Gene Norman

American Concert Promoter, Los Angeles DJ appearing on KLAC and KFWB from 1947 thru 1964 and label owner. Died November 2, 2015 in Los Angeles. California. Father of Neil Norman.

As a DJ, in 1948 he launched the undefined jazz concerts event together with DJ Frank Bull and the related label, Dixieland Jubilee. In 1954 he founded a record label known as Gene Norman Presents, undefined, which later became GNP Crescendo. Among his earliest records were jazz sessions with Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan, Clifford Brown and Max Roach and Miles Davis Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie. In addition to his concert impresario and deejay roles, he owned the Crescendo Club, Hollywood, a jazz club on the famous Sunset Strip where many jazz and Latin music stars such as Miles Davis, George Shearing and Tito Puente appeared along with cutting edge comedians such as Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, Woody Allen, Bob Newhart, Shecky Greene, Dick Gregory and Shelly Berman.