Bulee "Slim" Gaillard (January 9, 1911[1] – February 26, 1991), also known as McVouty, was an American jazz singer and songwriter who played piano, guitar, vibraphone, and tenor saxophone.

Gaillard was noted for his comedic vocalese singing and word play in his own constructed language called "Vout-o-Reenee", for which he wrote a dictionary.

In addition to English, he spoke five languages (Spanish, German, Greek, Arabic, and Armenian) with varying degrees of fluency.

In 1944, he resumed his music career and performed with such notable jazz musicians as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dodo Marmarosa.

However, the 1920 census lists one "Beuler Gillard" [sic] as living in Pensacola, Florida, having been born in April 1918 in Alabama.

[6] Researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc have concluded that he was probably born in June 1918 in Claiborne, Alabama,[7] where a "Theophilus Rothchild" [sic] had been raised the son of a successful merchant in the small town of Burnt Corn; other documents give his name as Wilson, Bulee, or Beuler Gillard or Gaillard.

Determined to become a musical entertainer, he moved to New York City and entered the world of show business as a "professional amateur".

[citation needed] Unlike Calloway and Jordan, however, he was a master improviser whose stream of consciousness vocals ranged far from the original lyrics.

[12] Gaillard, with Dodo Marmarosa on piano, appeared as a guest several times on Command Performance, recorded at KNX radio studios in Hollywood in the 1940s and distributed on transcription discs to American troops during World War II.

There, Corporal Gaillard was an assistant crew chief working on B-26 “Marauder bombers” at Laughlin Field, Del Rio, Texas.

[17] Upon his return he released the song "Atomic Cocktail", which featured seemingly lighthearted lyrics laced with symbolism about nuclear war.

[18] Gaillard later teamed with bassist Bam Brown, and their successes included the hipster anthem "Opera in Vout (Groove Juice Symphony)".

[20][21] Slim and Bam were featured at the first Cavalcade of Jazz concert at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. on September 23, 1945, along with Count Basie.

[23] In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Gaillard frequently opened at Birdland for Charlie Parker, Flip Phillips, and Coleman Hawkins.

[citation needed] By the early 1980s, Gaillard was touring the European jazz festival circuit, playing with such musicians as Arnett Cobb.

Around Christmas 1985, Gaillard recorded the album Siboney at Gateway Studios in Battersea, London, produced by Joe Massot.

[...] Slim said how much he wanted to make a Latin record and talked about his friend the great Cuban leader Machito.