Manny Albam, 79; Veteran Jazz Arranger

Manny Albam, one of the leading mainstream jazz arrangers of the 1950s and ‘60s, died of cancer Tuesday at his home in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. He was 79.

Over his 60-year career, he worked with many of the leading names in jazz, including Count Basie, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, Hank Jones and Sarah Vaughn.

Born in the Dominican Republic and reared in New York City, Albam started playing saxophone professionally while still at Stuyvesant High School.

After brief service in the Army during World War II, he toured with the big bands of Charlie Barnet, Sam Donohue and Jerry Wald as an arranger and performer.

By 1950, however, Albam had decided to put away his horn and began working full time as a freelance composer and arranger in New York City. By the mid-’50s, he was one of the city’s busiest jazz arrangers.

Over the years, Albam wrote for films, television and commercials. He recorded albums under his own name and contributed to the efforts of several top jazz performers. Albam did many of the arrangements for saxophonist Joe Lovano’s critically hailed 1997 album, “Celebrating Sinatra.”

Most recently, Albam was the Manhattan School of Music’s composition professor.

He is survived by his wife, artist Betty Hindes; and three children, Amy and Evan, both of New York, and Kate Crain of El Sobrante, Calif. He also had two stepchildren, Andrew Hindes of Los Angeles and Paul Hindes of New York City.