Felix and All the Cats

ANDRE, WAYNE: Trombonist.
Wayne Andre is a successful free-lance recording artist, performer, composer/arranger and clinician. Born in Manchester, CT on Nov. 17, 1931, he studied at the Hartt School of Music from 1948 to 1949; earned a scholarship to Schillinger House (now known as the Berkley School of Music), which he attended from 1949 to 1950; and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Manhattan School of Music in 1961. Mr. Andre also studied with William Cully, an alumnus of Gene Krupa's Orchestra, during 1948 and 1949.
Mr. Andre's first love is jazz, having written for and performed with such bands as Charlie Spivak, 1950; Sauter-Finnegan, 1955; and Woody Herman, 1956. In 1956-7, he worked with the Kai Winding septet, for which he composed "Nutcracker" and arranged "The Preacher". He performed with Gerry Mulligan's first Concert Jazz Band in 1960.
Throughout his career he has performed behind such artists as Frank Sinatra, Paul Anka, Peggy Lee, Pearl Bailey, Tony Bennet, Louis Armstrong… to name but a few. Mr. Andre's side ventures include Benny Goodman's "Mission to Russia" in 1962 and later, with Benny Goodman's septet; the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis orchestra, 1966; Clark Terry's big band, 1967; and NJF-NY with Michel Legrand, 1973.
In May of 1991, Mr. Andre was the featured instrumental soloist with the Oslo Radio Orchestra in Norway. This live radio broadcast, which reached most of Europe, featured some of his original music along with that of other composers. In October of the same year, Mr. Andre toured Europe with the Charles Mingus Epitaph Orchestra. Mr. Andre has also been an invited performer at many colleges and jazz festivals. He has performed at the Midland, Texas Jazz Party as well as the Port Townsend, Washington Jazz Festival organized by Bud Shank.
The New York Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the association that presents the Grammy Awards, has twice presented Mr. Andre with the Most Valuable Player Award in the category of Tenor Trombone.