Hal McKusick
Wilfred Harold " Hal " McKusick ( born June 1, 1924 in Medford, Massachusetts, † April 11, 2012 in Sag Harbor ( New York)) was an American jazz musician (tenor saxophonist, alto saxophonist and clarinetist ) of modern jazz.
Life and work
Hal McKusick grew up in Newton with Ralph Burns as a schoolmate on, played in 1942 at Don Bestor and Les Brown, Woody Herman at short (1943) and 1944/45, the orchestra of Boyd Raeburn, and Tom Talbert and Alvino Rey ( 1946). Then he moved to the American West Coast, where he worked among others with Johnny Otis and Buddy Rich. 1948/49, he played in the Claude Thornhill Orchestra and 1950/51 when Terry Gibbs Quintet. Between 1951 to 1956 he worked mostly with Elliot Lawrence and was a sought-after studio musician. This period coincides with the co- innovators of jazz by Gil Melle, George Russell (The RCA Victor Jazz Workshop, 1956) and Jimmy Giuffre. Between 1955 and 1958 he took nine albums as a bandleader, reflect in part the aesthetics of the Third Stream.
In the 1960s, Hal McKusick drew more from the jazz scene back, played only occasionally jazz and seemed likely to recordings of commercials. In later years, McKusick taught at the Ross School in East Hampton, NY.
McKusicks saxophone style was heavily influenced by Lee Konitz. His favorites were Buddy DeFranco on clarinet and Lester Young.
Selection Discography
As a leader
- Hal McKusick Plays / Betty St. Clair Sings (Jubilee Records, 1955)
- Hal McCusick Quartet ( Bethlehem Records, 1955) with Barry Galbraith, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson
- In a Twentieth Century Drawing Room (RCA Victor, 1955) with Barry Galbraith, Milt Hinton
- The Jazz Workshop ( RCA Victor, 1956) with Jimmy Cleveland, Art Farmer, Gary Galbraith, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson, Teddy Kotick, Jimmy Raney
- Hal McKusick Quintet Featuring Art Farmer ( Coral Records, 1957) with Art Farmer, Eddie Costa, Milt Hinton, Gus Johnson
- Triple Exposure ( Prestige Records, 1957) with Billy Byers, Paul Chambers, Eddie Costa, Charlie Persip
- Cross Section - Saxes ( Decca Records, 1958) with Jay Cameron, Bill Evans, Art Farmer, Barry Galbraith, Dick Oats, Milt Hinton, Paul Chambers, Connie Kay, Charlie Persip, Frank Socolow
As a sideman
- Woody Herman: Songs For Hip Lovers ( Verve Records, 1957)
- Gil Melle Gil's Guets ( Prestige Records, 1956)
- George Russell: Jazz Workshop (RCA, 1956); New York, N.Y. ( Decca Records, 1959)