- George Handy
George Handy (born George Joseph Hendelman) (
January 17 ,1920 –January 8 ,1997 ) was ajazz music arranger ,composer andpianist whose musical beginnings were fostered under the tutelage of pianistAaron Copland . While he had an impressive career as a pianist and arranger, he is best known in retrospect for hisbebop arrangements.Born in
New York City , Handy first worked professionally as a swing pianist forMichael Loring in 1938, but soon was drafted into theUnited States Army in 1940. From 1944 – 1946 he became a member of theBoyd Raeburn Orchestra, composing and performing on piano. This was during a time when many big bands were transforming their musical tendencies towardbebop . He did leave the orchestra briefly to do work forParamount Studios , but returned to Raeburn quickly. During this period he entered one of his most creative periods, doing arrangements of older standards with a distinctly bebop quality. Just as he was entering his prime, however, he had a falling out with Raeburn and left the group. While he continued to arrange for other musicians in his later career, it is that 1944 – 1946 period for which he is remembered most. [cite book
last = Yanow
first = Scott
coauthors =
title = Bebop
publisher = Miller Freeman Books
date = 2000
pages = p. 188
month =
isbn = 0879306084 ]References
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