Column Chronicles: Bennie Bullhorn obituary, part one

Bennie Bullhorn obituary, part one

Frank Cotolo
February 3, 2022

You have to be an aficionado of fine jazz to know the name Bennie Bullhorn, so let me tell you about the fellow I knew who was a pioneer of abstract jazz and a shadowy figure admired by jazz greats throughout the world.

Bennie Bullhorn died last month. He was officially 89, though some claim he was 98 and others claim he was only 60 or 70. That's how timeless Bennie became to a community of musicians that were inspired by his courageous ideas about jazz.

Stimpy Saltine, jazz produced, once said, "The Bullhorn made us all look like we never had a musical thought. He would spit out ideas for arrangements like they were pistachio shells."

Bullhorn literally made the career of Byron Stalk when he suggested that the saxophonist improvise on a famous jazz tune with a large road apple as a mute. Four albums later, Stalk versions of jazz classics resulted in 56 platinum albums.

Born in Baudette, Minnesota, two feet from Canada, Bullhorn was the son of two parents, both poor as sin. He had an ear for music and although he parents knew, they could never afford an instrument. His father told him to improvise—and that is just what Bennie did. He used bamboo tubes, wet tree leafs, rubber bands attached to two-by-fours, banana peels and anything else that would make a sound.

Then, one day when the circus came to town, a circus musician heard young Bennie playing melodies with ordinary objects. That musician was Harmonius Hal Hacktrain. He convinced Bennie to join the circus, telling him neither of his parents would notice he was gone.

As the circus traveled through the hamlets and towns and villages of America, Bennie Bullhorn's music made without instruments was exposed to thousands of people and many were so inspired they became jazz musicians. In less than five years, there were more jazz musicians in America than there were carpenters, plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, bakers, school teachers, postal workers, bicycle repairmen, dentists, cooks and caboose cleaners among them.

...to be continued.

Frank Cotolo can be found hosting the talk and interview programme Cotolo Chronicles. You can send him an e-mail at this address: frank@148.ca.