Roger Wolfe Kahn
Roger Wolfe Kahn, born on October 19, 1907, in Morristown, New Jersey, was an influential American jazz musician, composer, and bandleader known for his work with Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra. He was born into a wealthy German Jewish banking family; his father, Otto Hermann Kahn, was a prominent banker and arts patron. Despite his privileged background, Roger's passion for music led him to learn 18 instruments by the age of 16, when he formed his own orchestra.
Kahn's orchestras were highly successful, earning him significant wealth and allowing him to hire notable musicians such as Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, and Gene Krupa. His innovative approach to music and his ability to lead and compose made him a prominent figure in the jazz and popular music scenes during the 1920s and 1930s.
In addition to his music career, Kahn had a notable aviation career. In the 1940s, he became an instructor pilot and worked with Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, where he managed technical service and sales and toured military bases with a special sales plane.
Kahn married twice, first to musical comedian Hannah Williams in 1931, and later to Edith May Nelson in 1933, with whom he had two children. He passed away from a heart attack on July 12, 1962, in New York City. His contributions to music, particularly jazz, and his adventurous spirit in aviation, left a lasting legacy.
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