Herbie Fields
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| Herbie Fields | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 24, 1919 |
| Origin | Asbury Park, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | September 17,1958 |
| Genre(s) | Big Band, Jazz, R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, Band leader |
| Instrument(s) | Alto saxophone, Clarinet |
| Label(s) | Fraternity, Parrot, RCA Victor, |
Herbie Fields (born May 24, 1919 in Asbury Park, New Jersey (or possibly -Elizabeth). Died September 17, 1958 in Miami, Florida.
Attended New York's famed Juilliard School of Music - 1936-1938. Served in the U.S. Army from 1941-1943.
[edit] Career
He was originally a Jazz musician but later turned to commercialism. Fields replaced Earl Bostic, as alto saxaphonist in Lionel Hampton's band. He also played clarinet. In 1945, he won Esquire Magazine's New Star Award on the Alto Sax.
From 1946-1947 he led his own band. The band recorded for RCA. Neal Hefti was one of his sidemen along with Ed Burt, Bernie Glow, Manny Alban, Al Klink (formally with Glenn Miller), Marty Napoleon and Serge Chaloff. Dardanella was his biggest hit. In The Encyclopedia of Jazz, Leonard Feather wrote that the band was a commercial entity, no longer a Jazz band. The band was an artistic and commercial failure.
In 1949-1950, he formed his Septet featuring Frank Rosolino on trombone and Tiny Kahn on drums. He later recorded for the Fraternity and Parrot labels, and his last recording was in February 1958. He lived in Miami, and had owned a restaurant there. Fields took his own life (overdose of sleeping pills) in Miami on September 17, 1958.
[edit] External links
- [1] Big Bands Database Plus
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