Al Sears

Omega Albert " Al " Sears ( born February 21, 1910 in Macomb, Illinois; † 23 March 1990 in New York City ) was an American bandleader and tenor saxophonist of the swing jazz and rhythm and blues.

Biography

Al Sears began his professional career in 1927 when he worked in Buffalo at Pul Craig. He then moved to New York City; there he was known when he 1928 Johnny Hodges in Chick Webb's ensemble replaced. After that, he was with the show Keep Shufflin ' on tour, played in the band Territory of Zack Whyte, with Elmer Snowden ( 1931-32 ) and began 1933-1941 own ensembles in Buffalo to lead Newport (Rhode Iceland ) and Kentucky, among other things, with the singer Helen Humes.

In the early 1940s he worked in the bands of Andy Kirk ( 1941-42 ) and had in 1943 a short-lived band, which also belonged to Lester Young. After that, he played 1943/44, Lionel Hampton, before finally a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra was where he 1944 Ben Webster replaced. He was one of the better known Soloists Ellington and stayed until 1949 when he, as Paul Gonsalves took over his place. Heard he was in "The Blues " from the suite Black Brown and Beige (1944 ), in " Carnegie Blues " and " It Do not Mean a Thing " (1945 ), " Swamp Fire", " Hiawatha " (1946 ) and the " Liberian Suite" (1947).

Then Sears played 1951/52, with Johnny Hodges and took with him the success entitled " Castle Rock " on. In the 1950s he worked then financially very successful as a studio musician and was involved in numerous R & B albums. In 1960 he recorded two albums for Swingville Records. In 1961 he was a member of the Prestige Blues Swingers, including Vic Dickenson, Pee Wee Russell, and Buddy Tate were ( Jam Session in Swingville on prestige ). In 1961 he accompanied the singer Aretha Franklin.

Disco Graphical Notes

• Swing 's the Thing ( Prestige / Swingville, 1960) with Don Abney, Wendell Marshall