Dick Katz

Richard Aaron Katz (March 13, 1924 – November 10, 2009) was an American jazz pianist, arranger and record producer. He freelanced throughout much of his career, and worked in a number of ensembles. He co-founded Milestone Records in 1966 with Orrin Keepnews.

Career
Katz studied at the Peabody Institute, the Manhattan School of Music, and Juilliard. He also took piano lessons from Teddy Wilson. In the 1950s, he joined the house rhythm section of the Café Bohemia, and worked in the groups of Ben Webster and Kenny Dorham, Oscar Pettiford, and, later, Carmen McRae. From 1954 to 1955, he was part of the J. J. Johnson/Kai Winding Quintet. He also worked in Orchestra USA and participated on Benny Carter's Further Definitions album, and worked on some of Helen Merrill's recordings. In the late 1960s, he played with Roy Eldridge and Lee Konitz. In the 1990s, he worked as a pianist and arranger with the American Jazz Orchestra and Loren Schoenberg's big band.

Will Friedwald called Katz "a keyboardist of uncommon sensitivity and harmonic acumen." He was the favorite pianist of Benny Carter and Coleman Hawkins, as well as vocalists Carmen McRae and Helen Merrill.

Personal life
He died in Manhattan of lung cancer at the age of 85.

His son, Jamie Katz, a Columbia University graduate, is a freelance journalist and contributor to the Smithsonian magazine.

As sideman
With Benny Carter With Al Cohn With Jack DeJohnette With Kenny Dorham With Nancy Harrow With Milt Hinton With Jimmy Knepper With Lee Konitz With Carmen McRae With Helen Merrill With James Moody With Joe Newman With Oscar Pettiford With Jimmy Raney With Sonny Rollins With Loren Schoenberg With Ben Webster '''With Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson
 * Further Definitions (Impulse!, 1961)
 * Central City Sketches (MusicMasters, 1987)
 * Four Brass One Tenor (RCA Victor, 1955)
 * The DeJohnette Complex (Milestone, 1969)
 * Kenny Dorham And The Jazz Prophets (Chess, 1956)
 * Secrets (Soul Note, 1991)
 * East Coast Jazz /5 (Rhino, 1955)
 * Dream Dancing (Criss Cross, 1986)
 * The Lee Konitz Duets (Milestone, 1967)
 * Peacemeal (Milestone, 1969)
 * Satori (Milestone, 1974)
 * Oleo (Sonet, 1975)
 * Chicago 'n All That Jazz (Groove Merchant, 1975)
 * Something to Swing About (Kapp, 1959)
 * "The feeling is mutual" 1965
 * Chasin' The Bird (Emarcy, 1979)
 * The Blues and Other Colors (Milestone, 1969)
 * I'm Still Swinging (RCA Victor, 1955)
 * The Oscar Pettiford Orchestra in Hi-Fi Volume Two (ABC-Paramount, 1957)
 * Jimmy Raney featuring Bob Brookmeyer (ABC-Paramount) with Bob Brookmeyer
 * Sonny Rollins and the Big Brass (Metrojazz, 1957)
 * ’’That’s The Way It Goes’’ (Aviva, 1984)
 * ’’Time Waits For No One’’ (Music Masters 1987)
 * ’’Solid Ground’’(Music Masters 1988)
 * ’’Just A Settin’ And A-Rockin’ ‘’(Music Masters 1989)
 * Manhattan Work Song (Music Masters 1992)
 * Out Of This World (TBC; 1997)
 * Big Ben Time! (Philips, 1963)
 * Kai and Jay and Bennie Green with Strings (OJC, 1952–54)
 * K + J.J. (Bethlehem, 1955)
 * Dave Brubeck and Jay & Kai at Newport (Columbia, 1956)
 * Jay and Kai (Columbia, 1957)