Buddy Weed (January 6, 1918- May 25, 1997) was a prominent American jazz pianist, singer and arranger.
Born Harold Eugene Weed in Ossining, New York, Eugene Harold Weed’s natural dexterity of the keyboard began developing at the age of four when he first faced a piano teacher. He continued his studies throughout his scholastic career and upon graduation from high school in Ossining, New York he studied arranging in classical techniques with Herman Wasserman. His first gig was at the age of sixteen when he was hired by Jack Teagarden’s Orchestra in 1934.
By early 1939, Paul “Pops” Whiteman had heard Buddy, and immediately hired him. Before the war he had played with Roy Eldridge and Teddy Powell with whom he made his first recordings. In 1941 he worked in the big band of Charlie Spivak, whilst he continued to be heard in Paul Whiteman’s orchestra as featured solo pianist and arranger. Featured in the fifth Gershwin Memorial Concert in 1942 with a standing ovation, his Gershwin style arrangements soon became the band’s trademark. During a three-year term in the U.S. Army Special Services he also worked with the Harry Salter Orchestra.
In the mid-forties he joined the staff of the American Broadcasting Co. (ABC) in New York, where he innovated and introduced the first piano Jazz Trio to America, while continuing to play and record at the head of his own orchestra, with which, moreover, he devoted himself more to pop music than to jazz. As musical director he dealt with such productions as “Penthouse Party” and “the Bert Parks Show.” He also had a radio show of his own. Since that time he became very much in demand as one of the most sought after pianists and arrangers in America. For the first time in 1944, he recorded several vocal numbers under his own name in a trio for MGM Records. He also played in 1945 with Sal Franzella, Ella Fitzgerald and Bud Freeman. Further sessions followed in 1946/47 for MGM and V-Disc, with Mundell Lowe and Trigger Alpert, among others.
In the following years Buddy Weed played with Hank D'Amico, Tony Bennett, Sidney Bechet, from 1954 with Urbie Green, Neal Hefti, Richard Maltby, Larry Clinton, Peanuts Hucko, Teddi King, Joe Venuti, Charlie Shavers, Billy Butterfield and George Siravo, at sessions under his own name with Tony Mottola, among others, Eddie Costa, Arnold Fishkin, Bobby Donaldson and Bob Haggart. In 1956 he took part in a historic recording session for the Grand Award, having as illustrious partners Jack Teagarden, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Bobby Byrne, George Barnes and Johnny Mercer. In 1958, he performed alongside Gene Krupa on the Timex All Star Jazz Show. In the 1950s and 60s he was also a session and orchestral musician in the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra.
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| Buddy Weed Trio |
Buddy Weed’s piano styles were ingenious and extraordinarily refined. His imagination and interpretations of the popular music of his time still remain as one of the most indelible contributions to music. A pianist of unquestionable technique, he was extremely efficient with his piano flourishes using them only as incidental decoration, and not as part of the basic purpose. His treatment of a song was to convey the basic melodic content in the essential blending of these two attributes. Around all of his arrangements, Buddy skillfully built upon the many subtle moods in which the two governing factors were of the personalities of the composer and those of the performer. There was never a clash between the two. The results were an incredible smoothness, which prevailed in all his arrangements. Combined with the unbelievable dexterity of his playing, Buddy’s music has endured throughout the decades.
His discography can still be assembled from the archives of Capitol, RCA, Coral, Decca, Repertory, and Gemini. After his retirement in 1970 as Director of Music for ABC, he became a much sought-after soloist as well as with his trio in Arizona, and continued to appear on radio and television and in nightclubs with undiminished success. In the 1970s, he performed regularly in Phoenix. His trio would later team up with vocalist Margo Reed. His last recordings were made in the 70s and early 80s with singer Peter Dean, with whom he also performed in a duo at the New York Hilton Hotel. In the field of jazz, Weed was involved in 92 recording sessions from 1940 to 1980.
Buddy Weed passed away in Tempe, Arizona on May 25, 1997 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 79, His undeniable style and techniques have left his indelible imprint on American music.
(Edited from article by Gene Weed, Daily Green & Wikipedia)