Dick Katz

Dick Katz ( born: Richard Aaron, born March 13, 1924 in Baltimore, Maryland, † November 10, 2009 in Manhattan, New York) was an American jazz pianist, composer, writer, producer and arranger. He was co-founder of Milestone Records.

Life and work

Katz studied at the University of North Carolina music before 1942 Navy came forward, where he was involved in the Battle of Saipan. After the end of World War II he moved to New York City where he worked for the ad agency of his father in 1948 and played with Ben Webster. He also studied at the Peabody Institute, the Manhattan School of Music ( music theory and composition ) and had at the Juilliard Institute piano lessons with Teddy Wilson.

In the early 1950s he played in Minton 's Playhouse with Tony Scott, with whom he recorded also. Then he was a member of the house band at New York's Cafe Bohemia, where he accompanied Miles Davis. Then he played among others with Al Casey and worked in the bands of Ben Webster, Kenny Dorham, Oscar Pettiford and later with Carmen McRae. From 1954 to 1955 he was a member of the quintet of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding ( " Jay And Kai ").

Katz played in the 1960s with Jim Hall and Orchestra USA (1964 /65). he contributed to Benny Carter's Impulse album Further Definitions and accompanied the singer Helen Merrill with their European tour in 1964, at a recording session ( The Feeling Is Mutual, 1965), for which he also arranged. In the late 60s he played with Roy Eldridge and Lee Konitz; In 1968, his album A Shade of a Difference. In the 1970s, his work with Konitz continued; He also played with Teo Macero, Sonny Stitt, and again with Kai Winding, worked as a jazz teacher and as a producer. In 1966 he had the Milestone Records label co-founded with Orrin Keepnews.

In the 1990s, Katz worked as a pianist and arranger with the American Jazz Orchestra and Loren Schoenberg Big Band. In 1992 he took on the reservoir label on two albums, where Benny Golson, Ryan Kisor, Steve LaSpina and Ben Riley participated.

Katz died of complications from lung cancer.

Disco Graphical Notes

Albums under his own name

  • Piano and Pen ( Atlantic, 1958)
  • 3 Way Play (Reservoir, 1992) with Steve LaSpina and Ben Riley
  • The Line Forms Here ( Reservoir, 1995) with LaSpina, Riley, Ryan Kisor and Benny Golson

Albums as a sideman

  • Ruby Braff: The There Eyes ( Sonet Records, 1976)
  • Kenny Dorham Kenny Dorham And The Jazz Prophets ( Chess, 1956)
  • Milt Hinton: East Coast Jazz / 5 ( Rhino, 1955)
  • Nancy Harrow: Secrets ( Soul Note, 1990/91 )
  • Jimmy Knepper: Dream Dancing ( Criss Cross, 1986)
  • Lee Konitz: The Lee Konitz Duets ( OJC, 1967), Satori ( OJC, 1974)
  • Helen Merrill: Chasin ' The Bird ( Emarcy, 1979)
  • Sonny Rollins: Sonny Rollins And the Big Brass ( Verve, 1958)
  • Ben Webster: Big Ben Time! (Philips, 1963)
  • Kai Winding & JJ Johnson Kai And Jay And Bennie Green with Strings ( OJC, 1952-54 )
  • Kai Winding & JJ Johnson: K & JJ (Bethlehem, 1955)
Tony Scott (musician) J. J. Johnson Jim Hall (musician) Orchestra U. S. A. Impulse! Records Integrated Authority File
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