George Handy (born George Joseph Hendleman) (January 17, 1920 – January 8, 1997) was an American jazz arranger, composer and pianist whose musical beginnings were fostered under the tutelage of composer Aaron Copland. While he had an impressive career as a pianist, he is best known in retrospect for his bebop arrangements.

Life

Born in New York City, Handy first worked professionally as a

swing Swing or swinging may refer to: Apparatus * Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth * Pendulum, an object that swings * Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus * Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse * Swing rid ...

pianist for Michael Loring in 1938, but soon was drafted into the United States Army in 1940. From 1944 to 1946 he became a member of the

Boyd Raeburn Boyd Albert Raeburn (October 27, 1913 – August 2, 1966) was an American jazz bandleader and bass saxophonist. Career He was born in Faith, South Dakota, United States. Raeburn attended the University of Chicago, where he led a campus band. H ...

Orchestra, composing and performing on piano. This was during a time when many big bands were transforming their musical tendencies toward bebop. He did leave the orchestra briefly to do work for Paramount Studios, but returned to Raeburn quickly. During this period he entered one of his most creative periods, doing arrangements of older standards with a distinctly bebop quality. Just as he was entering his prime, however, he had a falling out with Raeburn and left the group. While he continued to arrange for other musicians in his later career, it is that 1944–1946 period for which he is remembered most. AllMusic noted that "He was pianist with Zoot Sims' combo during 1956–1957 but mostly worked outside of jazz during his last four decades, although he did spend some time as a ''Down Beat'' critic during the latter half of the 60s." Handy died in

Harris, New York Harris is a hamlet in the town of Thompson in east-central Sullivan County, New York, United States. The ZIP code for Harris is 12742. Harris is a small community located off New York State Route 17 (future Interstate 86) off exit 102 betw ...

, in January 1997 at the age of 76, from heart disease.

Discography

As leader

* ''Handyland U.S.A.'' (X, 1954) * ''By George! (Handy, Of Course)'' (X, 1956)

As sideman

* Charlie Parker, ''The Complete Dial Sessions'' (Stash, 1993) *

, ''Jewells'' (Savoy, 1980) * Zoot Sims, '' Zoot!'' (Riverside, 1957)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Handy, George Bebop arrangers Bebop composers Bebop pianists Swing pianists Big band pianists American jazz pianists American male jazz pianists American jazz composers American male jazz composers 1920 births 1997 deaths Musicians from New York City 20th-century American composers 20th-century American pianists Jazz musicians from New York (state) 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century jazz composers