Fred Katz (1919) started out as a cello player and developed his skills as a composer, conductor and music scientist. He accompanied vocalists such as Lena Horn, Tony Bennett and Frankie Lane. From 1955 to 1958, he was part of the Chico Hamilton Quintet. He also made a number of solo albums. He wrote film music for the Marx Brothers (Harpo in HiFi), the famous horror series ‘Little Shop of Horrors’, and Ken Nordline’s classic ‘World Jazz’ project. In other words, a versatile musician.
Title track 1: ‘The Squimp’; composer Fred Katz
Title track 2: ‘Gone Lover’; recomposition Fred Katz van
‘When Your Lover Has Gone’ – orig. comp. not known to me
From the CD: ‘The Original Chico
Hamilton
Quintet – Complete
Studio Recordings’; label: LoneHillJazz, no. LHJ10217
Performers: Chico
Hamilton, conductor/drs.; Fred Katz, cello;
Buddy Collette, fl/as/ts/cl.; Jim Hall, git.; Carson
Smith, cb
Title track 3: ‘Goodbye Baby’; composer Fred Katz
Title track 4: ‘The Sage (Susan)’; composer Fred Katz
Title track 5: ‘Night Beat’; composer Fred Katz
From the LP: ‘The Chico
Hamilton
Quintet – Sweet Smell Of
Success’; label: Decca, no. DL 8614
Performers: Chico
Hamilton, conductor/drs.; Fred Katz, cello/
piano; Paul Horn, fl./cl./as; John Pisano, git.; Carson
Smith, cb;
+ Conte Candoli, tp & Frank Rosolino, tb op ‘Night Beat’
Title track 6: ‘Mate’ka’; traditional, adaptatie Fred Katz
Title track 7: ‘Chili’lo’; traditional, adaptatie Fred Katz
Title track 8: ‘Manthi-ki’; traditional, adaptatie Fred Katz
From the CD: ‘Folk Songs For Far Out Folk’; label Reboot
Stereophonic, nr. RSR 007
Performers: Orchestra conducted by Fred Katz (11-tet)
Title track 9: ‘Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child’;
traditional, adaptation Fred Katz
Title track 10: ‘Been In The Pen So Long’; traditional,
adaptation Fred Katz
Title track 11: ‘Foggy, Foggy Dew’; traditional, adaptation
Fred Katz
Title track 12: ‘Old Paint’; traditional, adaptation Fred Katz
From the CD: ‘Folk Songs For Far Out Folk’; label Reboot
Stereophonic, nr. RSR 007
Performers: John T. Williams, pi.; Billy Bean, git.; Gene
Estes, vibes; Mel Pollen, cb.; Jerry Williams, drs.
Title track 13: ‘Rav’s Nigun’; traditional, adaptation Fred Katz
Title track 14: ‘Baal Shem Tov’; traditional, adaptation
Fred Katz
From the CD: ‘Folk Songs For Far Out Folk’; label Reboot
Stereophonic, nr. RSR 007
Performers: Justin Gordon, fgt/bcl.; Paul Horn, fl./as.; Buddy
Collete, fl.; Jules Jacobs, cl./hobo; George Smith, cl.; Mel Pollen, contrabass
