Ben Pollack

Ben Pollack ( born June 22, 1903 in Chicago, † 7 June 1971 in Palm Springs ) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader.

Life and work

Pollack began his musical career in the early 1920s and became known as a member of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, where he stayed for three years and in 1922 also recorded his first record. In 1924 he moved to the West Coast of the United States, where he formed his first band early in 1925, with whom he appeared in the Venice Ballroom; 1926 saw the establishment of a larger orchestra under his own name, then for a year first played in Chicago in Southmoreland Hotel and at New York's Central Park. This first major white band had a lot of success in the following years and helped many later well-known soloists and bandleaders including Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Yank Lawson, Charlie Spivak and Jack Teagarden, for their own careers. The first of eleven Hiterfolgen was " Sweet Sue, Just You " in July 1928. In the 1930s and 1940s, however, there were frequent personnel changes and even complete resolution of his orchestra, as Pollack came into conflict with the soloists. A tour to the West Coast in 1935 ended with the musicians returned without Pollack and eventually formed the core of the band then founded by Bob Crosby. At the last recording session with Harry James in September 1936 Pollack last chart success "Thru 'the Courtesy of Love " was born. Benny Goodman discovered James by these recordings and hired him.

1942 Pollack worked with Chico Marx, first as co-leader of the Chico Marx Orchestra, then as a manager together; this band, in which the young Mel Tormé was a drummer, broke up in July 1943.

Then Pollack founded a talent agency and a record label Jewel, which, however, had little success. In 1956, he starred in the movie The Benny Goodman Story with. In the 50s and 60s faded, his fame, he worked in the restaurant business in Hollywood and later in Palm Springs. He joined occasionally - usually with Dixieland bands like Pollack 's Pick -a- Rib Boys - on; In 1968 he took the Southern California Jazz Club All Stars at Montery Dixieland Jazz Festival part. Increasingly beset by financial difficulties, Ben Pollack in 1971 committed suicide.