Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Dick Nash was born Richard Taylor Nash on January 26, 1928 in Boston Massachusetts and began playing brass instruments at ten. His interest increased after his parents death and while in boarding school Nash took up the trumpet and bugle.

His first professional work came in 1947 with bands like that of Tex Beneke and after playing during Army service, he joined Billy May’s band. He would later become a first call studio musician in Los Angeles, California.

The favorite trombonist of composer and conductor Henry Mancini, Dick was the featured soloist on several soundtracks beginning with Mr. Lucky, Peter Gunn, Hatari, Breakfast At Tiffany’s and The Days Of Wine And Rose. By 1959 he was playing bass trombone with saxophonist Art Pepper on his Art Pepper + Eleven – Modern Jazz Classics session.

Over the course of his career Nash has been predominantly associated with the swing and big band genres and besides working on film scores the trombonist has performed and recorded with Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry James, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, Louie Bellson, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, June Christy, Stan Kenton, Les Brown, Don Ellis, Jimmy Witherspoon, Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Erroll Garner, Anita O’Day, Teresa Brewer, Randy Crawford, The Manhattan Transfer, Sonny Criss and the list goes on.

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