Danny Bank


Daniel Bernard Bank was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and flautist. He is credited on some releases as Danny Banks.

Early life

He was born on July 17, 1922.

Professional career

Early in his career, Bank played with Charlie Barnet, and would return to play with him repeatedly over the next few decades. He played with Benny Goodman, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Artie Shaw and Paul Whiteman in the 1940s.
Following this, he recorded with Charlie Parker, Rex Stewart, the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, Johnny Hodges, Urbie Green, Clifford Brown and Helen Merrill, Art Farmer, Wes Montgomery, Quincy Jones, Jimmy Smith, Chico O’Farrill, Betty Carter, Ray Charles, and Tony Fruscella.
Bank is best known for his association with Miles Davis in Gil Evans's orchestra; Bank played bass clarinet on the albums Miles Ahead, Sketches of Spain and Porgy and Bess. He played with Davis on his 1961 Carnegie Hall concert. Later in the 1960s, he recorded with the big bands of Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins, and Stanley Turrentine. He was also an original member of The New York Saxophone Quartet, along with Ray Beckenstein, Eddie Caine and Al Epstein.

Death

Bank died of natural causes on June 5, 2010, at the age of 87.

Discography

As sideman

With Louis Armstrong
With Bob Brookmeyer
With Ralph Burns and Leonard Feather
With Benny Carter
With Miles Davis
With Art Farmer
With Maynard Ferguson
With Dizzy Gillespie
With Benny Golson
With Urbie Green
With Chico Hamilton
;With Coleman Hawkins
With Jimmy Heath
With Johnny Hodges
With Milt Jackson
With J. J. Johnson
With Quincy Jones
With Eric Kloss
With Irene Kral
With Junior Mance
With Herbie Mann
With Howard McGhee
With Charles Mingus
With Milton Nascimento
With Oliver Nelson
With Charlie Parker
With Oscar Pettiford
With Lalo Schifrin and Bob Brookmeyer
With Shirley Scott
With Jimmy Smith
With Walter Wanderley
With Ben Webster
With Randy Weston
With Kai Winding