Horn Players I Really Should Be Listening To

Today is Stan Getz

A bit about him (from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Getz)

His real name is Stanley Getz (no stage name here!) He was born in 1927 and died in 1991.

He was born in Philadelphia to Jewish parents. They moved to NYC during the depression for work and he was able to take advantage of the many musical resources in NYC. He played many instruments but became dedicated to the sax when he was 13 and reportedly practiced 8 hours a day.

He dropped out of high school to pursue music.

He played primarily the tenor sax. He was known as “the Sound” because of his “warm, lyrical tone.” Lester Young was an influence.

He got big in the 1940s in Woody Herman’s big pan.

He was in bebop and cool jazz groups. He also did a lot of bossa nova. He worked with Charlie Byrd to record Jazz Samba in 1962.

Stan Getz struggled with drugs and alcohol for the remainder of his life and was in and out of jail He died at age 64 from liver cancer in 1991.