Sam Most

One of the first great jazz flutists, a cool-toned tenor, and a fine (if infrequent) clarinetist, Sam Most was the younger brother of clarinetist <a href="spotify:artist:1xu6Jrj1cj5mVlrJj0P8vc">Abe Most</a>. He picked up early experience playing with the orchestras of <a href="spotify:artist:4WoGga7UeRcmjD4ufif4nG">Tommy Dorsey</a> (1948), <a href="spotify:artist:5E84HDW1BoYkMZ7pQ9JU9a">Boyd Raeburn</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4xgDy82aqLHAG2Is3ELRWv">Don Redman</a>. By the time he led his first session (1953), Most was a brilliant flutist (among the first to sing through his flute) and he briefly had the jazz field to himself. Most recorded fine sessions for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Prestige%22">Prestige</a>, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Debut%22">Debut</a> (reissued on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Xanadu%22">Xanadu</a>), <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Vanguard%22">Vanguard</a>, and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Bethlehem%22">Bethlehem</a> during 1953-1958, doubling on clarinet. He also worked in different settings with <a href="spotify:artist:5Q6PVXflC7LKN42bYupRJQ">Chris Connor</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:79M6Ce0m7LMzZOfy5C27C1">Paul Quinichette</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:0tg5uVI4VjzZOFzBryJZii">Teddy Wilson</a>. After playing with <a href="spotify:artist:1pVtwG5Up1OZOEpSHJ4AAs">Buddy Rich's Orchestra</a> (1959-1961), he moved to Los Angeles and became a studio musician. Sam Most worked with <a href="spotify:artist:6TDBjaKrCj3BvbxhiUSbog">Red Norvo</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1el0ImlpL5kq6eAHoodvOU">Louie Bellson</a>, gained some new prominence with his <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Xanadu%22">Xanadu</a> recordings of 1976-1979, and became a local fixture in Los Angeles, sometimes playing in clubs with his brother. Most died of cancer in June 2013; he was 82 years old. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi