Billy Eckstine Orchestra 1946 / Frank is right front side when he was 24 years old.

Real Audio Kansas City Side / Savoy

PROFILE

Born January 4, 1922 in Kansas City, Missouri. Began music training in Sapulpa, Oklahoma in 1932. Moved to Washington DC in 1935. Was graduated from Dunbar High School in 1937. Attended Howard University Music Conservatory in 1937-1938. Played in dance theater and club bands until 1941. Served in army band 1941-1945 as assistant bandleader-solo clarinet in Liberia, Dakar, Casablanca, Algiers, Tlemcen, Oran. Led 17 piece swingband that accompanied Josephine Baker in concerts for allied troops in Africa during World War II. After World War II, toured with: Billy Eckstine Orchestra 1946-1947 Eddie Heywood Orchestra 1947 Lucky Millender Orchestra 1948 Bullmoose Jacson 1948-1949 Returned to Washington DC and attended the Modern School Of Music 1949-1953. Recieved bachelor of music degree(flute major). Toured extensively with the Count Basie Orchestra 1953-1964 Entire U.S.A., Sweden, Norway, Denmark, England(giving a command performance for Queen Elizabeth), Netherlands, Spain, France, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Japan, Hawaii, Yugoslavia, the Bahamas and Canada. Left the Count Basie Orchestra in 1964 to free lance in New York City. (jingles, records, Broadway shows, concerts, clinics, club, composing, arranging and teaching).

Played Broadway shows
Golden Boy	Sammy Davis	1964-65
The Apple Tree	Barbara Harris	1966-67
Golden Rainbow	Steve Lawrence-Eddie Gorme
Irene	Debbie Reynolds
Chicago	Chita Rivera-Gwen Vendor
Annie
Sugar Babies	Mickey Rooney

TV shows
While on staff at ABC, played Dick Cavett Show
That's Life
David Frost Show with Billy Taylor Orchestra
Night Of A Hundred Stars with Eliot Lawrence
Canteen with Cab Calloway and Maxine Sullivan
PBS Special with Helen Forest, Margaret Whitings, Herb Jefferies
Tony Brown's Journal with Billy Taylor
Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell
Muscular Dystrophy Telethon-Jerry Lewis
Cerebral Palsy Telethon_Paul Anka
Sammy Davis TV Show

Jazz band & groups since 1975
Frank Wess Quartet with Roland Hanna, Ben Riley, Ron Carter
New York Jazz Quartet with Roland Hanna, Goerge Mratz, Smitty Smith
Two Franks with Frank Foster, Kenny Barron, Rufus Reied, Smitty Smit
Two At The Top with Jonny Coles
Benny Goodman Septet with B. Goodman, M. Stann, U. Green
Slam Stewart Qualtet
Billy Taylor Orchestra
Toshiko Akiyoshi Orchestra
Walt Levinsky Orchestra
Eliot Lawrence Orchestra
Bobby Rosengarden Orchestra
New York Repertory Orchestra
Tony Cabot Orchestra
Benny Carter Orchestra
Dizzy Gillespie Dream Band
Phillip Morris Super Band
Carnegie Hall Big Band

Workshops & Adjudications
Miami University
Cornell University
Notre Dame University
Cuyahoga College
S.U.N.Y. Binghamton
University Of Arizona at Tempi
High Schools In Phoenix area
Capitol University, Columbus, Ohio
Spokane Comm. College
Oberlin University
University Of Minnesota
University Of Kansas
University Of New Hampshire
University Of Central Florida

Recording
All Count Basie Band Records	1954-1964
Storyville LP 318	1954
Vanguard JRS8007	1954
Savoy / Kenny Clarke	1955
Savoy / Flute & Reeds	1955
Jazztone	1956
Storyville 905 / Joe Newman	1956
Savoy 12086 / Frank Wess	1956
Savoy / Pin Up	1956
Savoy / Opus de Jazz
Moodsville / Frank Wess Quartet	1960
Prestige / Frank Wess Octet	1962
Prestige / Yo Ho	1963
CTI / N.Y. Jazz Quartet Live In Japan	1975
Sonet / Song of the Blacknight
Surge
Beehive / N.Y. Jazz Quartet In Chicago
Uptown / Two At The Top
Pablo / Two For The Blues
Concord / Frankly Speaking
Ascent / Ten Gallon Shuffle-Toshiko Akiyoshi Orchestra
Ascent Wishing Peace-Toshiko Akiyoshi Orchestra
Concord / Frank Wess-Harry Edison Orchestra	1989
Concord / Frank Wess Orchestra	1990
Town Crier / Going Wess	1994
Gemini / Surprise ! Surprise !	1994
Concord / Trying To Make My Blues Turn Green	1994