b. 15 January 1919, Newark, New Jersey, USA, d. September 1973, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Clarinettist Wald formed his dance band in 1941 in New York City, New York, USA. The line-up included Larry Elgart, Bob Dukoff, Les Robinson, Art Ryerson and Sid Weiss, with arrangers Ray Conniff and Jerry Gray. An early booking at Child’s Spanish Garden, then an extended visit to the Lincoln Hotel, augured well for their long term future. As the band established its popularity in the 40s they expanded their repertoire from its original Artie Shaw- inspired style to swing and jazz. Records such as ‘Call Of The Wild’ were issued on Majestic, Columbia Records and Decca Records, with radio appearances on The Robert Q. Lewis Show and television alongside Jackie Gleason. A reduced aggregation emerged after World War II, regularly appearing at Wald’s own club in Hollywood. In Los Angeles in 1951 he established his second big band, which toured the country to limited success. Eventually Wald settled back in New York where he found opportunities in radio and television, though his band was kept together in some form or another for semi-professional engagements thereafter.