Georgie Auld
Georgie Auld, c. August 1947
Georgie Auld, c. August 1947
Background information
Birth nameJohn Altwerger
Born(1919-05-19)May 19, 1919
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DiedJanuary 8, 1990(1990-01-08) (aged 70)
Palm Springs, California, United States
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Tenor saxophone, clarinet
Years active1940s–1970s
LabelsRoost, Apollo, Coral, EmArcy, Xanadu, Paramount, Discovery, Jasmine

Georgie Auld (May 19, 1919 – January 8, 1990) was a jazz tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader.[1][2]

Early years

Auld was born John Altwerger in Toronto, Canada, and moved to Brooklyn, New York, in 1929.[3] Before the family left Canada, Auld's parents bought him an alto saxophone, which he taught himself to play.[4] He later switched to the tenor saxophone after hearing a Coleman Hawkins recording.

Career

Auld worked with Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Erroll Garner, Dizzy Gillespie, Al Porcino, Billy Eckstine, Tiny Kahn, and Frank Rosolino. Primarily a swing saxophonist, he was a member of big bands and led big bands, including Georgie Auld and His Orchestra and Georgie Auld and His Hollywood All Stars. He played rock and roll while working for Alan Freed in 1959.

In 1949, Auld played Carl in The Rat Race in the Ethel Barrymore Theater on Broadway.[5] In 1952, he had a small part in the film The Marrying Kind.[6] In 1977 he played a bandleader in the motion picture New York, New York, starring Liza Minnelli and Robert De Niro and also acted as a technical consultant for the film.

Death

Auld died on January 8, 1990, in Palm Springs, California, aged 70.[3]

Discography

As leader

As sideman

References

  1. ^ "Georgie Auld: Underrated Tenor Sax Man With A Warm Robust Tone". SwingMusic.net. Archived from the original on 22 May 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  2. ^ Cook, Richard (2005). Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia. London: Penguin Books. pp. 23–24. ISBN 0-141-00646-3.
  3. ^ a b Feather, Leonard; Gitler, Ira (2007). The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199886401.
  4. ^ Folkart, Burt A. (January 11, 1990). "Georgie Auld, 70; Self-Taught Saxophonist". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  5. ^ "The Rat Race". Playbill Vault. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  6. ^ Yanow, Scott. Swing. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 175–176. ISBN 9781617744761.

External links

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