Jimmy Mundy
Jimmy Mundy was an influential American jazz tenor saxophonist, arranger, and composer, born on June 28, 1907, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He gained prominence for his work during the swing era, particularly through his arrangements for renowned bandleaders like Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Earl Hines. Mundy began his career in the 1920s, honing his arranging skills while playing with local bands. By 1932, he joined Earl Hines' "Grand Terrace" ballroom band in Chicago as a saxophonist and arranger, where he built a strong reputation in the swing style.
In late 1935, after Benny Goodman's success at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles, Mundy was hired as one of Goodman's principal staff arrangers. From 1936 to 1938, Mundy contributed significantly to Goodman's band, creating many of the band's popular up-tempo "flag-waving" numbers, including the iconic 1937 arrangement of "Sing, Sing, Sing." This piece became a defining moment for the Goodman band and the swing era.
Throughout his career, Mundy also worked with other notable musicians and bands, including Gene Krupa, Paul Whiteman, Harry James, and Dizzy Gillespie. Despite leading only a few recording sessions himself, his influence as an arranger was widely recognized among musicians of his time. Mundy passed away from cancer on April 24, 1983, in New York City at the age of 75.
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