Lou Stein

Lou Stein (April 22, 1922 – December 11, 2002) was an American jazz pianist.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Stein's first major gig came in 1942 when he joined Ray McKinley's band. He also played with Glenn Miller when the latter was stateside during World War II.

After the war he worked with Charlie Ventura (1946–47) and following this became a session musician. He performed with the Lawson-Haggart Band, Benny Goodman, Sarah Vaughan, the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, Louie Bellson, Red Allen, Coleman Hawkins, and Lester Young, and recorded a few records as a bandleader. In 1957 he scored a U.S. Top 40 hit with "Almost Paradise", which peaked at #31 on the Billboard Hot 100. His cover of "Got A Match" made the Cashbox Top 60 in 1958. He played with Joe Venuti from 1969 to 1972 and later with Fred Phillips; he continued recording into the 1990s.

Discography

• Lou Stein Trio (Brunswick Records, 1954)
• House Hop (Epic Records, 1954)
• Lou Stein at Large! (Brunswick, 1954)
• Six for Kicks (Jubilee Records, 1954)
• The Lou Stein 3, 4, and 5 (Epic, 1955)
• Eight for Kicks, Four for Laughs (Jubilee, 1956)
• From Broadway to Paris (Epic, 1956)
• Honky Tonk Piano (Mercury, 1956)
• Introspective 1 (Leric, 1972)
• Tribute to Tatum (Chiaroscuro Records, 1976)
• Stompin' Em Down (Chiaroscuro, 1978)
• Lou Stein & Friends (World Jazz, 1980)
• Temple of the Gods (Chiaroscuro, 1980)
• Live at the Dome (Dreamstreet Records, 1981)
• Solo (Audiophile Records, 1984)
• Go Daddy! (Pullen Music, 1994)

As sideman

With Louis Bellson

• The Driving Louis Bellson (Norgran, 1955)
• Let's Call It Swing (Verve, 1956)
• Drummer's Holiday (Verve, 1958)

With Woody Herman

• Songs for Hip Lovers (Verve, 1957)

With Lee Konitz

• An Image: Lee Konitz with Strings (Verve, 1958)

With Joe Newman

• New Sounds in Swing (Jazztone, 1956) with Billy Byers

With Charlie Parker

• Big Band (Clef, 1954)

Literature

• Leonard Feather & Ira Gitler, The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Oxford University Press: Oxford/New York 1999; ISBN 978-0-19-532000-8