Mundell Lowe

A dependable guitarist known for his cool-toned phrasing, Mundell Lowe appeared on countless recording sessions over several decades while maintaining a parallel career writing music for motion pictures and television programs. Between 1936 and 1940 he gained formative experience performing Dixieland in New Orleans and country music in Nashville. He later toured with Jan Savitt in 1942, with Ray McKinley from 1945 through 1947, and with Mary Lou Williams from 1947 through 1949, in addition to engagements alongside Red Norvo and Ellis Larkins. In 1950 he joined the staff of NBC as a musician yet continued performing jazz in other settings. He performed with the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra during 1952 and 1953, made occasional appearances with Benny Goodman, and issued recordings under his own name on the RCA, Riverside, Camden, and Charlie Parker labels. Lowe relocated to California in 1965, where he composed scores for film and television and instructed film composition between 1979 and 1985. He continued to perform in the Los Angeles area, frequently collaborating with Richie Kamuca and Benny Carter. Further recordings as a leader appeared on Famous Door in 1974, Dobre in 1976, and Jazz Alliance in 1992. Mundell Lowe died in San Diego, California, on December 2, 2017, at the age of 95.