Dave Pell born 26 February 1925

David Pell (February 26, 1925 – May 7, 2017) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and record producer. He was best known as the leader of The Dave Pell Octet, recording over thirty albums with his band. He was not a familiar name to the casual listener, but he carved himself multiple niches in the West Coast music scene. While Dave was mainly known as a tenor saxophonist, he was a man of many hats, and applied his talents to producing records, taking photographs for album covers, arranging music for large and small ensembles and organizing the Lester Young based group called The Prez Conference.

Dave began entertaining at the age of 5 singing at weddings and bar mitzvahs during the Depression. He joined the New York City Orchestra playing clarinet at age 13. At 15, he was also gigging with Dizzy Gillespie. They played in a jazz band in Boston. Dave credits Gillespie with giving him the direction to make his solos different each time, and to make them “funny.”

He went on to sit in with more than 100 bands including Tommy Dorsey, Tony Pastor, and the Les Brown Band (1947 – 1955). A natural musician, Dave valued great musicianship above all else. He could listen to a musician and mimic their sound note perfect. A series of his albums featured the sounds of such greats as Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Harry James. Dave greatly admired Lester Young whose sound and phraseology was always in his mind while he played. It was his greatest joy to be willed Lester Young’s Dolnet sax. Dave played it regularly in concert, much to the delight of audiences. Young's only other known horn is at Rutgers University's Institute of Jazz Studies.

He collaborated with countless top talent, including Benny Goodman, Henry Mancini, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Bassey, Doris Day, Lena Horne, Barbra Streisand, and Anita O’Day. In the 1950s, Pell started working the big band sound into smaller groups. The best arrangers worked on charts, including: Marty Paich, Shorty Rodgers, Bill Holman, Jerry Fielding, Wes Hensel, John Mandel, John Williams, and Andre Previn. He booked the best of the Les Brown band, including: Don Fagerquist, Ray Sims, Jack Sperling, Tony Rizzi, Ronny Lang, and Rolly Bundock. The small big band sound and The Dave Pell Octet was born. The clean melodic lines formed the cornerstone of West Coast Jazz.

                                  

In the 50’s he was an innovator of “cover” tunes on the budget Tops label bu hiring some studio players and producing albums featuring Billboard’s top hits. Later, as a label exec, he kept the band booked creating music for new acts as well. He tested the limits of union rules and recorded all the rehearsals. Some takes ended up as tracks on albums. Pell was the recording session leader for the 1965 hit song "No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)", performed by a group of Los Angeles studio musicians attributed as The T-Bones. This band later evolved into the Wrecking Crew.

In the 1960s, Dave’s ear for great music got the attention of record labels. He produced for Liberty, eventually heading the Liberty, Blue Note, and United Artists labels. Among his credits were singles by Gary Lewis & the Playboys.  Dave was also the head of Motown A&R in the early ’70s, producing Tom Clay’s version of “What the World Needs Now.” He produced Sinatra on the Reprise label, Sinatra/Count Basie collaborations, and many others. He produced. Vikki Carr’s “It Must Be Him” which earned her three Grammy nominations.

In the ’70s, Dave continued to produce and play. In the latter part of that decade he went to Gene Norman of Crescendo Records and pitched the idea of taking Lester Young’s solos and harmonizing them with four saxophones. Bill Holman arranged the homage to Lester Young. Dave’s Prez Conference recorded two albums: “Prez Conference with Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison” and “Prez and Joe,” which was nominated for a Grammy in 1980.

In the '80s and '90s, Pell revived his octet for recordings on the Fresh Sound (1984) and Headfirst (1988) labels, and sporadic live dates in the Los Angeles area, including an appearance at the Jazz West Coast festival in 1994. Dave began coordinating music for films. Working with Snuffy Garrett, Dave produced soundtracks for several Burt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood movies, including the Grammy-nominated “Sharky’s Machine.”

Dave always made music. He would book the Octet whenever he could, including his final gig on March 14, 2017. Dave frequently played with Med Flory and a rhythm combo at restaurants or jazz festivals: no sheet music, just two old pros jamming. In the Johnny Vana Big Band Alumni band, Dave found a music family. From the late ’90s until just before his passing, Dave played first tenor, still pleasing the crowd and swinging. He died on May 7, 2017, age 92.

(Edited from article @ afmLocal47, AllMusic, Jazz Backstory & Wikipedia)