Sid Weiss

• Born: April 30, 1914, Schenectady, NY
• Died: March 20, 1994
• Genres: Jazz
• Instrument: Bass

Biography

Weiss played bass for many of the top white jazz musicians of the '30s and '40s, including trumpeters Louis Prima, Bunny Berigan, and Wingy Manone; clarinetist Artie Shaw; trombonist Tommy Dorsey; saxophonist Charlie Barnet; and -- perhaps most notably -- Benny Goodman. In his youth, Weiss played violin, clarinet, and tuba; he made the change to bass as a teenager. He began playing in New York around 1931, and over the next decade worked with the aforementioned musicians, as well as bass saxophonist Adrian Rollini, among others. He played and recorded often with Goodman from 1941-1945; from 1945, he worked freelance with such musicians as trumpeter Muggsy Spanier, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell, drummer Cozy Cole, and saxophonist Bud Freeman; as well as Duke Ellington and Eddie Condon. Weiss stopped performing full-time around 1954. ~ Chris Kelsey, All Music Guide