George Kelly (musician)
George Kelly ( born July 31, 1915 in Miami, † 24 May 1998) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, singer and arranger.
Life and work
Kelly began nine years playing the piano before he first alto and eventually switched to tenor saxophone. He played in local bands in Florida; Panama Francis played in his band The Cavaliers; In 1938 he played with Zack Whyte. After moving to New York, he played with Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans 1941-1944, in the 1970s, again in the revived Savoy Sultans of Panama Francis. In addition, Kelly had his own bands like Jazz Sultans and worked among others with Lucille Dixon (1948-1950), Doc Cheatham, Tiny Grimes, Gene Krupa, Rex Stewart and 1965 with Cozy Cole. In 1970 he went with Jay McShann and Tiny Grimes on a European tour and was from 1970 to 1976 a member of the backing band of the Ink Spots. In 1976 he toured with Ram Ramirez in Europe; In addition to the Savoy Sultans, he was also a member of the Harlem Jazz & Blues Band at this time. In 1982, he played in Lionel Hampton's big band with Axel Zwingenberger.
Under his own name Kelly took for the Dharma label (1976 ), Black & Blue ( 1979), Barron (1982 ), Vanacore (1982 ), Sam Hot (1984) and on Stash On his 1984 album Music of Don Redman incurred he played u a. Wyands with Richard, Bucky Pizzarelli, George Duvivier and Butch Miles. He was ( with Mayme Watts and Sidney Wyche ) co- composer of the song Do not Be on the Outside, which was interpreted, inter alia, by Sarah Vaughan / Clifford Brown and Shirley Horn. Kelly was a musician in the Coleman Hawkins tradition.
Disco Graphical Notes
- Stealing Apples ( Dharma Records)
- Sarah Vaughan: In the Land of Hi- Fi ( 1955)
- Rex Stewart - Rendezvous With Rex ( Felsted Records, 1958)