Kast, George (28th August 1913-22nd August 1987)

Concertmaster and violinist born in New York who was instrumental in the amalgamation of black and white musicians unions in the early 1950s.

As a musician, his accomplishments were legion. He played violin at the premiere of Charles Ives’ “Aeschylus and Sophocles” at Wilshire Ebell Chamber Music Hall in Los Angeles, on 2^nd April 1951.

He appeared on over eighty albums and has worked with a list of artists that looks like a clearinghouse at a mega-music blow-out sale, including The Andrews Sisters, Tony Bennett, The Carpenters, Benny Carter, Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Earth, Wind & Fire, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Eartha Kitt, Frankie Laine, Dean Martin, Sergio Mendes, The Monkees, Ray Parker, Jr., Minnie Riperton, Artie Shaw, Simon & Garfunkel, Frank Sinatra, Rod Stewart, Barbra Streisand, Mel Torme, Tom Waits, and Mason Williams.

His film and television credits include Dirty Harry, Enter the Dragon, Mission: Impossible, and Rocky. A Memorial Scholarship For Violin bears his name.

He was married to the violinist Eudice Shapiro.

He passed away in California in 1987 when he was 73 years old.

Lalo Schifrin recordings
Love Rhapsody from “The Concorde – Airport ’79” (Lalo Schifrin)
Theme from “The Concorde – Airport ’79” (Lalo Schifrin)

Here he plays violin on Doris Day’s “April in Paris”..

Sources:

Kast, George (28th August 1913-22nd August 1987)

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