Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Lee Katzman was born on May 17, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois and was raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. His early career saw him playing primarily in big band settings. After arriving in New York in the late ‘40s, he played in the big bands of Gene Krupa, Claude Thornhill, Sam Donahue, Buddy Rich, Jimmy Dorsey, and Benny Goodman.

Relocating to California in 1956, he got an invitation from Stan Kenton to join the band as a jazz soloist, both on recordings and on worldwide tours. The late 1950s and 1960s saw him working with Pepper Adams, Les Brown, June Christy, Bob Dorough, Walter Norris, Med Flory, Bill Holman, Teddy Edwards, Mel Lewis, Shelly Manne, Les McCann, Anita O’Day, Jimmy Rowles, and Sonny Stitt.

Known for his clear tone and fearless, acrobatic solos, Lee was often a featured soloist in Bill Holman’s Great Big Band and Terry Gibbs Dream Band, as well as both the NBC and CBS orchestras. He later became a member of Herb Albert’s Baja Marimba Band.

He recorded two sessions as a leader, Beautiful with Teddy Edwards on tenor saxophone, Jack Wilson on piano, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and Nick Martinis on drums. His second was Lee Katzman Meets Supersax with Med Flory~alto saxophone, Jay Migliore~tenor saxophone, Ray Reed~tenor saxophone, Jack Nimitz~baritone saxophone, Jimmy Rowles~piano, Bob Magnusson~bass, and Donald Bailey~drums.

When he relocated to New York in 1980, he played informal gigs around town with John Bunch and reconnected with Bob Dorough and Walter Norris. He retired with his wife, Judy, to Taos, New Mexico in 2011 and trumpeter Lee Katzman passed away in Taos on August 1, 2013 at age 85.

More Posts: bandleader,history,instrumental,jazz,music,trumpet