11258 12/5/1958 Dance of the accordions Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11706 8/17/1959 Roses of Rio Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11707 8/17/1959 Lonely Winter Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11708 8/17/1959 You had better change your ways Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11709 8/17/1959 Rock away Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11975 3/15/1960 All the things you are Buddy De Franco ; Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11976 3/15/1960 Ill wind (You're blowin' me now .. ) Buddy De Franco ; Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11977 3/15/1960 Polka dots and moonbeams Buddy De Franco ; Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11978 3/15/1960 The song is you Buddy De Franco ; Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11979 3/15/1960 Misty Buddy De Franco ; Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11980 3/16/1960 A foggy day Buddy De Franco ; Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11981 3/16/1960 I hear a rhapsody Buddy De Franco ; Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11982 3/16/1960 Yesterdays Buddy De Franco ; Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11983 3/16/1960 How high the moon Buddy De Franco ; Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11984 3/16/1960 Darn that dream Buddy De Franco ; Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
Decca L 11985 3/31/1960 Satin doll Buddy De Franco ; Tommy Gumina instrumentalist, accordion  
(Results 26-50 of 52 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gumina, Tommy," accessed November 12, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/319317.

Gumina, Tommy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/319317.

"Gumina, Tommy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 12 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/319317

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