Gale, Jack

He is a trombonist, composer, arranger and teacher who took his further studies in composition and theory at Wichita University.

He ventured out on his professional career and in 1957 moved to New York where he performed with the bands and ensembles led by Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Buddy Morrow, Kai Winding and others.

During the early 1960s he began performing as a musician with the orchestras that accompanied the Broadway shows. He has since been a trombonist on more than 30 productions. Not just keeping to the stage, he also became active in music for television and performed on several movie soundtracks.

In 1965 he joined the Manhattan Brass Quintet as their Musical Director and as a musician. His time with them until 1980 saw him developing their musical education programs. He didn’t just isolate himself to working with the Manhattan Brass Quintet for the years he was with them. He also lent his talents to The American Symphony, Benny Goodman Sextet, the New York City Symphony, The Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Buddy Rich. He is also involved with the Local 802 and since 1989 he has served as a member of their Executive Board.

In 1990 he became an arranger and musician on NPR for Garrison Keillor’s American Radio Company. He remained there until 1994.

Not just acclaimed as a talented trombonist, his arrangements, orchestrations and compositions have been used by ensembles and orchestras such as the American Symphony Orchestra, tne Empire Brass and the New York Philharmonic Brass Quintet. Some of his arrangements include “As Time Goes By” and “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” for trombone quartet.and his compositions include 12 Jazz Duets for Trumpet and Trombone, 24 Etudes for Trombone and Piano and “Sig EP” which was recorded by Woody Herman.

As you can imagine, his recording career as a musician and/or arranger has been extensive and just a few of the albums he has performed on include Mange Tout by Blancmange, Empire Brass on Broadway by Empire Brass, It’s Showtime! by Heritage Brass Quintet, Encore: 1963 by Woody Herman, Music of Jelly Roll Morton by Dick Hyman, One by Bob James, New York Now by Manhattan Brass, Mandy Patinkin by Mandy Patinkin, Tiptoe Through the Tulips: Resurrection by Tiny Tim, Lover Man by Sarah Vaughan and the cast recordings of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Assassins, Call Me Madam, Merrily We Roll Along, Once on This Island, Out of This World, Over Here!, Pal Joey and Ziegfeld Follies of 1936.

In the field of musical education he joined the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music in 1981 and has taught there ever since. As a musician, he has performed as First Trombone in the Broadway production Wonderful Town.

Here’s the Paddywagon Trombone Quartet performing Jack Gale’s arrangement of “Tiger Rag”…

Sources:

Gale, Jack

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