Red Balaban
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leonard "Red" Balaban (b. December 22, 1929) was an American jazz tubist and sousaphonist.
Balaban grew up in Florida and played in regional ensembles from the 1950s. He held a regular gig from 1966 at the Dixieland jazz club Your Father's Mustace in New York City.
He worked extensively as a sideman, for musicians such as Wild Bill Davison, Eddie Condon, Gene Krupa, Dick Wellstood, and Kenny Davern. He co-led Eddie Condon's house band with Ed Polcer from 1975; other noted musicians in this outfit included Vic Dickenson, Warren Vache, and Connie Kay. The club closed in the mid-1980s; Balaban continued to play into his 70s.
