Serge Chaloff: A Musical Biography and Discography

by Vladimir Simosko

Overview

Serge Chaloff (1923-1957) is most widely remembered as the flamboyant baritone saxophone star with Woody Herman's 2nd Herd whose problems with drugs extended to erratic personal behavior. Nevertheless, there were many brilliant sessions featuring his work before and after his stint with Herman. This work attempts to bring them the recognition they deserve.

Simosko details the life and music of Serge Chaloff in an engaging style, from his childhood in Boston, Massachusetts, through his untimely death in 1957. He also provides a discography of Chaloff's recorded output, much of which has been made available by the 1993 Mosaic Records release of The Complete Serge Chaloff Sessions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810833968
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	10/29/1998
Series:	Studies in Jazz , #27
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.82(w) x 8.74(h) x 0.72(d)

About the Author

Valdimir Simosko (M.L.S., Rutgers University) is Head of the Music Library at the University of Manitoba. He is the author of a critically acclaimed biography of Eric Dolphy (Smithsonian Institution Press) and Artie Shaw (Scarecrow Press, 1998).

Editorial Reviews

The author has done a good job of balancing the musical legacy with the personal story, placing the accent on the former.

The IAJRC Journal

...highly recommended for all jazz collections and most academic and special music libraries.

American Reference Books Annual

Musically, it is hard to consider a young saxophonist 'serious' if they haven't heard the Chaloff recordings, especially if he or she is a baritone sax player. The live performances documented throughout this book provide further insights about how much in demand Chaloff was, particularly after he left Herman in 1949. But since almost half of this book is a very detailed and thorough discography, it really affirms just how prolific Chaloff was. For these reasons, the book is important for many readers.

Jazz Educators Journal

Musically, it is hard to consider a young saxophonist 'serious' if they haven't heard the Chaloff recordings, especially if he or she is a baritone sax player. The live performances documented throughout this book provide further insights about how much in demand Chaloff was, particularly after he left Herman in 1949. But since almost half of this book is a very detailed and thorough discography, it really affirms just how prolific Chaloff was. For these reasons, the book is important for many readers.--Jazz Educators Journal

The author has done a good job of balancing the musical legacy with the personal story, placing the accent on the former.--The IAJRC Journal

...highly recommended for all jazz collections and most academic and special music libraries.--American Reference Books Annual

From the Publisher

...highly recommended for all jazz collections and most academic and special music libraries.

American Reference Books Annual (ARBA)

The author has done a good job of balancing the musical legacy with the personal story, placing the accent on the former.

IARJC

Tells the life story of saxophonist Chaloff (best known for his work with Woody Herman's Second Herd) from his 1923 birth in Boston to his death in 1957. The work mainly concentrates on his musical career. Also included is a discography detailing his recorded output. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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