Victor Feldman

Victor Stanley Feldman (April 7, 1934 – May 12, 1987) was a British jazz musician, best known as a pianist.

Early history
Feldman caused a sensation as a musical prodigy when he was "discovered", aged seven. His family were all musical and his father founded the Feldman Swing Club in London in 1942 to showcase his talented sons. Feldman's first professional appearance was playing drums at No. 1 Rhythm Club as a member of the Feldman Trio with brothers Robert on clarinet and Monty on piano accordion. He featured in the films King Arthur Was a Gentleman (1942) and Theatre Royal (1943). In 1944 he was featured at a concert with Glenn Miller's AAAF band, as "Kid Krupa" (in reference to drummer Gene Krupa). His drums teacher Carlo Krahmer encouraged Feldman to play the vibraphone which he did first in the Ralph Sharon Sextet and later in the Roy Fox band. He worked in India in 1952 and 1953 in a band led by pianist Eddie Carroll. His vibraphone and conga drum playing were notable, but it was as a pianist that he became best known.

Later jazz and U.S. session work
Before leaving the U.K. in 1955 to work in the U.S., Feldman recorded with Ronnie Scott's orchestra and quintet from 1954 to 1955, which also featured other important British jazz musicians such as Phil Seamen and Hank Shaw. It was Scott who recommended that Feldman emigrate to the U.S., which he did in 1957. Once there, his first steady work was with the Woody Herman Herd. From there he went on to join Buddy DeFranco. He recorded with many different jazz artists, including Benny Goodman, George Shearing, Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis, most notably on Davis' 1963 album Seven Steps to Heaven, the title tune being his own composition. The 5-CD Shelly Manne Black Hawk set, originally released on LP in September, 1959, is a good representation of Feldman's unmistakable driving "comping" behind the soloists, helping to define the session as a valuable hard bop genre element.

In 1957 Feldman settled in Los Angeles permanently and then specialized in lucrative session work for the US film and recording industry. He also branched out to work with a variety of musicians outside of jazz, working with artists such as Frank Zappa in 1967, Steely Dan in the 1970s and Tom Waits and Joe Walsh in the 1980s. Feldman died at his home, aged 53, following a heart attack. In 2009, Feldman was inducted in the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, TN.

As leader

 * Suite Sixteen, with John Burden, Lennie Bush, Tony Crombie, Jimmy Deuchar, Tubby Hayes, Derek Humble, Harry Klein, Eric Peter, Tommy Pollard, Jimmy Powell, Dizzy Reece, Ronnie Scott, Phil Seamen, Norman Stenfalt, Ken Wray, 1955
 * Victor Feldman in London, with Pete Blannin, Dizzy Reece, Phil Seamen, Terry Shannon, 1956
 * With Mallets a Fore Thought, 1957
 * On Vibes, with Harold Land, Stan Levey, Carl Perkins, Frank Rosolino, Leroy Vinnegar, 1957
 * The Arrival of Victor Feldman, with Scott LaFaro, Stan Levey, 1958
 * The Music of Victor Feldman, solo, 1958
 * Latinsville, with Walter Benton, Willie Bobo, Conte Candoli, Vince Guaraldi, Scott LaFaro, Stan Levey, Armando Peraza, Frank Rosolino, Mongo Santamaría, 1959
 * Merry Olde Soul, with Louis Hayes, Hank Jones, Sam Jones, Andy Simpkins, 1960
 * Vibes to the Power of Three, with Larry Bunker, Terry Gibbs, 1960
 * Stop the World, I Want to Get Off, with Larance Marable, Bobby Whitlock, 1963
 * Soviet Jazz Themes, solo, 1963
 * It's a Wonderful World, solo, 1964
 * Love Me with All Your Heart, solo, 1964
 * Venezuelan Joropo, solo, 1967
 * Victor Feldman Plays Everything In Sight, multitracked solo album, 1967 (You & Me/Sure As You're Born/Sunset/Do the Jake/Geronimo/This Door/Have a Heart/In the Mood/By Myself/Sunshine Superman)
 * Smooth, solo, 1970
 * Your Smile, with Larance Marable, Bobby Whitlock, 1973
 * The Artful Dodger, with Colin Bailey, Monty Budwig, Chuck Domanico, Jack Sheldon, 1977
 * Rio Nights, with Chuck Domanico, Trevor Feldman, Eddie Karam, Hubert Laws, Harvey Mason, Sr., John Patitucci, Fred Tackett, 1977
 * In My Pocket, solo, 1977
 * Livin On The Fault Line The Doobie Brothers, 1977
 * Down Two Then Left Boz Scaggs, 1977
 * Together Again, with Monty Budwig, Shelly Manne, 1978
 * Soft Shoulder, with Generation Band, 1982, with Ernie Watts, Tom Scott (musician), Robben Ford, Dan Sawyer, Richard Gibbs, Nathan East, Jake Feldman, Trevor Feldman
 * To Chopin with Love, with the Victor Feldman Trio, with John Patitucci, Trevor Feldman, Recorded May 7 & 8, 1982, Released 1983
 * Call of the Wild, with Generation Band, 1984
 * Fiesta, with Kevin Bassinson, Vinnie Colaiuta, Joseph Conlan, Chick Corea, Nathan East, Manny Fernandez, Michael G. Fisher, Chuck Mangione, Dianne Reeves, Lee Ritenour, 1984
 * High Visibility, with Max Bennett, Joseph Conlan, Abe Laboriel, Dean Parks, Tom Scott, 1985
 * Secrets of the Andes, solo, with Hubert Laws, Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Abraham Laboriel, Sr., Alex Acuña, Milt Holland, Trevor Feldman, recorded February 26, 1982, LP released 1982, CD released 1987
 * The Young Vic, solo, 1987
 * ''Seven Steps To Heaven, with Tom Scott, Candid Productions, 2009

As sideman
With Cannonball Adderley With James Clay With Miles Davis With Milt Jackson With Sam Jones With John Klemmer With Blue Mitchell With Lalo Schifrin
 * Cannonball Adderley and the Poll Winners (Riverside)
 * A Double Dose of Soul (Riverside, 1960)
 * Seven Steps to Heaven (Columbia, 1963)
 * Memphis Jackson (Impulse!, 1969)
 * The Chant (Riverside, 1961)
 * Waterfalls (Impulse!, 1972)
 * Intensity (Impulse!, 1973)
 * Stablemates (Candid, 1977)
 * Gone with the Wave (Colpix, 1964)
 * The Cincinnati Kid (soundtrack) (MGM, 1965)