The brother of bassist Red Mitchell, Whitey Mitchell never achieved the fame of his sibling but he was also an excellent player. He played clarinet and tuba as a youth before settling on the bass. Whitey played with the Elinor Sherry Quartet and Shep Fields Orchestra (1951-52) before serving in the Army. Starting in 1954, Whitey freelanced in New York, playing in countless situations. Among his more important associations were Gene Krupa (1955), Tony Scott, J.J. Johnson-Kai Winding, Pete Rugolo, Charlie Ventura, Herbie Mann, Betty Roche, Oscar Pettiford's big band (1956-57), Gene Quill, Mat Mathews, Joe Puma, Johnny Richards, Peter Appleyard, Benny Goodman (1963-64) and Andre Previn. Whitey, who largely dropped out of full-time playing after 1965 and became a television producer, led an album for ABC-Paramount in 1956 and co-led a set for Metrojazz (as "the Mitchells") with Red and Blue Mitchell in 1958.
Scott Yanow
Source : https://www.allmusic.com/artist/whitey-mitchell-mn0000102900#biography
Whitey Mitchell
Sextette
(Arrangements by Neal Hefti)
(Fresh Sound ABC-126)
Tracks
1 It Could Happen To You (Van Heusen, Burke) 3:17
2 Lover Man (Ramirez, Davis, Sherman) 3:09
3 Strike Up the Band (Gershwin, Gershwin) 2:01
4 I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart (Ellington, Redmond, Mills, Nemo) 2:59
5 Once In a While (Edwards, Green) 3:37
6 Young Lesley (Mitchell) 3:42
7 You Stepped Out of a Dream (Brown, Kahn) 3:11
8 Over the Rainbow (Arlen, Harburg) 2:58
9 Perdido (Tizol, Drake, Lengsfelder) 3:13
10 Why Don't You Take Up the Piccolo ? (Mitchell) 3:06
*
Personnel
Don Stratton - tp
Tom Stewart - t hrn
Steve Lacy - ss
Joe Puma - g
Whitey Mitchell - b
Osie Johnson or Gus Johnson [# 4 & 7] - dr
Neal Hefti - arr.
Recorded New York City ; April 13 [# 2, 4, 6 & 7] & 23 [# 1, 3, 5, 8-10], 1956