Manny Albam

Manny Albam (1922 - 2001) was a jazz arranger, in his early career he also played baritone saxophone. He was born in the Dominican Republic, but grew up in New York City.

His parents were Russian immigrants and he was born in the Dominican Republic as they were in route to the US. He became interested in jazz on hearing Bix Beiderbecke and at sixteen dropped out of school to play for Muggsy Spanier. He began doing musical arrangement with Georgie Auld, under the supervision of Budd Johnson, and by 1950 had largely switched to arranging and composing. He would do a great deal of work later with Charlie Barnet and Charlie Spivak. In 1964 he became musical director for the Solid State Records (jazz label). After that he concentrated most on teaching.