Arnold Buddy Grishaver (April 30, 1926 – November 9, 2003), known professionally as Buddy Arnold, was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

saxophonist.

Career

Arnold took up the sax at age nine and turned pro while still in his teens. At 16 years old, Arnold performed at the Apollo Theater with the Georgie Auld Orchestra with singer Billy Eckstine. At age 18 he joined the

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

and led an Army Dance Band from 1944 to 1946. Following this he played with Joe Marsala, Will Osborne (singer), Herbie Fields, Buddy Rich. His first recordings were in 1949 with Gene Williams and the Junior Thornhill Band with Claude Thornhill before leaving to study music and economics at

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

. In 1951 he began playing again, touring with

Buddy DeFranco Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco (February 17, 1923 – December 24, 2014) was an American jazz clarinetist. In addition to his work as a bandleader, DeFranco led the Glenn Miller Orchestra for almost a decade in the 1960s and 1970s. ...

, then worked with Jerry Wald, Tex Beneke, Elliot Lawrence,

Stan Kenton Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though ...

, and Neal Hefti. His debut album as a leader, ''Wailing'', was released by

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. **Paramount Picture ...

in 1956. He did further work for the label with Phil Sunkel. Arnold's career was sporadic after the mid-1950s, due in part to drug addiction. In 1958, he was imprisoned for attempted burglary but returned in 1960 after his sentence ended to play, record and tour with the Stan Kenton Orchestra and the

Tommy Dorsey Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombone, trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-to ...

ghost band. In the 1970s his old habits returned. In 1977 he was arrested in Pasadena, California, for forging prescriptions. In 2003, he died of complications from open-heart surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Musicians Assistance Program

In the 1980s, he dropped out of music due to multiple prison sentences stemming from his addictions; upon his release he co-founded, with his second wife, Carole Fields (and the assistance of John Branca), an organization called the Musicians' Assistance Program or MAP for musicians with drug abuse problems. The program has helped many musicians from every era of music. In 2004, MusiCares acquired MAP and merged the two programs under the MusiCares banner.

Discography

As leader

* ''Wailing'' ( ABC-Paramount, 1956)

As sideman

* Tito Puente, '' Mambos Vol. 5 & King of the Mambo, Vol. 6'' (Tico, 1953) * Phil Sunkel's Jazz Band, ''Every Morning I Listen To . . . . Phil Sunkel's Jazz Band'' (ABC-Paramount, 1956) * Stan Kenton, '' Adventures in Jazz'' (Capitol, 1961) * Stan Kenton, '' Adventures in Standards'' (Creative World, 1961) * Stan Kenton, '' Adventures in Blues'' (Capitol, 1963)

External links

Buddy Arnold
official Buddy Arnold tribute website

References

Eugene Chadbourne Eugene Chadbourne (born January 4, 1954) is an American banjoist, guitarist and music critic. Life and career Chadbourne was born in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Vernon, New York, but grew up in Boulder, Colorado. He started playing guitar wh ...

, {{DEFAULTSORT:Arnold, Buddy 1926 births 2003 deaths American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists Musicians from New York (state) 20th-century American saxophonists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians