Dick Katz

• Name — Dick Katz • Birth Name — Richard Aaron Katz • Born — 13 March 1924 • Birthplace — Baltimore, Maryland, United States • Died — 10 November 2009 • Place of death — New York City, United States • Genre — * Jazz • Occupation — * Musician • arranger • record producer • Instrument — * Piano • Years Active — 1950s–1990s • Label — * Atlantic • Milestone • Reservoir • Bee Hive • Associated Acts — * Benny Carter • All Cohn • Jack DeJohnette • Kenny Dorham • Roy Eldridge • Nancy Harrow • Milt Hinton • J.J. Johnson • Jimmy Knepper • Lee Konitz • Carmen McRae • Helen Merrill • James Moody • Joes Newman • Oscar Pettiford • Jimmy Raney • Sonny Rollins • Loren Schoenberg • Ben Webster • Kai Winding

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." He was the favorite pianist of Benny Carter and Coleman Hawkins, as well as vocalists Carmen McRae and Helen Merrill.

He died in Manhattan of lung cancer at the age of 85. His son, Jamie Katz, a Columbia University graduate, is a freelance journalist and contributor to the Smithsonian magazine.

• Year recorded — Title — Label — Notes • 1957 — Jazz Piano International — Atlantic — Trio, with Ralph Peña (bass), Connie Kay (drums); album shared with Derek Smith and René Urtreger • 1958–59 — Piano and Pen — Atlantic — Quartet, with Jimmy Raney and Chuck Wayne (guitar; separately), Joe Benjamin (bass), Connie Kay (drums) • 1968 — A Shade of Difference — Milestone — Co-led with Helen Merrill (vocals) • 1984 — In High Profile — Bee Hive — Some tracks trio, with Marc Johnson (bass), Al Harewood (drums); some tracks quintet, with Jimmy Knepper (trombone), Frank Wess (tenor sax, flute) added • 1992 — 3 Way Play — Reservoir — Trio, with Steve LaSpina (bass), Ben Riley (drums) • 1995 — The Line Forms Here — Reservoir — Quintet, with Benny Golson (tenor sax), Ryan Kisor (trumpet), Steve LaSpina (bass), Ben Riley (drums)

With Benny Carter • Further Definitions (Impulse!, 1961) • Central City Sketches (MusicMasters, 1987) With Al Cohn • Four Brass One Tenor (RCA Victor, 1955) With Jack DeJohnette • The DeJohnette Complex (Milestone, 1969) With Kenny Dorham • Kenny Dorham And The Jazz Prophets (Chess, 1956) With Nancy Harrow • Secrets (Soul Note, 1991) With Milt Hinton • East Coast Jazz /5 (Rhino, 1955) With Jimmy Knepper • Dream Dancing (Criss Cross, 1986) With Lee Konitz • The Lee Konitz Duets (Milestone, 1967) • Peacemeal (Milestone, 1969) • Satori (Milestone, 1974) • Oleo (Sonet, 1975) • Chicago 'n All That Jazz (Groove Merchant, 1975) With Carmen McRae • Something to Swing About (Kapp, 1959) With Helen Merrill • "The feeling is mutual" 1965 • Chasin' The Bird (Emarcy, 1979) With James Moody • The Blues and Other Colors (Milestone, 1969) With Joe Newman • I'm Still Swinging (RCA Victor, 1955) With Oscar Pettiford • The Oscar Pettiford Orchestra in Hi-Fi Volume Two (ABC-Paramount, 1957) With Jimmy Raney • Jimmy Raney featuring Bob Brookmeyer (ABC-Paramount) with Bob Brookmeyer With Sonny Rollins • Sonny Rollins and the Big Brass (Metrojazz, 1957) With Loren Schoenberg • ’’That’s The Way It Goes’’ (Aviva, 1984) • ’’Time Waits For No One’’ (Music Masters 1987) • ’’Solid Ground’’(Music Masters 1988) • ’’Just A Settin’ And A-Rockin’ ‘’(Music Masters 1989) • Manhattan Work Song (Music Masters 1992) • Out Of This World (TBC; 1997) With Ben Webster • Big Ben Time! (Philips, 1963) With Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson • Kai and Jay and Bennie Green with Strings (OJC, 1952–54) • K + J.J. (Bethlehem, 1955) • Dave Brubeck and Jay & Kai at Newport (Columbia, 1956) • Jay and Kai (Columbia, 1957)