Serge Chaloff

Serge Chaloff
Serge Chaloff (lower left) with Georgie Auld, Red Rodney, and Tiny Kahn, c. August 1947. Photo: William P. Gottlieb.
Background information
Born	(1923-11-24)November 24, 1923
Origin	Boston, Massachusetts, US
Died	July 16, 1957(1957-07-16) (aged 33)
Genres	Jazz
Occupation	Musician
Instrument	Baritone saxophone
Years active	1940s–1950s

Serge Chaloff (November 24, 1923 – July 16, 1957) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist.

The son of Boston piano teachers Margaret and Julius Chaloff. Until Chaloff, the most prominent baritone player in jazz was Harry Carney of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Originally influenced by Carney and Jack Washington of the Count Basie Orchestra, he was later greatly inspired by the bebop playing of Charlie Parker. Chaloff became the first major bebop baritonist and opened the way for others to follow.

The first bebop band Chaloff played with was Boyd Raeburn's short-lived big band. In 1947-1949 he first became well known as one of the "Four Brothers" reed section in Woody Herman's Second Herd. He also played with Georgie Auld, Jimmy Dorsey, and Count Basie, as well as recording as a leader.

Serge Chaloff's career was greatly affected by his addiction to heroin. After successfully giving up drugs, he developed cancer of the spine which caused his early death.

Discography

• Boston 1950 - radio recordings
• The Fable of Mabel (1954)
• Boston Blow–Up! (1955) - produced by Stan Kenton
• Blue Serge (1956) - with Sonny Clark, Leroy Vinnegar and Philly Joe Jones
• Metronome All-Stars 1956 Verve MGV 8030
• The Four Brothers... Together Again! (Vik, 1957) - with Al Cohn, Zoot Sims and Herbie Steward

Further reading

For a list of Chaloff's recordings, vid. Vladimir Simosko, Serge Chaloff, an Appreciation and Discography, 3rd ed., rev., Montréal Vintage Music Society, 1991, ISBN 1-895002-06-0.