12 Facts About Arnold Fishkind

At age 7 Arnold Fishkind began learning violin, and played in "The Musical Aces", a local band of budding musicians.

Arnold Fishkind had his first professional gig with Bunny Berigan in 1937.

Arnold Fishkind's career was interrupted at this point by three years of service in the armed forces during World War II.

In mid-1946 Arnold Fishkind met and played with pianist Lennie Tristano in New York, but by the fall he left to go to Hollywood to play with Charlie Barnet.

In 1947 Arnold Fishkind returned to New York, where from 1947 to 1949 he played with Tristano, and from 1949 to 1951 he recorded with Lee Konitz and on Johnny Smith's Moonlight in Vermont.

Arnold Fishkind became well known enough during this time to be mentioned by Jack Kerouac in his novel Visions of Cody.

Rock and Roll having decimated the market for jazz musicians in New York City, Arnold Fishkind moved from Glen Cove, New York back to California.

Arnold Fishkind continued to record into the 1980s, playing with, among others, Frank Scott.

Arnold Fishkind converted to Christianity after discussions with his son, Todd, and contemporary Christian music artist Keith Green.

Arnold Fishkind later became an elder at Keith Green's Last Days Ministries.

Arnold Fishkind's documented associations included, in addition to those mentioned above, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Hasselgard, Peanuts Hucko, Charlie Parker, Shorty Rogers, Butch Stone, and Jerry Wald.

Arnold Fishkind himself mentored Chubby Jackson and had at least one student, bassist Peter Blannin, who studied with him in New York in 1951.