Buddy Morrow

Buddy Morrow (born Muni Zudekoff, aka Moe Zudekoff; February 8, 1919 – September 27, 2010) was an American trombonist and bandleader.

Buddy Morrow
Buddy Morrow, c. May 1947
Photograph by William P. Gottlieb
Background information
Birth nameMuni Zudekoff
Also known asMoe Zudekoff
Born(1919-02-08)February 8, 1919
New Haven, Connecticut, US
DiedSeptember 27, 2010(2010-09-27) (aged 91)
Maitland, Florida, US
GenresSwing, rhythm & blues
Occupation(s)Bandleader, musician, arranger, composer
InstrumentsTrombone
Years active1933–2010
LabelsRCA Victor, Mercury
Associated actsSharkey Bonano, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Paul Whiteman, Bob Crosby, The Tonight Show Band

Career

On a scholarship at age 16, Morrow studied trombone with Ernest Horatio Clarke (1865–1947) at Juilliard from October to December 1936.[1] During the next year he began playing trombone with Sharkey Bonano's Sharks of Rhythm, an Eddie Condon group. He then worked with Eddy Duchin, Vincent Lopez, and Artie Shaw. He became known as "Buddy Morrow" in 1938 when he joined the Tommy Dorsey band. In 1939 he performed with Paul Whiteman's Concert Orchestra for their recording of Gershwin's Concerto in F. In 1940, Morrow joined the Tony Pastor band, but this was only a short detour on his way to replacing Ray Conniff in the Bob Crosby band. Shortly after, he joined the U.S. Navy, during which he recorded with Billy Butterfield, leading a ten-piece band with three trombones, accompanying Red McKenzie singing four arrangements, including "Sweet Lorraine" and "It's the Talk of the Town".

After demobilization, Morrow joined Jimmy Dorsey's band, then went into radio freelancing as a studio musician. He began conducting sessions, which introduced him to bandleading. RCA Victor sponsored him as director of his band in 1951. The band's first hit, "Night Train" by Jimmy Forrest, was a hit in rhythm and blues.[2]

Morrow was a member of The Tonight Show Band. His early 1950s records such as "Rose, Rose, I Love You" and "Night Train" appeared on the Billboard magazine charts. "Night Train" reached No. 12 in the U.K. Singles Chart in March 1953.[3] In 1959 and 1960 Morrow's Orchestra released two albums of American television theme songs: Impact and Double Impact respectively.

Morrow led the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra from 1977 through September 24, 2010, when he appeared with the band for the final time.[4] Morrow died on September 27, 2010.[5][6]

Awards and honors
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, International Trombone Association, 2009
  • Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity, Rho Tau chapter at Appalachian State University

Discography
  • Shall We Dance (Mercury, 1955)
  • Golden Trombone (Mercury, 1956)
  • Music for Dancing Feet (Wing, 1956)
  • A Salute to the Fabulous Dorseys (Mercury, 1957)
  • Tribute to a Sentimental Gentleman (Mercury, 1957)
  • Night Train (RCA Victor, 1957)
  • Dancing Tonight to Morrow (RCA Victor, 1958)
  • Let's Have a Dance Party! (RCA Camden, 1958)
  • Just We Two (Mercury, 1958)
  • Impact (RCA Victor, 1959)
  • Double Impact (RCA Victor, 1960)
  • Poe For Moderns (RCA Victor, 1960)
  • Night Train Goes to Hollywood (Mercury, 1962)
  • New Blues Scene (United Artists, 1967)
  • Revolving Bandstand (RCA, 1974)
  • Big Band Series.Original Recording (Picc-a-Dilly, 1980)
  • The Complete R.C.A. Victor Revolving Bandstand Sessions (RCA, 1993)
  • Swing the Sinatra Way (Hindsight, 1998)

As sideman

With Count Basie

With the Free Design

  • Kites Are Fun (Project 3 Total Sound, 1967)
  • Stars/Time/Bubbles/Love (Project 3 Total Sound, 1970)

With Jackie Gleason

  • Tis the Season (Capitol, 1967)
  • A Taste of Brass for Lovers Only (Capitol, 1967)

With Urbie Green

  • 21 Trombones (Project 3 Total Sound, 1967)
  • 21 Trombones Rock/Blues/Jazz Volume Two (Project 3 Total Sound, 1969)
  • Urbie Green's Big Beautiful Band (Project 3 Total Sound, 1974)

With Enoch Light

  • Volume II (Project 3 Total Sound, 1969)
  • Big Hits of the 20's (Project 3 Total Sound, 1971)
  • The Big Band Sound of the Thirties (Project 3 Total Sound, 1971)
  • Big Band Hits of the 30's & 40's (Project 3 Total Sound, 1971)
  • 1973 (Project 3 Total Sound, 1972)
  • The Big Band Hits of the 40s & 50s (Project 3 Total Sound, 1973)

With Flip Phillips

  • Flip Phillips Collates (Clef, 1952)
  • Flip (Verve, 1961)

With Lee Wiley

  • Back Home Again (Monmouth Evergreen, 1971)
  • I've Got the World On a String (Ember, 1972)

With others

References

Inline citations
  1. Alumni Records, The Juilliard School
  2. Arthur Jackson, "The Last of the Big Bands of the 1950s: Buddy Morrow & Ralph Marterie", In Tune, Feb. 2001, Issue 109
  3. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records. p. 380. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. "Buddy Morrow dies at 91; trombonist". The Los Angeles Times. October 4, 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  5. "Buddy Morrow: Trombonist and bandleader who shot to fame with the Fifties hit 'Night Train'". The Independent. 2010-09-30. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  6. "Deaths in Central Florida: Muni B. Morrow", Orlando Sentinel, Sept 30, 2010
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