Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

November 2, 1928 in Los Angeles, CA

Death

:

December 19, 2013 in Hamburg, Germany

 

Herb Geller was a renowned American jazz musician and composer who made significant contributions to the world of classical music. Born on November 2, 1928, in Los Angeles, California, Geller was raised in a family of musicians. His father was a violinist, and his mother was a pianist. Geller started playing the clarinet at the age of 12 and later switched to the alto saxophone. Geller's musical career began in the 1940s when he played with various big bands, including those led by Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, and Charlie Barnet. In 1949, he joined the Stan Kenton Orchestra, where he played alongside other jazz greats such as Maynard Ferguson and Art Pepper. Geller's time with Kenton's band was a significant turning point in his career, as it allowed him to develop his unique style and sound. In the 1950s, Geller moved to New York City, where he became a sought-after session musician and played with some of the most prominent jazz musicians of the time, including Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, and Benny Carter. He also recorded several albums as a bandleader, including "Herb Geller Plays" and "Fire in the West." In the 1960s, Geller moved to Europe, where he continued to perform and record. He settled in Germany, where he became a prominent figure in the European jazz scene. He played with the NDR Big Band and recorded several albums with German musicians, including pianist Joachim Kühn and bassist Eberhard Weber. Despite his success as a jazz musician, Geller was also interested in classical music. He studied composition with the renowned composer Karlheinz Stockhausen and wrote several pieces for chamber ensembles and orchestras. In 1972, he composed a piece for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, which was conducted by Herbert von Karajan. Geller's interest in classical music led him to explore the intersection between jazz and classical music. He recorded several albums that blended jazz improvisation with classical forms, including "The Herb Geller Sextette Plays the Al Cohn and Bill Holman Arrangements" and "An American in Hamburg." Geller's contributions to the world of music were recognized with several awards and honors. In 1983, he was awarded the German Jazz Prize, and in 1997, he received the Jazz Lifetime Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Jazz Society. He was also inducted into the International Jazz Hall of Fame in 2005. Geller continued to perform and record until his death on December 19, 2013, at the age of 85. His legacy as a jazz musician and composer continues to inspire and influence musicians around the world.

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