Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

One of Woody Herman's original 'Four Brothers', Serge Chaloff (1923-57) brought bebop virtuosity to the baritone sax while battling a lifelong addiction to drugs. Geoffrey Smith surveys his tumultuous career and fiery music.
Seen here, on the left, playing with the Metronome Jazz All-Stars.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 11 Jun 201700:00
BBC Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

Abdullah Ibrahim

Next

Bebop Pop

See all episodes from Geoffrey Smith's Jazz

Music Played

  • Serge Chaloff

    Blue Serge

    • Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Bopscotch.
    • Proper Box.
    • 1.

  • Woody Herman’s Woodchoppers

    Woodchopper's Holiday

    • Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Bopscotch.
    • Proper Box.
    • 5.

  • The Serge Chaloff All Stars

    Pumpernickel

    • Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Bopscotch.
    • Proper Box.
    • 14.

  • The Serge Chaloff All Stars

    Gabardine And Serge

    • Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Bopscotch.
    • Proper Box.
    • 16.

  • Woody Herman

    Four Brothers

    • The Woody Herman Story.
    • 5.

  • Woody Herman

    The Goof And I

    • The Woody Herman Story.
    • Proper.
    • 3.

  • Serge Chaloff

    Easy Street

    • Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - The Goof and I.
    • Proper.
    • 12.

  • Serge Chaloff

    Love Is Just Around The Corner

    • Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - The Goof and I.
    • 11.

  • The Serge Chaloff Orchestra

    The Fable Of Mable

    • Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - The Goof and I.
    • Proper.
    • 16.

  • Serge Chaloff Sextet

    Body And Soul

    • Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Body and Soul.
    • Proper.
    • 11.

  • Serge Chaloff Quartet

    I'Ve Got The World On A String

    • Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Thanks For The Memory.
    • Proper.
    • 1.

  • Serge Chaloff Quartet

    The Goof And I

    • Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Thanks For The Memory.
    • Proper.
    • 4.

  • Serge Chaloff Quartet

    Thanks For The Memory

    • Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Thanks For The Memory.
    • Proper.
    • 2.

  • The Four Brothers

    Aged In Wood

    • Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Thanks For The Memory.
    • Proper.
    • 16.

Performers and music details



BLUE SERGE


Performers: Serge Chaloff

Composers: Serge Chaloff, Ralph Burns

Album Title: Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Bopscotch

Label: Proper Box Catalogue No: P1729

Duration: 2:59

Performers: Serge Chaloff, baritone sax; Ralph Burns, piano; Chuck Wayne, guitar; Artie Bernstein, bass; Don Lamond, drums.


WOODCHOPPERS’S HOLIDAY

Performers: Woody Hermans Woodchoppers

Composer: Sonny Berman

Album Title: Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Bopscotch

Label: Proper Box Catalogue No: P1729

Duration: 2:53

Performers: Serge Chaloff, baritone sax; Sonny Berman, trumpet; Bill Harris, trombone; Flip Phillips, tenor sax, Ralph Burns, piano; Chuck Wayne, guitar; Artie Bernstein, bass; Don Lamond, drums.


PUMPERNICKEL 

Performers: The Serge Chaloff All Stars

Composers: Serge Chaloff, Tiny Kahn

Album Title: Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Bopscotch

Label: Proper Box Catalogue No: P1729

Duration: 2:30

Performers: Serge Chaloff, baritone sax; Red Rodney, trumpet; Earl Swope, trombone, George Wallington, piano; Curley Russell, bass; Tiny Kahn, drums.


GABARDINE AND SERGE


Performers: The Serge Chaloff All Stars

Composer: Tiny Kahn

Album Title: Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Bopscotch

Label: Proper Box Catalogue No: P1729

Duration: 2:31

Performers: Serge Chaloff, baritone sax; Red Rodney, trumpet; Earl Swope, trombone; George Wallington, piano; Curley Russell, bass; Tiny Kahn, drums.


FOUR BROTHERS

Performers: Woody Herman’s Second Herd

Composers: Jimmy Guiffre

Album Title: The Woody Herman Story

Label: Proper Catalogue No: Proper-1160

Duration: 3:18

Performers: Serge Chaloff, baritone sax; Zoot Sims, tenor sax; Herbie Steward, tenor sax; Stan Getz, tenor sax; Don Lamond, drums.


THE GOOF AND I

Performers: Woody Herman and his Orchestra

Composers: Al Cohn

Album Title: The Woody Herman Story

Label: Proper Catalogue No: Proper-1160

Duration: 2:52

Performers: Serge Chaloff, baritone sax; Ernie Royal, trumpet; Bernie Glow, trumpet; Stan Fishelson, trumpet; Shorty Rogers, trumpet; Marky Markowitz, trumpet; Woody Herman, clarinet/alto sax; Earl Swope, trombone; Ollie Wilson, trombone; Bob Swift, trombone; Sam Marowitz, also sax; Herbie Stewart, alto & tenor sax; Stan Getz, tenor sax; Zoot Sims, tenor sax; Fred Otis, piano, Gene Sargent, guitar; Walt Yoder, bass; Don Lamond, drums.


EASY STREET

Performers: Serge Chaloff

Composers: Jones, Carlton

Album Title: Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - The Goof and I

Label: Proper Catalogue No: P1730

Duration: 3:24

Performers: Serge Chaloff, baritone Sax; Boots Mussulli, alto sax; Russ Freeman, piano; Jimmy Woode, bass; Buzzy Drootin, drums.

LOVE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Performers: Serge Chaloff

Composers: Robin, Gensler

Album Title: Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - The Goof and I

Label: Proper Catalogue No: P1730

Duration: 2:56

Performers: Serge Chaloff, baritone Sax; Boots Mussulli, alto sax; Russ Freeman, piano; Jimmy Woode, bass; Buzzy Drootin, drums.

THE FABLE OF MABLE 

Performers: The Serge Chaloff Orchestra

Composer: Dick Twardzik

Album Title: Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - The Goof and I

Label: Proper Catalogue No: P1730

Duration: 4:20

Performers: Herb Pomeroy, trumpet; Nick Capazutto, trumpet; Gene Di Stachio, trombone; Charlie Mariano, alto sax; Varty Haritounian, tenor sax; Serge Chaloff, baritone sax; Dick Twardzik, piano; Ray Oliveri, bass; Jimmy Zitano, drums.

BODY AND SOUL

Performers: Serge Chaloff Sextet

Composers: Green/Heyman/Sour/Eyton

Album Title: Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Body and Soul

Label: Proper Catalogue No: P1731

Duration: 3:48

Performers: Herb Pomeroy, trumpet; Boots Mussulli, alto sax; Serge Chaloff, baritone sax; Ray Santisi, piano; Everett Evans, bass, Jimmy Zitano, drums.

I'VE GOT THE WORLD ON A STRING

Performers: Serge Chaloff Quartet

Composers: Arlen, Koehler

Album Title: Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Thanks For The Memory

Label: Proper Catalogue No: P1732

Duration: 6:42

Performers: Serge Chaloff, baritone sax; Sonny Clark, piano; Leroy Vinnegar, bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums.

THE GOOF AND I

Performers: Serge Chaloff Quartet

Composers: Al Cohn

Album Title: Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Thanks For The Memory

Label: Proper Catalogue No: P1732

Duration: 4:42

Performers: Serge Chaloff, baritone sax; Sonny Clark, piano; Leroy Vinnegar, bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORY

Performers: Serge Chaloff Quartet

Composers: LEO ROBIN & RALPH RAINGER, N/A

Album Title: Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Thanks For The Memory

Label: Proper Catalogue No: P1732

Duration: 3:45

Performers: Serge Chaloff, baritone sax; Sonny Clark, piano; Leroy Vinnegar, bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums.

AGED IN WOOD

Performers: The Four Brothers

Composers: Al Cohn

Album Title: Serge Chaloff - Boss Baritone - Thanks For The Memory

Label: Proper Catalogue No: P1732

Duration: 2:52

Performers: Al Cohn, tenor sax; Zoot Sims, tenor sax; Herbie Steward, tenor sax; Serge Chaloff, baritone sax; Charlie O’Kane, baritone sax; Elliot Lawrence, piano; Buddy Jones, bass; Don Lamond, drums.

Broadcast

  • Sun 11 Jun 201700:00
    BBC Radio 3

Podcast

  • Geoffrey Smith's Jazz

    Geoffrey Smith's Jazz - a weekly sequence exploring what makes great jazz great music