George Gershwin different musical styles in revolutionary ways. Since the early 1920s, Gershwin frequently worked with the lyricist Buddy DeSylva. Together they created the experimental one-act jazz opera "Blue Monday," set in Harlem. It is widely regarded as a forerunner to the groundbreaking "Porgy and Bess". In 1924, George and Ira Gershwin collaborated on a stage musical comedy "Lady Be Good", which included such future standards as "Fascinating Rhythm" and "Oh, Lady Be Good!". They followed this with "Oh, Kay!" (1926), "Funny Face" (1927) and "Strike Up the Band" (1927 and 1930). Gershwin allowed the song, with a modified title, to UCLA
Mario Braggiotti Fray and Braggiotti. Mario arranged all the music for the fledgling duo to perform, and they began playing at the Left Bank club "Boeuf sur le Toit". When George Gershwin came to Paris to compose "An American in Paris," the young men introduced themselves to their idol, who immediately put them to work trying out the famous taxi horns he was writing into that composition. In 1928 Gershwin helped launch their careers by hiring them to play in his London production of "Funny Face" with Fred and Adele Astaire. Mario became a good friend of Gershwin, who once said, "Mario