Marvin Kahn Passes

BY LARS BJORN

Clarinetist Marvin Kahn passed away on December 11 in Southfield at 87 years of age. He was a man of many talents, and before and after a long career in retail business he pursued a musical career.

In Kahn's first attempt to survive in the world of music, his model was Artie Shaw; as he told Jim Gallert and me in an interview eight years ago: "I worshipped Artie Shaw, more so than Goodman. I felt his playing had more emotion in it and it was more lyrical."

He started a big band in high school which by 1936 was known as the Tommy Marvin Orchestra. The band played played frats, sororities, college parties, the Graystone, the Grande, the Arcadia, and Eastwood Gardens. In late 1940 he signed a record contract but never had the chance to fulfill it since he was drafted into the U.S. Army. Kahn became disillusioned with music after five years in an army band and upon returning to the U.S. went into business.

Meeting pianist Howard Lucas in the early seventies reignited Kahn's interest in music. When Lucas left Kahn about ten years later, he took up with another pianist, Keith Vreeland. Together they recorded four albums, the latest of which was Forget the Fortune, Eat the Cookie (Semper Records).

I had the privilege of meeting Marvin a few times and will never forget how he (and Vreeland) immediately connected with a somewhat unusual audience: women prisoners. His playing was always from the heart.

He is survived by his wife Gloria, children, and grandchildren.