Abe Most

A superior swing clarinetist who spent much of his career either in the studios or re-creating the work of Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman, Abe Most was the older brother of flutist Sam Most. He joined Les Brown in 1939, spent 1942-1945 in the military, and was briefly with Tommy Dorsey in 1946. He moved to Los Angeles in the late '40s, where he worked steadily as a studio musician. Abe Most frequently played in local clubs (sometimes with his brother) and classic jazz festivals, but despite his talent recorded as a leader much too infrequently. He led obscure sessions for Superior (1946), Trend (1954), Annunciata (1978), and Camard (1984). On October 10, 2002, Abe Most died in his sleep at home. He was 82.