| Intro | American flautist |
| Was |
Musician Clarinetist Jazz musician Saxophonist |
| From | United States of America |
| Type | Music |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 16 December 1930, Atlantic City |
| Death |
13 June 2013, Los Angeles (aged 82 years) |
Samuel “Sam” Most (December 16, 1930 – June 13, 2013) was an American jazz flautist and tenor saxophonist, based in Los Angeles. He was “probably the first great jazz flutist,” according to jazz historian Leonard Feather.
Biography
He was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and began his career in music at the age of 18 with the bands of Tommy Dorsey, Shep Fields, Boyd Raeburn and Don Redman. He also performed many times with his older brother, clarinetist Abe Most.
His first recording was at age 23, a single called “Undercurrent Blues”. The next year he was awarded Down Beat magazine’s “Critic’s New Star Award”. Between 1953 and 1958 Most led and recorded sessions for the Prestige, Debut, Vanguard and Bethlehem labels. He also did session work for Chris Connor, Paul Quinichette and Teddy Wilson. He was a member of the Buddy Rich band from 1959 to 1961.
Most resurfaced in the late 1970s recording six albums on the Xanadu label.
One night, after playing at a Las Vegas night club, he was asked by Frank Sinatra to have breakfast with him at the singer’s home. After a session, which included Sinatra singing as Most played the piano, Sinatra left the room and came back with a flute case. Most opened it and saw a beautiful, expensively hand carved flute. Sinatra told Most that he had used this flute to practice breath control with and then gave the flute to him as a gift saying, “I know you’d appreciate this Sam – it’s yours.” Most retained the gift to the end of his life.
From 1987 Most, with producer Fernando Gelbard of Liquidjazz.com, recorded four albums, including Solo Flute.
He was the guest of and played for the King of Thailand three times. He was the subject of Edmond Goff’s documentary film Sam Most, Jazz Flutist (2001).
Sam Most died on June 13, 2013 from cancer, at Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. He was 82.
Discography
As leader
- Undercurrent Blues (1952)
- Sam Most – Introducing a New Star (1952)
- Bebop Revisited Vol. 3 (1954)
- I’m Nuts About the Most…Sam, That Is! (Bethlehem, 1954)
- The Herbie Mann-Sam Most Quintet (Bethlehem, 1955) with Herbie Mann
- Sam Most Sextet 12 (1955)
- Musically Yours (1956)
- Doubles in Jazz (1957)
- The Amazing Sam Most (1957)
- Sam Most Plays Bird Bud Monk & Miles (1957)
- Sam Most Quartet Plus Two (1958)
- Jungle Fantasy/Plop Plop Boom (1970)
- Mostly Flute (Xanadu, 1976)
- Flute Flight (Xanadu, 1977)
- But Beautiful (Catalyst, 1978)
- Flute Talk with Joe Farrell (Xanadu, 1979)
- From the Attic of My Mind (Xanadu, 1980)
- Any Time Any Season (1987)
- Simply Flute (2008)
- Solo Flute (2009)
- Organic Flute (2010)
- A Time for Love – Most, Alcivar (2012)
As sideman
With Louis Bellson
- Thunderbird (Impulse!, 1965)
With Clare Fischer
- Extension (Pacific Jazz, 1963)
With Stan Kenton
- Hair (Capitol, 1969)
With Paul Quinichette
- Moods (EmArcy, 1954)
With Lalo Schifrin
- There’s a Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin’ On (Dot, 1968)
- Ins and Outs (Palo Alto, 1982)