Richard Aaron Katz (March 13, 1924[1] – November 10, 2009)[2] was an American jazz pianist, arranger and record producer. He freelanced throughout much of his career, and worked in a number of ensembles. He co-founded Milestone Records in 1966 with Orrin Keepnews.
Katz studied at the Peabody Institute, the Manhattan School of Music, and Juilliard. He also took piano lessons from Teddy Wilson. In the 1950s, he joined the house rhythm section of the Café Bohemia, and worked in the groups of Ben Webster and Kenny Dorham, Oscar Pettiford, and, later, Carmen McRae. From 1954 to 1955, he was part of the J. J. Johnson/Kai Winding Quintet. He also worked in Orchestra USA and participated on Benny Carter's Further Definitions album, and worked on some of Helen Merrill's recordings. In the late 1960s, he played with Roy Eldridge and Lee Konitz. In the 1990s, he worked as a pianist and arranger with the American Jazz Orchestra and Loren Schoenberg's big band.
Will Friedwald called Katz "a keyboardist of uncommon sensitivity and harmonic acumen."[3] He was the favorite pianist of Benny Carter and Coleman Hawkins, as well as vocalists Carmen McRae and Helen Merrill.[4]
He died in Manhattan of lung cancer at the age of 85.[5]
His son, Jamie Katz, a Columbia University graduate, is a freelance journalist and contributor to the Smithsonian magazine.[6][7][8]
With Benny Carter
With Al Cohn
With Jack DeJohnette
With Kenny Dorham
With Nancy Harrow
With Milt Hinton
With Jimmy Knepper
With Lee Konitz
With Carmen McRae
With Helen Merrill
With James Moody
With Joe Newman
With Oscar Pettiford
With Jimmy Raney
With Sonny Rollins
With Loren Schoenberg
With Ben Webster
With Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson
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