Billy Amstell (20 August 1911 – 19 December 2005) was a British

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, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

reedist.

Biography

At ten, Amstel he played piano, and at thirteen was teaching himself how to play alto saxophone. He performed in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, before moving to

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in 1930, working with violinist

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. During the next year, he recorded with

Roy Fox Roy Fox (October 25, 1901 – March 20, 1982) was an American-born British dance bandleader who was popular in Britain during the British dance band era. Early life and career Roy Fox was born in Denver, Colorado, United States. He and his ...

and

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, and became a member of the

Ambrose Ambrose of Milan ( la, Aurelius Ambrosius; ), venerated as Saint Ambrose, ; lmo, Sant Ambroeus . was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. He expressed himself prominently as a public figure, fiercely promo ...

orchestra, in which he played tenor saxophone. In the 1940s, he worked for bandleader Geraldo and in the 1950s, for the BBC Dance Orchestra. He was a studio musician in the 1960s, working with George Chisholm. He played clarinet in the 1980s, released a solo album, ''Session After Midnight'' (Zodiac, 1980), and wrote his autobiography, ''Don't Fuss, Mr. Ambrose''. He continued to perform in his nineties. His brother Mickey Amstell played saxophone. Billy Amstell was married to model and actress Tessa Amstell.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amstell, Billy 1911 births 2005 deaths British jazz saxophonists British male saxophonists 20th-century saxophonists 20th-century British male musicians 20th-century British musicians British male jazz musicians