Biography Victor Feldman

Victor Stanley Feldman (April 7, 1934 – May 12, 1987) was an English jazz musician, best known as a pianist and percussionist.

He began performing professionally during childhood, eventually earning acclaim in the UK jazz scene as an adult. Feldman immigrated to the United States in the mid-1950s, where he continued working in jazz and also as a session musician with a variety of pop and rock performers.

British jazz musician Victor Stanley Feldman (1934-1987) caused a sensation as a musical prodigy when he was "discovered" at age 7. He appeared as a featured soloist with Glenn Miller when he was 10 years old, playing the drums. His vibraphone and conga drum playing were also notable, but it was as a pianist that he became best known.

Before leaving the UK in 1955 to work in the US, Feldman recorded with Ronnie Scott's orchestra and quintet from 1954 to 1955, which also featured other important British jazz musicians such as Phil Seamen and Hank Shaw, among others. It was Scott who recommended that Feldman emigrate to the U.S., which he did in 1957. Once there, his first steady work was with the Woody Herman Herd. From there he went on to join Buddy DeFranco. He recorded with many different jazz artists, including Benny Goodman, George Shearing, Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis, most notably on Davis' 1963 album Seven Steps to Heaven, the title tune being his own composition.

Feldman was in great demand as a session musician, and branched out into rock music, working with artists such as Steely Dan in the 1970s and Tom Waits in the 1980s.

Feldman caused a sensation as a musical prodigy when he was "discovered", aged seven. His family were all musical and his father founded the Feldman Swing Club in London in 1942 to showcase his talented sons. Feldman's first professional appearance was playing drums at No. 1 Rhythm Club as a member of the Feldman Trio with brothers Robert on clarinet and Monty on piano accordion. He featured in the films King Arthur Was a Gentleman (1942) and Theatre Royal (1943). In 1944 he was featured at a concert with Glenn Miller's AAAF band, as "Kid Krupa" (in reference to drummer Gene Krupa). His drums teacher Carlo Krahmer encouraged Feldman to play the vibraphone which he did first in the Ralph Sharon Sextet and later in the Roy Fox band. He worked in India in 1952 and 1953 in a band led by pianist Eddie Carroll. His vibraphone and conga drum playing were notable, but it was as a pianist that he became best known.

Before leaving the U.K. in 1955 to work in the U.S., Feldman recorded with Ronnie Scott's orchestra and quintet from 1954 to 1955, which also featured other important British jazz musicians such as Phil Seamen and Hank Shaw. It was Scott who recommended that Feldman emigrate to the U.S., which he did in 1957. Once there, his first steady work was with the Woody Herman Herd. From there he went on to join Buddy DeFranco. In 1958, he had his own working band on the west coast, which included the innovative bassist Scott LaFaro. His 1958 Album The Arrival of Victor Feldman includes LaFaro and Stan Levey on drums. He recorded with many jazz artists, including Benny Goodman, George Shearing, Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis, most notably on Davis' 1963 album Seven Steps to Heaven, the title tune being his own composition. Davis invited Feldman to join his group full-time, but Feldman declined, preferring the stability of studio work to the career of a touring musician. The 5-CD Shelly Manne Black Hawk set, originally released on LP in September, 1959, is a good representation of Feldman's unmistakable driving "comping" behind the soloists, helping to define the session as a valuable hard bop genre element.

In 1957 Feldman settled in Los Angeles permanently and then specialized in lucrative session work for the US film and recording industry. He also branched out to work with a variety of musicians outside of jazz, working with artists such as Frank Zappa in 1967, Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell in the 1970s and Tom Waits and Joe Walsh in the 1980s. Feldman died at his home, aged 53, following a heart attack. In 2009, Feldman was inducted in the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, TN.

It is Victor Feldmans percussion work on Steely Dan's song Do It Again that gives the song it's latin groove.

Discography

As leader

Suite Sixteen (Contemporary, 1955)

Victor Feldman in London, with Pete Blannin, Dizzy Reece, Phil Seamen, Terry Shannon, 1956

With Mallets a Fore Thought, 1957

Victor Feldman on Vibes (Mode, 1957)

The Arrival of Victor Feldman (Contemporary, 1958)

The Music of Victor Feldman, solo, 1958

Latinsville, with Walter Benton, Willie Bobo, Conte Candoli, Vince Guaraldi, Scott LaFaro, Stan Levey, Armando Peraza, Frank Rosolino, Mongo Santamaría, 1959

Merry Olde Soul, with Louis Hayes, Hank Jones, Sam Jones, Andy Simpkins, 1960

Vibes to the Power of Three, with Larry Bunker, Terry Gibbs, 1960

Stop the World, I Want to Get Off, with Larance Marable, Bobby Whitlock, 1963

Soviet Jazz Themes, solo, 1963

It's a Wonderful World, solo, 1964

Love Me with All Your Heart, solo, 1964

Venezuelan Joropo, solo, 1967

Victor Feldman Plays Everything In Sight, multitracked solo album, 1967 (You & Me/Sure As You're Born/Sunset/Do the Jake/Geronimo/This Door/Have a Heart/In the Mood/By Myself/Sunshine Superman)

Smooth, solo, 1970

Your Smile, with Larance Marable, Bobby Whitlock, 1973

The Artful Dodger, with Colin Bailey, Monty Budwig, Chuck Domanico, Jack Sheldon, 1977

Rio Nights, with Chuck Domanico, Trevor Feldman, Eddie Karam, Hubert Laws, Harvey Mason, Sr., John Patitucci, Fred Tackett, 1977

In My Pocket, solo, 1977

Livin On The Fault Line The Doobie Brothers, 1977

Down Two Then Left Boz Scaggs, 1977

Together Again, with Monty Budwig, Shelly Manne, 1978

Soft Shoulder, with Generation Band, 1982, with Ernie Watts, Tom Scott (musician), Robben Ford, Dan Sawyer, Richard Gibbs, Nathan East, Jake Feldman, Trevor Feldman

To Chopin with Love, with the Victor Feldman Trio, with John Patitucci, Trevor Feldman, Recorded May 7 & 8, 1982, Released 1983

Call of the Wild, with Generation Band, 1984

Fiesta, with Kevin Bassinson, Vinnie Colaiuta, Joseph Conlan, Chick Corea, Nathan East, Manny Fernandez, Michael G. Fisher, Chuck Mangione, Dianne Reeves, Lee Ritenour, 1984

High Visibility, with Max Bennett, Joseph Conlan, Abe Laboriel, Dean Parks, Tom Scott, 1985

Secrets of the Andes, solo, with Hubert Laws, Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Abraham Laboriel, Sr., Alex Acuña, Milt Holland, Trevor Feldman, recorded February 26, 1982, LP released 1982, CD released 1987

The Young Vic, solo, 1987

Seven Steps To Heaven, with Tom Scott, Candid Productions, 2009

As sideman

With Cannonball Adderley

Cannonball Adderley and the Poll Winners (Riverside)

With Curtis Amy

Way Down (Pacific Jazz, 1962)

With James Clay

A Double Dose of Soul (Riverside, 1960)

With Bob Cooper

Coop! The Music of Bob Cooper (Contemporary, 1958)

With Miles Davis

Seven Steps to Heaven (Columbia, 1963)

With Paul Horn

Impressions of Cleopatra (Columbia, 1963)

With Milt Jackson

Memphis Jackson (Impulse!, 1969)

With Sam Jones

The Chant (Riverside, 1961)

With Barney Kessel

Let's Cook! (Contemporary, 1957 [1962])

Carmen (Contemporary, 1958)

With John Klemmer

Waterfalls (Impulse!, 1972)

Intensity (Impulse!, 1973)

With Shelly Manne

Shelly Manne & His Men Play Peter Gunn (Contemporary, 1959)

Son of Gunn!! (Contemporary, 1959)

At the Black Hawk 1 (Contemporary, 1959)

At the Black Hawk 2 (Contemporary, 1959)

At the Black Hawk 3 (Contemporary, 1959)

At the Black Hawk 4 (Contemporary, 1959)

At the Black Hawk 5 (Contemporary, 1959 [1991])

My Son the Jazz Drummer! (Contemporary, 1962)

Daktari (Atlantic, 1967)

With Carmen McRae

Can't Hide Love (Blue Note, 1976)

With Blue Mitchell

Stablemates (Candid, 1977)

With Oliver Nelson

Zig Zag (Original Motion Picture Score) (MGM, 1970)

With Lalo Schifrin

Gone with the Wave (Colpix, 1964)

The Cincinnati Kid (soundtrack) (MGM, 1965)

With Bud Shank

Girl in Love (World Pacific, 1966)

Bud Shank Plays Music from Today's Movies (World Pacific, 1967)

Magical Mystery (World Pacific, 1967)

With James Taylor

Gorilla (Warner Brothers, 1975)

With Gino Vannelli

Brother to Brother (A&M, 1978)

With Harold Vick

Commitment (Muse, 1967 [1974])

With Leroy Vinnegar

Leroy Walks! (Contemporary, 1958)

Leroy Walks Again!!! (Contemporary, 1963)

With Tom Waits

Heartattack and Vine (Asylum, 1980)

With Gerald Wilson

Feelin' Kinda Blues (Pacific Jazz, 1965)

On Stage (Pacific Jazz, 1965)

The Golden Sword (Pacific Jazz, 1966)

With Steely Dan

Percussion on Do It Again

Creative Commons By-SA License