SMACKA FITZGIBBON

Graham Francis Fitzgibbon was an icon of the Melbourne jazz scene. He was born at Mordialloc on 12 February 1930, the son of Francis (Frank) Fitzgibbon, clerk and Minnie née Mitchell and younger brother to actress-singer Maggie Fitzgibbon. Educated at St Bede's College in Mentone, 'Smacka' as he was popularly known began first playing the ukulele at an early age before switching to the banjo. His earliest influences were Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong.

In 1951 he began playing with Frank Johnson’s Fabulous Dixielanders, and later with the father of Australian jazz, Graeme Bell, before forming his own band The Steamboat Stompers. He recorded his first EP in 1953 'Frisco Joe’s Bar Room Party' on the Magnasound label. He recorded a few more singles and EP's in the 1950s. In 1967 Smacka opened Melbourne’s first jazz restaurant La Brochette (Studley Park Road, Kew, Victoria) and later in May 1971 Smacka’s Place (Chetwynd Street, North Melbourne) which became a Melbourne institution; his recipe for an enjoyable night out was an ample supply of “good food, good liquor, and good entertainment”. 

Described as “Plump and smiling with a warm and friendly, genial personality” Smacka was a much-loved entertainer, a rare breed who left a smile on everyone’s face was a regular performer on Melbourne television shows, notably Sunnyside Up, In Melbourne Tonight and The Penthouse Club. In 1970 Smacka was one of the first signings to Ron Tudor's new record label Fable. His first single ''Waterloo Road'' did OK and sneaked into the bottom end of the charts. In 1972, the jovial Australian jazzman recorded the title song of the movie The Adventures of Barry McKenzie, which was released as a single that same year, reaching #20 on the Australian Singles Chart (Go-Set) in December 1972. He was a mate of Australian satirist Barry Humphries. Smacka released three albums on Fable, 'Smacka's Place' (1972), 'Smacka's Party Album' (1973) and 'Smacka Looks Back' (1976).

Having had a malignant tumour removed in 1955, on 1 September 1977 Smacka collapsed during a radio broadcast on 3LO in July 1979 he was told the end was nigh and died from a cerebral hemorrhage on 15 December aged 49 survived by his wife Faye née Hommelhoff whom he married on 31 October 1959 and four children.

Several thousands attended a rather colourful funeral service - “Mass for Smacka” - with Frank Traynor’s Jazz Preachers playing the New Orleans hymn “Oh Didn’t He Ramble” for the funeral march in honour of the man described “as Melbourne as the Yarra River”. On 8 November 2004, a tribute show Remembering Smacka was performed by his daughter Nichaud at The Arts Centre, Melbourne, in honour of the man best remembered for his popular jazz club, his dapper dress code (spotted bow ties, striped jackets, checked pants and two-tone shoes) and his passionate love of vintage cars - he collected Packards). The Victorian Jazz Archive featured 'Smacka' in its Fitzgibbon Dynasty exhibition.

SINGLES

Waterloo Road

11 JAN '71

#66

The Adventures of Barry McKenzie

30 OCT '72

#20

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smacka_Fitzgibbon

http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/