Artist: Red Norvo

Red Norvo (March 31, 1908 – April 6, 1999) was an American musician, one of jazz's early vibraphonists, known as "Mr. Swing". He helped establish the xylophone, marimba, and vibraphone as jazz instruments. His recordings included "Dance of the Octopus", "Bughouse", "Knockin' on Wood", "Congo Blues", and "Hole in the Wall". 

Red Norvo was born in Beardstown, Illinois, United States. His career began in Chicago with a band called "The Collegians" in 1925. He played with many other bands, including an all-marimba band on the vaudeville circuit, and the bands of Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman,  Charlie Barnet, and  Woody Herman. He recorded with Mildred Bailey  (his wife from 1933 to 1942), Billie Holiday, Dinah Shore, and Frank Sinatra. Norvo and his wife were known as "Mr. and Mrs. Swing".

In 1933, he recorded two sessions for Brunswick  under his own name. The first, "Knockin' on Wood" and "Hole in the Wall", pleased Brunswick's recording director Jack Kapp, and Norvo was booked for another session.

Norvo recorded eight modern swing sides for Columbia in 1934–1935 and fifteen sides for Decca and their short-lived Champion label series in 1936. Starting in 1936 through 1942, Norvo formed a swing orchestra and recorded for ARC, first on their Brunswick label, then Vocalion and Columbia after CBS bought ARC. The recordings featured arrangements by Eddie Sauter, often with Mildred Bailey as vocalist. In 1938, Red Norvo and His Orchestra reached number one with their recordings of "Please Be Kind", which was number one for two weeks, and "Says My Heart", with lead vocals by Bailey, which was number one for four weeks on the pop charts, reaching number one during the week of June 18, 1938. 

In June 1945, while a member of the Benny Goodman Sextet, he recorded a session for Comet Records employing members of Goodman's group, as well as Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie.

In 1949, while trying to find work near home on the West Coast and running into difficulties with large groups, Norvo formed a trio with a novel combination of vibes, guitar, and bass. When the original guitarist and bassist quit (Mundell Lowe and Red Kelly), he brought in two previously little-known players. Tal Farlow became one of the most significant of the new generation of guitarists, in part because the demands of the trio led him to explore changes in tempo and harmony.