Hal McKusick

Hal McKusick (b. Medford, MA, June 1, 1924) is an American-born jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist and flautist, most notable for his work with Boyd Raeburn from 1944 to 1945 and Claude Thornhill from 1948 to 1949.^[1]

Biography

In the early 1950s he worked with Terry Gibbs and Don Elliott. McKusick also released albums under his own leadership, including a 1957 album for Prestige titled Triple Exposure.

At that time he made many recordings with groups led by George Russell^[1] and Jimmy Giuffre. A fine example of his solo playing can be heard on 'All About Rosie', the lead track on the suite for orchestra featuring Bill Evans (written by George Russell and conducted by Gunther Schuller), recorded live at the Brandeis Jazz Festival in 1957. He also played on other Russell and projects at that time. In 1958 Hal McKusick led a small group with Bill Evans that recorded Cross Section Saxes which included contributions from Art Farmer, Paul Chambers and Connie Kay and using Giuffre's charts. He also worked on sessions with other prominent jazz musicians including Lee Konitz and John Coltrane.

He has recently taught at the Ross School in East Hampton, New York.

Discography

As Leader

• Hal McKusick Plays / Betty St. Clair Sings (Jubilee Records, 1955)
• Hal McKusick Quartet (Bethlehem Records, 1955) with Barry Galbraith, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson
• In a Twentieth-Century Drawing Room (RCA Victor, 1955) with Barry Galbraith, Milt Hinton
• The Jazz Workshop (RCA Victor, 1956) with Gil Evans, Jimmy Cleveland, Art Farmer, Barry Galbraith, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson, Teddy Kotick, Jimmy Raney
• Jazz at the Academy (Coral Records, 1956)
• Hal McKusick Quintet Featuring Art Farmer (Coral Records, 1957) with Art Farmer, Eddie Costa, Milt Hinton, Gus Johnson
• Triple Exposure (Prestige Records, 1957) with Billy Byers, Paul Chambers, Eddie Costa, Charlie Persip
• Cross Section - Saxes (Decca Records, 1958) with Jay Cameron, Bill Evans, Art Farmer, Barry Galbraith, Dick Hafer, Milt Hinton, Paul Chambers, Connie Kay, Charlie Persip, Frank Socolow

As sideman

• Woody Herman: Songs For Hip Lovers (Verve, 1957)
• Gil Melle: Gil's Guests (Prestige, 1956)
• Jackie Paris: The Song Is Paris (Impulse!, 1962)
• George Russell: Jazz Workshop (RCA, 1956); New York, N.Y. (Decca, 1959)

References

• Carr, Ian; Fairweather, Digby; Priestley, Brian. Jazz: The Rough Guide. ISBN 1-85828-137-7.
• Discography page for Bill Evans at the Jazz Discography Project http://www.jazzdisco.org/evans/dis/c/

External links

• Artist's own website