Lorraine Geller

Lorraine Winifred Geller (née Walsh; September 11, 1928, Portland, Oregon – October 13, 1958, Los Angeles, California) was an American jazz pianist.

She started out with the all-female big band, Sweethearts of Rhythm, a successor to the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. She met alto saxophonist Herb Geller, then playing with Claude Thornhill, in 1950, and married him in 1951. Together they moved to Los Angeles, where they played with many of the stalwarts of the West Coast jazz scene, such as Shorty Rogers, Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, and Red Mitchell; she also did sessions with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. In 1957, she accompanied Kay Starr. The Gellers' only child, Lisa, was born in September 1957. Lorraine Geller performed at the first Monterey Jazz Festival in 1958.

Death

On October 13, 1958, Lorraine Geller died suddenly of heart failure.

Discography

with Herb Geller

• The Gellers, Mercury (EmArcy) (1955, with Red Mitchell on bass and Mel Lewis on percussion)
• Herb Geller plays, Mercury (also Verve 1996, with Leroy Vinnegar bass, Larance Marable percussion)
• The Herb Geller Sextette, Mercury (with e.g. Conte Candoli, Red Mitchell, 1955)

with Red Mitchell

• Presenting Red Mitchell (Contemporary, 1957)

Solo

• Lorraine Geller at the Piano, Dot
• Chet Baker, Miles Davis - Complete performances with Lighthouse All Stars, Jazz Factory 2004

References

• Scott Yanow, Lorraine Geller at Allmusic