George Evans (bandleader)

George Evans (1915 – 16 February 1993) was an English jazz bandleader, arranger, tenor saxophonist and vocalist.

He was born in north London in 1915. Having started playing ukulele-banjo in a group led by Norrie Paramor, he moved on to the saxophone at 14, and was doing local gigs at age 15. He got his first professional job in Sonny Winter's Band in Southend at 16, before going on to join Al Lever's band. In the early 1930s he was playing tenor saxophone and doing arrangements for Freddie Bretherton's band. When Bretherton joined Syd Lipton’s band in 1935, Evans went with him, and wrote scores, played saxophone and sang in Lipton's band. In 1938, together with fellow saxophonist Harry Hayes he joined Geraldo and between 1938 and 1942 was arranging, singing and playing tenor for the orchestra. He was the composer of Geraldo’s signature tune "Hello Again".

From 1940 to 1946, he was a member of the Welsh Guards Band, although like many servicemen at the time, he carried on playing with civilian bands as well as appearing on broadcasts with George Melachrino’s combined Forces Orchestra. He also ran his own band, Saxes 'n Sevens, at the Embassy Club, made up of three altos, four tenors, and four musicians in the rhythm section, including leading saxophonists of the day: Hayes, Les Gilbert and Tommy Bradbury, on altos; himself, Jimmy Durrant, Poggy Pogson, Tommy Bradbury, Andy McDevitt, Norman Maloney, and Aubrey Frank on tenors. Later lineups would also include Pete King. The rhythm section consisted of, at various times, Joe Deniz on guitar, Wilkie Davidson on bass, Bobby Midgeley or Kenny Clare on drums and George Shearing or Ronnie Selby on piano. During the War, Evans also played, sang, and did arrangements for with the George Melachrino combined Forces Orchestra, and broadcast with them. He also recorded for Decca Records with a band comprising five trumpets, ten saxes, and four rhythm. The recordings were credited to the George Evans Orchestra directed by Leslie Evans, his brother.

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