Bob Hammer

Vocation

American jazz pianist, composer and arranger, who first led a band with Bob Wilber in 1955. He then worked in the Sauter/Finnegan Orchestra, the Roy Eldridge Quartet (1956) and with Gene Krupa (1956/57). He was a member of Red Allen's band (1958–1962) and Eddie Condon's (1959/60) band. At that time he recorded with Charles Mingus (who called him his "Beethoven"). In 1963 he played with Pee Wee Russell, Krupa and Eldridge. In 1964 he was on tour with Bobby Hackett. From 1965 to 1967 he worked as arranger for The Merv Griffin Show. He recorded with Jimmy Knepper, Johnny Hartman, Woody Herman, Clark Terry, and Elvin Jones. Between 1967 and 1982 he worked as a member of show bands in Las Vegas. After moving to Los Angeles in 1983, he had an engagement with Slide Hampton, worked as instructor for jazz improvisation at El Camino Community College and played in the Jimmy Cleveland Octet. He also worked with Barbara McNair, the Tommy Newsome Quartet and the MDA Labor Day Telethon. In 2004 he recorded with Floyd Standifer's quintet. Link to Wikipedia biography