Serge Chaloff

Infobox musical artist
Name = Serge Chaloff


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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
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Born = birth date|1923|11|24|
Died = death date and age|1957|07|16|1923|11|24
Origin = flagicon|USABoston, Massachusetts,
United States
Instrument = Baritone saxophone,
Genre = West coast jazz
Occupation = saxophonist
Years_active = 1940s-50s
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Associated_acts = Woody Herman, The Four Brothers
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Serge Chaloff (November 24, 1923–July 16, 1957) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist.

The son of noted Boston piano teachers, Margaret and Julius Chaloff, he was one of the few major jazz performers on his instrument. Until Chaloff the only prominent baritone player in jazz was Harry Carney of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Originally influenced by Charlie Parker Chaloff became the first major bebop baritonist and opened the way for others to follow [Joachim E Berendt's "The Jazz Book"] .

Chaloff first became well known as one of the "Four Brothers" reed section in Woody Herman's Second Herd. He also played with Boyd Raeburn, Georgie Auld, Jimmy Dorsey, and Count Basie, as well as recording as a leader.

Serge Chaloff's career was greatly limited by addiction to heroin. After succeeding in giving up drugs, he developed cancer of the spine which caused his early death.

elected Recordings

* "Boston 1950" - radio recordings
* "The Fable of Mabel" (1954)
* "Boston Blow-up" (1955) - produced by Stan Kenton
* "Blue Serge" (1956) - with Sonny Clark, Leroy Vinnegar and Philly Joe Jones

References