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Rod Cless

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rod Cless
Birth nameRod Cless
Born(1907-05-20)May 20, 1907
Lenox, Iowa, U.S.
DiedDecember 8, 1944(1944-12-08) (aged 37)
New York, U.S.
GenresJazz
Instrument(s)Saxophone, clarinet
Formerly ofArt Hodes
Muggsy Spanier

George Roderick Cless (May 20, 1907, in Lenox, Iowa – December 8, 1944, in New York City)[1] was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, perhaps best known for his work on sixteen Muggsy Spanier tunes[2] for Bluebird Records. Additionally, Cless worked with other artists such as Frank Teschemacher, Gene Krupa, Art Hodes, Bobby Hackett, Max Kaminsky and Mezz Mezzrow.[1]

Death

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Walking home from the last night of a job at the Pied Piper (where he played alongside his friend Max Kaminsky) in December 1944,[1] Cless fell over the balcony of his apartment building and died four days later at the age of 37.[3][4][5]

Select discography

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With Art Hodes

With Muggsy Spanier

With the Rod Cless Quartet

References

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  1. ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 505. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. ^ "Brian Rust Jazz Records, 1897-1942 - Classic Jazz Discography". February 9, 2009. Archived from the original on February 9, 2009. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  3. ^ "Who Remembers Rod Cless?". Jazzlives.wordpress.com. August 20, 2010. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  4. ^ "Rod Cless | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  5. ^ "Remembering Rod Cless". February 28, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  6. ^ Scott Yanow, review of The Great 16! at Allmusic