This is intended to be a homage to very many musicians I've loved since I started listening to music. My intention is to tell what I know about them, hoping that those people who like them too, will help me fill numerous gaps, which I may have in their careers and discographies. Sorry, but there are no MP3 audio files here at all, just info (and love for the musicians).


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Tuesday 17 December 2013

Fred Katz (cello)

MINIMAL BIOGRAPHY:

Fred Katz was one of the first cello players to play jazz, something very advanced for their time, in the mid 1950s. He was born as Frederick Katz on February 25th, 1919 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. His family was very related to music, so he soon started studying cello and piano. After playing in the Army and backing some lead singers, he was part of the original Chico Hamilton Group in 1955. After that, he released some album credited to his name, but slowed his musical output as he also had other commitments. He became an anthropology teacher and a music teacher. He composed several soundtracks.

Fred Katz passed away on September 7th, 2013 in Santa Monica, California. It's a pity that we´ve lost 3 of the members of the original Chico Hamilton Quintet in a few weeks (Fred Katz, Jim Hall and also Chico Hamilton). But we still have their music.


CHICO HAMILTON GROUP


This was the original Chico Hamilton Quintet, formed in 1955:

CHICO HAMILTON GROUP #1
1955
Jim Hall
guitar
Jim Aton
bass
Buddy Collette
flute
Fred Katz
cello

This was the second Chico Hamilton Quintet still in 1955, now with Carson Smith on bass:

CHICO HAMILTON GROUP #2
1955
Jim Hall
guitar
Carson Smith
bass
Buddy Collette
flute
Fred Katz
cello

This was the Chico Hamilton Quintet around July 1989, featuring most of their original members:

CHICO HAMILTON GROUP #?
1989
John Pisano
guitar
Carson Smith
bass
Buddy Collette
flute
Fred Katz
cello


   BANDS AND SELECTED RECORDINGS:

BAND / ARTIST.RECORDINGS
Vic Damone Group   
Other info on members of Vic Damone Group (I know up to 3 members)
Not enough info (2):Vic Damone, Hal Schaefer
Chico Hamilton Group  14 RECORDINGS:
  • Spectacular! - The Chico Hamilton Quintet (1955)

  • Chico Hamilton Quintet - Chico Hamilton (1956)

  • In Hi Fi - Chico Hamilton Quintet (1956)

  • Sweet smell of success OST - Chico Hamilton Quintet - Elmer Bernstein (1957)

    • Members: Paul Horn, John Pisano, Carson Smith (RIP: Elmer Bernstein, Chico Hamilton + Fred Katz)
    • Guests: (RIP: Jack Hayes)
  • Zen - the music of Fred Katz - Chico Hamilton (1957)

    • Members: Paul Horn, John Pisano, Carson Smith (RIP: Chico Hamilton + Fred Katz)
    • Guests: Herbie Harper, Harry Klee
    • Comments: Recorded in November 1956.
  • Chico Hamilton Quintet featuring Buddy Collette - Chico Hamilton Quintet (1957)

  • South Pacific in hi-fi - Chico Hamilton (1958)

  • With strings attached - The Chico Hamilton Quintet (1959)

    • Members: Dennis Budimir, Nathan Gershman (RIP: Chico Hamilton + Eric Dolphy, Fred Katz)
    • Guests: Wyatt Ruther
    • Comments: Recorded in 1959.
  • Ellington suite - Chico Hamilton (1959)

  • With Paul Horn - Chico Hamilton (1963)

  • Reaching for the top - Chico Hamilton (1979)

  • Reunion - The Original Chico Hamilton Quintet (1989)

    • Members: John Pisano, Carson Smith (RIP: Chico Hamilton + Buddy Collette, Fred Katz)
    • Technical: Gennaro Carone
    • Comments: Recorded in June 1989.
  • The Complete Pacific Jazz recordings - The Chico Hamilton Quintet (1997)

    • Members: Nathan Gershman, Paul Horn, John Pisano (RIP: Chico Hamilton + Buddy Collette, Eric Dolphy, Jim Hall, Fred Katz)
    • Comments: 6CD compilation of recordings from Chico Hamilton Quintet during 1955 and 1956, some of them live.
  • Classical Katz - The Chico Hamilton Quintet & Fred Katz (August 2007)

  • Other info on members of Chico Hamilton Group (I know up to 57 members)
    Already covered (2):Jim Hall, Chico Hamilton
    To be covered (54):Abdullah, John Abercrombie, Kathy Adair, Jim Aton, Arthur Blythe, George Bohanon, Jean-Paul Bourelly, Garnett Brown, Dennis Budimir, Jeremy Carlstedt, Thomas Chapin, Buddy Collette, Marc Copland, Larry Coryell, Curtis Counce, Nick Demopoulos, Cary DeNigris, Eric Dolphy, George Duvivier, Barry Finnerty, Alex Foster, Matt Garrison, Hal Gaylor, Nathan Gershman, Dexter Gordon,... up to 54 musicians.
    Lena Horne Group   
    Other info on members of Lena Horne Group (I know up to 12 members)
    Already covered (1):Chico Hamilton
    To be covered (7):Ben Brown, Charlie Drayton, George Duvivier, Donald Harrison, Rodney Jones, Terry Trotter, Gerald Wiggins
    Not enough info (3):Lena Horne, Mike Renzi, Akira Tana
    Fred Katz Group  4 RECORDINGS:
  • Folk songs from far out folk - The Fred Katz Orchestras (1959)

    • Members: (RIP: Fred Katz)
    • Guests: Paul Horn + Billy Bean, Harry Betts, Jack Costanzo, Bob Enevoldsen, Gene Estes, George Roberts (RIP: Buddy Collette + Larry Bunker, Pete Candoli, Don Fagerquist)
    • Comments: Recorded in 1959.
  • Fred Katz And His Jammers - Fred Katz ( - )

    • Members: (RIP: Fred Katz)
    • Guests: John Pisano + Gene Estes (RIP: Pete Candoli, Don Fagerquist, Billy Higgins, Leroy Vinnegar)
    • Comments: Recorded in 1958.
  • 4 5 6 Trio - Fred Katz ( - )

    • Members: (RIP: Fred Katz)
    • Guests: John Pisano
    • Comments: Recorded in 1958.
  • Soulo cello - Fred Katz And His Music ( - )

    • Members: (RIP: Fred Katz)
    • Guests: Paul Horn, John Pisano + Bill Green, Harry Klee (RIP: Buddy Collette + Calvin Jackson)
    • Comments: Recorded in 1957
    Frankie Laine Band   
    Other info on members of Frankie Laine Band (I know up to 2 members)
    Not enough info (1):Frankie Laine
    Ken Nordine Group  2 RECORDINGS:
  • Son of word jazz - Ken Nordine ( - )

    • Members: (RIP: Fred Katz)
    • Comments: Recorded in 1958.
  • Word jazz - Ken Nordine ( - )

    • Members: (RIP: Fred Katz)
    • Guests: Jimmy Bond, Paul Horn, John Pisano (RIP: Chico Hamilton)
    • Comments: Recorded in 1957.
    1 COMPILATIONS:
  • How are things in your town? - Ken Nordine (1971)

    • Members: (RIP: Fred Katz)
    • Guests: Jimmy Bond, Paul Horn, Richard Marx, John Pisano (RIP: Chico Hamilton)
    • Comments: 2LP compilation with tracks taken from 4 different albums: Word jazz, Son of word jazz, Next word jazz and Word jazz volume two.
    Other info on members of Ken Nordine Group (I know up to 2 members)
    Not enough info (1):Ken Nordine

       SOME SESSIONS:

    BAND / ARTIST.RECORDINGS
    Dorothy Ashby Group  1 RECORDINGS:
  • The Rubaiyat of Dorothy Ashby - Dorothy Ashby (1970)

    • Members: (RIP: Dorothy Ashby)
    • Guests: (RIP: Fred Katz)
    • Producer: Richard Evans
    • Comments: Recorded from November 1969 to January 1970.
    Other info on members of Dorothy Ashby Group (I know up to 1 members)
    To be covered (1):Dorothy Ashby
    Bob Dylan Band  1 RECORDINGS:
  • Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid - Bob Dylan (1973)

    • Members: Bob Dylan + Jim Keltner, Roger McGuinn
    • Guests: Byron Berline, Priscilla Coolidge, Gary Foster, Carol Hunter, Booker T Jones, Russ Kunkel, Donna Weiss (RIP: Fred Katz)
    Other info on members of Bob Dylan Band (I know up to 108 members)
    Already covered (2):Kenny Buttrey, Levon Helm
    Old pages (1):Michael Kamen
    To be covered (105):Kenny Aaronson, Colin Allen, Jerome Arnold, Joan Baez, Bucky Baxter, Brady Blade, Norman Blake, Ronee Blakely, Mike Bloomfield, Mary Elizabeth Bridget, Harvey Brooks, Stephen Bruton, Gary Burke, T-Bone Burnett, Billy Burnette, Debra Byrd, Larry Campbell, Mike Campbell, Ray Cooper, Billy Cross, Charlie Daniels, Rick Danko, Carolyn Dennis, Cesar Diaz, Steve Douglas,... up to 105 musicians.
    Noel Harrison Band  1 RECORDINGS:
  • The Great electric experiment is over - Noel Harrison (1968)

    • Members: (RIP: Noel Harrison)
    • Guests: James Burton, David Cohen, Jim Gordon, Joe Osborn (RIP: Herb Ellis, Fred Katz, Larry Knechtel, Luiz Henrique, Earl Palmer)
    Other info on members of Noel Harrison Band (I know up to 2 members)
    Not enough info (2):Noel Harrison, Phil Rossiter
    Pat Healy Group  1 RECORDINGS:
  • Just before dawn - Pat Healy ( - )

    • Guests: (RIP: Fred Katz)
    • Comments: Recorded in 1958.
    Deno Kannes  1 RECORDINGS:
  • The Kid from Salt Lake City - Deno Kannes ( - )

    • Guests: Bob Enevoldsen, Ronnie Lang, Carson Smith (RIP: Fred Katz, Marty Paich, Howard Roberts, Jimmy Rowles)
    Harpo Marx Band  1 RECORDINGS:
  • Harpo in hi fi - Harpo Marx ( - )

    • Members: (RIP: Harpo Marx)
    • Guests: (RIP: Fred Katz)
    • Comments: Recorded in 1957.
    Carmen McRae Group  1 RECORDINGS:
  • Carmen for cool ones - Carmen McRae ( - )

    • Members: (RIP: Carmen McRae)
    • Guests: Billy Bean, Vincent DeRosa, Bob Enevoldsen, Bill Green, Harry Klee (RIP: Milt Bernhart, Larry Bunker, Pete Candoli, Mahlon Clark, Buddy Collette, Calvin Jackson, Tommy Johnson, Fred Katz, Red Mitchell, Specs Wright)
    • Comments: Recorded in 1958.
    Other info on members of Carmen McRae Group (I know up to 30 members)
    Already covered (2):Donald Bailey, Stan Tracey
    To be covered (14):Pat Coil, Bob Cranshaw, Joel DiBartolo, Chuck Domanico, Chuck Flores, Eric Gunnison, Winard Harper, Jim Hughart, Mundell Lowe, Carmen McRae, Joe Pass, Mickey Roker, Jimmy Rowles, Cedar Walton
    Not enough info (14):Bernard Baron, Edward Bennett, Bob Bowman, Curtis Boyd, Ray Bryant, Betty Carter, Dick Katz, John Leftwich, Mat Mathews, Marshall Otwell, Mark Pulice, Norman Simmons, Victor Sproles, Tommy Williams
    Sidney Poitier Band  1 RECORDINGS:
  • Poitier meets Plato - Sidney Poitier ( - )

    • Guests: (RIP: Fred Katz)
    • Comments: Recorded in 1964.
    VVAA  1 RECORDINGS:
  • Jazz City presents... - VVAA (1958)

    • Guests: Bob Enevoldsen, William Kurasch (RIP: Don Fagerquist, Russ Garcia, Fred Katz, Howard Roberts, Frank Rosolino)

    RELATED WEBSITE LINKS: 1


    Official site(s) - tell them you saw the link here:

    RELATED MUSICIANS:

    Fred Katz mostly worked with these musicians: (name + number of credits)
    Chico Hamilton (16)
    Paul Horn (12)
    John Pisano (12)
    Carson Smith (11)
    Buddy Collette (9)
    Jim Hall (6)
    Bob Enevoldsen (4)
    Harry Klee (4)
    Pete Candoli (3)
    Don Fagerquist (3)

    Page created by Miguel Terol on: 17/December/2013 - Last modified on: 17/December/2013. If you want to contribute with info, please write to: molympus1@gmail.com

    Please, note than you can check the indexes (musicians, bands, obituaries) at the top of this page.

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