Sid Weiss

Swing-era bassist, an often understated presence on the music scene from early childhood. Weiss began on tuba, clarinet and violin before switching to string bass. After completing high school, he gigged for some time in the Rochester and New York area, including stints with Wingy Manone and Charlie Barnet. He is best remembered for his tenure with the Artie Shaw Orchestra in 1936, and again, between 1937 and 1939 (when the band broke up). Famous tracks on which Weiss provided rhythmic kick include 'Begin the Beguine', 'Any Old Time', 'Deep Purple', 'Carioca' and 'Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise'. During the 1940's, Weiss worked with other top swing outfits of the period: Tommy Dorsey (1940-41), Benny Goodman (1941-45), Jerry Wald (1942), Abe Lyman (1943) and Hal McIntyre (USO overseas tour, 1945). After the war, he worked regularly as a studio musician, recording in New York with Eddie Condon, Duke Ellington, Bud Freeman and Joe Bushkin (among others). From 1954, Weiss was based in Los Angeles where he alternated recording and club dates with work for a tape recorder manufacturer. In 1968, he left his career as a performer altogether and became a business representative for the Musician's Union, Local 47.