Biography
Serge Chaloff stood out as the leading baritone saxophonist of the bop era, bringing the instrument back into the spotlight with his intense and vigorous solos several months before Gerry Mulligan emerged. Born in Boston on November 24, 1923, he grew up in a musical family; his father served as pianist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, while his mother, Margaret, taught at the Boston Conservatory of Music and later counted Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, and Richard Twardzik among her students. Chaloff himself first studied piano and clarinet, then taught himself baritone saxophone by following Jack Washington and Harry Carney, with Charlie Parker exerting an equally powerful influence.
He launched his professional career backing Boyd Raeburn, spent time with Georgie Ault, and achieved widespread notice after joining Jimmy Dorsey in 1945, becoming bebop’s first baritone soloist. His greatest renown, however, came from his time in Woody Herman’s Second Herd, which he entered in late 1946. Alongside tenors Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, and Herbie Stewart, he reached jazz immortality the next year on Jimmy Giuffre’s “Four Brothers,” a landmark recording that gave each saxophonist a solo. In mid-1947 Chaloff also led his first session for Savoy, directing trombonist Red Rodney, tenor saxophonist Earl Swope, pianist George Wallington, bassist Curley Russell, and drummer Tiny Kahn.
Heroin addiction already gripped him by then, and after leaving Herman in 1949 he spent years as an outcast in much of the jazz world because of missed engagements and erratic playing. Settling in New York City, he formed a group with pianist Bud Powell and trombonist Earl Swope that never recorded. Early in 1952 he returned to Boston and that spring cut an unissued date with pianist Twardzik, trombonist Sonny Truitt, bassist Jack Lawlor, and drummer Jimmy Weiner. Local disc jockey Bob Martin helped restore his visibility, leading to appearances on The Steve Allen Show and leadership of the house band at the Beantown club Jazzorama.
In 1954 Chaloff signed with George Wein’s Boston-based Storyville label and recorded The Fable of Mabel with alto saxophonist Charlie Mariano and trumpeter Herb Pomeroy among the local players; the following year the label issued his collaboration with altoist Boots Mussulli. After completing Boston Blow-Up!, a loose yet fervent Stan Kenton-produced date for Capitol, Chaloff moved to Los Angeles. There in 1956 he assembled pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Philly Joe Jones to make Blue Serge, his gripping masterpiece and one of the era’s finest jazz recordings. By the time of its release he was confined to a wheelchair, partially paralyzed by a spinal tumor; the cancer spread, and he died on July 16, 1957, at the age of 33.
He launched his professional career backing Boyd Raeburn, spent time with Georgie Ault, and achieved widespread notice after joining Jimmy Dorsey in 1945, becoming bebop’s first baritone soloist. His greatest renown, however, came from his time in Woody Herman’s Second Herd, which he entered in late 1946. Alongside tenors Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, and Herbie Stewart, he reached jazz immortality the next year on Jimmy Giuffre’s “Four Brothers,” a landmark recording that gave each saxophonist a solo. In mid-1947 Chaloff also led his first session for Savoy, directing trombonist Red Rodney, tenor saxophonist Earl Swope, pianist George Wallington, bassist Curley Russell, and drummer Tiny Kahn.
Heroin addiction already gripped him by then, and after leaving Herman in 1949 he spent years as an outcast in much of the jazz world because of missed engagements and erratic playing. Settling in New York City, he formed a group with pianist Bud Powell and trombonist Earl Swope that never recorded. Early in 1952 he returned to Boston and that spring cut an unissued date with pianist Twardzik, trombonist Sonny Truitt, bassist Jack Lawlor, and drummer Jimmy Weiner. Local disc jockey Bob Martin helped restore his visibility, leading to appearances on The Steve Allen Show and leadership of the house band at the Beantown club Jazzorama.
In 1954 Chaloff signed with George Wein’s Boston-based Storyville label and recorded The Fable of Mabel with alto saxophonist Charlie Mariano and trumpeter Herb Pomeroy among the local players; the following year the label issued his collaboration with altoist Boots Mussulli. After completing Boston Blow-Up!, a loose yet fervent Stan Kenton-produced date for Capitol, Chaloff moved to Los Angeles. There in 1956 he assembled pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Philly Joe Jones to make Blue Serge, his gripping masterpiece and one of the era’s finest jazz recordings. By the time of its release he was confined to a wheelchair, partially paralyzed by a spinal tumor; the cancer spread, and he died on July 16, 1957, at the age of 33.
Albums
