Teddy McRae
Teddy McRae (January 22, 1908 – March 4, 1999) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and arranger.
Biography
McRae was born in Waycross, Georgia in January 22, 1908, and was brought up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1] A performer with local ensembles when young, including one composed of family members, he performed with June Clark in 1926 before moving to New York City to found his own band.
He subsequently performed with
During the 1940s, McRae worked with the orchestras of Cab Calloway (1941–42), Jimmie Lunceford (1942), Lionel Hampton (1943), and Louis Armstrong (1944-45), and served as Armstrong's musical director during his period with that band. He also wrote tunes for Artie Shaw and formed his own band in 1945.
He and
Some of his recordings billed him as "Teddy (Mr. Bear) McRae," or simply as "Mr. Bear."[2]
References
- Allmusic