Max Terr

Russian American pianist, arranger, and band leader (born November 16, 1889 in Odessa, Kherson Governorate, Russia (now Ukraine) – died August 2, 1951 in Los Angeles, CA, USA)

Born on November 16, 1889 in Odessa, Max Terr immigrated to the United States with his family when he was 1 year old, arriving in New York City on August 15, 1890. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen on September 17, 1925.

As a child, Terr studied piano at one of the New York conservatories. He made his first recordings between February 25, 1919 and June 15, 1920 for Columbia, accompanying [a=Eddy Brown (2)] on the piano.

In 1922, he started working for Columbia as pianist, arranger, and leader of one of its house dance bands, with whom he recorded from August 1922 to early 1926 (the other house bandleader for Pathé was Domenico Savino, who of course, recorded under the name of D. Onivas]. In addition, Terr worked as staff arranger and occasional pianist for alto saxophonist Nathan Glantz's Orchestra since at least 1921. He also featured Glantz on his band alongside a number of well-known sidemen. These included trumpeters Jules Levy Jr., Julius Berkin, and Hymie Farberman; cornet player Red Nichols; trombonists Eph Hannaford and [a=Sam Lewis (5)]; alto saxophonist Larry Abbott (present on Terr's band since early 1925, sharing his duties with Glantz), and banjoists John Cali and Harry Reser. Some of these musicians played with Terr on some recordings with vocalist Lee Morse for Columbia and Columbia.

In 1928, Terr started his film scoring career, during which he composed several soundtracks, including those for the Charlie Chaplin films "The Gold Rush" and "The Great Dictator." Terr also led his own choir, with whom he accompanied Judy Garland and Bing Crosby, among others.

Max Terr died at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California on August 2, 1951. He is buried at the Angelus Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.