George Wallington
| George Wallington | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Giacinto Figlia |
| Born |
October 27, 1924 Palermo, Sicily |
| Died | February 15, 1993 (aged 68) Cape Coral, Miami, Florida |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1940s–1993 |
George Wallington (born Giacinto Figlia; October 27, 1924, Palermo, Sicily – Cape Coral, Miami, February 15, 1993) was an American jazz pianist and composer.
Wallington was born in Sicily, and then moved to the United States (New York) with his family in 1925. His father sang opera and introduced his son to classical music, but Wallington listened to jazz after hearing the music of saxophonist Lester Young. He said that he acquired the name Wallington in high school: "I like to wear flashy clothes [...] and the kids in the neighborhood would say, 'Hey, look at Wallington!'" He left school at the age of 15 to play piano in New York.
From 1943 to 1953 Wallington played with Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Marsala, Charlie Parker, Serge Chaloff, Allan Eager, Kai Winding, Terry Gibbs, Brew Moore, Al Cohn, Gerry Mulligan, Zoot Sims, and Red Rodney, and recorded as a leader for Savoy and Blue Note (1950). Wallington toured Europe in 1953 with Lionel Hampton's big band. In 1954-60 he led bands in New York that contained rising musicians including Donald Byrd, Jackie McLean, and Phil Woods.
From 1954 to 1960 he led groups in New York that included newcomers Donald Byrd, Jackie McLean, and Phil Woods, recording as leader with these musicians for the Prestige and Atlantic labels. A Blue Note septet session from 1954 George Wallington Showcase is not included in this discography.
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