Graham Forbes

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Graham Forbes (born around 1917 in Brooklyn ; † May 22, 1984 in Westbury , Long Island , New York ) was an American jazz pianist and arranger .

Live and act

Graham Forbes' career was overshadowed by chronic alcoholism , which his parents suffered from. As a teenager he lived in Thornwood, New York ; His first engagements as a musician were on the Fall River Line on the Fall River . After giving up his studies, he played in the Bunny Berigan Big Band in 1937/38 , with whom the first recordings were made in March 1938. He then toured briefly with the Charlie Barnet Orchestra , on whose recordings for RCA Victor he participated in May 1938, and also appeared in the orchestras of Artie Shaw , Jack Teagarden and Woody Herman , who appreciated his unusual playing. In 1942 Forbes played as a soloist in the clubs Club 18 , Casa Allegra and Nick's . His use of harmonies made him a sought-after accompanist for singers; he worked with vocalists like Lisa Kirk , Julie Wilson , Hildegarde , Gertrude Niesen and Vic Damone . He was also employed on cruise ships such as the SS America .

After the end of the Second World War, he became a member of the CBS studio orchestra under the direction of Mark Warnow, went on tours and played in New York clubs. Forbes also performed at The Copacabana nightclub , where Frank Sinatra noticed him and hired him as an accompanist, arranger and orchestra conductor for his television show. In December 1949, Sinatra recorded a radio show for CBS with a backing band made up of Graham Forbes, Tony Gattuso (guitar), Trigger Alpert (bass) and Johnny Blowers (drums). In 1950, the Rodgers and Hammerstein ballad You'll Never Walk Alone was created in a duo with Sinatra . Between 1953 and 1955, Sinatra recorded the NBC radio show To Be Perfectly Frank , on which Forbes also starred. After appearing in Las Vegas, Sinatra fired him for drinking excessively. Graham Forbes died of heart failure in Westbury, Long Island in 1984 at the age of 66. Horace Silver , who was friends with him and switched from saxophone to piano because of Forbes, played at his funeral.

The pianist is not to be confused with the former member of the Incredible String Band of the same name .

Discographic notes

  • Bunny Berigan: 1937–1938 ( Classics )
  • Frank Sinatra: After Hours with Bill Miller at the Piano (1953–55) with Bill Miller , Graham Forbes, Johnny Blowers, Alvin Stoller , John Ryan, Joe Comfort , Tony Mottola , Allan Reuss , Sonny Salad and Abe Most
  • Graham Forbes and the Trio : Forbes, p; Bill Halfacre, b; Buddy Jett, d): Memphis - August 1960 LP, Phillips International PLP1955

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Portrait of Derek Coller
  2. ^ Obituary in The New York Times
  3. ↑ Comments on Sinatra's versions of You'll Never Walk Alone on Sinatra: The Main Event
  4. ↑ Horace Silver et al. a. Let's Get to the Nitty Gritty: The Autobiography of Horace Silver 2006, p. XVI
  5. ↑ Review of the album After Hours with Bill Miller at the Piano at Allmusic (English). Retrieved July 23, 2011.
personal data
SURNAME Forbes, Graham
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American jazz musician and arranger
DATE OF BIRTH around 1917
PLACE OF BIRTH Brooklyn
DATE OF DEATH May 22, 1984
Place of death Westbury , Long Island , New York