George Wallington

George Wallington
Background information
Birth nameGiacinto Figlia
Born(1924-10-27)October 27, 1924
Palermo, Sicily
DiedFebruary 15, 1993(1993-02-15) (aged 68)
New York City, New York, U.S.
GenresJazz
OccupationMusician
InstrumentPiano
Years active1943–1960, 1984–1993

George Wallington (October 27, 1924 – February 15, 1993) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Born in Sicily, his career as a pianist began in the early 1940s, when he played with Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker and contributed to the development of bebop.[1] Following several years as a sideman during the late 1940s, he formed his own group, experimenting with trios and a string ensemble before settling upon a permanent quintet.[2]

During the 1950s, Wallington's quintet including rising stars Donald Byrd, Jackie McLean, and Phil Woods, but in 1960 he retired and moved to Florida to work for a family business. He returned to his previous career in the 1980s and made further recordings as a soloist before his death in 1993.[2][3]

Noted for his technique and mastery of the developing styles of modern jazz, his contributions to the genre have been described as "underrated."[4] His compositions, however, became known through recordings by Woody Herman's band and Miles Davis.[5][6]

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