Murray McEachern

McEachern, Murray

Murray McEachern. Trombonist, saxophonist, b Toronto 16 Aug 1915, d Los Angeles 28 Apr 1982. After violin studies with Geoffrey Waddington at the TCM he gave a recital in Massey Hall at 12. Further studies (clarinet and saxophone) preceded engagements in Montreal with Lucio Agostini and the dance band of George Sims, and on Toronto radio with Percy Faith (CRBC) and Johnny Burt (CFRB). By then proficient on several instruments, including trombone, trumpet, and bass, he made his US debut as a novelty act in 1936 in Chicago, then toured in the USA and Canada with, in turn, Jack Hylton's orchestra, Benny Goodman's big band (as trombone soloist 1936-8), and Glen Gray's Casa Loma Orchestra as trombonist and alto saxophonist 1938-41). His recordings with Goodman and Gray are listed in Brian Rust's Jazz Records 1897-1942 (London 1972); some have been included in anthologies of these leaders' work.

McEachern was assistant director in 1941 of Paul Whiteman's orchestra and a member of the US Armed Forces Entertainment Division during World War II; he also led his own band and played with Bob Crosby's radio orchestra in the 1940s. Thereafter a Hollywood studio musician, he played the trombone solos heard in the movies The Glenn Miller Story (1953), The Benny Goodman Story (1955), and Paris Blues (1961). Under his own name he made the LPs Music for Sleepwalkers Only (Key 711), Caress (Cap T-899), and Warm Trombone (Dot 25620). He also toured Europe in 1972 playing the Concerto for Trombone and Saxophone written for him by Billy May, and was briefly a member (1973) of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and 'ghost leader' (1974) of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.