After joining a military band on piano and saxophone as part of his call-up for
national service, Red Mitchell began his career as a performing musician on
double bass. He initially played with Jackie Paris and Mundell Lowe, then in the
late '40s with bandleader Chubby Jackson, before joining Woody Herman's band for
three years. Health problems forced him to take a period of enforced rest in the
early '50s, but he soon recovered and embarked on a series of collaborations
with Red Norvo, Tal Farlow, Gerry Mulligan and Hampton Hawes. He played with
Hampton Hawes for over ten years,...