Gus Bivona

Who was Gus Bivona?

Gus Bivona was an American reed player — covering a range of clarinets, saxophones and flute — at the height of the big band era. Following World War II, he was a staff musician for the MGM Studio Orchestra, playing on countless soundtracks and sessions. He later became a well-known sidekick of pianist, composer, comedian, and television host Steve Allen. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Bivona began leading his own band, releasing albums under his own name for labels such as Mercury and Warner Bros.